# Recommend the best "Brown Sound" OD/Distortion Pedal



## NorlinNorm (Dec 31, 2016)

Hey Guys & Gals,
I need some advice, basically, I have that Van Halen tone itch again (every few years)...Since the Pedal market has exploded in recent years the options must be plentiful, I was wondering if forum members can recommend the best Van Halen "Brown Sound" Pedals. available...
Looking forward to suggestions!!

NN


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

@adcandour any help?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Well, I've recently learned that to get a pretty accurate brown sound, your speakers, pick-ups, amp CIRCUIT, and pedal need to align.

I had a pretty pleasing 80s metal tone that could do a bit of EVH under the right circumstances. Phat Cats -->MI Audio Megalith Delta -->Vintage JMP/JTM --> Celestion V30s

To get an EXACT brown sound, this is my current set-up: 

These pick-ups:

Seymour Duncan JB SH-4, *or *DiMarzio AT-1, *or* DiMarzio Tone Zone
and neck pickup Seymour Duncan Alnico Classic.

into an R/T modded Marshall (should be an older circuit with quality components)

NO pedal

Greenbacks

I'm currently getting my guitar worked on for the pick-up swap. I've heard the amp played by Michael R/T with the above pick-ups and it was DEAD ON. I'm not shitting you DEAD ON.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

What's getting the mod?

I thought your tone with the Moratto was pretty good, but I'm not an avid Brown Sound guy so I can't make a great comparison .


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)




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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Budda said:


> What's getting the mod?
> 
> I thought your tone with the Moratto was pretty good, but I'm not an avid Brown Sound guy so I can't make a great comparison .


The amp got modded and the guitar got modded (I _had_ to mod the guitar).

I essentially copied most of Michael R/T's rig. I got rid of the 50s wiring on the guitar, pups, etc. I'm still hanging on to it all, so I can go back if I need to.

The bottom line is that as good as the set-up sounded, hearing my amp sound exactly like EVH and then like Angus when the volume knob got turned down literally blew me away (SO much more clarity in that dirt). My only negative thing to say was that my Monty sounded like utter shit through it. Even Michael was like, 'WTF?'. 

And it's not that I want to sound exactly like EVH - it's just that when your rig has that ability to sound like EVH it's a good thing. There's a bunch of other tones as well. The low gain settings are some of the best I've heard. As mentioned, it wasn't through my guitar which was disappointing.


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## Business (Jul 30, 2013)

If you want to keep it simple... Mad Professor 1


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

If you want to do it on the cheap check out the Marshall Jackhammer on the OD mode. Very tweakable pedal. Also built like a tank and can be had for -$50.


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