A Lesson About Guitar Tone from Lucero. Are you obsessed with guitar tone? What guitarist with any sense of pride isn't? But you don't need to pay a small fortune to get the tone you desire. This week I went to see one of my all time favorite bands, Lucero. Ben Nichols is able to produce a growl from his setup that has an overdriven aggression to it but also comes across warm and clear. Pure heaven as far as I'm concerned. For Lucero's punk/country style, Ben's tone is perfect. So, as soon as the show was over I stepped up near the stage to see his gear. I expected to see an array of boutique pedals that helped him achieve tone nirvana through his Epiphone Sheraton II. I was surprised to see a tuner, a Holy Grail reverb pedal, and a Fulltone Fat-Boost. That was it. Outside of his amp (a small tube amp that I can't recognize) all of his gear, including the guitar, can be bought at a local music store for less than $1,000. The lesson: less is more. Use gear that helps you produce one signature, golden tone. And limit the toys you use to get there. Let the guitar and amp be the basis of your sound and only add pedals that add a hint of flavor to your tone.