Best Guitar Pedal for the Van Halen Tone
OK, let’s level set: Edward Van Halen did not get his legendary brown sound from pedals; he got it from his unique guitars, a Marshall plexi crammed through a voltage attenuator and his fingers. With that said, if you have the kind of living quarters that allow you to turn a 100 watt Marshall Head up to 11, then you can stop reading now. For the rest of us, a few key pedals will work just fine. In this list are five guitar pedals that will walk you down Van Halen lane in good fashion without the need to break the sound barrier. Two drive pedals here provide an excellent foundation for a real brownish sound as far as overdrive is concerned. Three of these pedals handle the stellar effect sounds that Ed used on such classics as “Unchained” and “Hear About it Later”. Soup to nuts, here are five pedals that will help you shape a Van Halen tone.
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Why it's best:
Although it is a bit of a misnomer to discuss a drive pedal that delivers the “Brown Sound”, this one comes darn close. I’m not sure at all if the name is intentional, but in my opinion, the folks at CMAT Pedals have earned the right to use it. This pedal u...read full review
Why it's a best pick:
This distortion pedal from MI Audio produces an incredibly warm analog output. For getting that Van-Halen Brown Sound, this is one serious tool. The amount of natural harmonics and overtones are pretty amazing. There is also an impressive amount of natural bottom end, which ... read full review
Amazon.com $129.95
Why it's a best pick:
If you are particularly fond of songs like “Hear about it later” or “Unchained” then I’m sure you are aware that Eddie used an MXR Flanger to get these great sounds. Granted, you can use a vintage MXR flanger and do just fine, but chances are th... read full review
$189.95 - $190.00
See all sellers ››Available From:
Cascio Interstate Music $189.99
Same Day Music $190.00
Why it's a best pick:
The Phase 90 played a more prominent role in Van Halen’s early sound than many may realize. What makes it so deceptively easy to miss is the fact that his tone was so damn great that you didn’t realize the phase pedal was on most of the time. Particularly cool ab... read full review
$129.95 - $130.00
See all sellers ››Available From:
Sweetwater $129.99
American Musical Supply $129.95
Why it's a best pick:
Although Eddie Van Halen did not use wah on any of the original lineup albums (i.e. the “Dave” era), he did begin to experiment with it more in the ‘90s. His Crybaby wah pedal appeared on songs such as "Top of the world" and "Poundcake".... read full review
Amazon.com
