Frankenstrat build! - WIP

Hey guys! Long time since I've posted a build thread on here. I thought I'd come back with a little bit of rock and roll. Here is my build of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat. It's an iconic guitar!

I will say that it isn't perfect, and is still a work in progress,but it sounds and looks great!!

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I started with an old squier body that I had purchased from a guy who made a parts guitar. I sanded the finish and paint off and got a nice clean base. I did a test fit of the eye hook strap hooks too.



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Then I did 3 coats of black spray paint and taped it up! I didn't worry too much about getting it exactly right, I added my own personal taste to it and just did it in like 20 minutes.



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I sprayed 3 coats of white paint on next, and then I scraped a bunch of paint off with a razor blade. After a quick light sand, I taped up the white paint to get ready for the red. Again I didn't worry about precision but just threw on the tape.



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3 coats of red paint later....Before and after taking off the tape. Finally getting to see the product! Looks awesome! I went at it again with the razor blade and took off even more paint, dirtying it up.



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Finished product!

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The neck and hardware bits came from a Sterling Sub AX4. It's a cheap version of the Music Man Axis, one of the guitars that Eddie used for a time. The Axis has the most comfortable and fastest neck I have ever played on, and the AX4 isn't too far behind. The pickup is not an EVH one, it's the custom DiMarzio from the AX4. I may upgrade to the EVH Frankenstein pickup at some point. I also need to mount the pickup at a slant like the original guitar has.

Nice looking guitar. It's cool to see your WIP on here. I'm also a musician and Star Wars trooper in the 501st Legion. Really nice job!

If i remember correctly, Eddie filled up a part with candlewax, and did a couple of color before setting in for the red.

Hey, I've seen that!

Thanks! It sounds really awesome!

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Cool! I believe the copper wire on the pickups was coated in wax. I didn't want to make a mess so I didn't do any of that.

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Mike J. said:

Hey, I've seen that!

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Who stole my guitar??? Lol

falconNL said:

If i remember correctly, Eddie filled up a part with candlewax, and did a couple of color before setting in for the red.

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Yes, the pickup he used wasn't wax potted so it squealed too much at stage volume, so he wax potted it himself.

Great job so far. I heard he melted a candle in his hotel room one night onto his coils. Are you going to add the cigarette burn on the headstock?

i still have to try to make one of these,i have 90 odd guitars from a steve vai jem 777 ( i have 24 ibanez) to real cheap makes ,i love to customize guitars,sometimes it works other times well they become wall hangers

Customrelic said:

Great job so far. I heard he melted a candle in his hotel room one night onto his coils. Are you going to add the cigarette burn on the headstock?

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I think you're right about that. I will add the burns, I'm just gonna use a wood burning iron or a soldering iron. I have to sand down the headstock to remove the finish and logo from the guitar I used. I also have to glue a faux selector and single coil pickup in the slots, all the working components are under the pick guard

madmax said:

i still have to try to make one of these,i have 90 odd guitars from a steve vai jem 777 ( i have 24 ibanez) to real cheap makes ,i love to customize guitars,sometimes it works other times well they become wall hangers

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This is my first step into the world of custom guitars, but it's awesome! I wasn't sure that this one would turn out to be playable but it is. I mounted the bridge just a hair too high, so the low string is a little close to the edge of the fretboard. I may fill in the holes and redrill some point, but for now its great!

I'd say go for it! Grab a cheap body somewhere. I think either an old Kramer or Squier strat would work! Once you do the paint job it will inspire you to finish the rest!

Id use real cigs. Let them burn for a while to get the authentic look.

Ive been building guitars for 20+ years and i have yet to make his model. And i have made over 100 guitars. Im a big les paul guy. I just finished the last of all of zakk wyldes models

Very nice man, I did a frankenstrat a few years back, not as clean or well done but hey its still very playable.

Also 2nd on the real cigs... makes for a very realistic burn.

Here is the whole build... HERE

Customrelic said:

View attachment 638441Id use real cigs. Let them burn for a while to get the authentic look.

Ive been building guitars for 20+ years and i have yet to make his model. And i have made over 100 guitars. Im a big les paul guy. I just finished the last of all of zakk wyldes models
http://www.therpf.com/webkit-fake-url://d0a9be03-7c53-4e74-8404-d15bf30d1c27/imagejpeg

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I'll have to find a friend who smokes to lend me a few, I don't want to buy a whole pack for only a few burns.

Les Pauls are great guitars. It used to be my favorite kind, and the first one I bought was a Les Paul. Once I tried the music man guitars, it was over though. I have not played a smoother neck than on the music man axis. Even the entry level models are easier to play. I have to fight with Les Pauls to get what I want.