EVH "Brown Sound" Challenge

[Superlizard]

So, I'm bored.

After reading that Ed thread in General, and considering that this board hardly ever talks about the "brown sound" (but many others do), I figure here's a nice little challenge:

Show us ***your*** best "brown sound" (pre-1984 album tone)... with a clip.
List the gear ***you*** used (pics, text, whatever).

I'll start (I think it's pretty close - however, I am lacking a flanger):

http://streamer2.soundclick.com/jarry_DL/29/05/freemp3/lizardpie+crunchwank04.mp3

Exact same clip but edited in DAW - stereo, with spacious echo (panned right), flange in spots and mild EQ:

http://streamer2.soundclick.com/jarry_DL/34/01/vipdownload/lizardpie+crunchwank04fx.mp3



disclaimer:  I am *not* a brown-sound chaser; just happened to stumble on it

Here's what I used:

That bridge (Am Std Strat with Callaham saddles, block and bar) and pickup (SD Seth Lover) has a lot to do with that crangy, crunchy top end...

 

[CrackedPepper]

Nice!  Pretty convincing given that you sort of happened upon the sound.

I would like to add one request the challenge - how about listing what you (and anyone else answering the call) used gear-wise and the settings to acheive the sound? 

I personally could care less about "chasing the brown sound" but it is always interesting to find out how people achieve a certain tone.

 

[rockskate4x]

Nice!  Pretty convincing given that you sort of happened upon the sound.

I would like to add one request the challenge - how about listing what you (and anyone else answering the call) used gear-wise and the settings to acheive the sound? 

I personally could care less about "chasing the brown sound" but it is always interesting to find out how people achieve a certain tone.

No don't share the secret. If everybody knew how to get the brown sound it wouldn't be worth chasing for the rest of us.  :toothy10:

 

[AutoBat]

I'll hafta pull my mic out and hopefully get a decent recording. I think my "Little Dreamer" tone is right on par with the album.

 

[Superlizard]

Nice!  Pretty convincing given that you sort of happened upon the sound.

I would like to add one request the challenge - how about listing what you (and anyone else answering the call) used gear-wise and the settings to acheive the sound? 

I personally could care less about "chasing the brown sound" but it is always interesting to find out how people achieve a certain tone.

Will do.

 

[Superlizard]

http://davidbrayamps.com/thebrownstrat78.mp3

I personally don't have any stuff that really sounds anything like EVH's tone.


click for equipment used:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187163

That's nice (sounds similar), but where's your clip (which is the whole point of this exercise)?

 

[GoDrex]

I don't have a clip.

 

[nathan a]

Pretty convincing SL, especially on those low vibratos during the main rhythm part. Cool!

 

[MattPurland]

To be perfectly honest that sounds nothing like the so called 'brown sound'. Here's what I think is needed to get even remotely close:

Any amp from Splawn: http://www.splawnguitars.com (basically a hot rodded plexi)
a Marshall 1960x 4x12 loaded with v30's
Any heavy wooded (mahogany based) guitar with a Bare Knuckles VHII pickup at the bridge
An EchoPlex - not essential ;-)
A vintage script MXR Phase 90
A nice reverb unit

My guitar teacher is a massive VH fan (and funnily enough plays Warmoths) using a 50w Splawn through a Mesa 2x12, and the comparison to early VH is uncanny!

 

[Cagey]

To be perfectly honest that sounds nothing like the so called 'brown sound'. Here's what I think is needed to get even remotely close:

Any amp from Splawn: http://www.splawnguitars.com (basically a hot rodded plexi)
a Marshall 1960x 4x12 loaded with v30's
Any heavy wooded (mahogany based) guitar with a Bare Knuckles VHII pickup at the bridge
An EchoPlex - not essential ;-)
A vintage script MXR Phase 90
A nice reverb unit

My guitar teacher is a massive VH fan (and funnily enough plays Warmoths) using a 50w Splawn through a Mesa 2x12, and the comparison to early VH is uncanny!

I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's "nothing like the so-called 'brown sound' ", but it certainly doesn't hit it. But, to be fair, it's tough to tell sometimes when you hear a track outside the full mix.

 

[AutoBat]

I've always liked this guy's Youtube vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixQpOyl35VY

more of a 1984 style sound, but better than what I've got

 

[Superlizard]

Heheheh...

For the record, I stated that my clip sounds "pretty close"; not "nails it".  If I added a lot more spacious echo and had a flange going (e.g. more FX), I would be close.

Even then, the thing that would be missing in my case is the crashing cojones of a 100 watt amp.

But the base tone (sans FX-slathering) is there... squishy, lively, clear, with that super-crunchy top end.  I prolly coulda added a hair more bass on my amp, but so be it.

BTW, do people have trouble reading?   :tard:  Again, I have to remind y'all to post your ***own*** clips, not clips someone else made.

And... clips, or it doesn't exist (talk is shite).  :toothy10:

 

[nathan a]

Hey, I'm all talk. I don't play VH, nor do I have anything remotely resembling a brown sound! I am only useful as a critic.  :glasses9:

 

[TBurst Std]

Well EVH or the "brown sound" isn't really what I do, but here is something I dialed up pretty quickly if I ever needed something close to that sound. Excuse the playing.
DL below and let me know. See if you can guess the equip

http://www.4shared.com/dir/35594752/1848dfac/sharing.html

 

[AutoBat]

Sorry 'bout the last vid.  Here's a clip of me playing bits of VH stuff.
If you're picky about timing or anything like that Beware!  I recorded it mostly for the sound.

 

[nathan a]

I wanna hear Alfang contribute something! At least from his guitar paintin's, he's our VH guy.

 

[TBurst Std]

Well EVH or the "brown sound" isn't really what I do, but here is something I dialed up pretty quickly if I ever needed something close to that sound. Excuse the playing.
DL below and let me know. See if you can guess the equip

http://www.4shared.com/dir/35594752/1848dfac/sharing.html

OK downloads but no comments. Thought we would be commenting on the tone. Offer your thoughts on this, there is a bit of a test on this one

 

[Superlizard]

I would make comments; however, I'd like to see more people get involved with commenting than just *me*... before I put my 2 cents in.

Then again, perhaps the brown sound ain't a popular subject 'round these parts... maybe if we started talking about Joe so-and-so's (who lives down the block)
new "Tubulator" brand, made-in-2010, processor-controlled, angry-bees-in-a-bottle-toned amp and how it supposedly sounds t!ts (without any clips, of course)...

...and the fact that he owns not one, but *three* of them - then maybe we'd get peeps on the bandwagon.

Because guitar playing and tone is all about who ya know, who owns what, how much they own, brand name recognition... and what's the latest in gear.  LOL

 

[TBurst Std]

Understood,

Well I will let the cat out of the bag on the clip I posted. Make sure you listen through good monitors.
While stereo, it is 2 mono tracks recording simultaneously, one left, one right.
One side is a Fractal AXE-FX, the other side is a Plexi.
You guess which is which

 

[erogenousjones17]

I would make comments; however, I'd like to see more people get involved with commenting than just *me*... before I put my 2 cents in.

Then again, perhaps the brown sound ain't a popular subject 'round these parts... maybe if we started talking about Joe so-and-so's (who lives down the block)
new "Tubulator" brand, made-in-2010, processor-controlled, angry-bees-in-a-bottle-toned amp and how it supposedly sounds t!ts (without any clips, of course)...

...and the fact that he owns not one, but *three* of them - then maybe we'd get peeps on the bandwagon.

Because guitar playing and tone is all about who ya know, who owns what, how much they own, brand name recognition... and what's the latest in gear.  LOL

Why is there always so much hate in these tone clip threads? Is it really surprising that more people don't join in?

That being said, I have nothing to contribute except to say that the clips sound pretty cool to me. It's a cruncha muncha buncha tone. Is it "brown"? Damned if I know. To be perfectly honest, I don't even like Van Halen (but don't tell anyone...).  :laughing7: