I finally found out what the pot behind van halen VH1 does (it wasn't a master at all)

[Amp_chaser]

Okay then I want to apologize for how I presented this. Starting with a big claim and then not sharing the details was frustrating for people, and that's fair. The work isn't finished yet and I posted prematurely. I'll come back when I have something more concrete to show. Let's end this topic.

 

[VonBonfire]

I'll come back when I have something more concrete to show.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Okay then I want to apologize for how I presented this. Starting with a big claim and then not sharing the details was frustrating for people, and that's fair. The work isn't finished yet and I posted prematurely. I'll come back when I have something more concrete to show. Let's end this topic.

Yes. That is what you came here for...

You want people to be impressed with your research.

The amp builders that "contact" you aren't interested in that silly shit. They want to try the circuit to see if it sounds good, regardless of if it sounds like a 40+ year old album. You came here to be a douche. And that is why we treat you as such.

Most of the people in this thread came in to make fun of another EVH thread because for fuck's sake, will it ever end...not because we give a shit about that tone

 

[RedPlated]

Amp chaser version 1.0 - “I’ve done exhaustive research for 10 years and have unlocked the secrets to the EVH tone.” “I will not reveal the magical sorcery.”

Amp chaser v 2.0 - “I still need to actually figure out what’s going on with the circuit, so let’s close the thread.”

 

[Amp_chaser]

Yes. That is what you came here for...

You want people to be impressed with your research.

The amp builders that "contact" you aren't interested in that silly shit. They want to try the circuit to see if it sounds good, regardless of if it sounds like a 40+ year old album. You came here to be a douche. And that is why we treat you as such.

Most of the people in this thread came in to make fun of another EVH thread because for fuck's sake, will it ever end...not because we give a shit about that tone

People sent me private messages, no one was begging or anything like that. Some just wanted specific information about mods. Others simply told me not to listen to the negativity, and that’s it.

I’m not looking for attention, I already have what I need at home. I just genuinely want people to understand that there’s a strong possibility that the amp was modded. As some clips show, you can mod a Super Lead to sound like VH1, which I believe, based on the information I’ve received, was modded by José.

I just wanted to bring back a bit of that old Metro forum spirit… that excitement and tone chase.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

People sent me private messages—no one was begging or anything like that. Some just wanted specific information about mods. Others simply told me not to listen to the negativity, and that’s it.

I’m not looking for attention—I already have what I need at home. I just genuinely want people to understand that there’s a strong possibility that the amp was modded. As some clips show, you can mod a Super Lead to sound like VH1, which I believe—based on the information I’ve received—was modded by José.

I just wanted to bring back a bit of that old Metro forum spirit… that excitement and tone chase.

We all chase tone here. Most of us don't chase 40 year old tone.

If you come up with a circuit and Don't add all the intrigue and mystery, you will get a warmer reception even if you dont share the circuit.

 

[VonBonfire]

People sent me private messages—no one was begging or anything like that. Some just wanted specific information about mods. Others simply told me not to listen to the negativity, and that’s it.

I’m not looking for attention—I already have what I need at home. I just genuinely want people to understand that there’s a strong possibility that the amp was modded. As some clips show, you can mod a Super Lead to sound like VH1, which I believe—based on the information I’ve received—was modded by José.

I just wanted to bring back a bit of that old Metro forum spirit… that excitement and tone chase.

Withholding EVH tone secrets after claiming to have discovered them on your own on a forum like this was probably the worst possible approach you could've taken. If you had claimed to have discovered the magic Little Milton tone this thread would've been like two posts instead of ten pages.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Think of it this way. The only people that would care about a tone that long ago are people obsessed. So if you come here saying you.have found it, that is the equivalent to holding an ice cream sandwich just oit of reach of a child.

 

[chumbucket]

People sent me private messages, no one was begging or anything like that. Some just wanted specific information about mods. Others simply told me not to listen to the negativity, and that’s it.

I’m not looking for attention, I already have what I need at home. I just genuinely want people to understand that there’s a strong possibility that the amp was modded. As some clips show, you can mod a Super Lead to sound like VH1, which I believe, based on the information I’ve received, was modded by José.

I just wanted to bring back a bit of that old Metro forum spirit… that excitement and tone chase.

If you were around the Metro forum (or Plexi Palace) back in the day, you'd realize that there's more than one way to skin a cat. There were lots of guys who nailed that sound using different methods. One guy had a stock reissue running on one power tube that sounded just like the first album.
You're chasing ghosts. There is no definitive "mod", just a variety of ways to get in the ballpark.
Most players with some decent skills, could totally be happy with a reissue and a super strat with a high output pickup. It gets you close enough to not care and just get on with jamming.

 

[harddriver]

I’ll bet he’s referring to Greg Leon. He was all up in that circle of people back in the day and worked on EVH’s stuff here and there.

Greg is a tech in LA and I’ve heard many EVH references from locals when they have talked to him.

To be honest, this secrecy act is getting old. If you’re going to come here and rave about your amazing archeological mod finds, give some context and info.

And why would this LA amp tech give any Secret Information to some nobody kid in Switzerland who researches online topics about Ed Van Halen?

Dave Friedman already came across one of his threads claiming Jose this and Jose that and Dave felt the need to set him straight.

He either doesn't realize how many people on here build amps or own an amp company such as yourself that has the technical knowledge about what he is discussing or he is punking people. I'm sure most people would be open to," hey...... this one overlooked Jose mod makes it easier to get lower volume Eds tones".........

Instead he insists that he knows this is exactly what Ed used and he's going to make millions of dollars building an amp. I've known a few other people that thought the very same things..............their amp companies never took off. Talk about shooting yourself in the dick.

Well I know it isn't Mark Cameron because he always maintained it was a stock/stockish Marshall plexi/SL into a resistive load then slaved to another power amp. Exactly what Ed continued to do for alot of years after 1978. That doesn't mean Ed always did that every time but that proof exists with no secret handshakes needed.

Oh, I almost forgot....... Mark Cameron also got the entire inventory of amps that were at Jose Arrendondo's shop after he passed away. I guess he worked at the shop that got that inventory of amps or was hired to go through them to complete some mods, return some to stock and then re-sell them. So I imagine he has seen alot of real Jose's like Dave Friedman has and never once did Mark say Eddie Van Halen used an uber modded Jose amp. Now that tells me alot right there, because that would sell alot of mods for Cameron. Mark did say there was one Jose amp that sounded damn good and that amp had "Atomica" spray painted on the headcase. This story can be verified by many members here including Chubtone as I think he was the one who re-told it. Mark also told me in DM's on the Metro forum that he also felt Ed's 12301 had some type of master volume since it was a house amp for the Rose Palace, now what kind of master volume design, who knows. I think it was a Jose style master but it might have been a JCM800 master since Jose used those masters as well on that dual 1 Meg push/pull pot for his modded amps that switched between the Pre-tonestack(Jose) master and the Pre-PI(JCM800) master exactly like Dave Friedman's Jose amp has.

Here's Al's Marshall SLP modded to SUhr SL68 specs by John Suhr, I prefer it to the Atomica
@Al_Estrada_Guitar
8 years ago

It's not really that much gain, there's a Boss GE10 with mids boosted and the amp is dimed with a variac, the amp has been tweeked by John Suhr to specs similar to EVH's old Marshall..

 

[japetus]

@Amp_chaser Here would the most badass thing. Completely release your findings. Then, some builders may be interested in your new dynamic ideas. Right now, you are coming off like "yeah I can dunk, just don't wanna" kinda vibe. If your ideas are so groundbreaking, I will personally set up an interview with @novosibir

 

[VonBonfire]

An why would this LA amp tech give any Secret Information to some nobody kid in Switzerland who researches online topics about Ed Van Halen?

Maybe he was skating around tariffs and trading expensive swiss chocolate to a fat LA amp guy in exchange for pairs of Eddie shoes?

 

[7704A]

I am fairly certain Dave Friedman and others have the raw isolated tracks from VH1 with a greenback and a JBLD120F mic'd up. That clip is out there on YT somewhere and had been posted here in numerous Ed JBL threads. Maybe someone can find it.

Here it is........................Go get em Racer.........1st track is the Greenback, the 2nd track is the JBL.

Woah! Didn't know JBLs could sound like that. The stuff I've heard from youtubers or the occasional forum member with heavier inclinations always sounds like a hollowed-out can 'o bees. Excepting what I've heard from @VonBonfire, but then he's not packing heavy tones, just crushing volume.

 

[VonBonfire]

Woah! Didn't know JBLs could sound like that. The stuff I've heard from youtubers or the occasional forum member with heavier inclinations always sounds like a hollowed-out can 'o bees. Excepting what I've heard from @VonBonfire, but then he's not packing heavy tones, just crushing volume.

They got a smooth compressed bite on top when run hard but it also means they blow up hence my K-120 love cause the sound is almost identical IMO without the recone bill.

I once was the host band at a blues jam down at the 311 club on 6th and one night forgot to roll my amp volume back before I left the stage. For whatever jacked up reason the bassist let these older glam punk dudes up and guitarist had a Les Paul jr. I sat back about 40 feet straight on to my Twin and it just sounded so awesome that I figured if he smoked my orange and blacks it would be worth it so I let him cook.

 

[311boogieman]

If you were around the Metro forum (or Plexi Palace) back in the day, you'd realize that there's more than one way to skin a cat. There were lots of guys who nailed that sound using different methods. One guy had a stock reissue running on one power tube that sounded just like the first album.
You're chasing ghosts. There is no definitive "mod", just a variety of ways to get in the ballpark.
Most players with some decent skills, could totally be happy with a reissue and a super strat with a high output pickup. It gets you close enough to not care and just get on with jamming.

Well said and I didn't even know what a Metro or Plexi Palace was back then

 

[harddriver]

Just ban the guy and close this thread. He's been ranting for years on the Marshall forum about all he's "found"... Yet a few weeks later, he said he's found something else that's better... And then he does it again. Last year the user Pellix on the Marshall forum had to tell him how to use a DMM.... This guy sounds like he is a teenager and doesn't know squat. Just ignore him and let's get back to discussing real gear.

Really now............................. Why am I not surprised....................

 

[Anje]

Yep.. My money still is on John Suhr, I bet he is not yet convinced.

 

[DanTravis62]

Woah! Didn't know JBLs could sound like that. The stuff I've heard from youtubers or the occasional forum member with heavier inclinations always sounds like a hollowed-out can 'o bees. Excepting what I've heard from @VonBonfire, but then he's not packing heavy tones, just crushing volume.

The JBL thing has been a thing for heavy sounds in studios for a long, long time. Not just EVH

Morrisound famously used to combine them with marshalls and boogie cabs for some of their recordings

The idea is to fill in the EQ gaps of the greenbacks/blackbacks etc

I ran straight JBL120s in an old fender cab for a high gain rig for a long time

 

[Anje]

To backup what a lot have already said here, and trying one more time to be seriously & honestly constructive with Mr Ampchaser: the main challenge to me with those threads/posts from him/you Mr Ampchaser is the attitude.

Posting on a public forum something like, for instance:
« I’ve found a great new Marshall mod inspired by some old Jose work that can sound and feel like the VH1 record (if you want to), including at lower volumes; I’d like to share my work with you, please have a listen and let me know what you think. Still working on it, looking for your inputs. I may offer mod services and make it available to anyone interested once ready. Thanks »

VS:

« I’ve found the definitive truth about Ed’s amp on VH1, everybody else was/is wrong, it was a secret mod, I will tease you but I won’t tell you anything about it »; while actually NOT bringing anything new & factual to that -now old- topic that could convince experienced people « they were wrong », posting clips that could be « cool » otherwise but don’t sound anything closer to the real deal than most of what already exist and clearly are not of a finished product (nice noise floor), and ultimately being disrespectful saying most other persons/musicians don’t know shit… and do it once again every X months…

Are 2 very different things.

The later just come plain arrogant and quickly irritating/tiring, doesn’t feel like it brings anything positive, and honestly is not making me want to become a customer or have anything else to do with it.

The former I bet would get much more positive welcoming. Even if VH1 is now almost 50y old, Ed still is one of the kings for a lot of guitarists and his early sound still a benchmark cool to play and discuss. When done in a positive, caring nice humble and constructive way.

IMHO.

 

[Amp_chaser]

The JBL thing has been a thing for heavy sounds in studios for a long, long time. Not just EVH

Morrisound famously used to combine them with marshalls and boogie cabs for some of their recordings

The idea is to fill in the EQ gaps of the greenbacks/blackbacks etc

I ran straight JBL120s in an old fender cab for a high gain rig for a long time

There were no jbl according to martin smith and i believe he is right it was probably two different greenbacks miced differently by Donn Landee’s different mic position. That was donn’s own secret technique… Martin did his own research and i fully agree with him.

Let’s just stop this now….