When your father is Eddie Van Halen and you grow up with some of the most iconic guitars on earth lying around the house, you learn pretty quickly what separates a good guitar from a great one. And for Wolfgang Van Halen, there are two classic rock tracks that instantly expose whether an electric guitar has the tone, response, and personality he’s looking for.
In a recent conversation, Wolfgang revealed that whenever he picks up a new guitar, whether in a studio, a backstage room, or a shop, there are two songs he always plays first. Not because they’re flashy, but because they tell the whole story.
“These songs,” he explained, “can show you what a guitar is about right away.”
1. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” – Van Halen (1978)
The ultimate test of punch, resonance, and attitude
It’s no surprise that Wolfgang reaches first for a track written by his father. But this isn’t about nepotism, “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” is simply one of the purest tests of a rock guitar’s character.
The opening riff is built on palm-muted power chords that demand clarity, sustain, and midrange bite. Any guitar lacking punch will sound muddy. Any guitar without proper harmonic resonance will feel flat. And if the instrument can’t cut in the upper mids, the classic chime and swagger of the riff disappears entirely.
Wolfgang says the song exposes everything instantly:
“It’s raw, it’s simple, and it tells you right away what the guitar wants to give you. If it doesn’t sound good on that riff, it’s not going to sound good anywhere.”
The track is also a litmus test for whether the instrument responds dynamically, picking lighter or heavier changes the entire feel, something Wolfgang says is essential in judging a guitar’s personality.
2. “Back in Black” – AC/DC (1980)
A masterclass in articulation, crunch, and rhythmic precision
The second track Wolfgang always plays is AC/DC’s immortal “Back in Black.”
Why? Because no song in classic rock exposes a guitar’s articulation and crunch quite like Malcolm and Angus Young’s iconic riff.
The opening chords require tight low-end control, crisp note separation, and a balanced EQ curve. A guitar that’s too dark gets lost. A guitar that’s too bright sounds brittle. One that lacks sustain loses the groove.
Wolfgang loves the track because it is deceptively simple, yet mercilessly revealing:
“It’s one of those riffs where the guitar has nowhere to hide. If the instrument has weaknesses, that song brings them out immediately.”
From the ringing chords to the staccato stops, “Back in Black” tests the full spectrum of rhythm guitar fundamentals. It’s the kind of riff that makes a mediocre guitar sound worse, and a great guitar sound unstoppable.
Why These Two Songs Work So Well
Together, “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” and “Back in Black” form the perfect two-song toolkit for evaluating any guitar. They test:
- Attack
- Midrange clarity
- Harmonic response
- Sustain
- Low-end control
- Chord articulation
- Dynamic sensitivity
They are also genre-defining statements of rock rhythm guitar—lean, powerful, and uncluttered. For Wolfgang, that makes them ideal:
“If you want to know if a guitar has magic in it, play the riffs that built rock. They’ll tell you everything.”
A Guitarist Carrying On A Legacy
Wolfgang Van Halen’s testing ritual isn’t just practical—it’s symbolic. One riff from his father’s groundbreaking early work, and one from the biggest hard-rock band of all time, forming a perfect map of his musical DNA.
In an era filled with digital tools, endless effects, and production polish, Wolfgang’s method is refreshingly old-school:
a guitar, an amp, and two of the greatest riffs ever written.
For him, that’s all it takes to find out whether a guitar can really sing.
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