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

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Harley Benton Dnafx amp20

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Harley Benton Dnafx amp20 with a Harley Benton St-20hss. Studio version, Van Halen I (1978)

Original rig

Frankenstrat (homemade Strat-style, single bridge PAF-style humbucker) → MXR Phase 90 (script logo, slow) → Echoplex EP-3 (preamp coloration) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 100W (variac to ~90V, cranked, no master volume)

Aggressive mid-forward crunch with tight low-end, snarling upper-mids, and subtle phase movement

Amp settings — Harley Benton Dnafx amp20

CHANNELJCM800 or Marshall-style high-gain modelBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01MXR Phase 90 or equivalent phaser block

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Enable a phaser effect in the Dnafx if available; set very slow for subtle swirl. If unavailable, tone is 90% there without it.

Speed 2

Why these settings

The Dnafx is a modeling unit — select a Marshall JCM800 or Plexi-style amp model to approximate the Super Lead's mid-forward bark. Original used cranked power tubes for saturation; digital modeling reaches this at lower gain values, so 7 suffices. Rolled treble to 6 because HSS bridge humbuckers are brighter than Eddie's PAF-wound pickup. No presence knob on this unit.

PRO TIPDig in hard with the pick right over the bridge pickup pole pieces — Eddie's attack was aggressive and percussive, which is where the snarl comes from. Palm-mute the low E string tightly on the riff's chugs.

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These settings are for a Harley Benton Dnafx amp20. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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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.