Tag Archives: dummy load

Typical Early Edward Van Halen Studio Setup Diagram

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  1. MXR e.q. set up as midboost (* only occasionally used depending on the guitar)
  2. Marshall plexi Super Lead, unmodified, although simple modifications such as a cascaded input stage or added gain through capacitor/resistor exchanges may have been made.
  3. Ohmite VARIAC set to approximately 90 Volts A/C
  4. Dummy Load
  5. MXR Flanger
  6. MXR Phase 90 (** This was sometimes put in front of the amp instead of after the dummy load)
  7. Echoplex EP3
  8. (***Equalization sometimes added prior to power amp)
  9. H & H power amp
  10. Various Marshall cabinets (sometimes two, sometimes four) used with various Celestion and JBL speakers

Typical Early Edward Van Halen Studio Setup



Exploring Edward Van Halen’s Early Legendary “Brown Sound”

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Edward Van Halen’s technique, tone, and style are legendary. Growing up listening to earlier-era Van Halen, I was awestruck by the raw, pure rock sounds that Edward produced from his guitars. In a period where rock guitar had become stagnant, Edward burst onto the scene like a fireball. As we moved into the 80’s, it seemed everyone had become an Eddie-clone, with their custom hot-rodded guitars strat-styled guitars and Marshall 100 watt tops. Edward’s sound from that era has been dubbed the “brown sound”. Let’s look into how what he used in the early days of Van Halen.
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