Inspired by Eddie's Iconic "Eruption" Frankenstrat
Edward Van Halen's iconic "Frankenstein" guitar went through many changes throughout its life, and the EVH Striped Series '78 captures it in one of its earliest incarnations. Before the red background. Before the Floyd Rose tremolo. Before the Seymour Duncan pickup. It features a basswood body patterned after the original's contoured slab of ash, along with a compound-radius fingerboard for modern playability, plus EVH-approved hardware and electronics. Beyond that, its relic'd striped finish and aged chrome hardware mimic what Edward's original axe probably looked like after it was tainted by the abuse of the road. This solidbody electric guitar is topped off with a '70s-style licensed Fender Strat headstock with a gold EVH logo, along with a skirted Strat-style volume knob. The Striped Series '78 is a must-have collectable for every EVH aficionado. What's more, it's a great-sounding, comfortable-playing instrument for guitarists of all stripes.
Period-accurate EVH specifications
The Striped Series '78 Eruption was inspired by Edward's iconic Frankenstrat circa 1978, during the recording of his revolutionary instrumental track "Eruption." Built from solid basswood, this axe's dimensions were patterned after the original instrument's contoured ash body. It also includes a bolt-on maple neck with a fast-playing compound-radius fingerboard. A vintage Fender tremolo supplies access to Edward's classic dive-bomb techniques, along with screeching horse and elephant sounds. And of course, you also get a relic'd striped finish to ensure a period-accurate look.
High-output EVH Wolfgang bridge humbucker
When Eddie built his original Frankenstrat, he was trying to combine the sound of a classic Gibson with the physical attributes of a Fender. To achieve this, he loaded the guitar with a PAF-style humbucker, potting it in paraffin wax to reduce microphonic squeal. The '78 Eruption is outfitted with a slanted EVH Wolfgang bridge humbucker, which yields you a scorching, well-balanced tone that's guaranteed to please even the stingiest of EVH tone connoisseurs. A 500k EVH Bourns low-friction volume pot enables you to create effortless swells with zero clicks or pops. You also get a treble bleed circuit to eliminate muddy tone when you lower the guitar's volume. To sum it up, the '78 Eruption delivers an open sound with loads of presence — the guitarists here at Sweetwater love it for a wide range of playing situations.
Super-stable quartersawn maple neck
The neck is one of the most important aspects of any guitar, which is why the Striped Series '78 Eruption features a quartersawn maple neck. Besides looking good, the straight grain of quartersawn necks is significantly more stable than plain-sawn necks and less likely to warp, twist, or shrink. You'll appreciate the easy-playing feel of this neck's hand-rubbed satin urethane back finish. You'll also love the playability and feel of the '78 Eruption's compound-radius fingerboard, which goes from a 12-inch radius at the nut to a comfortable and flat 16-inch radius on the upper frets.
EVH Striped Series '78 Eruption Electric Guitar Features:
- Inspired by Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat during the recording of "Eruption"
- Basswood body is patterned after the original guitar's contoured slab of ash
- Relic'd bolt-on quartersawn maple neck with a hand-rubbed satin urethane back finish
- Fast-playing compound-radius fingerboard
- Slanted EVH Wolfgang bridge humbucker outputs a scorching, well-balanced tone
- 500k EVH Bourns low-friction volume pot creates effortless swells with zero clicks or pops
- Treble bleed circuit eliminates muddy tone at lower volume settings
- Vintage Fender tremolo accesses Eddie's classic whammy bar techniques
- Relic'd striped finish, aged chrome hardware, and skirted Strat-style volume knob
- '70s-style licensed Fender Strat headstock with a gold EVH logo
