Eddie Van Halen Replica Guitar
— July 23, 2007 2 132As reported on the Guitar MX Blog, the folks at Fender have come up with a pretty cool replica of Eddie Van Halen’s original “hybrid” guitar. Guitar builder/designer Chip Ellis did an amazing job of cloning the original “Frankenstein” that Van Halen built himself back in the 1970’s. So much so that Eddie Van Halen himself has trouble telling which is the original and which is the replica guitar.
Even as a guy who has spent years focusing on what drummers are doing, I found this video really interesting to watch. Van Halen talks a lot about how he came up with the idea for the now-famous “Frankenstein” and how he built it himself in his quest for a certain sound.
If you really must have one of these new EVH replica guitars, be prepared to save up your pennies for a while or perhaps take out a loan. They retail for $25,000. For that kind of cash, I’m glad to hear Eddie Van Halen himself report that it feels better and plays better than the original.
I must confess that if I was a guitar player, I think it would be a very cool thing to own. As mentioned in the video, that thing really is a rock n’ roll icon now, and is a guitar that even I would always recognize instantly when I saw it. Coming from someone who is not all that interested in guitars, that’s saying a lot.
2 Comments
‘Distressed’ Guitars Command Top Dollar
I don’t know about this guitar. Personally any who would blow 25 grand on a guitar is insane! I think its easier to buy a cheap brand of guitar like the kind you find at walmart, strip it down, and suit it up to how you want it. If you want the same sound just buy the pick-up. If you want the burns and scratches just get a lighter and some sand paper. The Frankenstein guitar looks cool, but not worth the $25,000.