Pete Thorn's Massive VH and VHII Pickup Comparison

[cooljuk]

When you listen to Van Halen 1 it has the extra gainy sound to begin with

I get what you mean but I personally don't agree. VH1 is brighter and crisper, ya. Chalk that up to D120s and/or a ceramic magnets pickup or just pre/post EQ and micing. Lots of theories. Eddie and the band have both commented at times that the guitar was very bright in the room during tracking. Ed never liked that sound, from all I have heard him say of it. Then again, the way he constantly changed stuff up, it seems he never found quite whatever he was after, anyway.

I think JBLs in the mix really nail that sound and the Sunset Sound isolated tracks, to me, reinforce that - however, I know there's a potential timeline issue with that cab having the D120 speakers during the time of tracking. Then again, Ed always changed things up. Maybe he had them in for the tracking, everyone in the band commented about the brightness, which he also didn't like, and he took them back out after. Nothing unusual for him to swap stuff in and out day to day.

In any case, I don't at all think that first album has a modded or 50W amp sound, on top of all that other brightness enhancing stuff. I'm not trying to give the Ossie guy a hard time, I respect his work. I just think he's either using too many tricks at the same time to get the crispness and over-doing it or the amp is modded or just has the wrong gain / feel being a 50W. ...or even post processing, like I said? I don't know.

VH1's guitar sound is brighter and crisper than the following albums, absolutely, but it's still tight and clear and clean. Extremely defined. Not overly squished, congested, or fizzy to the point where things get sloshy.

 

[Nitro]

I agree the first album( Van Halen 1)is bright /gainy/crisper/edgy no doubt,also Eddie using a 100 watt plexi variac Ed down it’s no longer a 100 amp

 

[cooljuk]

A Super Lead is four tubes, a different output section, different power supply, different transformers, etc. 30 VAC less at the mains doesn't equate to a different amp circuit and components.

A Super Lead running on a Variac isn't the same thing as a 50W straight into the wall, and it's definitely not the same thing as a 50W on a Variac.

If you like that sound, rock on. Lots of cool sounds out there. I was just saying I think it's too gainy, compressed, fizzy, mushy for me to say it nails the first album and it's hard to hear the differences of those the pickups through all that gain, processing, or whatever.

Is his amp he's using modded? I looked at other video on his channel and he seems to be into the Jose mod thing. That was a popular theory for a long time but seems squashed by photos and recent accounts of the amp, not to mention it just doesn't sound right.

But hey, nothing wrong with having lots of options and great sounds to enjoy! We live in a time of so many choices in awesome vintage and modern tones!

 

[Nitro]

Ossie 50 watt Marshall is stock no mods

 

[Nitro]

I’ve been listening again to Pete’s pickup shootout and I said in this thread that it has to be the mighty mite 1300 for the Van Halen 1 sound I’m taking that back the Duncan 59 really captures that Van Halen 1 sound WOW

 

[captcoolaid]

It was Eddie. No more no less. His pic attack and his love for the music and his excitement. You can't wind that it's all soul bro.

 

[cooljuk]

It was Eddie. No more no less. His pic attack and his love for the music and his excitement. You can't wind that it's all soul bro.

That's an old audio-only interview where Ed is talking about the "new" VHII album that just dropped and he's wanking on an unplugged guitar, showing off some of the riffs to the interviewer. Still sounds like himself, even unplugged. Such a monster player!

 

[J50315]

Thanks. I absolutely love the guitar sounds on the first couple Van Halen albums. Gotta be one of my
Favorite guitar sounds ever recorded.

I’m working with Bryan Sours of Soursound on some custom 100W transformer sets to replicate the voltages, the drops, and sag of that amp early on at 120v and 90v. Trying to rebuild that crispy squishy thing that Eddie’s amp had, from the ground up.

I’m happy with my VH pickups for the sound but I want to dial in the sound and feel of a couple amps to be closer to that.

I bought that 69/70 100 watt Marshall off Dave Friedman that was used in that video with Pete thorn. The amp rips. The only problem is I still can’t play like Ed lol

 

[cooljuk]

I bought that 69/70 100 watt Marshall off Dave Friedman that was used in that video with Pete thorn. The amp rips. The only problem is I still can’t play like Ed lol

That's so awesome! For some reason, I had it in my head that Pete used his 50W for that. I know he like it. Probably just been a while since I watched. What a killer amp, man! I'm a little jealous, to be honest.

I can sort you out with the same pickups he used, but I'm afraid you still won't play like Ed. Neither will I. Or anyone. ...though Pete get scary close!

 

[J50315]

That's so awesome! For some reason, I had it in my head that Pete used his 50W for that. I know he like it. Probably just been a while since I watched. What a killer amp, man! I'm a little jealous, to be honest.

I can sort you out with the same pickups he used, but I'm afraid you still won't play like Ed. Neither will I. Or anyone. ...though Pete get scary close!

I’m Joseph who’s been emailing you about pickups for my braz R7 haha. Here’s the amp

 

[Nitro]

Playing style and tone are to different things if Edward was playing though a clean amp it’s going to sound clean if he’s was playing though a dirty amp it’s going to sound dirty each Van Halen album sounds different tone wise due to gear changes . Van Halen 1 sounds different then Van Halen II each album sounds different Edwards style is the same but the tone is different

 

[cooljuk]

I’m Joseph who’s been emailing you about pickups for my braz R7 haha. Here’s the amp
View attachment 669726

I went back and watched a bit of the intro and shootout again. I think I was confused about the 50W / 100W amp situation there because in the intro and preceding videos he used both amps (plus some of his Suhr SL68).

The downside to watching that video again is that now I'm really wanting a 70s Destroyer!

 

[Nitro]

Just found out though Greg Leon and Kurt James(friend of Eddie back then and was around during the Van Halen club days) that the so called JBL speaker was actually a Radio Shack silver cone speaker that looked like a JBL speaker.Greg has a amp repair shop in California called Greg’s Amp Repair

 

[cooljuk]

Utah made the instrument speakers branded Realistic / Radio Shack.

They do have a similar silver dust cap, but they also have the light gray ribbed cones with a large radial seam, like the rest of the Utah and CTS speakers of the time.

I don't see it in the photos in Zloz's book, which are close up and clear. They are smooth cones, no ribs or seams, and dark black.

 

[CB91710]

Utah made the instrument speakers branded Realistic / Radio Shack.

They do have a similar silver dust cap, but they also have the light gray ribbed cones with a large radial seam, like the rest of the Utah and CTS speakers of the time.

I don't see it in the photos in Zloz's book, which are close up and clear. They are smooth cones, no ribs or seams, and dark black.

I built a 4x12 using a set of those.
Discarded screen door to get the edging to match my Peavey Deuce, that 6x12 stack was a monster, but it fit in my '69 Buick.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I have a few of those models and they all do the trick. I was surprised how much I like the Super Distortion-like pickups in my guitars. I have a Pariah 70s Destruction and a Rewind Electric Super Distinction in different guitars and they're great. The do the VH thing quite nicely.

 

[Nitro]

Try the Mighty Mite 1300(new they are now made in the USA) you’ll be surprised