VH Little Dreamer tone ?

[RACER X]

CJ, Hayley, and I were out shopping today and the Bone played VanHalen's Little Dreamer, I forgot just how good Eddies tone was on that song. Anybody know what guitar, amp, and pup he was useing, I gotta know. Thats the tone iv been searching for. :32:

 

[Majestic]

Re: VH Little Dreamer tone ?

Well, keep in mind that Eddie used a thick guitar with a vintage trem (an Explorer) for the rythm section during most of the songs on the first 2 or 3 albums. Double tracking was used, as well, on tracks like "You're No Good".

Off the top of my head, I'm going to say that a stop-tail or vintage trem guitar with an Alnico 4 powered '59 is going to do the trick. I'm aware that Ed has never mentioned anything of the sort, but I have a hard time believing that his old magnets were softened to the point of being equivalent of Alnico 2, especially considering that the bulk of those tunes were NOT recorded with a Floyd-equipped guitar. Maybe Alnico 3 is the trick.

Take an old Ibanez Explorer with a warm vintage trem in it, and put an Alnico 2 powered '59 in it, and you should get pure mush. After all, it doesn't have the "angry" tone of a Pearly Gates, nor the wide-open tone of an unpotted Seth Lover, both of which use Alnico 2.

That's why you have to consider the balance between what you're using and what HE used.

I'd love to hear what others think about this.

 

[RACER X]

Re: VH Little Dreamer tone ?

Yeh me to. I have two single hum Strats, Crate GT1200 3ch, 120 wtt 1/2 stack, no effects. I just loved how clean/dirty the tone was in his playing. MooM has had good luck with a 59 in the bridge too for getting METAL tones, so i might have to try one. Thanks for the poop.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: VH Little Dreamer tone ?

A big Marshall SLP 1959 Plexi wide up, that is the essential sound to Eddie, even on Balance he used that amp on some tracks.....even with the hot pickups you could hear that extra clarity he has when using that amp.
It was his Ibanez Destroyer that was featured alot on that album, it is different in sound from the Frankenstrat, too me that Destroyer and the occasional Gibson was The old Edward sound along with that amp and the phase90 and the mxr flanger......awesome so many years later it still sounds fresh and lively!
I love that aggressive open bright fuzzy sound he has on that album, no dark warm smooth cover it up sound there....all balls and in your face tone!