Did EVH play a Stratocaster on the "So This is Love?" solo?

[Rdodson]

Sounds like it to me. No bar, and some quack from being in position 2 on the selector.

Similar sound to the solo on "When It's Love" solo cut 6 years later.

Thoughts?

 

[NorCal_Val]

Sounds like his normal guitar, with the volume rolled off a hair

 

[shar-vell Dan]

um like no ...
That album is Sykes spermazoa. Guess you wernt in da 80's ?

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

When It’s Love solo is definitely a strat, Eddie said this in an interview.
In fact, somebody (can’t remember who) said he actually used a strat live for that song when he saw them in 1989.
Maybe one of you guys can confirm this?

 

[shar-vell Dan]

Ah i must be getting old. "Is this love" by WS is Sykes.
"So this is love" is Ed but don't know what guitar he used. Likely one of his partscaster creations when the song came out in 1981.
I believe that song is in drop D / E flat.
All that how to stuff is on youtube which sure beats figuring that shit out on vinyl LP / 8 track & cassette 40+ years ago.

 

[Geo]

Wasn't that right about the time he was using an Explorer in the studio?

 

[hammered]

When It’s Love solo is definitely a strat, Eddie said this in an interview.
In fact, somebody (can’t remember who) said he actually used a strat live for that song when he saw them in 1989.
Maybe one of you guys can confirm this?

He used the 5150 guitar for that song when I saw them in 1988. The only dates they had in 1989 were in Japan. But with that said I think I've seen a pic of him from that tour with a sunburst Strat

 

[hammered]

Sounds like it to me. No bar, and some quack from being in position 2 on the selector.

Similar sound to the solo on "When It's Love" solo cut 6 years later.

Thoughts?

It's possible especially with the collection of guitars he had at his disposal . He's said in interviews he's used many different guitars in the studio . I read somewhere that Hear About It Later and the song 5150 is a Strat

 

[marvcus]

I feel like he used whatever was laying around at the time. Definitely could be a strat. It was all over the 5150 album. You can hear some hollowness in the tone that could be single coils

 

[scriptphase]

Leaning towards what @NorCal_Val says. Solo sounds similar to earlier in the track where he’s riding the volume pot.

Such a great tone and a great tune.

 

[hammered]

The So This Love solo was pieced together or spliced together, whatever the heck I’m trying to say lol

 

[Rdodson]

Yes it was spliced together and I think he used the same Strat he used on the intro to Women in Love and Hear About It Later.

 

[legend71]

I think he just used his regular guitar and there is definitely whammy work in here.

 

[Geo]

Sounds like a couple different guitars in the studio.

 

[Rdodson]

I think he just used his regular guitar and there is definitely whammy work in he

I don’t think there is whammy work. There is in the live version, certainly.

When I worked with the band, I was struck by how important Clapton was to Ed. Not simply an influence but at times a seeming obsession, even after Clapton slogged him and May.

The STIL solo, being an obvious blues homage with the train double stop, seems like Ed attempting the Clapton thing, similar to Bluesbreaker recorded ~ 3 years later, also on a Stratocaster.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

Nothing Ed ever did sounds like Clapton to me and vise versa.
The bigger question would be when did Ed ever [not] play a Strat.

 

[hammered]

Nothing Ed ever did sounds like Clapton to me and vise versa.
The bigger question would be when did Ed ever [not] play a Strat.

I get that but I don’t know if you’ve ever listened to some live Cream . I can hear the vibe Ed picked up from Clapton and I do hear some of Clapton’s playing in Ed in spots of his solos. And when did he not play a Strat ? mainly in the studio , the Ibanez destroyer turned into the shark was used a lot on the first three albums. I’m not sure about after that on fair warning but he also had the 58 and 59 Les Paul, I’d bet he used those in the studio and then there’s his Flying V he used on the 1984 album

 

[shar-vell Dan]

Well if you ever saw him live say 79-87 it was the Frankie series / Bumblebee / Circle guitars or the Kramers. But Ed hopped endorsements alot.
I dont think any mere mortals IE : swinging dick john Q ticket buyer ever knew what was in Ed's stash.
There was a local shop / dealer here that knew Ed well here he sold him a ton of guitars including the 58 Korina V and the Gretch for "finish what you started". The dealer would harvest guitars in the midwest and Ed would fly him out to his home.
His name was Dan Martin and he was a decent guy. I bought my first JMP 2204 from him for $375 90 days same as cash in 1982.
Alot of guys bitch that Dan treated them poorly but i never had a problem.
He sold me my first Charvel in 1988. He was also one of the only Gibson & Marshall dealers in the whole area.
Dan would know all this stuff but he has passed.

Dan had the VH logo guitar displayed in a case in his shop.