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

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love amp settings — Yamaha THR10II

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love”, dialed in for a Yamaha THR10II with a Schecter C-1 Hellraiser. Studio version, Van Halen I (1978)

Original rig

Frankenstrat (single bridge humbucker) → MXR Phase 90 → Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt Plexi (Variac'd to ~90V for compression/sag)

Crunchy, compressed brown sound with harmonic richness; phase-shifted rhythm, slapback echo on leads

Amp settings — Yamaha THR10II

CHANNELBRIT HI — closest to Plexi voicing in THR10II

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01THR10II Built-in Phaser (via THR Remote app)

Slow rate essential — replicates MXR Phase 90 set at 9 o'clock; enable via THR Remote app

Speed 3 · Depth 5

02THR10II Built-in Delay (via THR Remote app)

Slapback echo ~120-150ms; subtle mix for lead sections

Time 3 · Feedback 2 · Level 3

Why these settings

Your Hellraiser's EMG 81 is significantly hotter and more compressed than Eddie's passive PAF-style humbucker, so gain drops from the original 7-7.5 to 6. THR10II's BRIT HI voices a Marshall-style preamp but lacks the Variac sag — rolling tone knob to 8 softens the EMG's top-end ice and adds warmth the original had from voltage starving. Mid pushed to 7 compensates for the THR's slightly scooped digital voicing vs a real Plexi.

PRO TIPEddie used light palm muting and let the Phase 90 breathe on the arpeggiated Am chord — don't choke the strings too hard or you kill the swirl. Pinch harmonics on the G-string turnaround note are essential; angle your pick and catch the string with your thumb edge.

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These settings are for a Yamaha THR10II. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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