Was EVH using his old trusty Marshall still in 1985?

SQUAREHEAD said:
You know that feeling when you’re at a high school talent show and all the parents are sitting there, and that one girl gets up and sings completely flat, and you smile and nod with that encouraging look on your face, but inside you’re cringing and you’re just sad and embarrassed for her…
…Every time You post something, you are that girl.
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Best Post EVER! Squarehead just made water come out of my nose & my co-workers are looking at me like i'm crazy. Thanks man, i needed that laugh.
 
I got some secret info 'bout EVH's gear into my crystal ball by squeezing goat's testicles.
 
TheToneDig said:
I am part of the majority of researchers who reference our claims and back them up with sources, rather than pretending I am the source of the claim and know what Eddie Van Halen used.

In this instance, my source happens to be Eddie Van Halen on video talking about how volume issues led to the new amp which he didn't change the voltage on leading him to use a Variac to get that brown sound.

If people want to challenge that or complain about it then the burden of proof is on them to reference their claims. If they can't then it's easy to dismiss those claims and forget about them.

I play about six songs from Van Halen using his setup. I have his tone so I am happy. In fact, I have tones plural. About four of them from him.
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Where are you located? I'm curious what state or country grows people like you that only want to hear themselves Talk? You are probably a hoot at parties just rambling on about your "Research" & "Sources" TONEDICK! NO ONE CARES! We've all been playing guitar for a while & have read lots of "Sources" on the interwebz. As an EVH Fan, i beg you to just shut up. Wait! I just got a Text from my Dead Mom & She spoke with Eddie & he said Please shut up.
 
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squealie said:
I never understood the EVH sound until I cranked a plexi. Then it was obvious. The playing and control is the next and difficult step.
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Random thoughts...

Between 1968 and 1978, most bands were using NMV Marshall and/or VOX. As far as hearing Van Halen 1 for the first time... I assumed he was using an MXR Phase 90, MXR flanger, Echoplex into a Marshall; which was pretty much spot-on. Any player in those days would have guessed the same rig. What was unique though, were the elements of compression and attack. More VOX-like than Marshall; which made me think that he was possibly using a VOX + Marshall rig.

After talking with a few people who were involved in the L.A. music scene (who claim to have known Ed), I discovered what it was that he did to get those first album elements. Posting details would only create a category 5 diarrhea storm, so I will refrain from doing so. Suffice to say, playing this type of rig is laborious! Notes don't just pop-off the fretboard like they do a MV amplifier. You're not going to get VH II performance out of a VH I rig... No way.

I always hoped that one day Edward and Randy would share a rock stage together. Ed's virtuosity combined with Randy's schooled exactitude would have been something to experience. Come to think of it, I don't recall a time when Ed has ever shared the stage with another guitarist?
 
I checked some sources who gave me some stuff that will blow your mind. This is deep deep archive type stuff.

Eddie used Fenders to get that tone you are all chasing. You've been wasting your time and money.

Here is the proof :D

VA5DE5S.jpg


BwZHr6M.jpg


Sqrxuv5.jpg


That last one may actually be a Music Man but my point is the same. Sources people. Sources.
 
Mark Skid said:
Random thoughts...

Between 1968 and 1978, most bands were using NMV Marshall and/or VOX. As far as hearing Van Halen 1 for the first time... I assumed he was using an MXR Phase 90, MXR flanger, Echoplex into a Marshall; which was pretty much spot-on. Any player in those days would have guessed the same rig. What was unique though, were the elements of compression and attack. More VOX-like than Marshall; which made me think that he was possibly using a VOX + Marshall rig.

After talking with a few people who were involved in the L.A. music scene (who claim to have known Ed), I discovered what it was that he did to get those first album elements. Posting details would only create a category 5 diarrhea storm, so I will refrain from doing so. Suffice to say, playing this type of rig is laborious! Notes don't just pop-off the fretboard like they do a MV amplifier. You're not going to get VH II performance out of a VH I rig... No way.

I always hoped that one day Edward and Randy would share a rock stage together. Ed's virtuosity combined with Randy's schooled exactitude would have been something to experience. Come to think of it, I don't recall a time when Ed has ever shared the stage with another guitarist?
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I just read Lukather's book and for Jeff Pocarro's memorial tribute concert Ed played Aint talkin bout love and Hold the line with Steve and others. Donald Fagen and a bunch of other massive names were there too.

@Dave L sorry just saw your post.
Last tidbit from the book, ED also played on Luke's 1st or 2nd solo album and Alex VH asked Luke to not use Ed's name,......then after the recordings came out so well Ed told Luke it was cool to use his name.
 
TheToneDig said:
I am part of the majority of researchers who reference our claims and back them up with sources, rather than pretending I am the source of the claim and know what Eddie Van Halen used.

In this instance, my source happens to be Eddie Van Halen on video talking about how volume issues led to the new amp which he didn't change the voltage on leading him to use a Variac to get that brown sound.

If people want to challenge that or complain about it then the burden of proof is on them to reference their claims. If they can't then it's easy to dismiss those claims and forget about them.

I play about six songs from Van Halen using his setup. I have his tone so I am happy. In fact, I have tones plural. About four of them from him.
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Again, you must never have tried a vintage (or newer) NMV 100w Marshall, everything on 10, variac’d down to 90v, max bias, to see what if any volume ‘reduction’ there is….none. Nada. Zilch. It is, in a phrase LOUD AS FK. I own a 72 SuperTrem and a variac and of course, I’ve tried it. It is painful to stand in front of it, just like it’s painful to stand in front of it without being variac’d. Stand to the side and either variac or not, it’s the best goddamn tone I’ve ever heard..and no, you won’t get a midget amp to sound anywhere near as good.
Ed variac’d because he loved the tone.
Period.
 
A huge amount of the sound of big amplifier is acoustic feedback. A lot of what people chase in smaller amps with more gain is getting the feedback and response you get from a high volume amplifier that's positively reinforcing the vibrating strings on a guitar. There's nothing that can really replace that. It really is playing the amp as much as the guitar, and you can really change that reaction just be where you stand and the angle you stand in front of the amp. I'm sure everyone who's played an amp at volume has experienced this at some level. I think it becomes more pronounced with the old NMV amps, but maybe that's just my perception.
 
cragginshred77 said:
I just read Lukather's book and for Jeff Pocarro's memorial tribute concert Ed played Aint talkin bout love and Hold the line with Steve and others. Donald Fagen and a bunch of other massive names were there too.

@Dave L sorry just saw your post.
Last tidbit from the book, ED also played on Luke's 1st or 2nd solo album and Alex VH asked Luke to not use Ed's name,......then after the recordings came out so well Ed told Luke it was cool to use his name.
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It's the first one, yeah, the liner notes says Eddie plays bass on one track.
 
VESmedic said:
I just wanna say, this has turned into my favorite thread of all time.
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Did you know that Eddie Achieved his tone through the use of a 30 watt Dumble Overdrive Special boosted with a Metal Zone set to Murder Mode & back then in 19811/3 he was using 1 EMG 81? Chris did you know this? I believe there may have been a variac that dropped the dumble down to exactly 15 1/2 watts to match his favorite amp(Crate Blue Doodoo Lunch Box Model) that was lost in a fire when he was harvesting The Yummy Fluids of a Humbolt Squid in the Sea of Cortez. Sammy got really drunk that day & they had to come in early.
 
311splawndude said:
I checked some sources who gave me some stuff that will blow your mind. This is deep deep archive type stuff.

Eddie used Fenders to get that tone you are all chasing. You've been wasting your time and money.

Here is the proof :D

VA5DE5S.jpg
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Again, I don't think enough tone credit is given for his choice in chicks cropped tops :ROFLMAO:
 
A lot of modern amps have what I think is a built-in variac of sorts to drop the voltage down (bold/spongy; old/new; etc.). You can try it, it does drop the volume a touch. But a 1959 at full volume is so painfully loud, that slight reduction isn't going to help anyone not want to run far away from it.

I had a '69 Plexi Panel 1959 and it was violently loud. Just not pleasant to be close to it.
 
I actually sold my last 1959 years ago. I'd gotten done with the latest band, and we had our first child, so all my gear was home for the first time in years.......and we'd moved into an actual house! Anyhow, my wife takes the baby out and I decide to plug in and play for a bit "at volume". I did and had fun, but when I went upstairs, I'd knocked a dozen things off shelves, off the wall, some broken, etc. It was ridiculous. I listed it later that day and just moved it. I can image playing one in that kind of environment. (Hell, I only played 2203's on stage. I never played anywhere I could reasonably crank a 1959 on stage. I recorded it a few times. That was it.)
 
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