Eddie van halen guitar rig5/18/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() But the Variac, in Eddie’s case, was used to restrict the voltage flowing into the amp to around 88-90 volts. It’s true that Eddie Van Halen used an Ohmite Variac unit in conjunction with his amplifier and that it was a key component of his iconic sound. In addition to Eddie’s, Jose also modded Michael Anthony’s amplifiers. Usually they’re 25k, but Marshall would sometimes use different pots at the factory back then, so this may not have been a mod, but a factory mistake. On Eddie’s amp, according to sources, Jose added a Fat Cap, and a negative feedback circuit. He would often add an extra gain stage at the start of the circuit another mod was adding a master volume. There are around five variations of mod that Jose has been known to use. Eddie’s tech, Rudy Leiren confirmed in an 1985 issue of Guitar World that the amp had been modded, but wouldn’t divulge what specific mod was done. Vai’s modded amps were later sold to John Sykes. This allegedly resulted in a falling out between Jose and Eddie. When David Lee Roth quit the band and went solo, he hired Steve Vai, who went to Jose and had him mod his amp. There are also other factors that lend credibility to the theory that the amp was modded. He said that he had personally dropped Eddie’s amps off at Jose’s shop on several occasions and that the amps were modded by Jose. We brought this rumour to Kevin Dugan, who worked for Van Halen for 30 years, primarily as Michael Anthony’s bass tech. Later, Eddie would claim that he only said that to give his friend Jose business and that the amp was stock. Eddie had claimed in interviews that he had his amps modded by Jose Arredondo. Some have claimed that Eddie’s main amp for the first six Van Halen records – a 1967/68 100-watt Marshall Super Lead, was stock. The original Bumblebee now rests with Dimebag Darrell. ![]() Eddie later had a falling out with Charvel over the production of unlicensed copies of the guitar. At the time of its permanent retirement, the Bee sported a double white DiMarzio Super Distortion. At one point, it is very likely that the Bee had the original neck and PAF out of the original Frankenstrat. The pickups in the Bee were changed out on several occasions, as was the neck. The guitar was built, painted, and delivered to Eddie by Wayne Charvel and his crew in the autumn of 1978. Although he claimed in interviews that he had built and painted the Bumblebee prior to the photoshoot for VHII, we now know that’s not true. But he did not paint the 5150 guitar or the ‘Bumblebee’ guitar seen on the cover of Van Halen II. With that in mind, we’ve picked out six of the most popular rumours and, with the help of some of our friends within the Van Halen camp, we’ll seek to find out once and for all if there is any truth to them.Įddie painted his iconic Frankenstrat (both times), and he also painted the Shark. As such, Eddie’s own misleading remarks, which were were often delivered through a haze of booze and drugs to further complicate matters, have shrouded these myths and allowed speculation to run rampant. EVH also didn’t like to be copied, and so he would often say and do things to throw people off his sonic coattails. READ MORE: How Eddie Van Halen’s “endless pursuit” of perfection changed the guitar industry foreverīut such debate often breeds misinformation, and such is the internet, these inaccuracies can soon become accepted truth if we’re not careful.It’s a testament to Edward Van Halen’s seemingly unquantifiable influence and legacy that 40 years after he first set the guitar world aflame, fans are still debating and dissecting every minutiae of the late, great icon’s gear to uncover the secrets of his inimitable style. ![]()
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