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

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30CFX with a Squier Affinity Stratocaster. Studio version, Van Halen (1978) - intro riff & rhythm parts

Original rig

1968 Marshall Super Lead 100W (variac to ~90V), Ibanez Destroyer (Korina body / Super 70 PAF 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/slapback ambiance

Amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

CHANNELOD-1 (built-in Flanger on Mod FX at 9 o'clock)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	6
Mid	7
Treble	6
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE9 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01MXR EVH117 Flanger

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; engage for the iconic jet sweep on the main riff

Manual 6 · Width 7 · Speed 3 · Regen 6

02Maestro Echoplex EP-3 (Tape Delay)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; set for a single slapback echo around 125ms

Delay Time 3 · Repeats 2 · Echo Volume 3

Why these settings

The Squier Strat single coil needs a touch more gain and bass to match Eddie's hot PAF humbucker, with the tone rolled back to 9 to tame glassy single-coil highs. On the MG30CFX, select OD-1 for classic British crunch and push the mids to 7 for Marshall bark. Use the amp's onboard FX knob set to Flanger to capture the jet sweep without external pedals.

PRO TIPPick right next to the bridge saddles using heavy palm muting and strike with a firm, angled downstroke to replicate Eddie's aggressive percussive bite on the arpeggiated intro.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG30CFX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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