Van Halen Brown Sound 68 Marshall Super Tremelo -- Top Jimmy Studios
- Thread starter harddriver
- Start date
DanTravis62
Well-known member
Killer ESP, that finish is sick
Edward changed to a alnico 2 magnet back in 1980 when he started to use Floyd rose trem the reason why is that he said when he switch from a fender trem to the Floyd rose the Floyd rose sounded to thin and tin sounding thats why he switch to alnico 2 which is warmer and less bright with the Floyd rose.So for the Van Halen 1 sound alnico 2 is to warm and soft sounding to me
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harddriver
Well-known member
It does seem a little warm and soft on the attack for VH1 but the overall tone is there pretty much there with the amount of gain. He is using a Floyd guitar so that should make up for the A-2 some but if he wanted a real apples to apples comparison he should be using a Northern Ash guitar with a standard Fender tremelo but it still sounds great and he shows a simple setup can get you there.
glpg80
Well-known member
Yeah something about the notes isn’t right. It’s not the amp - it’s like the guitar wood is wrong or the pickup isn’t right.
SpiderWars
Well-known member
And added some loud 'chikka's to the rhythm.
DanTravis62
Well-known member
It might be the pickup but it's a hair too muddy. Not enough of the clean transient poking through the gain, and too much low midrange.
I'm not an EVH expert by any means but I can hear it pretty clearly
Still its a really good, really close approximation
it actually makes me wonder how close I could get with a 68 tremolo
SpiderWars
Well-known member
Could be the EQ settings too. When I looked at it I thought it was skewed too low but I had mine GE-7 modded so I can’t remember how I would set it.
DanTravis62
Well-known member
That would certainly fix the low midrange part, but the EQ isn't going to make the clean transients poke out
I'm guessing that's a pickup difference or something else in the chain
Arch Stanton
Dollar Store Satriani
If you're not first, you're last.
psychodave
Well-known member
I agree 100%. That's a big part of that rhythm.
mentoneman
Well-known member
personally, it’s not just trying to absolutely clone that sound. i’ve spent a good amount of time, effort and money going down the vh tone road to conclude i don’t care enough to be that forensic nor will i ever be EVH.
but if i can get in the ballpark of the attack, sustain, clarity, and dynamics inspired by his 76-82 tones, to be satisfied with my tone and the touch sensitivity of the strings on my guitar while playing, i’m good.
harddriver
Well-known member
Why do people climb Mt. Everest.......................
Ed's brown sound either moves you or it doesn't, for it's time it was the most brutal in your face rock tone and it stood out from all the other Marshall tones in the music scene. Hence........people like me have fun chasing the tone, kinda the same way other people chase Dime tone and other guitar amp tones that inspire you or you enjoy hearing.
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glpg80
Well-known member
Another example - why do people chase early Metallica with IIC+? Because the music needs the tone to match the writing. The riffs aren’t going to hit the same with a vox. Same with Van Halen and his tone. They’re linked together.
Chase what inspires you to play. Whether it’s the tone of someone else’s findings or the tone that’s in your head that’s your own.
