Back to CommunityCreate Free Account
Riff Tone
Hear About It Later
Van Halen
Guitarrock1980s
Original Gear
GuitarFrankenstrat (custom-built Strat-style, maple neck, single humbucker, Floyd Rose)
AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (modded, variac, EL34s) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M speakers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording, 1981, Fair Warning album. Clean intro/riff section. No evidence of live rig or later EVH/Peavey/5150 amps for this era. Frankenstrat with single bridge humbucker, volume knob only, no tone knob.
Tone Character(10)
glassy and bell-likebright and articulatepercussive attackdynamic and touch-sensitiveno audible breakuptight, focused low endslightly compressed from ampdry, no ambiencesingle-coil-like claritycrisp pick definition
Difficulty
The clean riff requires tight, syncopated picking and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation, with moderate technical challenge due to the need for precise muting and timing.
Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear
Create Free AccountGuitarrock1980s
Original Gear
GuitarFrankenstrat (custom-built Strat-style, maple neck, single humbucker, Floyd Rose)
AmpMarshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (modded, variac, EL34s) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M speakers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording, 1981, Fair Warning album. Clean intro/riff section. No evidence of live rig or later EVH/Peavey/5150 amps for this era. Frankenstrat with single bridge humbucker, volume knob only, no tone knob.
Tone Character(10)
glassy and bell-likebright and articulatepercussive attackdynamic and touch-sensitiveno audible breakuptight, focused low endslightly compressed from ampdry, no ambiencesingle-coil-like claritycrisp pick definition
Difficulty
The clean riff requires tight, syncopated picking and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation, with moderate technical challenge due to the need for precise muting and timing.