Van Halen Panama tone

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RedPlated

RedPlated

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1984 has always been THE quintessential tone to me ever since I first heard the album. I wore out the cassette tape in my Walkman as a kid.

I recently picked up a stock 69' 100w super lead Marshall and a Fryette PS-100. Probably the best tone I've ever gotten from an amp. Just pure, raw and aggressive. I also came across a 69 basket weave cab with Pulsonic 003's. So of course having these pieces, I need to try to get as close as possible to that 1984 tone. It sounds really close when I add a bit of wdw detune.

Panama is probably my favorite song on that album, neck and neck with Drop Dead Legs, Girl Gone bad and House of Pain. Listening to isolated tracks, I hear a hot PAF vibe on all the songs except Panama. Brighter, crunchy, sharper attack on the others. Isolated Panama tracks make it overly apparent that tone is much more spongy and laid back. Very light detune on that track compared to others as well.

I'm guessing the Frankie was used with a Custom Custom pickup on Panama. Definitely an A2 mag. I also hear the warmth and roundness of the Pulsonic Greenbacks. I have a 72' cab with 77' Blackbacks and it sounds a lot more aggressive with more upper mid bite.

I'm currently using a Charvel Nitro aged San Dimas with an EVH Frankenstein pickup. Sounds amazing, but brighter, tighter and more PAF than the Custom Custom, which I've used in the past. Not spongy enough for the Panama sound.

So, my best guess for Panama is Marshall, Pulsonics, Frankie, Custom Custom and some detune. Has anyone else gotten close with another combo?
 
Can't help with the Panama thing, but I do agree a nice vintage NMV Marshall pushed through Pulsonics is a thing of beauty. I have a 72 SuperTremolo with the matching 72 Pulsonic cab....no amp that I have (Cam Jose/Aldrich/Clean 78 SL, C+ Coli, Triple F) can match that combo for pure raw rock tone. Including the Wizard MCI I had, which was also amazing.
Do you really hear the detune on that track though? I'll have to give it another listen...I only really noticed it when 5150 came out.
 
Interesting how we all have different tastes, and I love how no one can possibly be wrong in their tastes. I say this to show my full respect for your taste while sharing that I've always thought 1984 was just about the lamest tones EVH ever recorded. I always attributed it to him being in his new studio and learning how to do everything himself (with Donn Landee of course).... so I find your opinion on this an interesting perspective.
 
Maybe I’m wrong. I felt like there was a tiny bit of Eventide on Panama. Super subtle.

House of Pain has pretty good amount of detune for sure.
 
Exo-metal said:
What about jape?
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Never heard of it. Ed was using an Eventide from Fair Warning on, if not before. There are plenty of simpler, cheaper options out there now, which will get it done. But it ain't just a cranked Marshall Plexi.
 
Rick Lee said:
Never heard of it. Ed was using an Eventide from Fair Warning on, if not before. There are plenty of simpler, cheaper options out there now, which will get it done. But it ain't just a cranked Marshall Plexi.
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You sure about that? I don't hear it, at all on FW. A little on 1984 after giving it a listen again. Which tracks?
 
I also love the tone on 1984 and specifically on Panama. Not as gained out as the first album or the others really but it has that snap and clarity. Sometimes less gain records bigger especially with a player that digs in.

Are you getting the right gain from the Marshall or are you using a variac as well or giving it a nudge from an eq? I also echo the sentiment clip please! I want to hear it.
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
I also love the tone on 1984 and specifically on Panama. Not as gained out as the first album or the others really but it has that snap and clarity. Sometimes less gain records bigger especially with a player that digs in.

Are you getting the right gain from the Marshall or are you using a variac as well or giving it a nudge from an eq? I also echo the sentiment clip please! I want to hear it.
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Yeah I’m using a Fryette PS-100 for attenuation. I also have a modded Boss GE-7 that I use here and there. I leave all the sliders flat and just bump the level a hair. Adds a slight boost.
 
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I had a FJA modded dual wreck. Played channel 2. Timmy boost in front. MXR 10 band geq in the loop. Very low gain. Nailed it.
 
Honestly my tone in that set up was a little more ‘punchy’ but sounded the same tone wise.
 
clip sounds nice op
i don't hear any eventide on panama but it's all over the rest of the record
jape=tape delay from an echoplex
 
Listened to the isolated Panama guitar track again. I swear I hear slight detune still. Who knows...
 
Racerxrated said:
You sure about that? I don't hear it, at all on FW. A little on 1984 after giving it a listen again. Which tracks?
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I think it is a real slight detune like -.9999 cents so anywhere from 1-5 cents is ballpark for Fair Warning and probably the same for Diver Down and 1984 at least somewhere in that range.

Around 5150 I think he started increasing the amount of detune into a chorus range which is -9 cents +9 cents and the whole W/D/W split delays 250ms and 500ms left to right. Not sure if he was doing W/D/W on 5150 but the detune is more chorusy for sure.

If you are looking for a good detune on the cheap look no further than the Boss PS5, if you want stereo the Eventide Pitchfactor also in another thread I guess Eventide just releashed a Micropitch pedal using the H9 emuations I assume for $279.00. For me the Boss does the trick good enough but I still would like to give the Pitchfactor a whirl.

Your 69 clips sounds really good pretty much like 1984 congrats! I don't think I've heard an anemic 1969 into 1970 (before the creme circuit boards) Marshall SL or SB yet....seems to be a primo year for them IMHO.

Pickupwise try a PAF like a duncan 59, I think Ed used a flying V on a lot of the tracks and by that time one Franky's humbucker coils was shorting out almost giving it some single coil qualities. The closest I've heard is a SD 59 or something equivalent if yo are really trying to zoom in on the 1984 tone.
 
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Yeah to me hearing up 1984. The the 5150 and OU812 guitar tones. Blew me away. That guitar in opening of Cabo Wabo. Tone so odd but awesome.
 
Rick Lee said:
Never heard of it. Ed was using an Eventide from Fair Warning on, if not before. There are plenty of simpler, cheaper options out there now, which will get it done. But it ain't just a cranked Marshall Plexi.
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He talked about it back in the day in many interviews and none of us knew what it was, not sure that jape means tape just bc it rymes...not sure we'll ever know now.
 
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