Tone library / Van Halen / Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Gallien-Krueger MB110

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Gallien-Krueger MB110 with a Fender Player Telecaster. Studio version, Van Halen (1978) - intro & main riff

Original rig

1968 Marshall Super Lead 100W (variac lowered to ~90V), Ibanez Destroyer ('Shark' guitar with Gibson PAF bridge pickup), MXR Flanger, MXR Phase 90, Maestro Echoplex EP-3

Punchy 'Brown Sound' crunch with chewy upper-mid bite, tight palm-muted lows, and dynamic flanger sweep

Amp settings — Gallien-Krueger MB110

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	6
Treble	5
Master	4

Don’t have a Gallien-Krueger MB110? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01MXR EVH117 Flanger

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; essential for the signature jet-sweep intro riff

Manual 6 · Width 4 · Speed 3 · Regen 7

02Marshall Guv'nor / Plexi Drive-style Distortion

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; necessary to turn this clean bass combo into a cranked Plexi

Gain 7 · Bass 5 · Middle 7 · Treble 6 · Level 6

Why these settings

The GK MB110 is a clean, solid-state bass combo that cannot physically produce Eddie's cranked Marshall Super Lead saturation on its own, so amp gain is pushed to its maximum clean edge while awaiting a distortion pedal. Mid EQ is bumped (Hi-Mid 6, Low-Mid 6) to deliver Plexi bark through the full-range 10-inch driver, while Treble and your Tele's tone knob are rolled down slightly to tame the bridge single-coil's sharpness into a warmer PAF humbucker voice. Adding a British high-gain pedal and an analog flanger will complete the transformation.

PRO TIPPick right next to the bridge saddles and use heavy, precise palm-muting with the fleshy heel of your hand on the arpeggiated intro notes to generate that signature percussive 'Brown Sound' thud.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Gallien-Krueger MB110. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Gallien-Krueger MB110

MonsterSkillet Come as you areNirvana

Find your amp

Browse

Gallien-Krueger MB110 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Van Halen tonesALL SONGS Fender Player Telecaster tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.