To find the unfindable tone...

Tone.  That seemingly unattainable sound that we try to get from our guitar setups.  Never ever satisfied with varying guitars & amps & pedals & speakers & changing stage acoustics; it's a frustrating & compromising situation.  We want to hear what we hear in our heads & dreams, but it just never sounds that way.  Especially when one is dealing with a limited budget.  The wife will only go so far in accepting the rationalization that a new amp or pedal will make all the difference in the world!

I've actually been pretty consistent in my career using mostly Fender amps, lastly a Twin Reverb '65 Reissue which has brought me very much closer to a sound I can live with.  I only wish there were speakers available that supported the tones but were lighter!  I gotta stay in shape to carry that thing!

I like to say my mid-life crisis was resolved after seeing Eric Clapton perform & consequently switching to a maple neck on my Strat after playing on rosewood for god knows how long.  I love the snappier & funkier sound of the Strat with a maple neck.

I resisted using a compressor on stage for the longest time.  Finally I bought one & it was a revelation!  At low volumes I'd still get sustain & response that helped my playing.  It's funny how when using a distorted setting, the response of the attack just isn't as immediate as when playing on a clean setting.  When using the compressor, it solved it for me.  Better late than never, I guess.

I just recently switched compressors & started using a JHS pedal.  It's relatively transparent for a stage compressor & has made it all the more enjoyable.

See ya's