“The Quest For Tone (On A Budget)” — Electric Guitar Noodling With A Purpose

Over the past few years I accumulated a range of inexpensive but beautiful-sounding equipment: a ’94 Standard Stratocaster, both Xtomp and Ampero modeling effects pedals from Hotone, and a Fender Champion 20 modeling amp, the latter three of which, as digital modeling hardware containing hundreds of software models emulating vintage analog signal processors, amps, and speaker cabinets, enable the budget guitarist to achieve a range of guitar sounds and timbres previously requiring equipment costing thousands of dollars.

Over time, and in an effort to revive my once-popular GuitaristInProgress Youtube channel, I began occasionally posting videos of my various efforts to wring maximum guitar tone from a setup that cost me, including everything, in total about $800. While I’m pretty far behind in posting, I still update it occasionally.

Here, for you tone aficionados, are what I’ve posted to date.

QUEST FOR TONE (on a budget) #1. '94 MIM Stratocaster, Hotone Xtomp, Fender Champion 20

view on YouTube

QUEST FOR TONE (on a budget) #2: MIM Strat, Hotone Xtomp, Fender Champion 20 & dead strings for sure

view on YouTube

QUEST FOR TONE (on a budget) #3: '94 MIM Strat, Hotone Xtomp, Fender Champion 20, dead G string

view on YouTube

QUEST for TONE (on a budget) #4: now with clickbait... FIND OUT WHY!

view on YouTube

THE QUEST FOR TONE (on a budget) #5: Thinner, Cleaner, Faster, Stronger

view on YouTube