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Van Halen - Mean Street - Guitar Lesson

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Van Halen - Mean Street - Guitar Lesson

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Van Halen - Mean Street guitar lesson video
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Fair Warning (Remastered) album cover
Fair Warning (Remastered)
1981 5:00
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Van Halen Hard Rock 1981 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Mean Street

"Mean Street" is the opening track from Van Halen's fourth studio album, Fair Warning, released on April 29, 1981, through Warner Bros. Records. The song is widely recognized for Eddie Van Halen's innovative two-handed tapping technique applied directly to the guitar strings in an unconventional way, blending eerie harmonics with explosive riff work. For electric guitarists, it represents a masterclass in dynamics, tone control, and the kind of technical creativity that defined Eddie's unique approach to the instrument.

  • The intro features Eddie Van Halen tapping directly on the strings near the nut, producing a distinctive percussive, sitar-like tone.
  • Fair Warning peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200, showing the album's commercial strength despite being considered the era's slowest seller.
  • Learning 'Mean Street' exposes guitarists to advanced techniques including harmonics, two-hand tapping, and abrupt dynamic shifts within a single track.
Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Eddie Van Halen pulled a Gibson PAF humbucker from a ES-335 to load his original Frankenstrat, giving him a low-output pickup that maintained clarity during lightning-fast tapping and legato runs despite heavy gain.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Eddie's 1968 Marshall Plexi Super Lead, run through a variac at 90 volts, created his legendary 'brown sound' by pushing power tubes into sweet, spongy saturation at gig volumes, defining his harmonic sustain and responsiveness.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Eddie adopted the Soldano SLO-100 as a tonal alternative to Marshalls, delivering the high-headroom, articulate gain he needed for his finger-tapping technique while maintaining clarity in complex legato passages.

Peavey 5150
Amp

Peavey 5150

Eddie co-designed the Peavey 5150 to capture his signature tone in a modern platform, offering three channels from clean sparkle to crushing high-gain with EL34 power tubes for dynamic responsiveness across his entire playing vocabulary.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Eddie employed the Dunlop Cry Baby wah strategically on select solos, using it to add vocal-like expression and sweep to his lead lines without relying heavily on effect-driven tones.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

Eddie's MXR Phase 90 script-logo version created his signature swirling, vocal sweep on 'Eruption' and 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,' becoming one of rock's most identifiable effect tones through minimal, tasteful use.

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