GuitarDistortedRiff
Panama Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Van Halen
Van Halen · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Kramer 5150 (custom, single humbucker, maple neck, Floyd Rose)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-5 Custom humbucker (bridge position, custom-wound for EVH)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 100W (heavily modded, variac to ~90V, loaded with Sylvania 6CA7s, through 4x12 cabinets with Celestion G12M speakers)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1983-1984. Used for the main riff/rhythm section of 'Panama' on the 1984 album. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section. No evidence of effects loop use in studio.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass5.5
Gain8.5
Reverb2.5
Treble7.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight palm-muted chugs
- aggressive British crunch
- saturated harmonics
- percussive attack
- singing sustain
- bright and cutting
- hot-rodded Marshall tone
- high-output humbucker bite
- classic 80s hard rock drive
- articulate pick attack