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

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Ibanez S521. Studio version, Van Halen (1978 debut album)

Original rig

Frankenstrat (single bridge humbucker, no tone knob) → MXR Phase 90 → Boss BF-2 Flanger (chorus sections) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 100w Plexi (Variac'd to ~90V for sag/compression)

Saturated yet responsive crunch with harmonic richness, subtle phase swirl on rhythm, compressed power-tube sag that cleans up with volume knob

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELMetal 2000 (or Brit 800 with boosted gain)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Spark Onboard Phaser (or Noise Gate > Phaser in app)

MXR Phase 90 emulation — subtle warble, not deep swoosh. Engage for main riff, bypass for solo.

Speed 3 · Depth 4 · Mix 5

02Spark Onboard Flanger

Engage only for chorus section jet-sweep effect. Bypass for verses and solo.

Speed 3 · Depth 5 · Regen 4 · Mix 5

Why these settings

Your Ibanez S521 has hotter humbuckers than Eddie's PAF-style pickup, so gain drops from the original 7.5 to 6 to avoid fizz. The Spark's Metal 2000 model approximates the Plexi's saturated midrange better than Brit 800 at these gain levels. Treble cut by 1 because the Ibanez's basswood body and INF pickups are already brighter than the Frankenstrat's ash/maple combo.

PRO TIPEddie's 'brown sound' sag came from the Variac starving the amp — simulate this by keeping your Spark's master volume moderate (5-6) and using the app's compressor block set to slow attack, medium sustain. Roll your guitar volume to 7 for the verse arpeggios to get that cleaned-up dynamic response, then slam it to 10 for the solo.

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These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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