Welcome to The Tone Lounge. Home of The Tone King.

Thank you for visiting.

I get tons of emails daily ... hopefully this will answer some of the more Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ...

So, who is The Tone King?

For the sake of an honest answer ... a father and a husband before anything else! What else? Dog owner, home owner, employee, employer, marketeer, engineer, son, brother, soon-to-be uncle, etc. Should I go on? I know, I know .... you want to know who 'The Tone King' is in relation to the music business and why I get to wear the crown ...

OK, for the sake of this website and those tuning in ... I'm an amateur musician and big time gear aficionado. If you've ever heard of G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) ... I lead the way here, and am also on a mission generated by YOU to help cure it. I'm actually a nice guy that means no harm (so, apologies in advance to those MFRs who sometimes get the short end of the stick)!!. I guess at one point in my life, I was one of those kids who simply got caught up in the mix of misleading marketing messages that are all too often biased and misleading. I really thought that if an artist played it, or it was new ... it must be better ... but I've come to learn, that's not always the case. Well, what I've learned is this ... There are no rules of thumb in the art of making music. The only rule of thumb is to lay it all out and compare your options and let your ears decide for yourself. What may be good for one, may not be good for all. And ... while others spend their $$ on fancy cars, bling, booze and other stuff that makes them happy... I spend my cold hard cashola on gear all in the quest to find great 'tone' and yes, that makes me happy!! Receiving the amount of thanks & praise in the process from folks like YOU makes it all worth the while, so please, keep the positive feedback coming!

How do you afford all of this gear? What do you do for a living?

The above are 2 of the most commonly asked questions I receive.

The simple answer to the first question is this : I work for it. There used to be an old bank slogan that said 'work hard, play right', and frankly speaking I work very hard ... which allows me to play by my rules (play right). I remember seeing one of those email jokes in my inbox, that said ... 'How do you make $$$ fast' ... the answer was GET A JOB! There's no shortcuts in life, and nothing comes for free, and whereas some spend their $$ at the bar, or at the roulette table ... I am always at the guitar shop or online, looking for gear. It's my one & only vice ... so those around me have learned to live with it, knowing it's better than a lot of other vices out there!

To answer the second question ... In addition to wearing the crown ... by day I'm a silicon valley presales engineer, and by night I am 100% King of the Tone Lounge. Interestingly enough, in the technology business, I work w/ manufacturers, retailers and customers on a daily basis. This is very much in sync w/ my alter-ego in the music business ... in that I'm closely aligned w/ exactly the same ... manufactures, retailers and of course, YOU ... the players. I have heard and read, so many times ... that if you truly enjoy doing what you do, the $$$ will follow, and the results will take care of itself. I'm a firm believer in that work ethic. If for example, you are an electrician and you're into guitars - try wiring up some electronics. If you are a carpenter, try building a speaker cabinet. For me, I take what I have been doing professionally for the past 12 years, and apply that same skill set to The Tone King project. I love calling in to companies and their customer service lines and speaking w/ manufacturers. I love getting the 411 on all sorts of information (dating, serial #s, circuits, construction, etc.). And, in turn, I love sharing that with you. In my day job, my responsibility is to understand in detail different technologies, and have to articulate that to my customers. I treat The Tone King project the same exact way!!

I am also a manufactures / stores dream customer, in that I don't think twice about dropping the bills for a piece of gear I'm interested in. It doesn't matter what I have ... if I like it, if it's a good value, if the price is right ... if it's screaming 'BUY ME' ... that's all it takes. There isn't much a salesperson can do for me ... I know what I like, and when I see it, I reel it in like a big fish.

With all of that said - the bottom line is this : The Tone King Has GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) and I am always buying gear. I love gear and that is why I started doing what I do. Most of the gear that I show and talk about I purchased and in most cases I keep and enjoy. Since doing this some brands have wanted to have me check out their product and have offered to send me product. In some cases they even let me keep it (love that). Also some brands have been kind enough to sponsor my efforts with payments for ads on my site. They know and you must know that I do not allow that to impact my comments. I started with a focus on keeping it real and you can bet that I continue to be totally real.

Do you ever sell the gear you have ?

In most cases, I keep what I buy. That's what keeps The Tone Lounge robust, and that's what keeps The Tone King gear reviews more real and better than anything else out there!! Having the collection let's me compare and bench mark any amp or guitar against any other amp or guitar. But, like most of us, yes, sometimes I do sell some gear. In that case, I usually sell it privately. Yes, I use eBay and Craigslist. I almost NEVER trade in my gear ... as you will ALWAYS take a beating on a trade-in. So, who knows ... you may have bought something from me, without knowing you bought it from the King himself :-) !!

What makes The Tone King gear reviews better than other reviews out there?

Do you want the truth? Can you handle the truth? If you want the truth, and can handle the truth - the honest answer is this ... I truly am an unbiased, 3rd party source. I don't work for a store and don't work for a manufacturer. I am not financially motivated to sell or move gear. Stores that review gear in most cases will never say the gear they have sucks!! How about the publications? Do you want my opinion on the publications? Are they necessary? Sure. Do I read guitar magazines. Yup, I do. Do I take the marketing messages seriously? Um, not really, and not always. Remember, magazines are a necessity, because they get the word out. I wouldn't take them to literally though. With the power of the internet, and 'user opinion', there's so much useful information out there ... one doesn't need to rely on a 1 sided gear review. Next time you see a publication pushing out 15 reviews in a single month - ask yourself this 1 simple question ... 'Did that reviewer BUY that amp or guitar'? If the answer is NO - then I'd be curious to know which guitar or amp they did buy :-). Also - check the archives ... did that reviewer EVER say something sucked?? If not - I'd question the integrity of the review. Also - ask yourself ... did that reviewer, or publication review something from a non-advertiser? In most cases - NEVER!! So, reviews from 'only' advertisers? Hmmm, comflict of interest? Who's to say for sure, but it could sure come across that way. Remember, perception is greater than reality ... and for me, when an advertiser gets the plug and a non-advertiser is as good as being non-existent, it doesn't say much for the bigger picture! For me - I share with you what I own. I share with you what's in The Tone Lounge. Most of what I review I own. Sure, there are some pieces that I review that I don't own. That's a fact and I wouldn't lie about it. Take for example ... my Ed Roman gear reviews, or my Dueling Guitars review. Personally, I think Ed makes great guitars, but they're waaay out of my budget. I totally dig the fact that Don Scheib takes every penny earned and puts it into his passion ... I think that's credible, and worth pointing out and sharing with you. The important point is this ... I too don't buy EVERYTHING that I like ... but I'm not a factory either. Anything that I share with you, is very well thought out and is worthy of sharing. It's something I believe in. And, if I stumble across something I'm not overly crazy about - not only will I call them out on it, but in most cases ... I'll let you decide for YOURSELF ... I'll let you decide if that's the right piece of gear FOR YOU. My reviews are never 1 sided. I encourage you to think and listen for yourself!!

The Economy ...

I am of the opinion that buying any piece of gear is a great investment. What better way, especially for the younger generation to INVEST in equity. Com'on all ... didn't you grandma always tell you to save your $$$. The good news is that buying a guitar is no different than saving your $$$, but rather than a bank enjoying the benefits of your interest, YOU can enjoy the benefits of your interest, because historically, guitars of yesteryear are worth MORE today than they sold for NEW!!! Now, with eBay and imports, THIS is the best time to buy gear, because with the trading prices of gear today ... I'll tell you this, I don't see prices staying this low for too long! Boys and girls ... we are at an interesting time for buying gear. Here's the crystal ball in the eyes of The Tone King :

- Gear (guitars especially) are being made with state of the art equipment, and are being made for pennies on the dollar. So, when you see a neck through, or set neck, with a beautiful top, premium pickups made of premium wood selling for $300 ... BUY IT. Seriously folks ... do you think the price is going to go down? Remember, love it or hate it ... imported goods typically allows for great buys, especially when you are buying from countries that work and demand a lot less than what we are personally accustomed to. AND ... it must be noted that this too will change. A guitar in Japan used to cost a few hundred bucks. Now (e.g., ESP guitars) they cost a few thousand bucks, because a Japanese made instrument is at a premium. A Korean guitar was the next best thing ... and now, they are quickly becoming a premium, as MFRs are moving shop to China. China will have their day, then Indonesia, and so on. Infact, if I could fast forward 40 years from now - I would almost bet, guitars will someday say 'Made in Africa' ... because 'big businesses' are already starting to set up shop there (e.g., sneaker companies, clothing companies, etc.). Remember, it's big business interest to find cheap labor. But, as big business invests in developing nations, they are essentially bumping up that bit of real-estate by making that investment. Much like the Gold Rush 1849 - eventually, that developing nation turns into a 'developed' nation, that gets overloaded with demand. (Again - stay in school folks ... this is economics 101).

- If you compare guitars to the stock-market ... you're lucky if you get 15-20% turn around on a high risk stock. What if I told you you can get 100% turn-around on buying a great deal on eBay, or a longer term investment in buying a Korean made guitar today that will be worth double in about 10 years! Historical averages in the stock market aren't this rewarding ... which is why there's a HUGE market for antiques and vintage pieces. The facts are the facts. Guitars, like muscle cars, like fine arts, etc. have meaning to enthusiasts around the world. It's not a useless stock certificate that can crash... it's something that inspires and brings forth passion. So ... in short, BUY a guitar, it's a great investment!!!

Why the videos?

The videos were actually somewhat of a coincidence. I cut a few videos to have recorded references of different amps, and different speakers. With the birth of YouTube, I figured I'd put them online, and what better way then YouTube. Little did I know that I'd be trailing behind the major publications at a rate of 20% in terms of popularity, with views averaging at a compounded rate of 3000 per month, with non-stop praise, acceptance and the demand for more. Well, as we all know, demand drives interest, and when it comes to gear, it's oxygen that keeps this fire burning! So, THANKS to YOU, for keeping this alive.

Who is LMSJR?

As noted above ... this initiative didn't start as The Tone King ... it started with the initials of my name. The Tone King came later on. Infact ... one night, I sat up late scouring the GoDaddy website, and thought of all the self centered things I could call myself, and saw that no one owned The Tone King.com domain ... at which point, The Tone King was born.

So where is he now?

First and foremost - I am a New Yorker living in New Jersey. I spent 28 years of my life in New York, and moved to New Jersey almost 8 years ago. (For those of you that don't know - New Jersey is the suburbs for New York :-). Hopefully that clears up where 'the accent' comes from. Also, LMSJR aka The Tone King aka TTK, is not only a gear-a-holic, but a work-a-holic. Interestingly enough, when I'm not working with customers or colleagues, I'm almost always in The Tone Lounge, which is my little niche (aka man cave) carved out on the globe in which we all live. I have an awesome chair that I bought at Office Depot about 5 years ago, that allows me to spin full circle, and am surrounded by gear. You'll also find me spending lots of quality family time w/ the kids. Life is short ... embrace it, live it and love it ... and most importantly, include your kids in everything you do. After all, they are your #1 fan!!!

What else is there?

So what else can I tell you. I've been in a series of bands all throughout high school, college and post college. All the meanwhile, I let school work for me, and was at the right place, at the right time. I was just getting into computers at the time (my first modem was a 9600 baud), and my first email acct was on a VAX/VMS system. I stuck with the things I liked at the time (chicks, guitars, computers, etc) and during the internet boom ... got caught in the whirlwind. After the fall-out, I saw a lot of my friends move over into other industries, and I stayed put ... sticking to what I liked, which was technology. I've made my rounds w/ a few silicon valley companies, and have stuck w/ that ever since, making a decent living out of the things I enjoy doing the most! Again, remember, if you stick with what you enjoy, the results and $$$ in most cases will follow.

And, like most guys who are into rock n roll ... I own 3 dogs (2 Dachshunds and 1 Saint Bernard). I also own a hog (Harley Davidson that is). In addition, I and am married to a beautiful wife and have 2 beautiful children with #3 on the way (as of 4/09). Every day I wake up, I remind myself how lucky I am, and am thankful for what I have, and for the people that surround me ... my family, my co-workers, and the great people and friends I've made throughout my life, including those that comment and write in regularly.

How else can you join the revolution, and make a difference?

Simple. There's lot of things you can do.

- Tell everyone you know about The Tone King!!!

- Email your favorite manufacturer, and demand The Tone King do a gear review.

- Email your favorite magazine, and demand The Tone King do impartial gear reviews.

- Email me, and tell me what you'd like to see.

- Buy from my 'Shop' Affiliate ads to help fund the initiative.

- Buy a T-Shirt.

- Make a donation.

- Simply send an email, letting me know 'how I'm driving'.

I think I've answered all of the FAQ and BIO questions. If I missed anything, please let me know!

As always, Thanks for your support!

The Tone King /

Please direct all inquiries to info@TheToneKing.com.