GuitarDistortedRiff
Little Dreamer Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Van Halen
Van Halen · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1979 Charvel 'Frankestrat' (homemade Strat-style guitar, maple neck, single humbucker)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Custom Shop 'PAF-style' humbucker (rewound, wax-potted, bridge position)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (Plexi, late '60s, modded with Variac, EL34 tubes)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1977-78 at Sunset Sound for Van Halen's debut album. No evidence of pedals in the riff section; amp cranked with Variac for power tube distortion. No chorus, flanger, or phaser audible in the riff. No evidence of delay or reverb pedals; reverb is from room/mix, not amp or pedal.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb0.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- British crunch
- warm and mid-focused
- tight, percussive attack
- singing sustain
- articulate note separation
- slightly compressed
- organic and dynamic
- not overly scooped
- classic hard rock rhythm
- amp-driven overdrive