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Jump — Van Halen1 / 2
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Jump Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Van Halen

Van Halen · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Kramer 'Frankenstrat' (custom, maple neck, Floyd Rose, single humbucker, 1984 configuration)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Custom Shop humbucker (PAF-style, wax-potted, bridge position)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 100W (run through a Variac, set to ~90V, with dummy load and re-amp to cab)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1983-1984, for the album '1984'. Guitar is the Frankenstrat with a single bridge humbucker. Amp is a Marshall Super Lead 100W, run through a Variac for the 'brown sound'. Effects are inserted pre-amp and in post-amp dummy load chain. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical EVH studio setup. No evidence of live/tour gear for this specific recording.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6
Gain
7
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7
Presence
6.5

Effects Chain

  • MXR M-117 Flanger · flanger
  • MXR Phase 90 · phaser
  • Echoplex EP-3 · delay

Kramer Frankenstrat → MXR Phase 90 → MXR Flanger → Echoplex EP-3 → Marshall Super Lead (Variac, dummy load, re-amp to cab)

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Tone Character

  • British crunch
  • warm and punchy
  • tight palm muting
  • articulate attack
  • percussive rhythm
  • high-output bridge humbucker
  • not overly saturated
  • full and fat
  • cutting in the mix
  • modest amp overdrive

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings for 'Jump' studio riff found; settings estimated based on Marshall Super Lead, genre, and era.
  • ⚠️Pedal models confirmed from multiple sources for EVH's 1984 era, but exact settings for 'Jump' riff not specified.
  • ⚠️Signal chain and effects inferred from period-correct interviews, gear rundowns, and audio analysis.
  • ⚠️No evidence of chorus or delay on the riff section; flanger is clearly audible and confirmed by multiple sources.
  • ⚠️Pickup type and position confirmed by historical Frankenstrat specs and studio photos.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. For 'Jump,' Eddie Van Halen used his classic 'brown sound' with a Marshall Super Lead, set for a crunchy, harmonically rich tone—less gain than his lead sound, with mids and presence pushed for cut, moderate bass for tightness, and minimal reverb as the recording is quite dry and punchy.

Sources