Mike Soldano talks about EVH's Marshall

[Rocksoff]

Marshall changed their Cathode resistor values to lower values around 1968 or so and the Cathode resistor went down to 820 ohms and the lower the Cathode resistor the more the gain will be and EVH's main number 1 whatever amp has a 820 ohm resistor, but some of his other amps don't, like the wooden Marshall that I think has a higher value Cathode resistor.

 

[ejecta]

Because if you listen to other players (even one's as good as Ed, like Gary Moore before his blues life took over his playing), I don't hear ANYONE playing through a Marshall that sounds like that...without a distortion box...Hendrix, Malmsteen, Moore, Page, Clapton...NOBODY has a sound that dirty.

I've played some bone stock Marshall Plexi's that when cranked had the same amount of gain I hear in the isolated tracks that are on the web. There is no mystery.

Sure you have...

I absolutely have... but just because you're delusional doesn't make me a liar.

 

[Greazygeo]

My '69 plexi…..guitar….cable….amp. If I tuned down a half step, dropped the voltage with a variac, put the stock bright cap value back in and turned the presence higher I think it would be there.

Not that I care anything about his tone, but the gain is there if you find a good one.

 

[paulyc]

If I'm delusional, then probably 50% of the general guitar playing population is right there with me...so we're all off our nuts, but you're the correct one ? Whatever...

 

[paulyc]

Alright, just say it's a modded amp with say an extra preamp stage, then why is EVH using a Mighty Mite (Super Distortion clone) set right up near the strings.

That would be fine for Heavy Metal, but EVH's gain is not that.

I don't think it's a 4th stage, but I do believe cathode resistor values were altered, maybe diode clipping was introduced, MXR pedals modded to boost gain/lower noise, Echoplexs (2) strung together giving a boost, or maybe even some sort of gain boosting pedal for solos...and or the Bandmaster...as stated earlier...plus the high output pickup...

 

[ejecta]

If I'm delusional, then probably 50% of the general guitar playing population is right there with me...

Judging from the discussions I've read on this topic over the years I'd say that's pretty close if not a bit low on the percentage.

 

[Anonymous]

I never said he bought it FROM Sunset Sound, I said he bought the same stuff that Sunset sound had...

There is no recording by another artist ANYWHERE that sounds like that, and I'm not buying it's from a '69 spec stock amp...bullshit.

So, congratulations. You disagree with most people in this thread. Why continue to belabor the point? You can believe whatever you want, but to continue kinda rudely disputing what everyone is saying serves no purpose, don't you think?

Steve

 

[scriptphase]

My '69 plexi…..guitar….cable….amp. If I tuned down a half step, dropped the voltage with a variac, put the stock bright cap value back in and turned the presence higher I think it would be there.

Not that I care anything about his tone, but the gain is there if you find a good one.

Damn, that sounded great.

BTW, I believe any old Marshall can be tuned up to sound great.

 

[ejecta]

My '69 plexi…..guitar….cable….amp. If I tuned down a half step, dropped the voltage with a variac, put the stock bright cap value back in and turned the presence higher I think it would be there.

Not that I care anything about his tone, but the gain is there if you find a good one.

Sounded great George!

 

[Anonymous]

My '69 plexi…..guitar….cable….amp. If I tuned down a half step, dropped the voltage with a variac, put the stock bright cap value back in and turned the presence higher I think it would be there.

Not that I care anything about his tone, but the gain is there if you find a good one.

Love listening to you noodle around, man! That's a great amp...

Steve

 

[Elric]

There is no conspiracy and Ed doesn't care, especially now. Back before the internet was widespread (and especially in the late 70's) there was a whole "hush-hush" air to things.

While I think there is a bit of dramatization happening (for all anyone knows it is a good sounding stock amp combined with some d*cking around in the studio) and conspiracies are almost always suspect; given that "EVH" has a very significant and aggressive branding going on, is actively designing and selling gear, and has admitted to actively engaging in "counter-intelligence" wrt to his gear from the outset... I have to question the whole idea that someone who does not know Ed personally, knows where his head is at, simply because times have changed.

If nothing else, his brand benefits if there is significant mystique surrounding his equipment whether that has merit or not.

 

[Mr. Willy]

My '69 plexi…..guitar….cable….amp. If I tuned down a half step, dropped the voltage with a variac, put the stock bright cap value back in and turned the presence higher I think it would be there.

Not that I care anything about his tone, but the gain is there if you find a good one.

I was on the fence regarding this argument the whole thread, but THAT sounds really, really close to the VHI tone, IMHO. If Ed were to re-record his tracks on VHI with that amp, I don't think it'd sound much different. Any perceivable difference would be negligible, at best.

 

[paulyc]

I never said he bought it FROM Sunset Sound, I said he bought the same stuff that Sunset sound had...

There is no recording by another artist ANYWHERE that sounds like that, and I'm not buying it's from a '69 spec stock amp...bullshit.

So, congratulations. You disagree with most people in this thread. Why continue to belabor the point? You can believe whatever you want, but to continue kinda rudely disputing what everyone is saying serves no purpose, don't you think?

Steve

Congratulations...you lost a prospective client. Not that I think you give a shit, but you lost one just the same.

 

[Rdodson]

Here is sah5150's old Metro 12000 being played by me. Nothing in front of the amp. Duncan '59.

https://youtu.be/6dhR69-AfTk?list=UUA7lF ... iLsseJDxjQ

 

[ejecta]

Here is sah5150's old Metro 12000 being played by me. Nothing in front of the amp. Duncan '59.

https://youtu.be/6dhR69-AfTk?list=UUA7lF ... iLsseJDxjQ

No way you are getting that much gain from a stock Plexi. Come on show the pedal.

Seriously.... great chops man and sounds good.

 

[Rdodson]

Here is sah5150's old Metro 12000 being played by me. Nothing in front of the amp. Duncan '59.

https://youtu.be/6dhR69-AfTk?list=UUA7lF ... iLsseJDxjQ

No way you are getting that much gain from a stock Plexi. Come on show the pedal.
Seriously.... great chops man and sounds good.

That '68 circuit has gain...the PI gets SLAMMED. The power section is squishy, even without the variac. The problem that happens is that with component value drift/wide tolerances some of the old ones will ghost pretty bad when cranked and/or the bass will flab. That's why this particular circuit was abandoned and the '69s and later had much tighter filtering.

 

[RG955TT]

I never said he bought it FROM Sunset Sound, I said he bought the same stuff that Sunset sound had...

There is no recording by another artist ANYWHERE that sounds like that, and I'm not buying it's from a '69 spec stock amp...bullshit.

So, congratulations. You disagree with most people in this thread. Why continue to belabor the point? You can believe whatever you want, but to continue kinda rudely disputing what everyone is saying serves no purpose, don't you think?

Steve

Congratulations...you lost a prospective client. Not that I think you give a shit, but you lost one just the same.

Wow, taking your toys and going home huh? How mature of you. Because he disagrees with you and makes a valid point? I wouldn't want you as a customer either.

 

[ejecta]

I never said he bought it FROM Sunset Sound, I said he bought the same stuff that Sunset sound had...

There is no recording by another artist ANYWHERE that sounds like that, and I'm not buying it's from a '69 spec stock amp...bullshit.

So, congratulations. You disagree with most people in this thread. Why continue to belabor the point? You can believe whatever you want, but to continue kinda rudely disputing what everyone is saying serves no purpose, don't you think?

Steve

Congratulations...you lost a prospective client. Not that I think you give a shit, but you lost one just the same.

Wow, taking your toys and going home huh? How mature of you. Because he disagrees with you and makes a valid point? I wouldn't want you as a customer either.

No shit! If I were Steve I'd consider it a favor and see it as he's saving me a headache. That said I think that was just bullshit trying to dig at Steve... I'd bet good money he never intended to buy anything.

 

[Chubtone]

Steve's old Metro amp sounds killer in that clip!

I have been on both sides of this argument sometimes within the course of 1 page of this thread. I have owned old Plexi's. I own a Mojave Peacemaker. I have a '70 Super Trem and a '72 Super Lead. I also had a Dave Bray modded 1987x get traded into my store.

I think for the longest time, with any of my stock amps and a PAF style pickup, I was always reaching for the volume knob on my guitar to turn it up because it sounded and felt like it was turned down a little. But it never was. For that Van Halen sound and those stock amps, it was always 90% there. It just lacked a little gain and a little of that sustain and fire. So I started throwing an MXR 6 band in front and that got it so close I didn't really see the need to investigate it further. Then I got a Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid and felt like the EQ wasn't needed anymore.

Now I have the David Bray mod. I think that Bray mod is so close that if taken in a time machine back to '77 and taken into Sunset Sound for Ed to use on the first record, we would all still be having this same conversation. The problem is, I feel like my other stock amps with the right pickup or the right pickup and pedal could also travel in that same time machine and achieve those same results.

I never wanted to nail Van Halen's tone exactly. Just get in that ballpark and tweak it from there to more serve my needs and style. I'm very happy with my current gear but I still LOVE this conversation and love reading both sides of it.

I do know an amp is either stock, or it is NOT stock. We have had some guru's come into this thread and say "Yes, Ed's amp was stock except for this piece, that part, this thing and then this secret part that I'm not telling anyone what it is but I am including it in my own version of this amp build for my customers.

 

[Anonymous]

I never said he bought it FROM Sunset Sound, I said he bought the same stuff that Sunset sound had...

There is no recording by another artist ANYWHERE that sounds like that, and I'm not buying it's from a '69 spec stock amp...bullshit.

So, congratulations. You disagree with most people in this thread. Why continue to belabor the point? You can believe whatever you want, but to continue kinda rudely disputing what everyone is saying serves no purpose, don't you think?

Steve

Congratulations...you lost a prospective client. Not that I think you give a shit, but you lost one just the same.

Because I asked you why you are being so disagreeable and rude about this debate? So be it, then...

Steve