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Riff Tone

Jamie's Cryin'

Van Halen

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarFrankenstein Strat-style guitar (homemade by Eddie Van Halen, aka 'Frankie')

AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (run through Ohmite Variac, voltage reduced)

PickupsSeymour Duncan 'PAF'-style humbucker (bridge position, rewound by EVH)

Amp Settings

gain7

bass6

mid7.5

treble7

reverb0.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

phaserMXR MXR Phase 90

Notes

Studio recording, 1977-78. Guitar was the original 'Frankenstein' with a single bridge humbucker, maple neck, and brass nut. No overdrive/distortion pedals used for gain; amp was cranked with a Variac. Effects (MXR Phase 90, Echoplex EP-3, MXR Flanger) were used post-amp via dummy load and re-amping. Settings are for the studio album version, not live.

Tone Character(10)

archetypal 'brown sound'brash, hyper-articulated and subtly phased distortionBritish crunchtight palm mutinghigh-output humbuckeraggressive attackbright and cuttingharmonically richpercussive rhythmdynamic response

Difficulty

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise right-hand articulation, and dynamic control to capture the groove and punch of the original recording. While not technically extreme, the feel and timing are challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

10 Stompboxes That Changed the World The story of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar 10 Albums That Are Complete Masterpieces — According ...

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

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Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarFrankenstein Strat-style guitar (homemade by Eddie Van Halen, aka 'Frankie')

AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (run through Ohmite Variac, voltage reduced)

PickupsSeymour Duncan 'PAF'-style humbucker (bridge position, rewound by EVH)

Amp Settings

gain7

bass6

mid7.5

treble7

reverb0.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

phaserMXR MXR Phase 90

Sources

10 Stompboxes That Changed the World The story of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar 10 Albums That Are Complete Masterpieces — According ...

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

Notes

Studio recording, 1977-78. Guitar was the original 'Frankenstein' with a single bridge humbucker, maple neck, and brass nut. No overdrive/distortion pedals used for gain; amp was cranked with a Variac. Effects (MXR Phase 90, Echoplex EP-3, MXR Flanger) were used post-amp via dummy load and re-amping. Settings are for the studio album version, not live.

Tone Character(10)

archetypal 'brown sound'brash, hyper-articulated and subtly phased distortionBritish crunchtight palm mutinghigh-output humbuckeraggressive attackbright and cuttingharmonically richpercussive rhythmdynamic response

Difficulty

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise right-hand articulation, and dynamic control to capture the groove and punch of the original recording. While not technically extreme, the feel and timing are challenging for intermediate players.

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Jamie's Cryin' settings for your amp

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.

Jamie's Cryin' on Marshall SV20H

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