The following article is a WoodyTone.com exclusive. WoodyTone is a great site for guitarists that’s written by a self-professed “tone-freak” who’s favorite guitarist is Edward Van Halen.

L-R top: Variac, Marshall 50.

L-R bottom: Vox, Marshall SL 100.

There’s been a lot of stuff written about, said about and speculated about regarding Edward Van Halen’s mind-blowing, world-altering Van Halen I setup. Was he running “slaved” amps (one amp into another), was he using some sort of boost and/or distortion pedal, etc.

If you read hard and don’t fall prey to speculation (which is tough!), it looks like he didn’t use more than his regular club setup, which was: Frankie guitar >> pedals >> his famed Marshall Super Lead (stated to be all or largely stock, but those heads were all different back then!), all knobs on 10 >> 4×12 cabinet(s) with Celestion 20- or 25-watt speakers and JBL-120s – and a Variac used to “brown” the sound and decrease the volume.

This makes sense – why would he change what he spent so much time dialing in? On the other hand, he was changing stuff all the time….

Anyhow, the latest shot fired in this tone info craziness comes from Dave Friedman, who knows Ed and his circle, and who recently posted the following on the MetroAmp.com forum:

“Well here is what I was told by Rudy Leiren [Ed's] long time tech. This was just last week. [Ed's VHI] setup was [MXR] flanger-[MXR] phaser-Echoplex-amp. His main 100-watt was used on everything. The [tube] bias was turned all the way up and the variac was set to 91 volts into only one cab.

“There is a pic of the early days with a 50-watt [head] and a Vox [head]. [Rudy] told me the 50 was a backup to the 100, and the Vox was a last-ditch backup. [Ed] often borrowed amps for his backups. In fact, [Rudy] told me a story that at a party they were playing, Ed blew a fuse in his main amp and did not have a backup and had to run home to get a fuse while the band was playing. After this he always made sure he had a backup.

“Rudy said the EQ pedal [MXR 6-band] was used only for certain guitars or sometimes when he used rental gear that sounded bad [meaning NOT on VHI?!]. Also the Univox echo [located in the practice bomb!] was patched in by hand for Eruption only, and then was taken out of the chain after.

“As time went on [post-VHI], more cabs were used and so were more amps. The amps would only drive one cab, though.

“He did say Ed was always trying [new things], but would always come back to this setup.

“This info follows everything Ed has ever said to me personally. Also, when ‘84 hit he changed his setup to H&H power amps and some different effects. He still used a cab off the head, though no load resistor. The Load resistor came for the 5150 tour.”

And there you have it.

Audio Mashup by Dan Mei vs. Marc Johnce
Video Mashup by VJ Magic Man
Bands: Santana, Lady Gaga, Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen appears on the new Black Sabbath special airing this month on the Biography channel. The Van Halen interview was filmed this Spring and edited into several short clips sprinkled into the episode.

He also appears very briefly in parts 1, 3, and 7, found on Youtube.

"You Really Got Me" / "Atomic Punk" 7" Single

From Hennemusic.com:

Van Halen really got to Dave Davies of The Kinks with their version of “You Really Got Me.”

In a new interview with Classic Rock magazine, The Kinks’ original lead guitarist offered his thoughts on the VH version for the first time – more than 30 years after its release.

“Van Halen’s version was very Middle America. It was like, ‘Hey man, look at me with my tight trousers! Here’s our version of You Really Got Me!,” said Davies. “There’s the thing: good art isn’t always about having the comfiest technique. I shouldn’t encourage him, but I’m sure Eddie Van Halen played better when he was drunk. But it must be a good record if people like it.”

VH’s version was like a rock supernova, launching the band’s career while turning heads everywhere with previously unheard guitar sounds courtesy of Eddie.

“You Really Got Me” was The Kinks first hit, reaching #1 in the UK in September of 1964, and top 10 in the US. Although brother Ray is credited as the sole songwriter, Dave was responsible for creating the distorted power chord sound that the song is built around. Musicologists have credited the track – and especially the power chords – as the song that “invented heavy metal,” with the tune becoming a blueprint for hard rock and heavy metal.

Interesting to note that Davies has never commented on the VH version before, and his ‘sour grapes’ approach may come from the fact that Van Halen had overshadowed the British band with its release in 1978.

“We got pissed off though, when we played America,” said Davies. “The Kinks had an album out called Low Budget [1979] and we ended up touring and playing stadiums. Some kid came up to me after one of the gigs and said: ‘I like your cover of Van Halen’s You Really Got Me.’ You have to smile sometimes.”