Van Halen tone test!
Added 2024-01-04 14:50:50 +0000 UTCOoooh things are getting tasty around here!!! Filming a deep cut Van Halen video today, and I wanted to get your input on these tones. I think it’s pretty doggone close!!! Original probably has less gain, maybe more mids. I can do the dry guitar left/reverb only right thing like the early records did, but I think that would be weird for a lesson video.
Lemme know what tweaks you’d do! Forgive the low production video, made this quickly on my phone.
Setup:
Suhr Modern w/BKP Holy Diver bridge
Carl Martin Plexitone
Marshall 50w Plexi
UA OX, which is also doing the reverb
Comments
https://youtu.be/eujsj8E9AkY
Snake
2024-01-16 11:10:02 +0000 UTCPretty close did you put an EQ in front of it (he used an MXR)? There is a ton more reverb (Sunset Echo Chamber on one side) on the album as you know, you need to add that to really see what it sounds like. The Chamber is in stereo so it's mixed with the dry guitar on the other side also. Gain sounds about right, the original was a dimed marshall as you know, with a hidden Jose load resistors inside a speaker cab (the BIG secret), line out to the power amps. So it was the MAX distortion you could get from the preamp and power amp tubes. You're last effort had too much of the Marshall Glassy Treble (which is popular again for some weird reason, never liked it)
Snake
2024-01-16 11:01:53 +0000 UTCDang that is close if not spot on! Of course the playing is dope as well!
David Gillis
2024-01-07 01:25:16 +0000 UTCAs a core sound its amazing (and I'd love a modeller-agnostic discussion on how to get there). I'd say that the **reverb** EVH has has more high mid/high fizz, and less lower. Maybe consider the value for pre-delay on the reverb too (though I think its just the L/R thing) You could give the lesson while "dry" (easier to present concepts) - but prove the tone/final effect by widening it out to L/R and turning "on" the reverb. Sometimes what you think is played isn't really what's played, and the answer is often a combination of "multiple tracks", "Delay" or "reverb".
Paul Devenney
2024-01-06 10:02:33 +0000 UTCYeah that’s really damn close!
Jason
2024-01-04 23:40:23 +0000 UTCSounds dam close! I'm digginn it 😎👍🏽🎸
Keith Fine
2024-01-04 21:10:16 +0000 UTCIt sounds great uncle Ben sounds like I just dropped the needle on my old albums you remember them right?
Jimmy old school
2024-01-04 20:15:27 +0000 UTC" I can do the dry guitar left/reverb only right thing like the early records did, but I think that would be weird for a lesson video." No, I'd love a video on that.
Samuel Brockmann
2024-01-04 19:42:44 +0000 UTCNo, I think that's exactly right. It's a bit too fat (IMO).
Kasper Beuse Fauerby
2024-01-04 18:48:52 +0000 UTCThat's really close, but perhaps not 100% there. I have that same amp, and the 1987x has a crazy amount of body to it and it does that Plexi thing where it generates those overtones in the power section (as I understand it). There are certain low notes, on certain guitars, that I simply cannot get to ring out clear without an overtone. I did my own VH tone search a while back, and got these results (linked). Also not a precise match. I think the reverb they had in the studio does a lot to the overall tone, and I seem to remember they were also tuned a little bit sharp compared to standard 440? All in all I think the original records, VH1 and VH2, are both a bit brighter than what I got. https://soundcloud.com/kasper-fauerby/van-halen-running-with-the-devil-instrumental https://soundcloud.com/kasper-fauerby/van-halen-beautiful-girls
Kasper Beuse Fauerby
2024-01-04 18:38:40 +0000 UTCTone chasing is so much fun!!!
Joe Barr
2024-01-04 18:20:10 +0000 UTCThat’s sounds great Ben. It may be just a little bright but it could be the pickup? Eddie had a PAF from a 335, didn’t he? I think they were low output.
John Horak
2024-01-04 17:50:30 +0000 UTCI probably wouldn't touch it, BUT IF I DID I'd maybe make it a tad thinner, actually. And it looks like I'm the only one thinking in this direction. I listened side by side with isolated track from Running With The Devil (or at least the 1st hit on YouTube for it)
Julio Auto
2024-01-04 17:41:05 +0000 UTCIt sounds great. I would consider slightly less presence and slightly more mids, something is clipping on the very high end but it sounds great. I'm being really picky. Your playing is awesome.
Gregg B.
2024-01-04 17:37:23 +0000 UTCSuper tasty! It sounds great as is Uncle Ben,right on the money actually.
Art
2024-01-04 17:22:15 +0000 UTCDamn, Son! Stepdad respect for sure!
Tye Price
2024-01-04 16:45:30 +0000 UTCGuy Man Dude! It’s got the ballsy, bitey, juicy, honky, and rawness of those first two albums! A touch more mids maybe? But it sounds pretty spot on to me! Well done my good and faithful servant!
Brian Newman
2024-01-04 16:42:16 +0000 UTCSounds pretty great. I’d love to hear how the UA lion in brown mode does comparatively
Ed Hinchey
2024-01-04 15:53:32 +0000 UTCMan this is close! I agree a little more mids/body maybe, but like DOA and House of Pain are spot on. Great job.
Randy Fluker
2024-01-04 15:47:45 +0000 UTCDefinitely spot on Unc
Mathew A Fascetti
2024-01-04 15:36:34 +0000 UTCtasty, really nice. Awesome, as always. Looking forward to the video!
Robert Malmgren
2024-01-04 15:28:56 +0000 UTCTone is great, congrats! VH greatest hits song lessons always welcome. thanks!
Barney Wenograd
2024-01-04 15:23:11 +0000 UTCDaaaang…. That is dead on 👌
maplechill fpv
2024-01-04 15:11:43 +0000 UTCOhh. I too like nice things.
Scott Swain
2024-01-04 15:04:50 +0000 UTCNoice! Bring the vids!
Karsten Fliegner
2024-01-04 15:02:24 +0000 UTCYes, perfect for the early albums! Awesome!!
BrianT
2024-01-04 15:01:10 +0000 UTCWOW. It’s showtime!
Thomas Cooke
2024-01-04 15:00:23 +0000 UTCit's very, very close and sounds great. I agree that the original has slightly more mids and I think he also has what would equate to the presence on a modern amp pushed higher in the original tone.
Michael Bodan
2024-01-04 15:00:07 +0000 UTCI honestly think it sounds perfect for VH I, II, W&CF, and FW. I wouldn’t change a thing.
American Gwyn
2024-01-04 14:58:37 +0000 UTCAlways excited for Van Halen videos!!!
LiveLaughJordan
2024-01-04 14:56:36 +0000 UTCIt’s also cheaper than the plexi you’re using, but this sounds amazing too
NYCM&AHole
2024-01-04 14:56:26 +0000 UTCSounds great Ben! I’d love to jam on those
LiveLaughJordan
2024-01-04 14:55:35 +0000 UTCSpent 45 minutes watching YouTube on the UA ‘68 Lion pedal and the variac’d brown sound was pretty amazing.
NYCM&AHole
2024-01-04 14:54:55 +0000 UTCCan't wait to check it out for sure.
Michael
2024-01-04 14:54:43 +0000 UTC
