Riff Tone

The End

Mammoth

Guitarrock2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarEVH Wolfgang USA

AmpEVH 5150 III 50-watt 6L6 Head

PickupsEVH Wolfgang Custom Humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass6

mid5.5

treble6.5

reverb1.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

noise_gateFortin Fortin Mini Zuul Noise Gate

Notes

Studio recording for 'The End' (2024/2025), Mammoth WVH. Wolfgang Van Halen confirmed use of the EVH 5150 III 50-watt 6L6 head for both live and studio during this album's era. Pedal use in the studio was experimental and varied, but for the main riff/distorted rhythm, the core tone is amp-driven. No evidence of additional drive pedals for the riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivemodern high-gain saturationarticulate note separationpunchy low endfocused midrangeclear attackminimal ambiencesaturated but controlledaggressive palm mutingpresent upper mids

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting and precise picking at a moderately fast tempo, with syncopated rhythms that demand good timing and control.

Sources

Wolfgang Van Halen on building the supersized sound of Mammoth II | Guitar World Mammoth WVH Wolf Van Halen Guitar Rig Rundown - Premier Guitar

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