VH2 Bumblebee body?

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

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You can also see Ed's hidden tone control knob back there.

Mike

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WOW! Never knew that.....thats pretty cool. thanks for pointing that out to me.

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Apparently he added that because the humbucker was positioned too close to the bridge, rendering the guitar too bright. Of course, I have also heard that it had a "mystery" function and that Ed wanted to hide this control. I say he just didn't want to drill a hole for it!! It is a tone control.

Mike

[Bengal65]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

For excellent techiques see www.paintyourownguitar.com. He's got books on getting the technique down for a professional looking EVH job.

[jcmktgguy]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Uhhh...news flash!! The Black and Yellow bumblebee was built by Grover, Mike Eldred, and Co....AFTER Wayne sold Charvel to Grover. Wayne's going to be hard pressed to build it to spec when he doesn't know the specs.

Please understand, I love Michael and Wayne Charvel. They are both wonderful guys and I respect both of them a great deal. However, there are many myths about the real history of Charvel. Hopefully this myth is now "busted".

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

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Uhhh...news flash!! The Black and Yellow bumblebee was built by Grover, Mike Eldred, and Co....AFTER Wayne sold Charvel to Grover. Wayne's going to be hard pressed to build it to spec when he doesn't know the specs.

Please understand, I love Michael and Wayne Charvel. They are both wonderful guys and I respect both of them a great deal. However, there are many myths about the real history of Charvel. Hopefully this myth is now "busted".

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News Flash! Most of us know this.

In fact, most of us also know that Grover's relationship with Eddie was forever soured over Grover's making and marketing copies of these guitars for public consumption.

I am sure Wayne can figure out the specs on this body, and add the early route.

I know you work for Jackson, and you have a justified and vested interest in preserving your company's products. However, many guys who would like a B&Y can't afford, or don't want an Art Series...and would prefer to make one themselves.

Mike

[Soap]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

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are they gonna paint it for ya too?

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I'll be doing the paint job.
It doesn't seem like it would be to overly hard to do.

Questions gang: Help with these.
Ed's Neck Specs...
Nut width 2 5/8 or 11 1/16
Floyd Nut = R2
Fret Size = ? Not sure actually.
I've heard he liked his tall and slim/skinny for better intonation purposes.
Radius = ? Not sure, from nut to 22nd fret?

Pickup?
With an alder body what would be close to this era?
SD's 78 model (EVH)?
SD's SH14/TB14? Both are the same one is a trembucker.

Thanks again, much apprecited.

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

1 11/16 would have been the original dimensions of the neck. The 1 5/8 jobs are like that because they have been worn down through playing over the years.

In the pickup area...well, Eddie used so many different ones that your options are WIDE open. You could run a '78, you could run a '59, or even a Seth Lover or an Antiquity. You could run a Custom, or for more of a Fair Warning era tone you could run a hybrid '59/Custom. I have one of these and they rule.

Ed also used DiMarzio PAFs. I guess it just comes down to your personal taste with the PU.

MIke

[jcmktgguy]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

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I know you work for Jackson, and you have a justified and vested interest in preserving your company's products. However, many guys who would like a B&Y can't afford, or don't want an Art Series...and would prefer to make one themselves.

Mike

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I know some guys can't afford the Charvel EVH and by making a mutt, they get a close facsimile.

It sounded to me like Soap wants an exact replica. My point was, how can Wayne make an exact replica, if he didn't make the original body in the first place?? Can he come close from the pics? Yes, I'm sure he can.

I have an original San Dimas B&Y striped Charvel. It was used to make templates for the current Charvel bodies, so we know they are vintage correct.

[Chameleonfong]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Yawn.. [img]/images/graemlins/sleep.gif[/img]

[Soap]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

And thats exactly what I'm doing.
Making for myself a bumblebee without the steep Charvel price tag.
When I'm done, you won't be able to tell the difference between the two (mine and Charvels' EVH series).
Yes to those that have a keen eye for detail more so than me, will notice discrepancies more so than others.
For me, it will be a labor of love.
I'm not shooting for perfection but the finished guitar won't look like a piece of junk either, I will do a good job. I intend to take my time with the project, and let it be fun, no race no hurry. Gather up the info needed and go from there.

Guys?
I still a full front shot of Ed's bumblebee for getting the striped pattern down. I don't need a shot of the neck, just the body. Don't make it to small, cause when you begin to zoom in, the pic loses it clarity quite abit.
I got one of the Charvel EVH series BUT the way is laying or setting the angle isn't a good frontal, but it least I have something.

Thanks gang.

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

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I know you work for Jackson, and you have a justified and vested interest in preserving your company's products. However, many guys who would like a B&Y can't afford, or don't want an Art Series...and would prefer to make one themselves.

Mike

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I know some guys can't afford the Charvel EVH and by making a mutt, they get a close facsimile.

It sounded to me like Soap wants an exact replica. My point was, how can Wayne make an exact replica, if he didn't make the original body in the first place?? Can he come close from the pics? Yes, I'm sure he can.

I have an original San Dimas B&Y striped Charvel. It was used to make templates for the current Charvel bodies, so we know they are vintage correct.

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OK, man..are you serious? Do you honestly think that WAYNE CHARVEL cannot get a period correct body shape for Soap? He may have sold the company to Grover before the B&Y was made, but I am sure he has a few period correct guitars at his disposal for making a correct body.

Mike

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Here you go, Soap:



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Check out that pickup! DiMarzio? Double hex head coils and clear bobbins!



Pictures courtesy of www.vanhalenguitars.com Check it out, he has the ultimate collection of replicas.

Mike

[MBreinin]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

p.s. You need a 21 fret neck and a V-Trem to make it correct...

Mike

[L]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Soap I have a huge pic of the front somewhere and will post if i can find it (it is from the same photo shoot as the pic of the back that appeared in Young Guitar). I would also recommend checking out the replica section of the forums on www.eddievanhalen.com. There are some super-knowledgeable guys on there regarding specs and how-to.

As far as I know, Wayne sold the shop to Grover on November 10, 1978 and immediately stopped being involved. The Van Halen 2 album was released on Mar 23, 1979. You’d figure the photo shoot for the album cover (when the guitar was delivered) falls closer to the latter of those 2 dates. So yes, it would make sense that Wayne was probably not involved with making the guitar.

JCMktgGuy – are you saying that Grover and company made an entirely new body shape/contours for the Black/Yellow? I would have assumed they would have used an existing body/contour template that had been there since Wayne was around, the only difference being they flipped the top-load strat route around to the backside.

Also, it's a bit suspect that you contend that Jackson is the only company that has the expertise to build the black/yellow correctly when you guys didn't even get the stripes right on the black/yellows or the black/whites.

[Soap]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Thanks a bunch.
Thats a plenty of pics.

Not sure why there is a concern of Wayne and Mike providing me with a VH2 body. I hope you realize, maybe you do and maybe you don't, but Wayne or Mike has done several VH tribute players guitars. My main concern is the rear cavity route. Its essential it has the original (boogie) route.
There is another online luither I could go with as well. At this point my options aren't limited. I felt the good advice I've been given, to go with Wayne so far has proved itself.
I still have to communicate some more things with him and if that doesn't prove fruitful, then I'll move on to the other mentioned online luither. I'm not too overly concerned about who does the body and the rear intended route job. I'm concerned with the quality of his work, getting the body and route job right.

Again, I deeply appreciate the responses, pics and info.
Kudos to this site and the fine folks that make it up.

[L]

Re: VH2 Bumblebee body?

Soap...do you know if you'll get the electronics cavity recessed...in the pic I posted it looks non-recessed but the dude's replica at www.vanhalenguitars.com is recessed. I wonder if Eddie's real one was non-recessed because it was truly the first rear-routed and they did not have the template to recess. Maybe the dude's at www.vanhalenguitars.com is an actual charvel body w/ boogie route that was produced after they got the template down.

And P.S. here's Hoss's version of events (I always trust what he says....sorry no dates on this but its in chroological order):

EVH buys parts built by Charvel mfg. and assembles them

Grover Jackson is hired by Wayne Charvel.

VHI is out with the Charvel on the cover with credit

Grover and Wayne build paint, assemble the VHII.

The Jackson's buy Charvel mfg.,

Charvel mfg is taking shape.

JoAnn Jackson delivers the VHII guitar to EVH.

NAMM 1979 The EVH Charvel model is introduced.