EVH tuning cents

[crankyrayhanky]

Anybody here do anything like this? I just read this on a 2012 article

Eb -9 cents
Bb -9 cents
Gb -3 cents
Db -1 cent
Ab +/-0 cents
Eb +/-0 cents
D-Tuna Db -4 cents

 

[Stradazone]

If you're talking about the early DLR albums, the tuning was all over the place 1/4 step and 1/2 step down, standard..and anywhere in between

 

[jape23]

Maybe the OP is referring to the odd instructions that guitar techs are given for tuning Edward's guitars on tour. I think they are given some really strange instructions for tuning his guitars in a very unconventional way.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

Yes^

Compared to A440, is 432 8 cents down? Does it work like that?

 

[phil b]

I remember Lonnie over at HRI had said the way Eddie used to fret chords he would bend the strings out of tune so when he set up Eds guitars he would have to offset the strings. Its funny cause he said every time he would hit a chord it would be out but when Ed played it was fine.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

I figured they tuned by ear on the early stuff. But maybe he didn't tune in 440 but in a lower number?

 

[SpiderWars]

I always thought there was some sweetening of the tuning but never knew if it just by ear or what. Runnin with the Devil is a good test. On most guitars that song doesn't sound as sweet and in tune.

 

[Bronco]

Anybody here do anything like this? I just read this on a 2012 article

Eb -9 cents
Bb -9 cents
Gb -3 cents
Db -1 cent
Ab +/-0 cents
Eb +/-0 cents
D-Tuna Db -4 cents

I don't follow this verbatim, but yes, I always flat the B and E strings whenever I play Van Halen...and like Ed did/does, you have to pull the B string sharp for certain types of chords. Really hard to play open chords with the tuning like this tho.

 

[paulyc]

If Ed went to Buzz Feiten tuning he wouldn't need that monkey business.

 

[shredhead7]

I heard that he adjusted the B string, because he plays most chords in the D (cowboy) chord shape. So moving around on the G and B strings, the B string is slightly out, so he adjusted the B string to that.

 

[Racerxrated]

Anybody here do anything like this? I just read this on a 2012 article

Eb -9 cents
Bb -9 cents
Gb -3 cents
Db -1 cent
Ab +/-0 cents
Eb +/-0 cents
D-Tuna Db -4 cents

I don't follow this verbatim, but yes, I always flat the B and E strings whenever I play Van Halen...and like Ed did/does, you have to pull the B string sharp for certain types of chords. Really hard to play open chords with the tuning like this tho.

This.^ I always had one guitar tuned like this in my heavy gigging days.

 

[gregmusi]

Lots of good info on the early tunings here:

http://www.vhlinks.com/vbforums/threads/62695-Van-Halen-tunings-with-Peterson-strobe-tuner-reference

 

[RevDrucifer]

I remember Lonnie over at HRI had said the way Eddie used to fret chords he would bend the strings out of tune so when he set up Eds guitars he would have to offset the strings. Its funny cause he said every time he would hit a chord it would be out but when Ed played it was fine.

Yep, Lonnie had a few great EVH stories!

 

[phil b]

I remember Lonnie over at HRI had said the way Eddie used to fret chords he would bend the strings out of tune so when he set up Eds guitars he would have to offset the strings. Its funny cause he said every time he would hit a chord it would be out but when Ed played it was fine.

Yep, Lonnie had a few great EVH stories!

Yea he did! I do remember that whole conversation about tuning cause that blew me away. Lonnie was good people and a great tech.
Miss HRI but thankfully Marsa left up the site so at least we didnt lose all that info.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Yeah, IIRC, he walked in not knowing anything about the tuning and caught a ton of shit from Ed over it.

For those that don't know Lonnie, he's a fairly outspoken tech who has been out with a lot of the greats, he ended up telling Ed to fuck off and quit the gig before they even left for tour. I remember seeing a few pics of notes he'd leave for Bradshaw inside racks when they got sent back to him for repairs.

I haven't heard from Lonnie in a while and am surprised he hasn't popped up in any of the FB groups that a lot of us HRI guys ended up in, which is a bummer, I loved sharing tin-hat theories with him.