Van Halen III tones...

[Guitardavept]

Anyone know for sure what amps Eddie was using on Van Halen III? Some songs, such as Fire In The Hole and From Afar for example, sound like the Peavey 5150. But others, like Without You and One I Want have a much cleaner tone. What amp was that?

[EJC]

I believe he was using the Peavey 5150 II for that album but who knows...

[Dave not David]

Fire in the Hole was probably the lead channel and Without You and One I Want were the crunch and/or clean channels. He also was using a metal pick on the album too, not just live, I believe.

[Guitardavept]

Right, yes that makes sense. It’s an interesting tone, the fact that its much lower gain than he usually uses.

[RRvh1]

I remember an old interview where Eddie says he has a custom splitter box with 5 different amps plugged in (various makes and models), yet when it came time for mixing, be primarily used the 5150 tracks...

High and Low inputs can vary, and amp settings & gain can be (and have been) adjusted between takes/songs/overdubs etc.

[Dave's Dreidel]

I believe Ed was using the "I want this to sound like shit" amp.

How he went from his tone on Balance, Human Beings, and the BOV1 songs to this travesty is one of the great VH mysteries.

[Guitardavept]

I believe Ed was using the "I want this to sound like shit" amp.

How he went from his tone on Balance, Human Beings, and the BOV1 songs to this travesty is one of the great VH mysteries.

Not a fan then lol?!

It’s grown on me over the years, I wish they’d gotten a second album with Gary. Ah well...

[Jedi McFly]

That album sounds almost entirely Peavey 5150ii to me. Yaminub nailed it on the different channels being used for "cleaner" tones.

The other contributing factor to a lot of those tones was pickups. Without You and One I Want definitely sound like he used P90 Wolfgangs on them. Dirty Water Dog could be that three single coil Wolf. From Afar, YTTD and Fire in the Hole are probably standard Wolfgangs. I'd have to give the album another spin to try take a guess at the other tunes.

[danielleesale]

The whole sound of the album was ruined when they sent it off to be mastered, if I recall correctly. There were people who heard the album before that and wondered what in the world happened with the finished product.

[Guitardavept]

I’d love for that album to be remixed. It could sound so much better!

[5150rob]

yeah III was all the the PV 5150 2 and he went to a cord instead of wireless cause he thought it sounded better at the time. He also pretty much abandoned the WDW harmonized rig and used only a minimal amount of chorus.

Rob

[Guitardavept]

yeah III was all the the PV 5150 2 and he went to a cord instead of wireless cause he thought it sounded better at the time. He also pretty much abandoned the WDW harmonized rig and used only a minimal amount of chorus.

Rob

Thanks for that :-)

Any idea what effect they were using on Gary’s voice? It sounds like there’s some kind of filter or distortion on it. Would’ve sounded way better without it.

[AFU]

I saw his rig for the III tour. 5150 IIs. A lot of them. His live in Sydney Tone I have nailed and I should. Using my old 5150 and tobacco PV Wolf. I also have the Panama album tone. I have witnesses. It suprised me as I wasn't trying. But yep. That's got nothing to do with III I know. Usually he tours with what he used to record. So my educated guess is the 5150 II.

[turnbuckle]

Just think of Ed as a traveling salesman;
Whatever he was selling at the time, is probably what he was using

[fudd]

Just think of Ed as a traveling salesman;
Whatever he was selling at the time, is probably what he was using

Fair assessment. I’ve played all his equipment. I think after the EBMM guitars and the peavey 5150II he’s been chasing his tail. The EBMM’s pickups could have been a little hotter but the 5150II I have is hands down the best thing I’ve played. Even better than the 5150III I have.

Don’t get me started on his new guitars.


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