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Best of Both Worlds Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Van Halen
Van Halen · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ernie Ball Music Man EVH Signature (1986-1991, used on 5150 and OU812 albums)
Pickups
DiMarzio custom-wound humbuckers (bridge and neck, direct-mounted, high output)
Amp
Peavey 5150 head (studio recording, 1986/1987 era for 5150/OU812 sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1986 (OU812 sessions, released 1988). Eddie used his signature Ernie Ball Music Man guitar with custom DiMarzio humbuckers and the Peavey 5150 amp for the main riff. No pedal overdrive/distortion, just amp gain. Effects are minimal in the riff section; flanger and phaser are not present in the riff, only in solos or select songs. No chorus or delay on the riff. Pickup selector set to bridge. Settings are for studio, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass5.5
Gain8.5
Reverb2.5
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight palm-muted chugs
- aggressive bridge pickup attack
- British-voiced crunch
- high-output humbucker clarity
- saturated but articulate
- percussive rhythm
- chunky low end
- cutting upper mids
- minimal ambience
- focused, punchy riff tone
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation of exact amp knob settings for 'Best of Both Worlds' riff; settings are based on typical EVH 5150/OU812 era amp usage and forum consensus.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, phaser, or delay used in the riff section; effects are reserved for solos or other songs.
- Pickup and amp model confirmed for this era, but some sources conflate live and studio rigs—settings reflect studio context.
- Presence setting estimated based on typical 5150 amp voicing for this era.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eddie Van Halen's 'Best of Both Worlds' tone is a classic mid-80s 'brown sound'—crunchy but not ultra-high gain, with pronounced mids, moderate bass, and clear but not harsh treble. The presence is set to add clarity without fizz, and reverb is minimal, matching the dry, punchy mix of the 5150 era.