A Spot-on Tribute to Eddie's "Unchained" Axe
Modeled after Eddie Van Halen’s iconic “Unchained” guitar, the EVH Striped Series Circles electric guitar sends you straight back to Van Halen’s Fair Warning tour, circa 1981. This shred-ready 6-string starts off with a lightweight basswood body, complete with a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo and D-Tuna for shrieking dive-bombs and instant swaps from standard to Drop D. Next, the graphite-reinforced quartersawn maple neck proudly wears an ultra-high-performance compound-radius maple fingerboard to facilitate all manner of 6-string pyrotechnics. A single EVH Wolfgang direct-mount humbucker and a lone master volume finish this guitar off with a no-nonsense edge, mirroring Eddie’s penchant for the speedy simplicity of a single-pickup stunner. Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention this guitar’s glorious 2-part graphic finish — captivating “crop circles” up front and a re-creation of Eddie’s hand-painted “BYE SEE YA LATER” artwork on the back!
Ultra-stable graphite-reinforced maple neck
The neck is one of the most important aspects of any instrument, which is why this EVH’s graphite-reinforced quartersawn maple neck offers such amazing stability. You’ll also love the playability and feel of the compound-radius fretboard on this EVH, going from a rounder 12 inches at the nut to a comfortable and flat 16-inch radius on the upper frets. From open-position riffage to screaming multi-step bends on the highest frets, Sweetwater guitarists love how the EVH Circles’ compound radius delivers effortless playability from the first fret up to the 22nd.
Dive-ready Floyd Rose tremolo
The EVH Circles boasts a classic EVH-branded Floyd Rose tremolo. First gaining popularity in the 1980s, the Floyd Rose’s locking design keeps your guitar in tune, even if you like to perform extreme pitch pyrotechnics. When push comes to shove, you can force the whammy bar all the way down to the guitar's body for psychotic dive-bombing. No matter how much you abuse it, you'll maintain your tuning stability, thanks to the Floyd Rose tremolo's locking design. On top of that, you can easily switch to Drop D tuning, courtesy of the EVH Circles’ D-Tuna — a fitting feature, as Eddie’s original “Unchained” guitar was one of his dedicated Drop D guitars during 1981’s Fair Warning tour.
Fair Warning to the EVH faithful
Favored by Eddie during Van Halen’s 1981 Fair Warning tour, this circle-clad 6-string is iconic for its star role during the band’s iconic performances of “Unchained.” After dazzling the audience with this guitar’s dazzling black-and-white circle graphics, Eddie would flip the guitar around to reveal the finishing blow — the words “BYE SEE YA LATER” emblazoned on the backside! Naturally, the “Unchained” guitar has sparked countless copies from Edward’s devout disciples, culminating in this official re-creation that perfectly recreates the vibe, tone, and feel of the original.
EVH Striped Series Circles Electric Guitar Features:
- Lightweight basswood body emblazoned with the black-and-white circles and “BYE SEE YA LATER” graphic of Eddie’s “Unchained” guitar
- Quartersawn maple neck with sturdy graphite reinforcement, carved into an EVH Modified “C” profile
- Maple fingerboard with a fast-playing compound radius
- A single EVH Wolfgang pickup sings with high-output sustain, remarkable dynamics, and a versatility that covers everything from crunchy rock rhythms to Eddie’s signature “brown sound”
- Double-locking Floyd Rose tremolo unleashes squealing dive bombs and vibrant vibrato
- D-Tuna for instant shift into Drop D tuning
- No-nonsense control section sports a single master volume control
