Isabella Flores
Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat, also known as Frankenstein or simply Ed's Baby, is one of the most iconic electric guitars in history. Van Halen, a self-taught performer, built the guitar himself in 1977 after realising that no existing guitar had the features he needed to create his signature sound. The guitar initially had black and white stripes, representing the forces of darkness and light, but Van Halen painted it red in 1979 because he was frustrated that people were copying his design.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1979 |
| Date | A few days before the L.A. Coliseum show on April 8 |
| Location | Backyard of Ed and Al's house |
| Reason | To make his guitar different from those copying his original black and white design |
| Colours | Red, black and white |
| Design | Stripes |
| Guitar Name | Frankenstein, Frankenstrat, or Frankie |
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What You'll Learn
Why Eddie Van Halen painted his guitar red, black and white
Eddie Van Halen's iconic red, black and white guitar, nicknamed "Frankenstein", was pieced together by the musician himself from modified factory seconds and mismatched odd-lot parts. The guitar was an attempt to combine the sound of a classic Gibson guitar with the physical attributes and tremolo bar functionality of a Fender Stratocaster.
The red, black and white paint job was an attempt to throw off imitators. Van Halen was frustrated that his guitar's design was being copied, so he hastily prepped the original black and white Frankenstrat with coarse sandpaper, causing additional damage to the original finish, masked it with gaffer's tape, and sprayed it with a pearl white undercoat followed by a bright red top coat. This yielded the now-famous three-colour stripe scheme.
David Lee Roth, the Van Halen singer, has claimed that he was involved in the creation of the red, white and black-striped pattern. In a seven-minute video, he responded to fans who noticed similarities between the guitar's design and his painting "Big Wave". He said that the resemblance was because "it's my work".
There is also speculation that Van Halen may have taken inspiration from Chip Kinman of The Dils, who played in the same clubs as Van Halen and had a guitar with a similar paint job in 1975. However, others have argued that it is more likely that Kinman was inspired by Van Halen, as he began playing live shows with the Van Halen band in 1972.
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The origin of the Frankenstein guitar
The origin story of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar, also known as the "Frankenstrat" or simply "Ed's Baby", is a legendary tale in the world of music. The guitar, built by Van Halen himself, became a prototype for the "super Strat," influencing the most popular electric guitar designs that emerged after the iconic Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster models from the 1950s.
The story of the Frankenstein guitar began in August 1969 when a young Eddie, along with his brother Alex and father Jan Van Halen, visited a music store in Sierra Madre, California. There, Jan made a down payment, and Eddie got his hands on a brand-new goldtop Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar. However, Eddie soon realised that the guitar's pickups didn't deliver the rich tone he desired, leading him to experiment with different designs.
In 1974, the brothers Eddie and Alex formed the band Van Halen, and by 1975, Eddie was on a mission to create a guitar that met his unique standards, playing style, and signature sound. This quest led him to combine elements from various long-established guitar designs, creating something truly unique. The Frankenstein guitar was born out of this experimentation.
Over the years, the Frankenstein guitar evolved as Eddie constantly modified and improved it. He swapped necks, pickups, and hardware, always striving for perfection and staying ahead of his imitators. The guitar featured a Boogie Bodies neck and body, a PAF humbucker, a Stratocaster tremolo, and a pickguard cut from black vinyl, representing the forces of darkness and light. The iconic red, black, and white paint job was added in 1979, with Eddie painting it himself just days before a gig at the Los Angeles Coliseum, expressing his frustration at people copying his guitar design.
The Frankenstein guitar served as Eddie Van Halen's primary instrument from 1977 to 1983 and remains one of the most iconic and valuable electric guitars in modern history, with its legacy continuing to inspire musicians and guitar designers alike.
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Eddie Van Halen's primary instrument from 1977 to 1983
The origin of the Frankenstrat began in August 1969 when Eddie and his brother Alex went with their father, Jan Van Halen, to a music store in Sierra Madre, California. There, Jan purchased a brand-new goldtop Gibson Les Paul Standard for Eddie. However, Eddie soon discovered that the guitar's pickups didn't deliver the same rich tone as the humbucker-equipped Les Paul and SG guitars played by his hero, Eric Clapton.
In 1976, Eddie acquired a Boogie Bodies neck and body from Charvel, which he used as the basis for all of his primary instruments for the remainder of his life. He installed a PAF humbucker and Stratocaster tremolo, cut a pickguard from black vinyl, and painted the body with black and white stripes. The black and white stripes represented the forces of darkness and light.
Over the years, Eddie continued to modify the Frankenstrat, frequently swapping necks, pickups, and hardware in his quest to build the perfect guitar and stay ahead of his imitators. In 1979, he added red paint to the guitar's body, creating the iconic red, black, and white paint job. The final live show of the Frankenstrat was on May 29, 1983, at Van Halen's legendary 'US Festival' concert.
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The guitar's design and features
Eddie Van Halen's iconic red, black and white guitar, known as "Frankenstein", "Frankenstrat", or simply "Frankie", was built by the musician himself in 1977. The guitar was a modified 1961 Stratocaster, purchased from Wayne Charvel in 1976.
The design of the guitar was influenced by Van Halen's desire to create a unique sound that no existing guitar could produce. He combined different elements of long-established guitar designs into one instrument. The guitar featured a Boogie Bodies neck and body, a PAF humbucker, a Stratocaster tremolo, and a pickguard cut by hand from black vinyl. The black-and-white stripes represented the forces of darkness and light.
Over the years, Van Halen made frequent modifications to the guitar, including neck swaps, pickup swaps, and bridge swaps, in his quest to create the perfect instrument and stay ahead of his imitators. The guitar's appearance also evolved, with the addition of red paint in 1979, and blue paint sometime before a 1993 photoshoot.
The Frankenstrat was retired in 1997, but it remains one of the most iconic and valuable electric guitars in modern history. It was the catalyst for the "super Strat" design and inspired many musicians with its unique sound and style.
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When Eddie Van Halen painted his guitar
Eddie Van Halen's iconic red, black and white guitar, nicknamed "Frankenstein", "Frankenstrat" or simply "Frankie", was painted in late March 1979. The story goes that a few days before Van Halen was set to perform at the L.A. Coliseum for the California World Music Festival, Eddie was feeling frustrated about slow ticket sales and the fact that everyone was copying his black and white guitar. So, he decided to paint his guitar red to stand out and be different.
The guitar itself was a Fender Masterbuilt Custom Shop guitar, which Eddie built and modified himself, combining elements of different guitar designs to create his signature sound. The red, black and white paint job was just one aspect of the guitar's unique design, which also included a Boogie Bodies neck and body, a PAF humbucker, a Stratocaster tremolo, and a pickguard made from black vinyl.
Eddie's Frankenstrat became one of the most iconic and valuable electric guitars in modern history. It was his primary instrument from 1977 to 1983 and was constantly modified and improved during that time. Neck swaps, pickup swaps, and bridge swaps were common, with Eddie always striving to create the perfect beast and stay ahead of his imitators.
The origin story of the Frankenstrat goes back to 1969 when Eddie and his brother Alex went with their father to a music store in Sierra Madre, California. There, Eddie purchased a goldtop Gibson Les Paul Standard, his first professional-quality instrument. However, he soon began modifying it, replacing the pickups and making other changes to improve its sound and performance.
Over the years, the Frankenstrat evolved and underwent various transformations, including the addition of blue paint at some point before a 1993 photo shoot. The guitar was finally retired in 1997, but it remains a legendary symbol of Eddie Van Halen's innovative spirit and enduring influence on the world of rock music.
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Frequently asked questions
Eddie Van Halen painted his black-and-white guitar red because he was frustrated that everyone was copying his guitar.
Eddie Van Halen painted his guitar red a few days before his gig at the Los Angeles Coliseum for the California World Music Festival in 1979.
Eddie Van Halen's painted guitar is known as "Frankenstrat", "Frankenstein", or "Ed's Baby".
Eddie Van Halen's painted guitar was inspired by the forces of darkness and light, with the black and white stripes representing these opposing forces.
