Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

GilmourD

GilmourD

Burritotoneologist
Yeah, I know... Controversial.

However, this is a topic that tends to be discussed in a million different places but not all in one place. I figured I'd consolidate.

Also, I don't care what Ed used to get these sounds. That's all been rehashed a million times. And I'm not looking for "Just buy a Wolfgang" or "Just get a Custom Custom". I'm not even looking to buy anything right now, just discuss.

What I'm looking to discuss here are pickups that claim to produce the Brown Sound but aren't pickups that Eddie Van Halen actually ever used. The key here being that these pickups are marketed to produce the Brown Sound. Whether they really do or not is part of this discussion.


Off the top of my head, here's what I can think of. Please add with links if I'm missing anything.


Of course I'm not listing the EVH branded ones because... Well, duh. LOL






I imagine I've missed some that you guys may know about.

What experiences have you had with these pickups? Got any clips? Any comparisons?
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

Do you have a moment for me to tell you about some of the history of Brother Edward? :naughty:

(no, not really - that's a joke)

You (yes you) know I've been knee-deep in this mystery before and came to a conclusion.



You asked for clips - here are 3 clips using my rig with a BK VHII in the bridge.

Ed's original album tone is on the left, my tone is on the right:



Runnin' With The Devil http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977464

Feel Your Love Tonight http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977463

You Really Got Me http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977465

As usual, let the clips do the talking.
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

LLL said:
Do you have a moment for me to tell you about some of the history of Brother Edward? :naughty:

(no, not really - that's a joke)

You (yes you) know I've been knee-deep in this mystery before and came to a conclusion.



You asked for clips - here are 3 clips using my rig with a BK VHII in the bridge.

Ed's original album tone is on the left, my tone is on the right:



Runnin' With The Devil http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977464

Feel Your Love Tonight http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977463

You Really Got Me http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12977465
Click to expand...

OK, I'm willing to play.

They're really close. Now, I know you use digital modeling, so you're probably not softening the treble the same way that the studio mics into the board and onto tape did back in '78/'79, so I'd say that's really just about there.

The VHII is probably one of the more well-documented pickups and it really does the job. I'd love to hear an A-to-B comparison with the '78 in the same guitar and see how that is.

The Sin Pickups EV79 is supposed to be another one that's really good, but I haven't heard many clips outside of the ones on the link I provided.
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

GilmourD said:
OK, I'm willing to play.

They're really close. Now, I know you use digital modeling, so you're probably not softening the treble the same way that the studio mics into the board and onto tape did back in '78/'79, so I'd say that's really just about there.

The VHII is probably one of the more well-documented pickups and it really does the job. I'd love to hear an A-to-B comparison with the '78 in the same guitar and see how that is.

The Sin Pickups EV79 is supposed to be another one that's really good, but I haven't heard many clips outside of the ones on the link I provided.
Click to expand...

No digital modeling there (the modeling was a very very recent thing for me).

These clips are a couple years old and done with my variac'd Marshall rig. SM57, bit of EQing in DAW.

I've always been curious about the '78 model too. Based on my tests with a Seth Lover (SH55) in the bridge, I'd guess it would hit the 2nd album tones.
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

In regards to the Seth Lover (the '78 being a similar pickup with A2 magnet, just hotter)...

Here's two older clips with the same variac'd Marshall rig as before, but using Seth Lover in bridge.

... with rough takes on tunes from the 2nd album:

Somebody Get Me A Doctor http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12360395

Women In Love http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12360389

This is why I feel the SD '78 would work for second album tones.

So my theory as follows:

1st album: 9k Alnico-5
2nd album: 9k Alnico-2
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

LLL said:
In regards to the Seth Lover (the '78 being a similar pickup with A2 magnet, just hotter)...

Here's two older clips with the same variac'd Marshall rig as before, but using Seth Lover in bridge.

... with rough takes on tunes from the 2nd album:

Somebody Get Me A Doctor http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12360395

Women In Love http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12360389

This is why I feel the SD '78 would work for second album tones.

So my theory as follows:

1st album: 9k Alnico-5
2nd album: 9k Alnico-2
Click to expand...
My theory on the brightness of the first album (and this is just a theory) is that Ed didn't have the volume on channel 2 (bright) all the way up, so the bright cap was in effect (bright channel maxed out bypasses the bright cap). There are definitely examples of that scattered around the early stuff... However, that's really a whole other thread which would go in the amp section. LOL

I do get pretty close with a '59 Trembucker, but it's not as hot and a bit zingier on the top end.


I wonder if Zhangliun has any clips of his Brownbucker he could post. :p

And anybody ever actually play an IM1?
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

51501984 said:
The Virtual Hot PAF kicks booty , don`t think they ever mention that one over at the Metro forum where the OP also posted this thread. Dimarzio should have never stopped production on that one
Click to expand...

Yeah, their "Do you still make it?" list recommends the 36th Anniversary PAF but that seems to be a slightly cooler sounding pickup.
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

BTW, GilmourD - I saw your thread on Metroamp and "Brad737" mentioned Jeff (High Order pickups). If you need to contact him let me know.
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

GilmourD said:
Yeah, their "Do you still make it?" list recommends the 36th Anniversary PAF but that seems to be a slightly cooler sounding pickup.
Click to expand...

I`ve never tried the 36th but have heard from others that it dosen`t compare to the VHPAF, maybe someone that`s used both can chime in. The VHPAF can be bright but that`s what I like about it , it`s aggressive and really has some spank to it. Probably would be overkill in a bright guitar and/or amp. I`ve got it in a somewhat dark guitar
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

LLL said:
BTW, GilmourD - I saw your thread on Metroamp and "Brad737" mentioned Jeff (High Order pickups). If you need to contact him let me know.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not going to be purchasing anything anytime soon. I've got bigger fish to fry finance wise. Thanks, though.
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

GilmourD said:
I added the Smits pickup to the list since it's specifically marketed as a Brown Sound pickup.

Regardless of their advertising... Have you used the VH PAF and the SSV+? The VH PAF looks hard to find, now.
Click to expand...

They just had three brand new VHPAFs on ebay last week , they`re gone now. I bought 2 last September , kept one and sold the other to someone here as I wasn`t gonna use it , should have kept it:smack:
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

Now, I know I've seen a bunch of guys here use the GFS VEH, but how many have used them for getting THAT tone?
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

Run them from a good axe into a good front end, and any of these could give a good "brown sound": Alternative 8, UOA5 JB, JB, Distortion, "Dokken" JB, Custom 5, Custom/59, Custom. I think it's really in how you wind up eq.ing it. And what you're pushing it through.
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

Before this gets to page 2, could someone take a moment and define what exactly "the Brown sound" is? I have a rough idea, but not absolutely sure. I thought it simply refered to his tone when he used a variac to turn the AC voltage down to his amp. (Simulating a "brown-out").
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

^^ Yeah, in essence, which brings up the point I wanted to make: it's more about the amp, imo. I don't know why people obsess about the pup; Ed's own tone is slightly different with every album, and he used a bunch of gear in the studio...

Starts 11:37...




11:13 on...
 
Re: Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)

ArtieToo said:
Before this gets to page 2, could someone take a moment and define what exactly "the Brown sound" is? I have a rough idea, but not absolutely sure. I thought it simply refered to his tone when he used a variac to turn the AC voltage down to his amp. (Simulating a "brown-out").
Click to expand...

Ashurbanipal said:
^^ Yeah, in essence, which brings up the point I wanted to make: it's more about the amp, imo. I don't know why people obsess about the pup; Ed's own tone is slightly different with every album, and he used a bunch of gear in the studio...

Starts 11:37...




11:13 on...
Click to expand...
It's also about the chewy midrange and bright edge that the pickup provides.

Yes, the fat crunch is from the amp, but everything in the chain plays a part, from the basic guitar construction all the war out to the speaker cones. Listen to 5150 and OU812 where he's using the same amp but using basswood and poplar Kramers with hotter pickups and Steinbergers with EMGs rather than his older Ash and mahogany guitars with cooler pickups. Same amp, different core tone.

My intent with this thread is to concentrate on the pickup part of the equation, specifically the aftermarket pickups designed with EVH's early tones as the goal (as opposed to those Ed actually used or pickups that happen to provide that tone by accident). I figure there have been tons of threads about his effects, amps, speakers, strings, etc., so why not? LOL

Sent from my Moto X 2014 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Help me pick one of my existing pickups for my EVH 5150 kit guitar clone!
Replies
8
Views
420
doctadre
D
P
The real pickups behind Van Halen 78 album tone's and others.
2 3
Replies
45
Views
11K
Bill Dennis
B
P
Van Halen's Tone : breaking the sound barrier
Replies
9
Views
2K
Pat_rocks_and_rolls
P
Charvel2
Bridge pup recommendations for an HSH Strat build?
Replies
3
Views
836
Charvel2
Charvel2
N
Looking for the sound of an Amon Amarth Album
Replies
6
Views
1K
Edgecrusher
Edgecrusher
Back
Top