Are You Chasing EVH Tone?

Bainzy · Post by **Bainzy** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 3:07 pm

I've noticed some of you guys seem to be spending quite a lot of money on gear to nail exactly that 'brown sound'; I can't imagine spending a lot of money trying to nail someone else's guitar sound, but I can definately appreciate why someone would. Personally speaking, I like browsing this board because of the technical discussion going on that might help me improve my guitar tone, but not really so I'd find anything that'd bring me closer to his tone. There are certain aspects of EVH's tone that I don't particuarly like, and try to shy away from, but I love that fat 68 Marshall sound and definately want elements of that in my tone.

I'm interested to see a show of hands of who's actually chasing that tone, and if so, why? Are you doing it for personal enjoyment of the chase, because you want to do VH tribute stuff, or because of you don't care about individual tone and just want what you perceive is a great tone to use? etc.

Also, when's the limit for you guys chasing the tone? How close is close enough? Presumably one would never be able to nail it 100% because we're not Ed and our gear can never be comprised of the same atoms and molecules as his so will never sound exactly the same, but how close would satisfy you guys chasing this sound?

OdgeUK · Post by **OdgeUK** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:16 pm

Good post Bainzy!

I personally haven't spent any money on chasing the VH sound (other than purchase an MXR Phase90 and Flanger) but I DO read all these threads with a great deal of interest and fantasise about being able to afford one of the many different amps that people here claim *Nails* the VH sound.

For me, learning the guitar was always about playing the stuff I love listening to. It doesn't get much better than finally being able to play some of your favourite solos and riffs and (in your imagination at least) step into the shoes of your favourite guitarist!

As a result, I've never chased a tone of my own. When I dial in an amp to what pleases my ear, it's based on a reference of maybe three guitar tones:

Slash on Appetite for Destruction
Van Halen's Marshall
Jimmy Page on Heartbreaker

It's all sub-conscience of course, but it's these sounds that define what my ears tell me is a 'good' guitar tone. I can't imagine hearing a 'new' individual tone in my head that I thought was better than any of the above. I think I'll leave that to those 'gifted' creative geniuses that come along once in a while and blow everyone away!

In the meantime, I'm happy to dream that one day I'll be in my covers band at the local pub and hit that "G-Chord" at the beginning of "Mean Street" and it'll sound just as warm, thick and growling as the record! And all the guitarists in the audience will say "bastard! that sounds exactly like Eddie!"

That'll do me!

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:33 pm

Some people like to make generalizations and condesension on people who have chased the tone. As if there is something wrong with them, for wanting that rig like Eddies or part of it.
They look down on them in ignorance; thinking that a 12000 dialed in for EVH tone is somehow a one trick poney amp. I say ingnorance, because 999999% of the time, they couldn't get the tone if their life depended on it, and they're jealous of anyone who has, and irritated by by anyone still trying and dares to ask how in public.

I don't count you in this group Bainzy, but I'm sure you're familiar with the type.

Before this forum was formed, people used to get flamed and stifiled for asking how to get VH tone. People would parrot the tired cliches like.
"Why don't you want your own tone?" bla bla bla
Try to make the person seeking the knowledge feel like shit.
Classic inferiority complex stuff.

It made me learn it on my own, on the side, away from forums, where it wouldn't get ugly. Now that I learned a lttle about it, I make it a point to
not make people feel bad, and to help them.

To me the 12000 it's the most versatile, for many styles. Eespecially combined with my Swamp Ash, KOA Brain Moore Fat Strat c90.

Maybe some people want to be just like Eddie, theres some people
making damn good money in tribute bands. Good for them.

Or maybe someone just wants to play VH all day, in a pair of striped coveralls, in his bedroom, and that makes him or her happy. More power to them. Life's too short, and if one of my amps can make someone happy, it makes me happy.

For others like me, it's just a reference tone, used to dial in a 12000 plexi. What a 12000 I supposed to sound like. It's a great all around tone.
To me it's my favorite tone, and it's not just for VH. Far from it.
Just my opinion.

Plus I like building amps, and the desire hunger to learn is a huge part of
the quest. It's not the only tone I've chased, or a better word might be studied.

SRV, Hendrix, Page, Shenker, Blackmoore. Skynrd on steroids tone are some others.

So far I've built several of the 3 different era models of 100watters, and I'm working on a 4th soon. I'm addicted to amp building, and nailing tones and effect setting, and cover tunes.
But that doesn't mean I don't do my own thing. The guys I play with now, only want to do originals. This is my outlet from that.

Bruce Lee learned all the different styles of martial arts he could, and combined them into his own art. My attitude toward learning others peoples music, and gear is the same. That nothing is original, only the combination of how you put it together, that becomes more original, the more you learn. Because the ingredients become more esoteric and varied, the larger the base of knowledge is. The guys in my current band disaggree with this.It's convienent excuse, and keeps them from having to learn anything new, other than the originals we create.

Does it ever end you ask? Nope?
Not when your addicted.
It only gets worse, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Wow that was a long post. I just drank a bunch of coffee.

Bainzy · Post by **Bainzy** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:00 pm

Great responses so far guys; I guess I'm probably as addicted to finding that great guitar tone I've heard in my head just like you are with the EVH tone Mike

I always used to think it was some sort of holy grail or lost cause chasing the tone I'd heard in my head, until I got some Bareknuckle pickups - it really shocked me how much closer they got me to that tone. Another thing that got me a lot closer is increasing the value of the NFB resistor, and I'm almost there - I think I'm just lacking a bit of clarity and some harmonic feedback generated by power tube distortion. That should be addressed once I've got my power scaling box installed though.

mightymike wrote:I don't count you in this group Bainzy, but I'm sure you're familiar with the type.

I definately know the type you're on about; it seems extremely rude and nosey when people make crass comments towards people seeking out to get an EVH tone. So what if it's not individual? It's not hurting anyone in any way, and I don't see how it's their business.

jerrydyer · Post by **jerrydyer** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:12 pm

sounded almost the same as his marshalls

45auto · Post by **45auto** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:31 pm

i remember playing ted nugent, blue oyster cult, sabbath, zepellin, judas priest, ufo in the mid-late 70's & then we heard this outrageous guitar sound. vh1 just blew me away. went & saw the 1st couple of tours, it was arena rock at it's best. sounded even better live. i don't want to sound like eddie really, but i do love a marshall when it's really unleashed. what a monumental sound. not just a rediculously hot pickup, or a bunch of preamping or even extra preamp tubes. just the opposite. awesome power with clarity through overdriving the power amp section & speakers. we all know about this. i don't think all the digital emulation in the world will ever satisfy this urge.

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:55 pm

My signature probably makes people think I live and breath VH.
Please don't pigeon hole me to VH.
Far from it. I did those clips, and moved on.
They are there for demo purposes.

I play funk, SRV/ Hendrix type stuff,old and new cover tunes, blues, and evil sounding dark music more than VH.

I play with the switch filpped into the neck single coils
(APS2 Antiquities), just as much as I do humbucker.
I try to learn almost every new song that comes out
(That I like)

Lately my goal has been trying to get that fat single coil
Major sound that Blackmoore gets,but out of a 10000.
Like on Man on the Silver Mountain. The Frigin single coils sound as thick as humbuckers. I love that tone. I get it close with the 12000, but it's
too Purple Hazy. (Maybe I should bridge the channels

)

My 12000 gets a mean Purple Haze, ACDC, Pride and Joy lead tone,
Skynrd tones, RUSH fucking amazingl how close it is, not just VH. It gets a close M Shencker tone too. If only I could play as good as these guys..sigh

Then there's the tone of a TMB through my 67 Super Reverb.
Intro to Bob and Tom Theme meets Zep Heartbreaker.

My Dickenson Spec JTM45/100... not done tweaking

I'm trying everything I can.
I like SRVs wall of tone.
Wish I had his Dumble.

War Admiral · Post by **War Admiral** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:13 pm

A great tone is a great tone. I love the way these amps sound and they can do VH if you play VH licks. I'm more interested in the other things and I'm sure it will sound fantastic doing it too.
It comes down to having a very dynamic amp that responds well to your fingers and attack and from what I'm hearing in these clips that a lot of you guys are posting, its just that kind of amp.
I can't wait to get mine, and hey, its always nice when you're playing a VH tune with the guys and you can just nail the sound without any tweaking other than your touch. It sounds like a lot of fun

Chris

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:25 pm

for me its just chasing the response of his amp - not really interested in playing vh riffs or to sound like vh with it - its just the response of it even more so than the tone actually. after that its all my hands, playing and voice that will come through.

great post Bainzy!

Mark

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:44 am

It's most problebly the very best guitar tone ever, it is the most discused one everywhere, I personnaly love it but don't care not nailing it, some days if I get that basic vibe it will be fun just to foul around with it but other then that not really, I'm aways on the look out with you guys, of course, why not get it for the fun of it once in while....Now in exploring the world of KT66.......

master keeper · Post by **master keeper** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:22 am

I'm mostly interested in 12K tone. VH-tone is just one end of the spectra. I read most of the posts in this forum with great interest since they touch on the subject of 12K amps - and great tone. Sometimes I feel like I can contribute something, but mostly my knowledge is too limited or flawed

At one point some months ago I spent 2 weeks going after the VH1 tone and got fairly close thanx to my bandmate ABR-1 who is extremely knowledgeable, and guys on this board. But close is close enough for me, I'm not into dissecting every aspect of his sound. I still like to read all the posts here though, cos I learn new things about amps all the time!

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:31 am

MK u did get real close - sounded good too

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:09 pm

Your 12000 clips kickass too Mark.

I really liked your Rocco clips also. To me they sounded better than the amp that they were cloned from.

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:35 pm

Mark kick ass period

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:44 pm

5150loveeddie wrote:Mark kick ass period

+ 1

He's a real great player! Rock on dude! Are you in Japan right now?

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Are You Chasing EVH Tone?

Are You Chasing EVH Tone?

I saw him play a tempo solid state amp