EVH and the 5150

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misterdetail
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EVH and the 5150

Post by misterdetail » Wed Oct 31, 2012 3:15 pm

I'm perplexed as to how much EVH actually used 5150 amps in the studio. I've read different accounts which say he used them a little on "For Unlawful...." and the "Right Here Right Now" live album, then more on "Balance" but he also used his old, restored Marshall. He definitely used them on the 3 new songs on the first "Best of" album and on Van Halen III. Lastly he seems to have used them on the 3 new songs on the last "Best of" album, though an interview I read from him at the time makes it sound like that wasn't entirely true. Soon after he and Peavey parted ways.

It frustrates me for there to be so little recorded evidence of a signature amp by the signature artist, especially considering they worked together for an extended period. Being a big fan of the 5150 and EVH this frustrates me. I want to crank up an album and hear the 2 doing magic together, but there's not too much to draw from, quantity or quality wise. Granted there are many other artists using and recording with the 5150/6505, but they're not the signature artist! Contrast this with the new Van Halen album that is definitely all Fender 5150 III and sounds as great as I'd expect it to. I don't say this as criticism of Peavey in any way. It just kills me that the potential was there for something much greater between the two that never really materialized.
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K.O.
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by K.O. » Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:22 pm

Honestly it is not something I have ever worried about. When I play I like sounding like me.

I had a very enjoyable time learning to play Black and Blue and a couple other V.H. songs and learning some of Eddie's techniques (tapping etc.).

I honestly think he would say don't obsess on how to get my tone obsess on how to find yours,

Of course this is just my opinion...
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misterdetail
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by misterdetail » Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:40 pm

K.O. wrote:Honestly it is not something I have ever worried about. When I play I like sounding like me.

I had a very enjoyable time learning to play Black and Blue and a couple other V.H. songs and learning some of Eddie's techniques (tapping etc.).

I honestly think he would say don't obsess on how to get my tone obsess on how to find yours,

Of course this is just my opinion...
This is true! However, I'd still love to have a solid album's worth of EVH playing through a 5150 in all it's glory and potential. Not me or anyone else playing but him. Like what you hear on the new VH album with the 5150 III. I'd love to have heard the same songs/lineup with the Peavey. Again, this is not Peavey's fault or knock on the 5150. EVH wasn't in a good place during much of the time with Peavey and then with all the processing he added to the signal it just didn't get there, IMO.
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clutch71
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by clutch71 » Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:46 am

Eddie has always been somewhat conflicting when he has talked about his gear. I've heard various excuses over the years so who knows what he used and when he used it. I know there is his fabled plexi and all evidence indicates that it was modded despite other claims that it was stock. The variac usage seems to be a myth. His early tone was his best IMO and is quintessential Eddie. Regardless of what he used, at the end of the day he's Eddie. He makes music for the masses not necessarily for geeks like us who then try to disect his gear.

I've heard that he has used JCM 800's, Soldano's as well.
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misterdetail
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by misterdetail » Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:07 am

clutch71 wrote:Eddie has always been somewhat conflicting when he has talked about his gear. I've heard various excuses over the years so who knows what he used and when he used it. I know there is his fabled plexi and all evidence indicates that it was modded despite other claims that it was stock. The variac usage seems to be a myth. His early tone was his best IMO and is quintessential Eddie. Regardless of what he used, at the end of the day he's Eddie. He makes music for the masses not necessarily for geeks like us who then try to disect his gear.

I've heard that he has used JCM 800's, Soldano's as well.
EVH gave a pretty humble and revealing interview about a year and a half ago. I don't remember the publication but in it he admitted lying about his gear in the past. He did confirm the use of a variac on the Plexi but used it differently than reported. I think it was to lower voltage, not increase it. It was basically what is done today with attenuators. EVH is a self-admitted "tone chaser" and I think somewhat appreciate us "geeks" who do the same. Regarding Soldano's, he used the SLO100 for most of the "For Unlawful..." album and possibly all of the "Right Here Right Now" live album, although the 5150 was out and on stage with him by that time. The SLO was the template for the 5150.

Going back to my original post, IMO the best example of EVH recording through his 5150 without all the processing is on the songs "Take Me Back", "Humans Being", "Can't Get This Stuff No More", and "Me Wise Magic". There are some great spots too on the III album but overall the songs were just too experimental and poorly produced.
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Zylfrax791
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by Zylfrax791 » Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:50 pm

misterdetail wrote:I'm perplexed as to how much EVH actually used 5150 amps in the studio. I've read different accounts which say he used them a little on "For Unlawful...." and the "Right Here Right Now" live album, then more on "Balance" but he also used his old, restored Marshall. He definitely used them on the 3 new songs on the first "Best of" album and on Van Halen III. Lastly he seems to have used them on the 3 new songs on the last "Best of" album, though an interview I read from him at the time makes it sound like that wasn't entirely true. Soon after he and Peavey parted ways.

It frustrates me for there to be so little recorded evidence of a signature amp by the signature artist, especially considering they worked together for an extended period. Being a big fan of the 5150 and EVH this frustrates me. I want to crank up an album and hear the 2 doing magic together, but there's not too much to draw from, quantity or quality wise. Granted there are many other artists using and recording with the 5150/6505, but they're not the signature artist! Contrast this with the new Van Halen album that is definitely all Fender 5150 III and sounds as great as I'd expect it to. I don't say this as criticism of Peavey in any way. It just kills me that the potential was there for something much greater between the two that never really materialized.
Perplexed? Frustrated? Why even bother caring if an artist uses signature amps & guitars? The whole point of signature junk is to sell product not replicate someones secret tone like the brownsound. Just based on tone alone I'm confident in the studio he used his special Marshall wet/dry/wet system for basically all his albums with Van Halen. Wouldn't surprise me if all the signature amps and cabinets at all his live shows were just backfill as well. Everytime I've seen videos wheres he demoing some signature amp at like an expo or NAMM the guitar tone doesn't sound right anyway. I don't lose a lot of sleep worrying about it though.
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Van Noord
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by Van Noord » Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:59 pm

Eddie is an enigma. A Mad Scientist. Plain and simple.
You'll put yourself in an asylum trying to figure out his way of thinking.
He plays mind games to entertain himself. He will lie, and pass it off as the truth.
Then he will "come clean" and lead you down a totally fabricated trail, just to keep things interesting.
Just enjoy his art, and stop analyzing it.

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bman5150
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by bman5150 » Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:06 pm

I think we VH-obsessed fan guitar players think to much into it. My guess is Eddie's studio or wherever he records is overfilled with many different heads. Marshall's, peavey 5150, evh III, soldano and,etc. and he probably plays one one day and just like all of us, one day a particular combo just sounds good to him and he records it. Other times, he's more deliberate like on the latest album.

I also think there's a huge difference between tone chasing to replicate a studio recording vs. pure tone chasing. Pure tone chasing is about chasing something that speaks to you. It might be what you would call a brown sound; it might be something different altogether. I think the most frustrated tone chasers are the ones chasing mixed, studio recorded album tones! Next to impossible if you ask me. I admit to being a studio tone chaser but the older I get the more I rely on my ears to tell me if its good, it's good!

I've recently sold a bunch of pedals and now use three, maybe 4 pedals total when I play my 5150 combo or c30 (usually the c30): clinchfx ep+, digitech reverb and occasionally an mxr phase 90 and boss digital delay. And I've also learned you can't make a bad amp sound good but you can make a bad guitar sound good! :lol:
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HighAndDry
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by HighAndDry » Sat Nov 10, 2012 12:53 pm

I don't know how much he used it but there was a definite change in his tone back then. I am a 6505 plus owner and have never been happier with an amp. I use it!!!

HighAndDry
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Re: EVH and the 5150

Post by HighAndDry » Sat Nov 10, 2012 12:55 pm

I don't know how much he used it but there was a definite change in his tone back then. I am a 6505 plus owner and have never been happier with an amp. I use it!!!

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