Cameron "Atomica" vs. Friedman "Marsha"

[Heritage Softail]

Really.. well if your looking for early Van halen(78-81)in my opinion Rockstah Mod5(Mark Abrahamin) is the way to go.Since his death the amps that he made and modded are going for sick money I was offered $3500 for the amp Mark modded for me and a friend that owns one was offered $3k.

You should have taken the $3500. It is an easy mod that is well documented over at Metro. Mark's excellent VH-style playing and well thought out reverb setting are a large portion of what people hear in those clips he did.

Steve

I watched vids of him playing many amps getting awesome tone and smoking VH stuff. Even one with a flanger and a little 10" combo SS Marshall.

The only thing consistent was the player.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Really.. well if your looking for early Van halen(78-81)in my opinion Rockstah Mod5(Mark Abrahamin) is the way to go.Since his death the amps that he made and modded are going for sick money I was offered $3500 for the amp Mark modded for me and a friend that owns one was offered $3k.

You should have taken the $3500. It is an easy mod that is well documented over at Metro. Mark's excellent VH-style playing and well thought out reverb setting are a large portion of what people hear in those clips he did.

Steve

I watched vids of him playing many amps getting awesome tone and smoking VH stuff. Even one with a flanger and a little 10" combo SS Marshall.

The only thing consistent was the player.

 

[nitro]

The amp that I have from Mark was the last amp he modded before his death,might have something to do with it.There's no need for me to sell it,it achieves the sound that I like very well.Other amps that I heard that others performed the mod 5 dont sound like Mark's (Rockstah).

 

[scottywompas]

I think both sound really good. The atomica I think is a hair more on point for the VH-1 sound to me.

The playing is good to, The pick attack is part of the VH sound. I would be happy with either one really.


Scott

 

[metalmaniac93]

Zach's Atomica clip also showcases some cool VH tones. I need to learn how to imbed videos in these threads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_JVL91V3OE

 

[Anonymous]

The amp that I have from Mark was the last amp he modded before his death,might have something to do with it.There's no need for me to sell it,it achieves the sound that I like very well.Other amps that I heard that others performed the mod 5 dont sound like Mark's (Rockstah).

Dude, a mod is a mod. Once it has been described, which Mark himself did, it can be repeated. You either heard a different mod that someone was calling Mod 5, or you're not being objective.

Steve

 

[Ventura]

If I may. I have done extensive video production on these amps, with Mic placement that was set by Dave Friedman.
See if you think the sounds are better compared here:

No contest. Friedman hands down.

 

[FAN HALEN]

Nice work.

They sound pretty similar to me in the few parts of the video I skipped around to. What setting did you have the Cameron diode clipping rear knob on?

Both amps were set at high-gain so the Atomica diode clipping knob was set all the way to the right for the highest level of diode clipping. The front "edge" switch was also set to the right for the 2nd most amount go gain (all the way to the left would be most gain). For the Marsha I also had the "Sat" switch on.

I believe a lot of the "nazzle" people are hearing is coming from the Webber NeoMag speaker. It's very bright and brittle but adds just enought sizzle (to me anyways) for the early VH tone (by the way David Bray is the one who recommended the speaker to me). I did add a speaker refelctor or "beam blocker" to spead some of the bright sound as the cone is actually aluminum but it's covered up in the pictures by the beam blocker.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Nice post. I appreciate the time and effort put in. This is exactly what I am researching now. There is one amp left that I want. A smokin Marshall that covers lower gain blues to hot rod hair metal.

Nice playing as well.

What I was getting at earlier but didn't say it exactly as I meant was this. After Rockstah died, I listed to a bunch of his YT stuff. He was just a great player. It reminded me that gear does matter, but the player puts the fire and spirit in the song. He blasted that fire out of a 5K rig or 199$ rig. Once in a while you hear somebody like that. He was one of those guys. I wasn't referring to either amp, buying tone, or any of those other gear forum discussions, just sharing a moment of clarity.

 

[ericsabbath]

oh... a pirate cab
nice!

 

[nitro]

sah5150 if the mod 5 that was done by others dont sound like Marks is because Mark would tweak the amp plus other things.It sounds different for a reason what else can I say."objective" to what.Whats this "Dude" crap,still in high school.Original Jose mods sound different from Jose mods done by others.

 

[Mailman1971]

 

[Bob Savage]

What I was getting at earlier but didn't say it exactly as I meant was this. After Rockstah died, I listed to a bunch of his YT stuff. He was just a great player. It reminded me that gear does matter, but the player puts the fire and spirit in the song. He blasted that fire out of a 5K rig or 199$ rig. Once in a while you hear somebody like that. He was one of those guys.

Exactly right. Gear does matter but Mark was definitely one of those guys that could play through anything and make people stop to listen.

 

[nitro]

Someone's playing style and sound are two different things.Mark(Rockstah)and I both agreed on that.I can play though a dirty amp and its going to sound like my style of playing but its still going to be dirty.Each amp(Brand) is different.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Gotta preserve that resale value, it's the internet gear forum way.

 

[Meathead]

Someone's playing style and sound are two different things.Mark(Rockstah)and I both agreed on that.

True, but you can't separate the player (hands) from the tone.
A very Van Halen sounding amp would prove to be very un-Van Halen sounding in the hands of someone like...well let's say Kirk Hammett.

 

[Bob Savage]

True, but you can't separate the player (hands) from the tone.
A very Van Halen sounding amp would prove to be very un-Van Halen sounding in the hands of someone like...well let's say Kirk Hammett.

OH NO YOU DI'INT!

 

[Meathead]

True, but you can't separate the player (hands) from the tone.
A very Van Halen sounding amp would prove to be very un-Van Halen sounding in the hands of someone like...well let's say Kirk Hammett.

OH NO YOU DI'INT!

Do you agree Kirk Hammett could not get a Van Halen tone, through any amp...ever?

 

[nitro]

Eddie's tone changed from album to album his fingers didnt change if it was all in the fingers each album would sound the same.You know its Edward playing thats HIS style.

 

[Meathead]

Eddie's tone changed from album to album his fingers didnt change if it was all in the fingers each album would sound the same.You know its Edward playing thats HIS style.

Well then Kirk Hammett should be able to get a great Van Halen tone with a mod5 amp. I don't think so.