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(Oh) Pretty Woman — Van Halen1 / 2
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(Oh) Pretty Woman Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Van Halen

Van Halen · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Frankenstrat (custom-built Strat-style, maple neck, single humbucker, Floyd Rose tremolo)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Custom PAF-style humbucker (bridge position, wax-potted, high output)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (modded, variac, EL34s, no master volume)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1981-1982 for 'Diver Down' album. No pedal distortion; amp driven hard with variac. Effects added via pedals, not amp. No evidence of live rig or later chorus pedals used on original studio recording.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
5.5
Gain
7.5
Reverb
0.5
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Chorus pedal (likely MXR Analog Chorus or similar) · chorus

Frankenstrat → Chorus pedal (MXR Analog Chorus or similar) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 (variac, no reverb)

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Tone Character

  • British crunch
  • aggressive bridge pickup attack
  • tight palm muting
  • modulation shimmer (chorus effect)
  • punchy midrange
  • articulate pick attack
  • slightly compressed
  • harmonic overtones
  • classic 'brown sound'
  • clear note separation

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio amp knob settings for '(Oh) Pretty Woman' found; settings estimated from typical Marshall Super Lead usage by EVH in early 1980s.
  • ⚠️Chorus effect is clearly audible in the riff section; sources confirm chorus pedal used live and in studio, but exact model for studio is not specified. MXR Analog Chorus or similar likely.
  • ⚠️No evidence of reverb or delay on amp or in pedal chain for the riff section.
  • ⚠️No evidence of phaser, flanger, or other modulation in the riff section; chorus is the only modulation effect present.
  • ⚠️Pedal models like Boss CE-5 and MXR EVH 5150 Chorus are associated with later live rigs, not the original studio recording. Studio likely used an analog chorus (MXR or similar).
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eddie Van Halen's tone on '(Oh) Pretty Woman' is classic early-80s 'brown sound': crunchy but not super high gain, with pronounced mids, moderate bass, and clear but not harsh treble. Presence is boosted for clarity, and reverb is minimal as per the dry, punchy mix of Diver Down.

Sources