Peterson StroboStomp EVH: Tune to Van Halen's 1978 Debut

Eddie Van Halen tuned with a Peterson. Backstage in 1979 there was a Peterson Model 400 strobe in his rig, and Peterson says he relied on their tuners for years to get his sound where he wanted it. Now Peterson and EVH Brands have put that history into a pedal: the Peterson StroboStomp EVH.

It's the full StroboStomp strobe tuner in red, white and black stripes, with a feature the regular StroboStomps don't have: 13 tunings matched to the guitar parts on Van Halen's 1978 debut album.

Why the Record Doesn't Match Your Tuner

If you've ever tried to play along with that first album and felt slightly off even after tuning down to Eb, you weren't imagining it. The guitars weren't tuned to a perfect Eb standard. Depending on the track, they sit anywhere from slightly flat to close to a quarter-tone sharp of standard pitch.

Peterson measured each song and built a Sweetener for it. A Sweetener is Peterson's term for a tuning preset that shifts each string by a precise number of cents. (Our Sweetened Tunings guide explains how they work.) On the StroboStomp EVH, you pick the track, tune to it, and your guitar lands where Eddie's was when it was recorded.

What's in the EVH Bank

• 13 guitar Sweeteners covering all 11 tracks on the album. Ten tracks get one setting each. One track gets two: the main guitar, plus a separate setting for the overdubbed doubled and harmony guitars. The acoustic intro on another track gets its own Open Eb setting.
• 11 bass Sweeteners, one 4-string companion for each song, so a guitarist and bassist can lock in to the same reference.
• Each Sweetener is labeled by track number, so you go straight to the song you're learning.

Whether you're working up a cover set, learning solos note for note, or tracking a tribute, it saves you from guessing at the pitch every time a song changes.

Everything Else It Does

Under the EVH graphics, this is a complete Peterson pedal tuner:

• True strobe accuracy to ±0.1 cent on a large HD LCD with a variable-color LED backlight
• 158 Sweetened and Guided Tunings in total: standard guitar and bass, acoustic, 12-string, baritone, 7-string, Buzz Feiten, pedal and lap steel, Dobro, banjo, mandolin and more
• Your choice of 100% pop-less True Bypass or Pure Buffered output, plus an always-on Monitor Mode
• 9V DC output that can power one more pedal on your board
• Stainless steel housing, firmware updates over USB with Peterson Connect, and a 3-year Peterson warranty

StroboStomp EVH or StroboStomp HD?

They're built on the same platform: same accuracy, same display size, same bypass options and power output. The differences:

• StroboStomp EVH ($179): adds the 13 EVH guitar and 11 EVH bass Sweeteners and the EVH graphics.
• StroboStomp HD ($149): the standard model, with over 135 Sweetened Tunings and a plain finish.

If you play Van Halen, or you just want the striped tuner on your board, the EVH is worth the extra $30. If you just need the best tuner on your board, the HD does the same job for less. Tight on space? Look at the StroboStomp Mini.

Order Yours

The Peterson StroboStomp EVH is $179 at ECG Music. It's on pre-order now: our first shipment from Peterson is due in mid-November, and orders ship as soon as it arrives. It's also a solid holiday gift for the Van Halen fan on your list.

Questions about which Peterson is right for your rig? Email us at info@ecgmusic.com. You can also browse the full Peterson lineup or read why Peterson tuners have been trusted since 1948.