EVH "Frankie" Replica to be at NAMM

[jhale667]

....what makes you think they can't play?

Hey, I think if you CAN afford a ridiculously priced guitar, knock yourself out...but I can attest that in all my time selling guitars back in the day, EASILY 9 out of 10 of the guys who can afford those pieces cannot play their way out of a wet paper bag...they weren't even true COLLECTORS, just the type of dork who would point to it hanging on their wall and say "I paid (X) thousand dollars for that guitar." Well, congratufuckinglations. Ya still can't play the thing. LOL We referred to them as "guitar weenies".

Having said that, if I could afford a Frankie relic, I'd get one and put it in a glass case on the wall...and WORSHIP it, but you wouldn't catch me bragging about how much I paid for it. I'm actually anxious to see the thing...

[Bryan]

Wow.

I'm just upset at the fact that the "Blackie" and now this EVH "Frankie" are priced in a range where the average working joe fan (such as myself) can't afford one.

But it's not just Fender that does this. I've seen sig Gibsons that are out of my comfortable price range. I don't care for Gibsons, but this trend does exist across the board.

At least Fender is nice enough (or smart enough) to offer two different Clapton Strats in price ranges that are easier to afford with two levels (production and CS) to give us consumers a choice.

And kudos to Charvel for making the EVH art series and giving us a chance to own a replica of EVH's guitar. While I agree that the Art series is a bit overpriced at around $2300, at least it's a step in my general direction. If I was more of a die hard fan, I would find a way to own one. It's just that a one hum OFR guitar to me shouldn't cost that much. But of course I'm not just buying the guitar. I would be buying the name as well.

Still as a customer and a fan, it's annoying to see something like these guitars that would be nice to own, yet is nowhere near my affordable price range. But if people will pay for them, I don't fault the companies for cashing in on demand. More power (and money) to them.

Who knows, maybe if these runs are a success, they'll gear something a little lower in price for the rest of us.

[Jack Napalm]

I am hoping they detailed how the Frankies were made. It would make a cool documentary. They better have one at NAMM so I can see it up close and personal like. I would love to own one but they will probably be out of my price range. I'll have to live vicariously though someone else.

[dtt001]

This is actually a great thread, and somewhat timely for me. It would be nice to have one of the EVH guitars. I would like to have one of the re-issues that are routinely for sale around 2k which I may still do. That said the more I have thought about purchasing one the more I find myself saying why not by the parts and put a unique guitar together for myself like EVH did originally. I hope to finish in the next few months....(spare time/hobby time permitting).

Of course on the lighter side...my concern is that it doesn't wind up like the 'potato bazooka' picture on this thread with six strings, a floyd and a single hum.

[El_Kabong]

My broker is an asshole. He deems this guitar an unjustifiable and unreasonable request and will not be releasing a portion of my portfolio funds for this purchase. He claims that at my age, such a purchase is fatuous. I said to the old fart, 'Who are you calling fat?"

[charveljunkie]

Well I will wait till one turns up in a pawn shop and they think its a $2k beat to shit evh series and spend $600.00 and out the door I go.

[hippietim]

Hey, I think if you CAN afford a ridiculously priced guitar, knock yourself out...but I can attest that in all my time selling guitars back in the day, EASILY 9 out of 10 of the guys who can afford those pieces cannot play their way out of a wet paper bag...

Dude, in all my time playing guitars, being around guitarists, going to music stores, going to clubs, etc. I can attest that EASILY 9 out of 10 guitarists cannot play their way out of a wet paper bag. All you are doing is confirming that the trend shows no fiscal bias.

[yard dawg]

If these reisues are better quality and it takes alot of time to make them how come the ones who were making them before EVHs lawyers made them quit werent charging $20k? Arent the ones they built "collector" pieces too? Just because it comes from a fender custom shop doesnt make it better built than any other replica made by another luthier. I personally wouldnt buy a reissue of any kind with a price tag like that. If fender would mass produce the re issues and bring the price down to say $3500 I bet theyd make more money in the long run. I bet people would be whining still though. If it is a money grab well maybe he needs it. I wished I was able to grab some more money these days

I personally am tired of EVH selling guitars or new amps or whatever he has been pimping. I want some new music with the real Van Halen. I dont care for EVH produced porn tunes. I was a Van Halen fan not an EVH only fan. EVH has been prolly the most influencial player ever IMHO,but Van Halen was more than his guitars color.

[hammer84]

You Yankees don't know nuthin' about nuthin'. This is a potato gun:

Looks like you lost some weight Tim................


BTW, if I had the money to spend on a new Frankie I would do it and just hang it on the wall to piss everyone off !!!

[Bryan @ Work]

BTW, if I had the money to spend on a new Frankie I would do it and just hang it on the wall to piss everyone off !!!

:ROTF: :ROTF:

Funniest. Post. Here.

[Bryan]

I'm hearing $24,000 and probably around 300 being made.

[brent]

I'm hearing $24,000 and probably around 300 being made.

$29,299 probably 100, I've only heard 300 in one place

there's a PDF sell sheet like the one from the DeMartinis of it floating around somewhere

[Postal]

Shawn.

Very well said. It's the "other side of the coin" that most of these guys dont wanna hear.

El Kabong.... funny!!

Yes both those pics are Chip. It's hard to identify without the hair back thrashing like that, but it's definately Chip.

If you paint a $500 guitar yourself without really knowing what you're doing... then it'll be a $100 guitar when you're done....

I saw a CS SRV once.... As much as I respect SRV.... I want a scratch n dent discount for that thing..... I dont really get that.... I can understand someone wanting something built to the exact same specs... but to fake all the scratches and dings, I just dont have any interest in that. Those dings came from road rash from a hard life, not something for someone to fake on a brand new axe.... If I buy a brand new axe, it better look brand new... but some people are into that...

The frankenstrat is slated to be an exact duplicate with the scratch and dent and everything else. As I said I'm not into that, but it takes a huge effort and and time to duplicate this stuff. The parts and materials are nothing compared to the effort that would go into it. You are primarily paying for *TIME!* not parts.....

It is a truly collectable item whether you like it or not, and they know that, so they CAN charge that much and they will sell. Guitars are highly collectable now. There was even an article in some rich guy investment mag about it around a year ago.... There are all kinds of markets in all price ranges... maybe you're a squire guy, or maybe you're a pre WW martin guy..... your income will highly dictate which guy you are. Don't be jealous of those better off than you, just like you dont feel bad for those poorer than you. We all know that EVH had next to nothing in the real Frank, but he was offered 1 mil for it.... This is something I laugh at..... I hear EVH laughs about this as well. I dont see any added value because some famous person owned or played something, but many do. Who am I to argue? I dont get it myself, but hey.... I dont get a lot of things......


Maybe the new owner of that high dollar axe can play, and maybe he cant. So what? Soon I'll have 10 axes that are nicer than most of the ones on posted on this board and I cant play at all. (no pics as of yet.... in a few months maybe......) It makes me laugh to think that one day I'll sign up for beginner lessons and every lesson, walk in with a different guitar, and every one of them will be better than my instructors. Just because I cant play, doesnt mean I'm not allowed to own one..... Look at all the gunowners out there that cant shoot for shit..... I compete in tactical rifle matches every other month.... Does that mean people without skills like mine cant own the rifle? If thats the case most people shouldnt own a hammer or screwdriver......

Some people have more money than you, and can afford things you cant- whether they're good with the tool or not------ Deal with it.

The only good things about this thread are;

1- Shawns enlightening responce
2- That for ONCE there was a thread about EVH and no one talking smack about how he's a "has been", and that they are better than him..... Man that is old.... If you actually were better than him, you'd be rich and famous, and others here would be saying that they are better than YOU!......

Rant over! my apologies......

Postal!

[Bryan @ Work]

If you actually were better than him, you'd be rich and famous, and others here would be saying that they are better than YOU!......

But I'm not better than him, I'm not rich or famous, and others say they're better than me anyway....

Should I be bitter about that?

jk

This thread has definitely touched on a few nerves...

At least everybody can agree(?) that they are asking quite a lot of money for this guitar.

You know what could make this more worthwhile? Have a private lesson arranged with Eddie where he sits down with you for an hour or so, runs through some stuff using the guitar, then turns it over to you at the end of the session. Throw in a photo of the two of you, print it up and have it autographed, and call it a day.

Now that I could see as being more worth a premium price....

[jwoods986]

Interesting thread. My thoughts:
1. I think a Frankie replica is cool and congrats to those who will get one. It's way out of my price range but that doesn't mean people are stupid for buying one. The Blackie run sold out in 7 hours, so obviously there is a market for guitars like these.
2. To those who are considering an EVH art series - buy used! You can find mint ones on the bay all the time around $1500, I even watched some go as low as $1200-1300. Or wait for a used GMW to pop up.
3. There's nothing wrong with the parts route either. I was watching the bay and boards for while (see point #2) when this popped up on jemsite:

It's got a OFR, Duncan Custom Custom ($250 for those two parts alone), Ed Roman skunk-stripe neck, a Warmoth body, and a great paint/relic job (notice cig. burn on the headstock). For 1/3 the price of a used EVH, over 1/4 less than a new EVH and IMO more accurate than the R/W/B EVH Charvel is selling. And I didn't have to sell both my Wolfgang Specials and Washburn 7-string for one guitar. Instead, I got this, a YJM Strat, and pocketed the 7-string money.

So my point is no one is right or wrong. If you are going to get a Frankie repica, congrats. The EVH art series is a great alternative, just shop around on pricing. And there's nothing wrong with going the parts route either.