A deep dive into the guitar sound on Van Halen's 3rd album - Women and Children First - guitars, pickups, amplifier, speakers, and recording techniques.
Jim, all of us EVH fans are just trying to reverse engineer Eddie's legacy and I think you just might be the Gold Standard. Thank you for all that you do.
Just the insight on the 250 pot !!!! And it’s so obvious once it’s pointed out. How did the entire EVH tone nerd fan base miss that the last 40 years?!?!? It took a guy who was in the trenches at the same time Ed was to pick up on these things….
@@jegauss I have a question. I have a 1984 kramer and the strings are so high up and it is really hard to play and practice on because I have to press down really hard and my finger might get stuck under another string. Are the evh guitars like that.
The so called “experts” say obsession is not healthy. I beg to differ, just ask everyone here! Absolutely incredible dedication and work you’ve done Jim. Well done sir…well done indeed🤘
Thank you, "Busyfingers! Yeah, I guess you could call it obsession. I used to write, play and perform a lot more than I do now, and a guy has to have a hobby, right?!?! 😜
Such a great example of Eddie's raw Plexi tone. My favorite moment being the intro of Fools,it's Eddie in a nutshell. Thank you for all your hard work!!
Jim, Jim, Jim!!! This is incredible! Just paused at "Fools"....WOW! The tone and execution is spot on!!! WOW that tone! The tone on the entire video just BRILLIANT! STELLAR! Thanks for doing this.
OMG Women and Children First never sounded so good! It's just a simple pleasure to hear the isolated parts so clearly, after a lifetime of only having the final album, which is wonderful but where many nuances are buried in the mix. As a teen just learning to play 6 strings, I sat down with the guitar in my lap and this in the cassette player for hours, striving to learn it note for note, rewinding every part again and again until I got it right (still working on it almost 4 decades later!) We didn't have youtube or even tab for this stuff, kids! And we didn't have any isolated guitar tracks, so you just had to use your ears and try and figure this stuff out. What this further convinces me of, is that the ultimate format for a deluxe Van Halen (and many other bands) album would be to have it in total track separation where the listener can adjust the mix, pan each instrument, and isolate each guy in their own speaker, to hear all the stuff that would otherwise be missed! Maybe one day they'll do that, for now we have videos like Jim's and various tracks with isolated instruments on youtube. Bravo! Well done!
Thank you, Apple O! Yep, I agree! We didn't have youtube, or ISO tracks, or any of that stuff. I barely had a cassette deck back then. It was "lift the needle off the record, put it back to that spot, lift, repeat, etc..... Love the idea of the total track separation - but that's probably only good for we musicians - not sure the general public would care much, although, you just never know! Thank you, and thank you for watching!
As a self proclaimed Eddie Van Halen nut myself, and a guitarist, I am blown away by the level of research and talent you have demonstrated.... It's literally mind blowing....
That intro to fools was done so well! This album had the best sound production to me of their early albums. More of a live sound. Almost sounds like it was recorded in a concert hall. And Mikes bass really comes through. Tight and crisp.
I realized three things by watching this. #1 Eddie’s playing is technically beyond this world and is and always be a legend and Guitar God. #2 this guy is a damn good Guitarist and I’m thankful for his knowledge. #3 I have to get back to practicing. Cheers
I'm 65 and was fortunate to see VH six times in concert. Was in college when their first album came out, and the first time I saw them was in 1980 on the WACF tour. I was so excited at the time....they were awesome. We had great seats and I've got a good picture of Eddie jumping off the drum riser. (Had to smuggle a 35 mm Pentax in to the venue.....lens in one sock and the camera body in the other. It was difficult to walk without feeling that they would slip out of my socks or a bouncer would see!) Being a retired engineer, I thoroughly enjoy your deep dives, Jim! Thank-you!
Thanks again for the deep dive into the tones of another classic VH album! Not only do you have the ears to dial in the nuances, you have the chops to bring them to life! Take a good break, Jim, but not for too long…🤟
Jim, your persistence and Neverending quest for perfection in THAT tone....the Brown sound in all it's EVH colors. Even though he was taken way too soon, I believe he really didn't want anyone to be able to figure his sounds out, but you've persisted until the master's locks have been opened. It takes a person of mighty will and stamina to do this and you are the Gold Standard! You absolutely Rock my friend. Thank you so much for your diligence to continue unlocking the mysteries and letting us hear Eddie a little longer. My favorite was the full breakdown and display of Tora Tora! Eddie lives!
Another absolute master class on the brown sound and VH playing and tones. Very glad you're sharing your hard-earned wisdom with all of us fellow fanatics. Really enjoyed your appearance on Johnny Beane's show recently, too. Keep up the great work.
Jim, thanks for doing these! Bar none, your deep dive in depth quest for Ed’s brown sound/tone is in a ‘best in class’ category. A MUST WATCH series for any EVH fan and guitar nerd! 🤓 Romeo Delight was AMAZING 🔥 I’ve been waiting for this one! WACF 🔴⚪️⚫️5️⃣1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ 👑
Major props for the research and time you put into all of this. I'm blown away! WACF album is a goldmine for guitar tone. I got goosebumps just hearing you play all of those parts.
Man you’ve earned a break….this was incredible….really. I’m about your age and have played VH my whole life as a hobby. This was like having the coolest friend around right in my neighbourhood lol. Thank you 🤘
Excellent in-depth look into the greatest tone ever achieved on vinyl…… you definitely went down the rabbit hole on this masterful piece of work you did. Can’t wait for the next one. Cheers Mate!
Jim, the nuance and accuracy in your playing is amazing. And kudos as well to your engineering knowledge. Imo, you are the definitive expert on the Van Halen sound. Thank you for such excellent quality vids.
Jim, you have done it again, you nailed it! You recreated the slightly more treble tone on this album compared to previous albums and your attention to detail is once again amazing. Fantastic playing as always and I love that you even gave us the left side pan just like the recordings. You are the gold standard when it comes to the brown sound! 🎸👍🏻 I would love to be able to take 10 minutes of your time to pick your brain on a few things sometime.
@@jegauss ...thanks to you! I've just finished watching it... you stunned me, once again, with your guitar (how can you say you didn't learn the tracks properly, when you figured out how to play even the tinnest guitar sound on this album!? 🤩👍🏻) playing, your knowledge, your passion. You're the full package for every VH nerd! 😌🤝🏻💥🤟🏻
Oh man......you did it again Jim! Simply awesome. Thanks for these videos, just such a pleasure to watch and learn. Instantly brings me back to a time in my life when I just listened in wonder and awe. There’s no way to explain that feeling to someone, you just “had to be there”.
Thank you, Darrin! I love doing these things because it's such a test of all of my theories and preconceived notions about what Ed really did...it's really, really fun - albeit a crap ton of work....thanks for watching!
@@jegauss I know from experience how much work this must have been. I don’t know if people realize that it’s much more than the time it takes to record and make the video. This had to be decades of absolute obsession! Thanks a million for that hard (and expensive) work, and even more for being graceful enough to freely share it with us!!
Once again!!!…..thank you SO much for taking the time to do ALL of these!! These tones are so amazingly ON the money and the execution ain’t no slouch either buddy! Thoroughly enjoy it all
@@jegauss quick question if u have time…started “geeking” and measuring dc resistance on pickups…EVERY one I measured INCLUDING my 25k Chip Ellis Frankie was up around 13-14…including the EVH pickup…only one was different was the Duncan ‘78 Evenly Voiced Harmonics:) around 8-9. does that sound right?
@@doncampbell7468 Hey Don, yeah that sounds right. I'm kinda surprised about the Chip Ellis Frank pickup, though. Somebody, who also had one, or access to one, told me that it measured 9K, like the '78...but, or course, I can't verify that. Very curious is you are the only owner of that guitar???
@@jegauss I bought it from 5star. Came with certificate that Tom Weber Set it up. Measures 13.82?. Also has fat brass block. Does it sound fishy to you? Lotta clams on this one!!
@@doncampbell7468 Yeah, I'm not buying it....it shouldn't have the fat block and I'm 99% sure, it's supposed to be a 9K pickup...it's not the EVH Frankenstein pickup, and it's not the relic'd / signed one that they sold, either...it was a different pickup altogether. At least that's what I've been told, and by a couple of guys that measured the real one. I've never seen it myself, so I won't say 100%. But for sure, it's not supposed to have the fat block. You can see that in the pics on the EVH website.
Awesome, we’ll done! I’ve listened to album hundreds of times. Love the tone this album and I think you nailed it!! It was my fist cassette tape I purchased of VH as a kid. Luckily I still have it. Great stuff as always. Love my ‘76 Greco Super Sounds strat. OfCourse I had to modify a bit and installed a Pariah Pasadena humbucker pick up. recently just added a Vega-trem tremolo bridge. Sounds killer. Keep on rockin!!
Great tone!!! That was the first Van Halen I owned back in the day and the first thing that struck me was the tone. That's the tone that sticks in my head to this day and always chased. You nailed it!!!
Good heavens! You've done it again! WACF was my 2nd VH record, age 13. That un-named "song" at the end of the record actually fades out on the vinyl, and I think it's not on the cassette at all. There just wasn't enough space to fit like 3 more bars. Imagine my glee when I bought the CD and got to hear the whole thing a few years later.
Hats off - once again, a killer, damned near dead on balls accurate recreation of a VH masterpiece. I can’t get over that Explorer tone -nice work hoss.
i always knew eddie was ans still is profound guitar player and musician but seeing you Jim playing all of his parts gave me a whole new appreciation for him i have always loved van Helen thank you for this video and all of your hard work
After watching a few brown sound vids(maybe 10),it seems to me that not only does everyone have there own idea of how it's done but there is more than one way to achieve it.`Thanks for the work and research that you have put into this and keep up the great work !
Thank you! And yes, I agree - we all have our theories - I try to keep them really, really simple. Otherwise, I think it gets too complex, and I tend to doubt that Ed did much that was overly complex - I think he leaned to the unusual and was extremely creative with his stuff, but I believe some might "over-think" it all a little...
New subscriber here Jim. Great job my friend. I was in a band that was fortunate enough to have a guitarist that could nail this stuff. I’m a bass player from Buffalo New York. We used to do a ton of Van Halen & you nailed this. Much appreciate the attention to detail.
Thank you, Joe! Thanks for watching - if you get a chance go check out some of the previous album videos I did, too. You might enjoy those, too. Thanks again!
Thanks for doing this Jim! This was awesome and exciting to follow you down the rabbit hole which is EVH tone chasing, again :) I look forward to more and was surprised that I had somehow missed this one! .. Now subscribed :)
Thank you! I appreciate it! I'm trying to get through 1984, and I've been working on it for some time...I'm getting closer every day. I really hope to have it done soon (I need to get it done - I've got other projects I need to work on in the studio 😉)
Jim, this series is amazing! Thanks for all of your hard work and research. Just goes to show what a brilliant, mad scientist / virtuoso / musical prodigy Eddie was. If/when you get around to doing Diver Down, you may want to pick up one of the 500 Series Mic / DI Pre-Amps that Sunset Sound makes. These "Tutti" pre's are modeled directly after the pre-amps that were in Sunset's Studio 1 console during the recording of Diver Down. They're not cheap, but worth every penny. May want to consider picking up one or two to get that last couple of percent of tone down.
Thanks Han! Thanks for watching, I very much appreciate it. I'd love to get one (Ok, how about 8 of them - OK, at least 4) of the preamps. I bet they sound killer. But, hard to justify the cost....I'll think about it. You know, I don't think Diver Down was recorded at Sunset Sound - Pretty Woman was, but when the label pushed to get the album done soon after they released that single - I think the story is that studio time wasn't available at Sunset Sound. So, they went to Amigo Studios, which was actually Warner Brother's recording studio...at least I think that's the story.....Fair Warning Was the last record recorded and mixed at Sunset Sound. Van Halen II was recorded at Sunset, but mixed a West Lake Studios. Sorry, I sound like an extreme geek......
Wow this was such a treat to see AND hear played - I listened to this album as a 10 yr old kid with the needle on the record so many times in 1980 since my brother is almost 8 yrs older and turned me on to VH as early as the first album, I eventually got to see VH live as a 13 yr old for the 1984 tour and every tour since then until the last one in 2015. This was so great to see this album played live with the attention to detail you brought to it since most of these tunes I’ve never had the pleasure to see EVH play live but I have in my head from multiple headphone listenings. I got to meet Ed about 3 times at meet and greet things and really am enjoying revisiting the entire catalogue with less tears as each day passes. Like so many others I picked up guitar and lessons because of EVH after seeing him play live back in 1984. I own the original signature Musicman model Amber and the Fender EVH Black and Red
That's great! You got to meet him, and you got to see the "spectacle" that was the 1984 tour as your first time. My first time was '79 - I was also 13 at the time. Needless to say, it was amazing. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for watching!
Dang...Thank you VH Doctor. This is awesome, the way you dissected everything, studied every detail. I thought I knew most of this but you always come up with things that make sense afterwards. The 250 K on Frankie, the hidden tone pot on Bumblebee... I would never have guessed that...and of course the awesome playing. Kuddos Jim.
This is without a doubt some of the highest quality material on youtube. Being a huge EVH nerd, just the fact that you tell us which guitars were used for various songs is pure gold. I for one didn’t know he used the shark on VH2 as I thought he had discarded it due to the impaired sound and instead solely used the Frankenstrat
Jim, your playing is amazing! Love all the sounds. It’s just a personal preference but the red striped Frank with a 9K A2 sounded the best. When I heard it I thought it had a hotter pickup and a 500k pot. Boy, I was completely wrong. The way you edited this is like watching a triller! A ne genre EVH triller mystery that reveals the killer and motives. Anyhow, love the sound of that guitar for all round EVH clone. It is the brightest in this video, lots of hair and the most overdriven sounding, but clear and articulate sounding at the same time. Is it a pickup or body neck combo but love it. It inspired me to use my 59 bridge and put alnico2 in it and give it a try in my ash maple KnE Warmont Franky clone. Thanks again for all the knowledge you share. You provide much more valuable info than more popular youtubers and play better then Pete to my ears who’s a great player but Ed’s style is closer somehow to yours. You have that something untamed and loose in your playing just like Ed had.
Hey Stefan! Thanks! And, I agree with you...that 9K A2 is probably the best, all-around sounding guitar / pickup combination for the VH sound. Also, very much appreciate the comments about my playing - I like being a little "untamed and loose" when I play. And, I don't mind leaving mistakes - as long as they're not huge mistakes. When I do these videos, I really try to stick to the "3 take" rule, and then pick the best one. If they all stink, I'll come back and hit it another day - I don't like things to get stale. Anyway, thanks again for watching!
Funny, I was thinking about you the other day, "I wonder what Jim is doing these days", now I know 😀Great job, thanks from everyone here in UA-cam land for all your hard work!
Amazing tone and details. When you were talking about the pickups you tried in the Bumblebee, I got an eye-roll from my wife - so I know you're spot on! And the key is having the ability to crank the Plexi, without blowing your ears out!
Another greatshow sunny Jim. When the striped series guitar first came out. It was the only Guitar I didn’t have to mess with, and I bought a lot of guitars. …..It was good right out of the box …..and is a testament to Eddie’s hands on approach to bringing the guitar to the next level.. keep on rockin
Thank you! I don't doubt that those EVH striped series guitars are great! I've never owned one, but I've picked up a couple of them in a music store - you can tell they're really solid instruments!
Great tones and playing! Had a similar pickup journey and ended up with a Tom Holmes 450 7.8k neck pickup in my ash James Tyler bridge position in 2005 after Victor Mason/Mojave Ampworks recommended Holmes PAF style pickups. Been rocking a 250k vol pot for years as well.
Jim, all of us EVH fans are just trying to reverse engineer Eddie's legacy and I think you just might be the Gold Standard. Thank you for all that you do.
He definitely is. Amazing stuff.
Thank you, Toby! Very much appreciated!
Sounds just like it.
Just the insight on the 250 pot !!!! And it’s so obvious once it’s pointed out. How did the entire EVH tone nerd fan base miss that the last 40 years?!?!? It took a guy who was in the trenches at the same time Ed was to pick up on these things….
@@jegauss I have a question. I have a 1984 kramer and the strings are so high up and it is really hard to play and practice on because I have to press down really hard and my finger might get stuck under another string. Are the evh guitars like that.
The so called “experts” say obsession is not healthy. I beg to differ, just ask everyone here!
Absolutely incredible dedication and work you’ve done Jim. Well done sir…well done indeed🤘
Thank you, "Busyfingers! Yeah, I guess you could call it obsession. I used to write, play and perform a lot more than I do now, and a guy has to have a hobby, right?!?! 😜
Such a great example of Eddie's raw Plexi tone. My favorite moment being the intro of Fools,it's Eddie in a nutshell. Thank you for all your hard work!!
Thank you, Shawn! And thank you for watching!
Fools always my favorite old school Muddy Waters in 1980
Jim, Jim, Jim!!! This is incredible! Just paused at "Fools"....WOW! The tone and execution is spot on!!! WOW that tone! The tone on the entire video just BRILLIANT! STELLAR! Thanks for doing this.
Thanks, Rik! Much appreciated!
15:38 just made me smile because I've never seen another human actually nail that part so perfectly in execution AND tone.
how good is it!! awesome
Thank you, Marco!
F’ing awesome
yo you got some killer tone in that segment. NICE!!!
@@nickjammer1 Thank you!
OMG Women and Children First never sounded so good! It's just a simple pleasure to hear the isolated parts so clearly, after a lifetime of only having the final album, which is wonderful but where many nuances are buried in the mix.
As a teen just learning to play 6 strings, I sat down with the guitar in my lap and this in the cassette player for hours, striving to learn it note for note, rewinding every part again and again until I got it right (still working on it almost 4 decades later!) We didn't have youtube or even tab for this stuff, kids! And we didn't have any isolated guitar tracks, so you just had to use your ears and try and figure this stuff out.
What this further convinces me of, is that the ultimate format for a deluxe Van Halen (and many other bands) album would be to have it in total track separation where the listener can adjust the mix, pan each instrument, and isolate each guy in their own speaker, to hear all the stuff that would otherwise be missed! Maybe one day they'll do that, for now we have videos like Jim's and various tracks with isolated instruments on youtube.
Bravo! Well done!
Thank you, Apple O! Yep, I agree! We didn't have youtube, or ISO tracks, or any of that stuff. I barely had a cassette deck back then. It was "lift the needle off the record, put it back to that spot, lift, repeat, etc.....
Love the idea of the total track separation - but that's probably only good for we musicians - not sure the general public would care much, although, you just never know!
Thank you, and thank you for watching!
Holy hell… that hour just FLEW on by!!!! By far the best Brown Sound deep dive I’ve ever come across!!!! 🤘🏻
Thank you, Scott!
As a self proclaimed Eddie Van Halen nut myself, and a guitarist, I am blown away by the level of research and talent you have demonstrated....
It's literally mind blowing....
Thank you Chuck! Very much appreciated!
christ alive. not only is your tone ABSOLUTELY spot on, but your playing is it's equal. bravo. Hands down the most accurate tones I've seen.
Wow! Thank you, Hugo!
The best EVH technical player ever. Amazing talent Sir!
Thank you!!! Very kind! Very much appreciated!
That intro to fools was done so well! This album had the best sound production to me of their early albums. More of a live sound. Almost sounds like it was recorded in a concert hall. And Mikes bass really comes through. Tight and crisp.
Thank you! And yeah, I agree, I've always loved the sound and energy on this album. It really is as close to live as you get, in the studio.
Truly amazing. I can actually hear Dave singing
along in my head
Thank you, Tom!
I realized three things by watching this. #1 Eddie’s playing is technically beyond this world and is and always be a legend and Guitar God. #2 this guy is a damn good Guitarist and I’m thankful for his knowledge. #3 I have to get back to practicing. Cheers
Thank you, Doak!
Absolutely! Incredible work for sure.
Eddie's tone on the first few albums are the greatest, I don't care what anyone says. I could listen to this all day!
Agreed! I'm not a huge fan of Diver Down or 1984, as far as the tone goes...the first 4 are my favorites. Thanks for watching!
I'm 65 and was fortunate to see VH six times in concert. Was in college when their first album came out, and the first time I saw them was in 1980 on the WACF tour. I was so excited at the time....they were awesome. We had great seats and I've got a good picture of Eddie jumping off the drum riser. (Had to smuggle a 35 mm Pentax in to the venue.....lens in one sock and the camera body in the other. It was difficult to walk without feeling that they would slip out of my socks or a bouncer would see!) Being a retired engineer, I thoroughly enjoy your deep dives, Jim! Thank-you!
Glorious, informative and sonic nirvana. Thank you for your passion and generosity in crafting and sharing your 'Brown Sound' journey.
Thank you, Vashi! And, thank you for watching!
Absolute chills and goosebumps. Just amazing getting the tone right. Thank you, very informative.
Thank you! and Thanks for watching!
Thanks again for the deep dive into the tones of another classic VH album! Not only do you have the ears to dial in the nuances, you have the chops to bring them to life! Take a good break, Jim, but not for too long…🤟
Thank you, Robert! I've gotta catch up on some other stuff, but I'm already working on some new ideas for the next video.
Jim, your persistence and Neverending quest for perfection in THAT tone....the Brown sound in all it's EVH colors. Even though he was taken way too soon, I believe he really didn't want anyone to be able to figure his sounds out, but you've persisted until the master's locks have been opened. It takes a person of mighty will and stamina to do this and you are the Gold Standard! You absolutely Rock my friend. Thank you so much for your diligence to continue unlocking the mysteries and letting us hear Eddie a little longer.
My favorite was the full breakdown and display of Tora Tora!
Eddie lives!
Thank you, Doug! I really appreciate it.
Stunning and fascinating work, Jim. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Stuart!
Jim, thank you for all the effort you put into doing these videos!
Thank you! and, you're very welcome!
Another absolute master class on the brown sound and VH playing and tones. Very glad you're sharing your hard-earned wisdom with all of us fellow fanatics. Really enjoyed your appearance on Johnny Beane's show recently, too. Keep up the great work.
Thank you, Christopher! I really appreciate it!
Jim, thanks for doing these! Bar none, your deep dive in depth quest for Ed’s brown sound/tone is in a ‘best in class’ category. A MUST WATCH series for any EVH fan and guitar nerd! 🤓
Romeo Delight was AMAZING 🔥
I’ve been waiting for this one! WACF
🔴⚪️⚫️5️⃣1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ 👑
Major props for the research and time you put into all of this. I'm blown away!
WACF album is a goldmine for guitar tone. I got goosebumps just hearing you play all of those parts.
Thank you! Very kind and much appreciated!
Another great video Jim. I love listening to you play and singing the words to the songs in my head.
Thank you, AxeSlinger!
WACF was my introduction to Van Halen . Someone gave me the 8 track back in 81’ after I saw them on MTV ( Oakland )
It's a great album for your intro to VH. It captures how live and wild they were with the music.
Great job dude. It’s a thrill to watch this stuff. Super fun!
Thank you!
Thank you Jim!!! Awesome job with such a classic album! Come back anytime! @5:23
Thanks, Johnny!
@@jegauss Welcome man! Keep up the great work!
Hey Jim. This is the most authentic sound I've heard! You totally nailed it!!!
Thanks, Tom!
Been waiting for this one a long time, killer analysis as always. Thank you Sir🙏👏
Thank you!
Man you’ve earned a break….this was incredible….really. I’m about your age and have played VH my whole life as a hobby. This was like having the coolest friend around right in my neighbourhood lol. Thank you 🤘
Thanks Andrew! I very much appreciate that!
Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Ed, your playing is a true salute bro, seriously!
Play loudly always!
Thank you, Paul! Very kind...
THERE YOU ARE!! 👏🏻👏🏻
I’ve been thinking about you and was going to reach out to you. And then of course there’s this treat!
Thank you Jim *
Thank you, Jamie!
Excellent in-depth look into the greatest tone ever achieved on vinyl…… you definitely went down the rabbit hole on this masterful piece of work you did. Can’t wait for the next one.
Cheers Mate!
Thank you, Mario! Very much appreciated!
Thank you for going to all the trouble to make this incredibly insightful and entertaining video. I think King Edward would approve. 🎸🎸🎸
Jim -- Always love your videos !! Another great job. !!
Thank you, Robert!
I just stumbled onto your page yesterday. These videos are amazing and need more views!
Thank you Kevin! I Appreciate that!
Nobody goes farther down the rabbit hole than you. Incredible work, as always!
Thank you!
Jim, the nuance and accuracy in your playing is amazing. And kudos as well to your engineering knowledge. Imo, you are the definitive expert on the Van Halen sound. Thank you for such excellent quality vids.
Thank you, Max! Very much appreciated!
Jim Killed it again, as already stated the amount OF TIME YOU GIVE TOTHIS IS JUST SO GRAETLY APPREACITED. Thanks as always hope we get to see more.
Jim, you have done it again, you nailed it! You recreated the slightly more treble tone on this album compared to previous albums and your attention to detail is once again amazing. Fantastic playing as always and I love that you even gave us the left side pan just like the recordings. You are the gold standard when it comes to the brown sound! 🎸👍🏻
I would love to be able to take 10 minutes of your time to pick your brain on a few things sometime.
Thank you, Kash! I appreciate it! Thank you for watching!
ANOTHER great video, as always. Love your content.
Rock on, Brother.
Thank you, Misery! Very much appreciated!
Another great video! Your playing is wonderful, Jim.
Thank you! I appreciate that!
Jim. I don't anyone has taken it as far as you do with the detail. Excellent job. Looking forward to your next adventure.
Thank you, Chuck!
Oh my goodness!! 😍🤩🔝 I was hoping and waiting for this! WACF is my fav album... ❤️ Jim you're truly amazingly gifted at doing this! 🔝🔝🔝
Thank you, Luca!
@@jegauss ...thanks to you! I've just finished watching it... you stunned me, once again, with your guitar (how can you say you didn't learn the tracks properly, when you figured out how to play even the tinnest guitar sound on this album!? 🤩👍🏻) playing, your knowledge, your passion. You're the full package for every VH nerd! 😌🤝🏻💥🤟🏻
Absolutely great! Thank you for your extensive work Jim!
Thank you, Ron!
Oh man......you did it again Jim! Simply awesome. Thanks for these videos, just such a pleasure to watch and learn. Instantly brings me back to a time in my life when I just listened in wonder and awe. There’s no way to explain that feeling to someone, you just “had to be there”.
Thank you, Darrin! I love doing these things because it's such a test of all of my theories and preconceived notions about what Ed really did...it's really, really fun - albeit a crap ton of work....thanks for watching!
@@jegauss I know from experience how much work this must have been. I don’t know if people realize that it’s much more than the time it takes to record and make the video. This had to be decades of absolute obsession! Thanks a million for that hard (and expensive) work, and even more for being graceful enough to freely share it with us!!
@@darrinhowse2399 You're welcome! I appreciate it!
Brother, your attention to detail is on point! Great presentation and the tone sounds great even on my laptop.
Thank you!
Glad you found time to produce more consistent. What a great album to have researched. There is certainly a lot going on in it.
Thanks, A.R.!
Wooow ! What an amazing job done on those 3 videos ! Thanks a lot !
Thank you for watching!
Love when you upload ! Stoked.
Ha! Thanks Josh!
Fantastic video man! Just found your channel yesterday. The efforts here made me an instant subscriber. 🤘😎
Thank you!
Once again!!!…..thank you SO much for taking the time to do ALL of these!! These tones are so amazingly ON the money and the execution ain’t no slouch either buddy! Thoroughly enjoy it all
Thank you, Don! I appreciate it!
@@jegauss quick question if u have time…started “geeking” and measuring dc resistance on pickups…EVERY one I measured INCLUDING my 25k Chip Ellis Frankie was up around 13-14…including the EVH pickup…only one was different was the Duncan ‘78 Evenly Voiced Harmonics:) around 8-9. does that sound right?
@@doncampbell7468 Hey Don, yeah that sounds right. I'm kinda surprised about the Chip Ellis Frank pickup, though. Somebody, who also had one, or access to one, told me that it measured 9K, like the '78...but, or course, I can't verify that. Very curious is you are the only owner of that guitar???
@@jegauss I bought it from 5star. Came with certificate that Tom Weber Set it up. Measures 13.82?. Also has fat brass block. Does it sound fishy to you? Lotta clams on this one!!
@@doncampbell7468 Yeah, I'm not buying it....it shouldn't have the fat block and I'm 99% sure, it's supposed to be a 9K pickup...it's not the EVH Frankenstein pickup, and it's not the relic'd / signed one that they sold, either...it was a different pickup altogether. At least that's what I've been told, and by a couple of guys that measured the real one. I've never seen it myself, so I won't say 100%. But for sure, it's not supposed to have the fat block. You can see that in the pics on the EVH website.
Awesome, we’ll done! I’ve listened to album hundreds of times. Love the tone this album and I think you nailed it!! It was my fist cassette tape I purchased of VH as a kid. Luckily I still have it. Great stuff as always.
Love my ‘76 Greco Super Sounds strat. OfCourse I had to modify a bit and installed a Pariah Pasadena humbucker pick up. recently just added a Vega-trem tremolo bridge. Sounds killer. Keep on rockin!!
Thanks Bill! You know, one of these days, I need to try one of those Pasadena pickups. I hear nothing but great things about them.
That is Conviction sir! I have that bug myself.
Excellent work, excellent playing, and excellent commentary. Thank you for your hard work!
Thank you! Kind words, and very much appreciated!
Amazing Jim!!! Best VH info, tone, and playing out there!!!
Thank you! Very much appreciated!
Great tone!!! That was the first Van Halen I owned back in the day and the first thing that struck me was the tone. That's the tone that sticks in my head to this day and always chased. You nailed it!!!
This is great you do such a great job on this 🤘🤘 I love the sound on the 1984 album 😁😁
Thanks, Neil!
jim awesome video. pure evh! the greco explorer is so sick. the beginning of fools. mate what a blast! 🔥
Thank you, Tom! Much appreciated!
OH MY GOD.... Dude why has it taken so long for me to find you??!!! You are awe inspiring and look forward to all you publish here on UA-cam
Ha! Thank you, Kurt! Very kind words! I appreciate it!
Great video, Jim!!! I thought this would be educational only, but this has been very entertaining too!!! Absolutely great stuff!!! 😄
Thank you! I appreciate that!
Holy smokes, that was awesome! Nice job!
Thank you!
We all thank you for All the time you put in
Good heavens! You've done it again! WACF was my 2nd VH record, age 13. That un-named "song" at the end of the record actually fades out on the vinyl, and I think it's not on the cassette at all. There just wasn't enough space to fit like 3 more bars. Imagine my glee when I bought the CD and got to hear the whole thing a few years later.
It’s called “Growth” according to Eddie.
Thanks P! Yep, garbeaj is correct. It is / was called Growth, and it was going to end this album, and start the next....or something like that.
Hats off - once again, a killer, damned near dead on balls accurate recreation of a VH masterpiece. I can’t get over that Explorer tone -nice work hoss.
Thank you! Much appreciated!
nailing the VH tones again! i really enjoy these videos!
Thank you, Luis!
This is the one ive been waiting for, bravo good sir
Thank you! Sorry it took so long....it was a tough one, for sure!
@@jegauss it was well worth the wait, made me want to pull my explorer out
That fools cover was INCREDIBLE
Thank you!
i always knew eddie was ans still is profound guitar player and musician but seeing you Jim playing all of his parts gave me a whole new appreciation for him i have always loved van Helen thank you for this video and all of your hard work
Thank you! Very much appreciated!
Amazing stuff! You certainly have it all down including the playing!
Amazing sounds and playing too !!
Thank you!
After watching a few brown sound vids(maybe 10),it seems to me that not only does everyone have there own idea of how it's done but there is more than one way to achieve it.`Thanks for the work and research that you have put into this and keep up the great work !
Thank you! And yes, I agree - we all have our theories - I try to keep them really, really simple. Otherwise, I think it gets too complex, and I tend to doubt that Ed did much that was overly complex - I think he leaned to the unusual and was extremely creative with his stuff, but I believe some might "over-think" it all a little...
New subscriber here Jim. Great job my friend. I was in a band that was fortunate enough to have a guitarist that could nail this stuff. I’m a bass player from Buffalo New York. We used to do a ton of Van Halen & you nailed this. Much appreciate the attention to detail.
Thank you, Joe! Thanks for watching - if you get a chance go check out some of the previous album videos I did, too. You might enjoy those, too. Thanks again!
couldnt stop watching this. Great job and i love the grecos to 🤘
Thank you, Thomas!
Brillant, stunning, big work, great playing. Contrats !
Thank you!
Thanks for doing this Jim! This was awesome and exciting to follow you down the rabbit hole which is EVH tone chasing, again :) I look forward to more and was surprised that I had somehow missed this one! .. Now subscribed :)
Thank you! I appreciate it! I'm trying to get through 1984, and I've been working on it for some time...I'm getting closer every day. I really hope to have it done soon (I need to get it done - I've got other projects I need to work on in the studio 😉)
Jim, this series is amazing! Thanks for all of your hard work and research. Just goes to show what a brilliant, mad scientist / virtuoso / musical prodigy Eddie was. If/when you get around to doing Diver Down, you may want to pick up one of the 500 Series Mic / DI Pre-Amps that Sunset Sound makes. These "Tutti" pre's are modeled directly after the pre-amps that were in Sunset's Studio 1 console during the recording of Diver Down. They're not cheap, but worth every penny. May want to consider picking up one or two to get that last couple of percent of tone down.
Thanks Han! Thanks for watching, I very much appreciate it. I'd love to get one (Ok, how about 8 of them - OK, at least 4) of the preamps. I bet they sound killer. But, hard to justify the cost....I'll think about it.
You know, I don't think Diver Down was recorded at Sunset Sound - Pretty Woman was, but when the label pushed to get the album done soon after they released that single - I think the story is that studio time wasn't available at Sunset Sound. So, they went to Amigo Studios, which was actually Warner Brother's recording studio...at least I think that's the story.....Fair Warning Was the last record recorded and mixed at Sunset Sound. Van Halen II was recorded at Sunset, but mixed a West Lake Studios. Sorry, I sound like an extreme geek......
Wow this was such a treat to see AND hear played - I listened to this album as a 10 yr old kid with the needle on the record so many times in 1980 since my brother is almost 8 yrs older and turned me on to VH as early as the first album, I eventually got to see VH live as a 13 yr old for the 1984 tour and every tour since then until the last one in 2015. This was so great to see this album played live with the attention to detail you brought to it since most of these tunes I’ve never had the pleasure to see EVH play live but I have in my head from multiple headphone listenings. I got to meet Ed about 3 times at meet and greet things and really am enjoying revisiting the entire catalogue with less tears as each day passes. Like so many others I picked up guitar and lessons because of EVH after seeing him play live back in 1984. I own the original signature Musicman model Amber and the Fender EVH Black and Red
That's great! You got to meet him, and you got to see the "spectacle" that was the 1984 tour as your first time. My first time was '79 - I was also 13 at the time. Needless to say, it was amazing. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you for watching!
rock on Man ! I have been searching for that brown sound myself for years !!!
Thank you, Malcom!
Dang...Thank you VH Doctor. This is awesome, the way you dissected everything, studied every detail. I thought I knew most of this but you always come up with things that make sense afterwards. The 250 K on Frankie, the hidden tone pot on Bumblebee... I would never have guessed that...and of course the awesome playing. Kuddos Jim.
Thank you, Patrice!
Hey Jim, dont want your fantastic playing to get lost with all the tone mastery!
Thanks, BFahz! I appreciate that!
Love your videos Jim. Excellent research in honour of the great Ed!
Thank you, Greg!
This is without a doubt some of the highest quality material on youtube. Being a huge EVH nerd, just the fact that you tell us which guitars were used for various songs is pure gold. I for one didn’t know he used the shark on VH2 as I thought he had discarded it due to the impaired sound and instead solely used the Frankenstrat
Thank you, John 23! I really appreciate it!
Jim, your playing is amazing! Love all the sounds. It’s just a personal preference but the red striped Frank with a 9K A2 sounded the best. When I heard it I thought it had a hotter pickup and a 500k pot. Boy, I was completely wrong. The way you edited this is like watching a triller! A ne genre EVH triller mystery that reveals the killer and motives. Anyhow, love the sound of that guitar for all round EVH clone. It is the brightest in this video, lots of hair and the most overdriven sounding, but clear and articulate sounding at the same time. Is it a pickup or body neck combo but love it. It inspired me to use my 59 bridge and put alnico2 in it and give it a try in my ash maple KnE Warmont Franky clone. Thanks again for all the knowledge you share. You provide much more valuable info than more popular youtubers and play better then Pete to my ears who’s a great player but Ed’s style is closer somehow to yours. You have that something untamed and loose in your playing just like Ed had.
Hey Stefan! Thanks! And, I agree with you...that 9K A2 is probably the best, all-around sounding guitar / pickup combination for the VH sound. Also, very much appreciate the comments about my playing - I like being a little "untamed and loose" when I play. And, I don't mind leaving mistakes - as long as they're not huge mistakes. When I do these videos, I really try to stick to the "3 take" rule, and then pick the best one. If they all stink, I'll come back and hit it another day - I don't like things to get stale. Anyway, thanks again for watching!
This man is performing music miracles.
Thank you!
WOW. Thanks so much for the research; truly such a valuable resource!
Thank you! And thank you for watching!
Funny, I was thinking about you the other day, "I wonder what Jim is doing these days", now I know 😀Great job, thanks from everyone here in UA-cam land for all your hard work!
Thanks Cap'n! I do appreciate it!
Amazing tone and details. When you were talking about the pickups you tried in the Bumblebee, I got an eye-roll from my wife - so I know you're spot on! And the key is having the ability to crank the Plexi, without blowing your ears out!
Ha! That's funny - yep, you know you're over the target when the wife starts rolling the eyes 😉 Thanks again, for watching!
Very impressive rundown of WACF...and by the way, the playing is very impressive too!👌🏼👏🏼
Thank you, Vincenzo! Much appreciated!
Nah this is crazy. Killer work bro.
That is quite a stunning piece of work....I better subscribe and say "Thanks" immediately! (The explorer sounds AMAZING by the way)
Thank you, Dave!
Ha, ha. "Women and Children First", a whole freaking hour worth! You are killing it Jim! Good stuff.
Ha! Thanks Brian!
Love these vids Jim 🤘👍🎶
Thanks, Jimmy!
Fantastic tone!! Way to go Jim!
Thanks!
It couldn't be Better than this! Thank you! Cheers from Italy
Thank you!
amazing. thank you for all of your hard work \m/
Thank you!
Another greatshow sunny Jim. When the striped series guitar first came out. It was the only Guitar I didn’t have to mess with, and I bought a lot of guitars. …..It was good right out of the box …..and is a testament to Eddie’s hands on approach to bringing the guitar to the next level.. keep on rockin
Thank you! I don't doubt that those EVH striped series guitars are great! I've never owned one, but I've picked up a couple of them in a music store - you can tell they're really solid instruments!
This is amazing! Thank you so much for your research! EVH FOREVER!!
Thank you!
Wow Jim it's like being in the studio with EVH!!! Thanks for sharing this with all of us!
This is not my first time watching this 😂 Love it!!!
Thank you, Michael! Very much appreciated!
Great tones and playing! Had a similar pickup journey and ended up with a Tom Holmes 450 7.8k neck pickup in my ash James Tyler bridge position in 2005 after Victor Mason/Mojave Ampworks recommended Holmes PAF style pickups.
Been rocking a 250k vol pot for years as well.