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

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Peavey 6505+

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Peavey 6505+ with a Ibanez JEM7V Steve Vai. Studio version, Van Halen I (1978)

Original rig

Frankenstrat (PAF humbucker, bridge) → MXR Phase 90 → Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi (Variac 89V)

Warm mid-forward crunch with harmonic complexity — the brown sound

Amp settings — Peavey 6505+

CHANNELLead (Red)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01MXR Phase 90 (EVH or Script)

RECOMMENDED — not owned. Essential for rhythm tone; set to Script mode if EVH version

Rate 2

02MXR Flanger (or Boss BF-2)

RECOMMENDED — not owned. Used on chorus sections only; bypass on verses

Speed 3 · Depth 1 · Regeneration 2 · Manual 5

Why these settings

The 6505+ Red channel replaced the Variac'd Plexi: gain dropped to 5 (vs original's power-tube saturation at 8-10), mids raised to 6 to compensate for the 6505's scooped voicing vs Plexi's mid-forward character, bass cut to 4 because the 6505 has more low-end thump. Your JEM's DiMarzio Evolution humbucker is hotter than Eddie's PAF — if it sounds too aggressive, pull gain back to 4.

PRO TIPEddie palm-muted the arpeggios hard and picked near the bridge with a heavy attack — the percussive chunk defines this riff more than the amp settings. Tune down half-step (Eb standard).

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