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

[311boogieman]

It dances the night away.

Light Up The Sky!

 

[Chubtone]

Did I miss John Suhr story about sending an original plexi to Jose in the 80's and when he got it back it didn't sound like Ed and then in the 90's Ed told him is was not modded? Where is that story at? I'd like to hear it.

Was it in that video?

Yes, it's in the video linked in this thread.

 

[harddriver]

I've been wanting to try my Suhr Reactive load I got this past fall/winter so I decided to set up the 1978 Selland Arena rig in my shop. It's been a long time since I setup a straight loaded down slave rig so I had time today to do it so I did it. The 68 Ed spec metro plexi( that I built in 2009, all NOS mustards and other NOS components) variaced down to 80ACV, line out Suhr Iso line out to the Musicman HD130, driving a 78, 79 4x12 with 12H-30's 75hz and 55HZ. 68 has two tubes pulled set to 4 ohms(NFB is on the speaker jack in this amp)into the 8 ohm load of the Suhr and the Suhr didn't produce any heat whatsover and the rig sounded killer. Sorry, no clips but I will bring this setup down to the Spring St Louis ampfest at 311boogieman's and we'll get clips there. the Northern Ash Musikcraft Frank I built around 2009 as well with a Duncan 78 model. Used my little basic EVH pedal board, ANalogman phase 90, Old Chase tone EP3 pedal, Lovepedal Echophonic Delay, MXR 6 band EQ. I think I prefer the Boss Ge7 with the buffer but it's got a bad jack I need to fix so the MXR got the job, I found I didn't want the the MXR on much anyway.

I have to say I like the response and feel of the Suhr reactive load over my 400 watt resistive load I built years ago, it just feels like the amp breathes and is more dynamic. After playing this setup for a couple of hours I have to say I have not modified my conclusions about the stock, stockish plexi for 1978. If you need more gain and compression you are doing something terribly wrong.

 

[harddriver]

Yes, it's in the video linked in this thread.

I had the interview on in the background in my shop but I must have missed it. Was it near the beginning?

 

[Amp_chaser]

I had the interview on in the background in my shop but I must have missed it. Was it near the beginning?

I believe you can get great women in children first to 1984 albums without any issue.
Talking about Plaap and van weelden... I have at home one of his modded amp that was used by a band and then a famous tube entousiast from the netherlands.

Just to tell you about this... When Van Weelden went frist to LA to service and repair some amps before the fiasco of the 68 lead rebuild, Ed was happy with his work...

He said he copied that mod from one ed's amp and he states that's one of the brown sound mods. Why ? because ed used multiple amps over the years. I might be wrong but i believe this cricuit to be similar to the one josé and eddie worked on together to release to the fans and it didn't ever happened.

See that black huge box behind the white evh 5150 amps that's an uknown amp. And Ed plays it in front of chip ellis for 3 secs in the vid and he doesn't play any other amp except this one in the promotionnal for the evh frankie. but they didn't put the sound. That amp is huge and it would fit the descriptions of some mods.... You can't say ed didn't use modded amps... because some of his studios amps tell another story... I mailed evh fender and it's not one of theirs...

 

[Lightning]

As for pickups for the Van Halen 1 sound the only pickups that worked for me and worked extremely well are the Mighty Mite 1300 and the DiMarzio Super distortion,ive been down that rabbit hole with low output to medium output PAFs and medium output pickups even the Ibanez super 70s and they also fall short for that Van Halen 1 sound. The mighty Mite 1300 and the DiMarzio super distortion with the double thick ceramic magnets put me in the Van Halen 1 territory with out a doubt

 

[Amp_chaser]

As for pickups for the Van Halen 1 sound the only pickups that worked for me and worked extremely well are the Mighty Mite 1300 and the DiMarzio Super distortion,if been down that rabbit hole withe low output to medium output PAFs and medium output pickups even the Ibanez super 70s and they also fall short for that Van Halen 1 sound. The mighty Mite 1300 and the DiMarzio super distortion with the double thick ceramic magnets put me in the Van Halen 1 territory with out a doubt

My recent recordings were with an ibanez super 70's an original and genuine one. In my load box it sounds spot on.

 

[Anje]

Did I miss John Suhr story about sending an original plexi to Jose in the 80's and when he got it back it didn't sound like Ed and then in the 90's Ed told him is was not modded? Where is that story at? I'd like to hear it.

Was it in that video?

I remember John telling that story in several EVH threads on TGP about 15? years ago; I’m sure it’s still there available to read.

 

[Lightning]

Amp-Chaser,If it worked for you that’s all that counts for me the Ibanez super 70 didn’t have that edge sizzle that’s on Van Halen 1, the attack on the strings wasn’t as explosive like the Mighty Mite 1300 or the DiMarzio super distortion.

 

[harddriver]

https://marshallforum.com/threads/d...ass-the-secret-van-halen-specs.131948/page-12

RACKSYSTEMS​

New Member​

Joined Aug 10, 2014 Messages 5 Reaction score 23

• May 21, 2023

• #234

You guys are all crazy you know... My amp is 100k's by the way.. Steve just had the amp to make a cool video.. Oh and I have never seen evidence of any gain mod in any of Ed old touring amps.. I mean any of them..

 

[311boogieman]

Sorry, no clips but I will bring this setup down to the Spring St Louis ampfest at 311boogieman's and we'll get clips there. t

Heck yeah brother. Looking forward to it - need to get it on the calendar. You still should have recorded it though

 

[DanTravis62]

https://marshallforum.com/threads/d...ass-the-secret-van-halen-specs.131948/page-12

RACKSYSTEMS​

New Member​

Joined Aug 10, 2014 Messages 5 Reaction score 23

• May 21, 2023

• #234

You guys are all crazy you know... My amp is 100k's by the way.. Steve just had the amp to make a cool video.. Oh and I have never seen evidence of any gain mod in any of Ed old touring amps.. I mean any of them..

It's crazy how all these people

Dave, Mike soldano, all these legendary amp gurus (who would stand to make shitloads of money if there WAS a mod) never have seen evidence of any gain mod in those amps

Good thing amp chaser is here to set them straight

 

[VonBonfire]

 

[311boogieman]

What I've learned is that if you want to create a thread to get 6,000 views, just start one about the missing potentiometer in the back of Edward Van Halen's Marshall Plexi Super Bass used on Van Halen's debut album




I kid I kid @Amp_chaser - I find it all very entertaining and interesting.

 

[GuitarVacation]

Gear chasing minutiae is fun side aspect of guitar. It’s really it’s own 2nd hobby because the end result does not get you closer to nailing the sound you admire.

I hope the OP gets a very rewarding experience from researching and implementing the bits and pieces that might have been used by EVH during that time. I would encourage framing it properly as more of a collection/exploration rather than a means to an end to match a sound.

Ed’s stuff is murky. I’m certain whatever was his main amp during a given time was modded. EVH came from a background of tinkering, and was always hunting for more.

I’m not an EVH historian, but you’ve got amps slaved into other amps, amps that could have been tweaked from one day to the next, and no timeline that would be helpful in pinning down what you are hearing on any given track.

Example: If Jose mods were in play, can we say what tracks that version of an amp were used for on VH1, plus whatever other configuration and studio elements are what we are hearing?

Ed was a special guitar player, and his timing and attack/touch on the guitar can be imitated, but the extra 5% that truly matters was buried with him.

I just hope the OP can enjoy his endeavors for the fun history/mystery aspect. Nothing wrong with that.

But if you want to sound more live EVH, any era, any album, the best you can do is a lot of listening and very specific practicing. I’ve found with my own ‘tone collecting’ quests that the best scenario is obtaining and learning some key pieces of gear, grabbing some essence of the player/tone I’m chasing, and eventually letting it come out in the playing that is me.

Manifesting elements of your favorite tone/player in your own playing is a valid end goal. You can go to the ends of the earth, but you’ll never get more than that anyway.

 

[Lightning]

Guitarvacstion how true is that, Ed was a tinker type he was always looking for more, more like a hot rodder in my opinion I always believed Edward was a hot rodder always trying to get more horsepower out of his gear like I’ve said for the VH1 sound speaking for myself playing for a very long time and experimenting with pickups low output(P.AF) and medium output pickups never really did it for me when it comes to the VH 1 sound until I went with high output pickups like the ones that really done it for me like the Mighty Mite 1300 and the DiMarzio super distortion for that VH1 sound I can hear the difference in the attack and and the response from the amp.

 

[RedPlated]

What I've learned is that if you want to create a thread to get 6,000 views, just start a one about the missing potentiometer in the back of Edward Van Halen's Marshall Plexi Super Bass used on Van Halen's debut album




I kid I kid @Amp_chaser - I find it all very entertaining and interesting.

Or one that says Larry in the title…

 

[Bluplirst]

This guy could crack the code tomorrow but i’m not listening to another clip unless he learns a new fuckin riff.

 

[7704A]

Or one that says Larry in the title…

I am patiently awaiting the thread that has both.

 

[RaceU4her]

was at the bar tonight and "Panama" came on the juke box. all i could think was someone change this shit