The “Brown Sound" Quest Van Halen II

[PLX]

[harddriver]

Another cool installment... I would not have gone the JB route but the JB was Seymour's first high output public offering....so his extrapolated thought process makes sense within the timeline. The SD Custom was what I thought was Ed's overwound PAF.

I had read Ed's was trying to get away from using the EQ pedals and supposedly the overwound pickups gave him the midrange peak he was looking for, now exactly when he made this leap who knows? I can't argue with his tone but I still think it was all PAF on VHII at least in the studio, maybe live he went to a higher output pickup. Who knows? I enjoyed this guys exploration nonetheless.

I also disagree about the fat cap being installed by the recording of VHII since they had just came of the VH1 world tour so I just don't think Ed had Jose jack around with his amp to record VHII. But that is just my opinion on the subject. I like this guys approach and his rational thought processes and I think he as some good ears and there are vetted reasons he has come to the conclusions that he has, which is cool.

Were the early JB's 13-14K? I always thought they were in the 16K range. I'm still am amazed he can get such a tight low end without using am EQ pedal up front.

Thanks for the post PLX! But you already know I'm a sucker for Ed lore.......................................

[PLX]

I'm still am amazed he can get such a tight low end without using am EQ pedal up front.

Same here..

Really surprised not to see an EQ pedal on that board.

Thanks for the post PLX! But you already know I'm a sucker for Ed lore.......................................

You notice he threw in the Schaffer Vega wireless..

[harddriver]

I'm still am amazed he can get such a tight low end without using am EQ pedal up front.

Same here..

Really surprised not to see an EQ pedal on that board.

He is making it work...which is impressive.

It's undeniable Ed used the EQ's on VH1 and it was on his pedal board in the pics for VHII. Many have said Ed didn't start to mess with amp until sometime after VHII where he was going for a sustain tone and not gain/distortion. That's why his tone actually cleaned up some for Diver Down and Largo live tones like the US 83 tones where things are quite clean almost spanky, that's where I hear a straight up Marshall superlead with Ed playing it within that era.

Personally I do not like the tone or feel without the EQ pedal with my Ed spec plexi which is essentially what's in his video but mine is tweaked with a 25uf and .68uf cap on V2A and or course the Jose master volume. The 250uf and 330uf always felt and sounded kind of tubby to my ears. Mike Soldano said it was a 25uf cap in V2A at least on the wooden headbox Super Bass Ed had and Mike said it was a favorite next to 12301.