Guitars I Dig: EVH’s Frankenstrat

Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstrat is a workhorse guitar, akin to Steve Vai’s Evo or Brad Gillis’ “shovel” — arguably the most famous workhorse guitar in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.

A first in its 40 year history -- being treated with kid gloves.

EVH only made two of these babies — one in 1978, out of parts of undetermined vintage; the other in 1979 out of Charvel parts from that year. The original is the one that “took” to its maker — EVH played it hard and played it often, only retiring it recently after Fender’s luthiers produced a clone that played, to Eddie’s sensibilities, better than the original.

What I find so terrifically charming about this guitar is just how hammered it is. People who managed to catch last year’s Play It Loud exhibit at the NY Met almost invariably remarked on how beat up these iconic instruments were — and nobody’s more than EVH’s.

The Frankenstrat deservedly has its own wiki, and this guy did a remarkable job of chronicling his painstaking replication of the legendary instrument.

It is evident from both pages that EVH was none-too-gentle about getting his self-built guitar to do what he damn well expected it to do. EVH’s character is revealed in the instrument, I think. While the playing revealed his evident sensitivity, the instrument evidences his drive, stubbornness, force of will. At the end of the day, Van Halen was EVH’s band, and his alone.

RIP, Eddie Van Halen.

Post-script: EVH breaks it all down for Popular Mechanics.