Riff Tone
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Live)
Van Halen
Guitarrock1970s
Original Gear
GuitarFrankenstrat (custom-built Strat-style guitar by Eddie Van Halen, single humbucker, maple neck, Floyd Rose tremolo)
AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (run through a Variac at ~90V, with dummy load and 4x12 cab, no master volume)
PickupsSeymour Duncan SH-5 Custom or rewound PAF-style humbucker (bridge position)
Amp Settings
gain5
bass5
mid6.5
treble6.5
reverb2.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
phaserMXR MXR Phase 90
delayMaestro Echoplex EP-3 Delay
noise_gateUnknown Noise Gate (model unknown)
Notes
Live performance, late 1970s/early 1980s era. Amp run at full volume with Variac for brown sound. Effects chain includes MXR Phase 90 and Echoplex EP-3 Delay. Settings are for live riff section, not solo.
Tone Character(10)
warm and richdynamic and aggressivetight palm mutingswirling phaser modulationslapback echoarticulate riff attackclassic British crunchplate reverb ambiencehigh-output bridge pickup bitecontrolled overdrive
Difficulty
The riff requires tight palm muting, precise timing, and dynamic pick attack, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players, especially when capturing the signature Van Halen feel and modulation.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarFrankenstrat (custom-built Strat-style guitar by Eddie Van Halen, single humbucker, maple neck, Floyd Rose tremolo)
AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (run through a Variac at ~90V, with dummy load and 4x12 cab, no master volume)
PickupsSeymour Duncan SH-5 Custom or rewound PAF-style humbucker (bridge position)
Amp Settings
gain5
bass5
mid6.5
treble6.5
reverb2.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
phaserMXR MXR Phase 90
delayMaestro Echoplex EP-3 Delay
noise_gateUnknown Noise Gate (model unknown)
Notes
Live performance, late 1970s/early 1980s era. Amp run at full volume with Variac for brown sound. Effects chain includes MXR Phase 90 and Echoplex EP-3 Delay. Settings are for live riff section, not solo.
Tone Character(10)
warm and richdynamic and aggressivetight palm mutingswirling phaser modulationslapback echoarticulate riff attackclassic British crunchplate reverb ambiencehigh-output bridge pickup bitecontrolled overdrive
Difficulty
The riff requires tight palm muting, precise timing, and dynamic pick attack, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players, especially when capturing the signature Van Halen feel and modulation.
More Van Halen tones
- Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love · riff
- Panama · riff
- Unchained · riff
- Eruption · solo
- Eruption · riff
- You Really Got Me · riff
- Runnin' with the Devil · riff
- Hot for Teacher · riff
- "5150" · riff
- Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love · solo