Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein™ Replica Tribute - Setup by Tom Weber

The Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein™ Replica Tribute - an instantly recognizable piece of guitar history, expertly and deliberately crafted to mimic Eddie's baby in lucid detail... from the 1971 quarter to the screw-eye strap hooks and masking tape, to each ding, dent, dimple and cigarette burn on the ash body and the unfinished bolt-on maple neck. No cost or effort was spared in ensuring the accuracy of this reproduction of what is easily one of the world's most distinguishable guitars.

Nonplussed with the stock options of the time, Eddie took matters into his own hands to build his masterpiece - unencumbered by the rules and outfitted with a simple factory-second guitar body (and an $80 neck), he took to a soldering iron and chisel to install a humbucker from an old semi-hollow guitar, adjusting the angle ever-so-slightly to accommodate the wide string spacing of an original Fender bridge.

Eddie dipped the humbucker into molten paraffin wax (straight out of an old coffee can) to reduce feedback, a technique that would come to be known as "potting". He adjusted the vibrato bridge plate to lie flat against the body to increase his tuning stability and prevent upward bends, and replaced the frets on the wide, unfinished neck with larger wire.

Using Schwinn bicycle paint, Eddie spray-painted the now iconic black and white stripes that would in later days come to be instantly discernable. He covered up the neck and middle pickup routings with a homemade black pickguard and installed a brass nut, an original Fender tremolo tailpiece, and a notorious tone knob in place of his single master volume knob.

Some time later after several albums and tours, Eddie added the quintessential red stripe and a smattering of truck reflectors. In the midst of his second world tour, he replaced the tremolo with a prototype of the Floyd Rose locking trem system. In a simple stroke of innovation that would come to be a historical appointment, he mounted a 1971 quarter under the system to fill the gap between it and the body.

Over the years (and across an epoch of several replacement necks, all with Schaller tuners) Van Halen fans lovingly bestowed the guitar with the Frankenstein nickname.

By 2007, Eddie had reached a point of wanting to share his innovative legacy with guitarists everywhere; a first-rate, no-holds-barred recreation of his esteemed instrument. He took up arms with the only company he determined would do it justice - Fender. The culmination of Eddie's artistry and the pioneering greatness of the Fender Custom Shop produced an unmistakable masterpiece that would come to be a zenith in the annals of rock history.

The unveiling of this limited run of only 300 guitars sparked the birth of the EVH line, and cemented Eddie as a beacon of artistry and innovation - his unorthodox invention made immortal.

Here we have a piece of that history straight from the first run out of the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California in 2007, setup by Eddie's guitar technician himself -  the inimitable Tom Weber.

This guitar comes complete with an assortment of accoutrement, from the original striped shipping box and authentic Anvil hard shell flight case to a signed 8x10 photo, five EVH guitar picks, and a DVD showing the making of the Frankenstein replica. Also includes a certificate of setup and a Tom Weber guitar pick.

This item is at Five Star Guitars on consignment, as a result all sales are final.