My son and I are making an EVH Frankenstrat!

[ledvedder]

Looks killer!

Did EVH's actual guitar have a birdeye neck, or is that a stylistic change?

From what I've read, his guitar has had a lot of different necks on it. But, most people claim most of them were birdseye.

[ledvedder]

Are you going to age/dirty up the neck?

Looking good so far!

Thanks!

Aside from the cigarette burns on the headstock, I think I'm just gonna let it age/dirty on it's own. It's way too pretty to purposely grime it up!

[neilrocks25]

That's fantastic and even better you are doing it with your son.

[ledvedder]

That's fantastic and even better you are doing it with your son.

Yep, that's the best part! We were at a bbq this weekend, and he was showing everyone the pictures. He was so proud! Then, he really impressed me, when he started explaining the history of the guitar to everyone! The blue paint, the quarter, the hacked pickup cavities, everything!

[itchyfingers]

That came out awesome! I'd imagine you saved several thousand dollars compared to the custom shop offering!!!

[ledvedder]

That came out awesome! I'd imagine you saved several thousand dollars compared to the custom shop offering!!!

Yep! About $24,500 saved!

[ledvedder]

Ready to rock!

[clipless bumper]

Nice!! Your son's got some work to do on his shred face - but it's a start!!!

[Tortuga]

Awesome job, awesome kid, awesome pic!

You need to get 10,000 GAB points for the day!

[ledvedder]

I just realized I didn't post any pics of the finished product.

[Beef]

Man, you guys crushed it. Really nice job!

[ajaxlepinski]

Wow! That looks fantastic!

Is that a quarter just above the vibrato?

[ledvedder]

Wow! That looks fantastic!

Is that a quarter just above the vibrato?

Yep, it's not under it anymore.

[ledvedder]

Now, it's officially complete!

[itchyfingers]

Now that you're done, I have a funny story for you...

My dad worked for Bell telephone and its various iterations for pretty much his entire adult life. He was working in LA, this was probably around 1980-81, and his van broke down about a mile from the shop. So he walks about a block to a 7-11 to use the pay phone (remember those?), and he calls the shop but no one there is able to come pick him up. So he's talking to his coworker and decides he's going to hoof it and walk about a mile to the shop, "a really nice little guy" comes up and says, "I heard you talking about your situation, let me give you a ride to your shop". My dad, super grateful, accepts the ride and as he follows the guy, he sees him walk up to what appeared to be a brand new Lamborghini Countach. At this point, my dad starts to wonder "who the hell is this guy?". They get in, and there's about a million 7-11 coffee cups littering the seats and floorboards. As the guy fires up the engine, he mashes out a Marlboro Red right on the dashboard! My dad then realizes that the entire dashboard has been used as an ashtray for most of the car's life. So they start some small talk and my dad pretty much blurts out "what do you do for a living that you can afford to do this to an exotic car?". The guy explains he's in a pretty big rock and roll band, but my dad didn't recognize the name. He says "you remember the Jackson 5? I just did some studio work for Michael". Guy dropped him off, and my dad went about his day, but certainly recognized the nice little man on MTV a bit later.

That "studio work" was the solo to Beat it, and that guy turned out to be Eddie Van Halen. My dad was pretty much a fan from that ride onward.

[ledvedder]

Now that you're done, I have a funny story for you...

My dad worked for Bell telephone and its various iterations for pretty much his entire adult life. He was working in LA, this was probably around 1980-81, and his van broke down about a mile from the shop. So he walks about a block to a 7-11 to use the pay phone (remember those?), and he calls the shop but no one there is able to come pick him up. So he's talking to his coworker and decides he's going to hoof it and walk about a mile to the shop, "a really nice little guy" comes up and says, "I heard you talking about your situation, let me give you a ride to your shop". My dad, super grateful, accepts the ride and as he follows the guy, he sees him walk up to what appeared to be a brand new Lamborghini Countach. At this point, my dad starts to wonder "who the hell is this guy?". They get in, and there's about a million 7-11 coffee cups littering the seats and floorboards. As the guy fires up the engine, he mashes out a Marlboro Red right on the dashboard! My dad then realizes that the entire dashboard has been used as an ashtray for most of the car's life. So they start some small talk and my dad pretty much blurts out "what do you do for a living that you can afford to do this to an exotic car?". The guy explains he's in a pretty big rock and roll band, but my dad didn't recognize the name. He says "you remember the Jackson 5? I just did some studio work for Michael". Guy dropped him off, and my dad went about his day, but certainly recognized the nice little man on MTV a bit later.

That "studio work" was the solo to Beat it, and that guy turned out to be Eddie Van Halen. My dad was pretty much a fan from that ride onward.

That, right there, is an awesome story! I just read it to my son and he said that we be the coolest thing that could ever happen to him.

[Tortuga]

Now that you're done, I have a funny story for you...

My dad worked for Bell telephone and its various iterations for pretty much his entire adult life. He was working in LA, this was probably around 1980-81, and his van broke down about a mile from the shop. So he walks about a block to a 7-11 to use the pay phone (remember those?), and he calls the shop but no one there is able to come pick him up. So he's talking to his coworker and decides he's going to hoof it and walk about a mile to the shop, "a really nice little guy" comes up and says, "I heard you talking about your situation, let me give you a ride to your shop". My dad, super grateful, accepts the ride and as he follows the guy, he sees him walk up to what appeared to be a brand new Lamborghini Countach. At this point, my dad starts to wonder "who the hell is this guy?". They get in, and there's about a million 7-11 coffee cups littering the seats and floorboards. As the guy fires up the engine, he mashes out a Marlboro Red right on the dashboard! My dad then realizes that the entire dashboard has been used as an ashtray for most of the car's life. So they start some small talk and my dad pretty much blurts out "what do you do for a living that you can afford to do this to an exotic car?". The guy explains he's in a pretty big rock and roll band, but my dad didn't recognize the name. He says "you remember the Jackson 5? I just did some studio work for Michael". Guy dropped him off, and my dad went about his day, but certainly recognized the nice little man on MTV a bit later.

That "studio work" was the solo to Beat it, and that guy turned out to be Eddie Van Halen. My dad was pretty much a fan from that ride onward.

Wow! Awesome story!

Since we're telling EVH Stories... I was at Disneyland for a company annual picnic back in the late 90's, walking from the Haunted Mansion towards Splash Mountain (Bear Country). This long haired guy goes running right past me and my wife chasing a kid, and I had this funny notion that it might be Eddie Van Halen, but "no way in hell that could'a been him..."

Monday, I go to work, and one of the guys that works for me says "hey - did you hear [so and so] saw Eddie Van Halen in the General Store on Main Street? Her husband damn near tackled him trying to catch up and meet the guy". Goddam what I would have given to actually have been able to meet the guy. I'm guessing the kid he was chasing was Wolfie. Missed him by that much

[ledvedder]

Here I am "trying" to play some VH riffs on it. Please forgive the playing, this was more about the sound of the guitar.

https://soundcloud.com/bob-walker/frankenstrat-riffs