I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

[Hyperborea]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I smell a Troll!:sleeping: boring

:lame:

Really? Was it the fact that I live under a bridge or that I disagreed?

I was in high school when Van Halen was big and I didn't like it then and I still don't. I didn't hate it but it did nothing for me. I'd probably rather listen to Huey Lewis and the News and that's pretty low on the list of things I want to listen to. So, not all of those who deny the godhood of Eddie are oldsters who grew up on Gene Vincent or youngsters listening to Justin Bieber.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

So Eddie has great hand strength ? He plays GIRL'S strings - 8s I believe. You don't get a reputation as a tough guy by beating up the school sissy.

he played 9-40 and many use the 9-42 including myself.
Billy gibbons played 8's so did brian may. sorry dude but you are sayin many great guitarist use/used "girls strings" and all of them are 100 times the player you are.
FYI i cant get my tone with a 11-56 gauge,and who made the rule unless you play those heavier strings that is made you more manly? :lame:

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Billy now uses 7's on most of his guitars. 8's on guitars he tunes down.

The whole string gauge = manliness thing is baffling to me. If you want to be a real man go get a job in a coal mine.

 

[Sruffie777]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

:lame:

Really? Was it the fact that I live under a bridge or that I disagreed?

I was in high school when Van Halen was big and I didn't like it then and I still don't. I didn't hate it but it did nothing for me. I'd probably rather listen to Huey Lewis and the News and that's pretty low on the list of things I want to listen to. So, not all of those who deny the godhood of Eddie are oldsters who grew up on Gene Vincent or youngsters listening to Justin Bieber.

you just don't get it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_%28Internet%29 This should have not been in The pickup lounge, better suited for The Sound Off room- off topic. I'm out.

 

[richard parker]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I was only trying to lighten things up a bit. I think Eddie is one of the greatest drinkers of modern times.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

taffy is delicious

 

[blueman335]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Blue, aren't you always pointing out how the Rev. Willy G. uses 8's, and how you don't need heavy strings to be manly or to have great tone?

Absolutely, but to praise someone for having superhuman hand strength who uses 8's or 9's is a bit of a stretch. If he was doing all that with 12's, that's another story.

 

[Markk]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Wow, some intense discussions in here...

Personally, EVH doesn't exactly do it for me but I can see how he is (or has been) a source of immense inspiration for many yet also motivation for mindless copycats.

I also can totally understand how some of you think he's not all that, but I think that's because his style of playing didn't appeal to you.

But again, it's a matter of opinion. Some like Mayer, some don't. I personally think he's on the right path with a few bumps every now and then. What about Slash? Or Bonamassa (that plays technically perfect blues)?

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

This thread has Iceman written all over it.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Not one "copycat" actually sounds like Eddie or can pull off his licks except for maybe Vito Bratta... he took Eddie extremely seriously though and had the hand strength to do it.

The post Eddie guys like Lynch, Jake E. Lee, DiMartini and Timmons all have their distinct styles and don't sound like Eddie at all.

Saying he spawned a generation or two of copycats is sort of a straw man argument.

Who are these copycats?

 

[IanBallard]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I found that most tones from his era were lacking somewhere in the tonal spectrum. Too bright, too middy/honky, etc. He really shored up the EQ and produced tones that were more 'full range' for the time. His ability to excite a Marshall unlike anybody since Hendrix deserves notice, since EVERYBODY used Marshalls except for Brian May, Ted Nugent and a few others. He took junk guitars, plugged them into old, used Marshalls and changed the way most viewed playing guitar at that time. Some even gave up and retired after he came on. Others tried to copy him.

String gauge? Gimme a break. Using fat strings on a guitar is like swinging at a pitch with three bats. The ability to hit a ball with three bats doesn't make you a superior baseball player... neither does using huge strings. As mentioned, plenty of guitar giants used and still use light gauge strings and get the fattest tones around. EVH's hand strength is legendary. That things that he pulled off on nylon stinged guitars or whatever, required extreme finger dexterity and strength. On the other hand, he chose not to "fight" the guitar but for it to do exactly what he wanted it to do, crazy sting bends or whatever. The string gauge folks who think bigger strings mean "bigger tones" are lacking "somewhere else"... if you know what I mean.

 

[verbotenco]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

While you dudes go on and on about how much he sucks and is overrated and has no tone he will be touring the world again for the 30th time:approve:, selling products from his EVH corporation,enjoy staring at the 60 best guitarist awards he has won over the years,have a great time in his own personal full pro multimillion dollar studio,have sex with model/wife janie,be able to buy ANYTHING he wants ANYTIME he wants, yeah you guys are right he does suck!

The sex with his wife Janie isn't tempting by the way. I saw the woman's picture and she is old and not very attractive.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Oh, yeah... On the string gauge thing... I'm pretty sure that Les Paul himself used 9s. Seriously. Les Paul. I've never seen anybody complain about him.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

While you dudes go on and on about how much he sucks and is overrated and has no tone he will be touring the world again for the 30th time:approve:, selling products from his EVH corporation,enjoy staring at the 60 best guitarist awards he has won over the years,have a great time in his own personal full pro multimillion dollar studio,have sex with model/wife janie,be able to buy ANYTHING he wants ANYTIME he wants, yeah you guys are right he does suck!

NOBODY said he wasn't popular. NOBODY said he didn't have a large fan base...in fact this thread IS about how large his fan base is and why his tone IS so popular.

But remember that popularity may have nothing to do with talent. It's kinda like the stock market...value of stock is related to the public's PERCEPTION of how good the company is and NOT how good the company ACTUALLY is.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

While you dudes go on and on about how much he sucks and is overrated and has no tone he will be touring the world again for the 30th time:approve:, selling products from his EVH corporation,enjoy staring at the 60 best guitarist awards he has won over the years,have a great time in his own personal full pro multimillion dollar studio,have sex with model/wife janie,be able to buy ANYTHING he wants ANYTIME he wants, yeah you guys are right he does suck!

That doesnt really work as an argument and is actually a fairly well known logical fallacy (the argument from popularity fallacy) Popularity does not make one great. If that were the case, and in order to be intellectually honest, you would also have to support Backstreet Boys when I say "BSB sucks"

Having said that, I like Van Halen quite a bit.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I'm really having mixed thoughts on this thread. On the one hand, I want it to go the way of David Carradine, and on the other hand I want to post how ridiculous it has become. Oh, well, it's on the first page anyway, so I might as well point out that no one's mind is going to be changed.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I'm really having mixed thoughts on this thread. On the one hand, I want it to go the way of David Carradine, and on the other hand I want to post how ridiculous it has become. Oh, well, it's on the first page anyway, so I might as well point out that no one's mind is going to be changed.

My point of it being difficult to judge his playing if you can't cop his licks still stands.

If one has never been able to play his riffs properly, they surely cannot understand the complexity contained within those said riffs.

Obviously, if you have the chops to play Van Halen licks properly and just never have because you have chosen not to, then you clearly understand and just don't dig it. - kind of a rare and hypothetical case, but I'd buy it I guess.

The thread asked a legitimate question and got a variety of responses, I thought it was sort of thought provoking, even though like you said, most of the minds were already closed.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

Well I'm old but his tone was what I liked the most about EVH. Can't stand the songs. The first time I heard him it was amazing- I mean the tone. I think he lost the tone by the late 80s though. Maybe his tone isn't translating on todays media? I havn't heard in on an I pod. Maybe you need to hear it on analog technology and live music loud?

 

[LuredMaul]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I didn't Read all 8 pages of this so forgive me if this has been said Before, I'm 40 and grew up at the tail End of the VH FREAK OUT.... I liked VH but was never a FANBOY, I mean who cares if I can play ERUPTION everyone can....... I saw the Balance Tour in St. Louis and I have to tell you The Tone ppl Rave about has never been recorded.... I was so amazed at the live tone it sent shivers up my spine, my X wife even commented on how completely encompassing the guitar tone was It's deeper ,Fuller,Richer than anything on Record or CD. VH is an Experience and until you are THERE in person you can't understand it, or atleast that's how it was for Me.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: I just don't understand all the EVH tone fascination

I liked VH but was never a FANBOY, I mean who cares if I can play ERUPTION everyone can

Not very in touch with reality... an incredibly small percentage of rock guitarists are able to play Eruption properly. Anyone can make it sound muddy and flub their way through the tapping part, but there are very few people who can lay it down without substituting or taking short cuts.

I'd be very interested in seeing you play it... what are the chances of that?