What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

You have to wonder if one of the current JTM clones would do it if you ran it with EL34's. In a way, EVH was doing with the variac what others do with a tube rectifier......amp runs out of juice and sags. I ,along with many people, was unaware for a long time that he actually used the variac to drop the voltage. Wonder how many kids detonated their amps by running 140v+ in the quest for the EVH tone?:chairfall
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

i have to kinda agree on that a stock plexi wont get that sound.

i think ed was full of it as well on how he was getting his sound

the only amp i have heard that comes close ( without amp clips) is the VHT deliverance.

i dont agree with the Diezel Vh4 though i thought it sounded way too compressed.
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

Now I will ad this.......SOMEBODY figured out how to get pretty close. Whoever was playing guitar for Crusty Dave when he did the "We Aren't Speaking To Each Other" tour with Sammy had the old EVH sound pretty damn good. :laugh2:
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

there's lots of guys who get that sound though...

Al Estrada uses a Splawn
VHolic uses marshals AND a 5150 combo and gets the sound
the guy from Hot For Teacher uses an older Mesa Recto...
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

tone? said:
i have to kinda agree on that a stock plexi wont get that sound.
Click to expand...
Listen to Rid's clips and get ready to eat some crow. :laugh2: ;)
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

BTW, Rid. What are you using for the reverb? Post tracking addition? All I have is a delay pedal (Boss DD-2) in my effects loop but would prefer some reverb instead. Any recommendations?
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

Nopes not me playing, a Norwegian brother with a Korean Wolfgang with stock pickups, into a 1987 68 head, using a 4x12 Marshall cab with Greenbacks, sm57 mic.....now how is that for simple???
But that is also the sound I know from those amps, most good Plexi's will give you this, the 1959 will be abit bigger at the bottomend and be even more glassy.
There is nothing mysterious in a good Marshall crunch...play and mean it!
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

ErikH said:
Those are good. Just a tad too much sagginess though. That's what I'm hearing anyway.
Click to expand...


Just a modded RI1959.....go isolate the guitar parts on the old VH albums...not as tight as you'd think...not to my ears anyway.

Studios can work wonders

BTW..I think templeman was just as repsonsible as anyone for the brown sound...
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

JeffB said:
Just a modded RI1959.....go isolate the guitar parts on the old VH albums...not as tight as you'd think...not to my ears anyway.

Studios can work wonders

BTW..I think templeman was just as repsonsible as anyone for the brown sound...
Click to expand...
Oh, I have. Lots of times. I don't remember it sounding as saggy as that though.

As proven though, a good Plexi and a PAF loaded Strat (or even a Korean Wolfgang) will get you in the ballpark, and pretty darn close to home plate but without his fingers and talent, forever stuck at 3rd base. :D
 
Last edited:
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

anything from the newer model amps?
besides the Plexi
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

ErikH said:
Oh, I have. Lots of times. I don't remember it sounding as saggy as that though.
Click to expand...

Well fine....be that way..see if I care... :laugh2:

I hear the sag too..its there for sure...but overall I think Bray nails the tone better than anyone...its gritty and crunchy and sweet and smooth at the same time. Some of the amps mentioned here do a damn good job at chord work but don't sound right for leads and vice versa. Splawns for example, to my ears are way TOO tight. Almost like a VHT.

If I was gonna have someone mod, or was buying a new tube amp head, he'd be the one I went to first before everything else.
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

JeffB said:
Well fine....be that way..see if I care... :laugh2:

I hear the sag too..its there for sure...but overall I think Bray nails the tone better than anyone...its gritty and crunchy and sweet and smooth at the same time. Some of the amps mentioned here do a damn good job at chord work but don't sound right for leads and vice versa. Splawns for example, to my ears are way TOO tight. Almost like a VHT.

If I was gonna have someone mod, or was buying a new tube amp head, he'd be the one I went to first before everything else.
Click to expand...


I've played a pittbull and beleive me, the splawn and the VHT aren't even close
 
Re: What amp Does Van Halen Better these days?

JeffB said:
Well fine....be that way..see if I care... :laugh2:

I hear the sag too..its there for sure...but overall I think Bray nails the tone better than anyone...its gritty and crunchy and sweet and smooth at the same time. Some of the amps mentioned here do a damn good job at chord work but don't sound right for leads and vice versa. Splawns for example, to my ears are way TOO tight. Almost like a VHT.

If I was gonna have someone mod, or was buying a new tube amp head, he'd be the one I went to first before everything else.
Click to expand...
:laugh2:

I like how the sag comes out more on detuned stuff like Unchained. That's just pure, well, gritty and crunchy.

Just looked at his site. He's definitely a Marshall guy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chris EmCee
Will anything dethrone the '78?
Replies
19
Views
1K
jeremy
jeremy
belensky
The Humbucker Archive: DiMarzio, EMG, BKP, Suhr & Duncan Tested – My Notes & Comparison Samples (Long Read)
2
Replies
31
Views
971
freefrog
freefrog
N
Does a two-point bridge stay in tune better?
2
Replies
31
Views
667
Chris Pile
Chris Pile
JOLLY
New Guitars Days
Replies
19
Views
848
devastone
devastone
C
Headrush Prime- 4 Month Review
Replies
6
Views
4K
jeremy
jeremy
Back
Top