Eruption amp settings — Line 6 POD HD500X

The Van halen guitar tone for “Eruption”, dialed in for a Line 6 POD HD500X with a Gibson Les Paul Classic. Studio version, Van Halen (1978)

Original rig

1968 Marshall Super Lead 100W (Variac to ~90V), Frankenstrat (bridge PAF humbucker), MXR Phase 90, Univox EC-80 Tape Echo, Sunset Sound EMT 140 plate reverb

Classic Brown Sound — harmonically saturated, mid-heavy crunch with smooth top-end and slow phase sweep

Amp settings — Line 6 POD HD500X

CHANNELPlexi Lead 100 Nrm amp model + 4x12 Greenback 25 Cab (57 on axis)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	8
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	3
Master	8

Don’t have a Line 6 POD HD500X? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Script Phase (MXR Phase 90 model)

Placed before the amp model; leave on for the opening intro and tapping sequences

Speed 2

02Tube Drive

Clean boost in front of the Plexi model to simulate the cranked Variac front-end push

Drive 2 · Bass 5 · Treble 6 · Output 8

03Analog Echo (Tape Echo model)

Post-amp block set to ~310ms slapback repeat to match the Univox EC-80 tape unit

Time 3 · Feedback 3 · Tone 5 · Mix 3

Why these settings

The Gibson Les Paul Classic features high-output humbuckers similar to Eddie's slanting PAF, requiring the POD HD500X Tube Drive block to act strictly as a front-end boost rather than adding clipping. The Plexi Lead 100 model is dialed with pushed mids and rolled-back treble to recreate the sag and warmth of a Variac-lowered Marshall without digital harshness. Keep the phaser model positioned before the virtual preamp block to achieve the authentic chewy swirl heard on the record.

PRO TIPEddie struck his pick extremely close to the bridge saddle and angled his thumb against the string for natural pinch harmonics, which activates the Plexi model's upper harmonic bloom during rapid arpeggio runs.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Line 6 POD HD500X. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Line 6 POD HD500X

Seventeen Going UnderSam Fender I Predict a RiotKaiser Chiefs I Bet You Look Good on the DancefloorArctic Monkeys ChocolateThe 1975 StorytimeNightwish BabydollDominic Fike

Find your amp

Browse

Line 6 POD HD500X settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Eruption on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Van halen tonesALL SONGS Gibson Les Paul Classic tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.