They Found EVH's VH1 Neck!!!

[chrisom]

Van Halen News Desk:

...After the speech was over, I was able to speak with Chip Ellis, the master builder for Fender’s EVH subsidiary. We talked about the beautiful black and white Frankenstein replica that he created for donation to the Smithsonian. He said that the guitar was as accurate to the 1977-78 version of the guitar as possible, which meant the tremolo was a vintage Fender standard and there was no locking nut, of course. Chip said, “While I was looking through a box of trash parts, I actually came across the original Boogie Bodies neck,” referring the original neck that Edward bought for $80 from Wayne Charvel to create Frankenstein. Chip explained that the headstock had actually fractured and was re-glued, however, it did prove to be unplayable and was actually potentially headed for destruction. Chip said he noticed a signature notch in the neck from an original photograph and indicated that a shadow of the old Gibson sticker that Eddie put on the headstock was still slightly visible. Chip was able to use the original neck as the principal source to ensure the creation of the most accurate replica possible...

Read more: http://www.vhnd.com/2015/02/16/smithson ... z3S4OZeiON

[chrisom]

From Ellsworth to Ellis...

[dirtycooter]

So are we talkin the neck on the $25k replica? Or the one on the Smithsonian backdrop?

[Strat78]

There is only one neck and it was that neck. The neck that Ed recorded Eruption with (VHI and VHII)!
...and it was heading for land fill!
Edited out my nonsense.

[rdodson]

If you have been around Ed you know that there are times you just don't want to go all "walk down memory lane". Ed is a very sensitive guy and there are times he has felt that "what, nothing I've done since '78 means anything?"

It is a catch-22 for him. He sees himself as a musician with things to say musically. He really was growing by leaps and bounds in the early 80s and it led to the split of the band. And his hero saying he couldn't play. And people in the industry calling him a prog-rock-wannabe-nutjob. And most damning, the fans didn't want it. They wanted a party band with a hot shot guitarist who was going to be young forever.

That vibe really gets (or used to) him down.

So I can imagine it being a walk down eggshell lane for Chip et al.

[rdodson]

Furthermore, remember Chip is a very good luthier. VERY good. You know how many people want to work for the Fender Custom Shop? It is a dream gig for 95% of everyone who wants to build guitars, at least bolt-ons.

And THAT neck was ruined by Ed. Forget the face-saving "it broke on tour". That neck was FINE until Ed tried to hand route the Floyd Rose nut shelf.

So it is extremely embarrassing. I'm not shocked at all that Chip found it in the discarded parts bin and it wasn't presented to him like some holy relic.

[dirtycooter]

Well.... if it truly was all that they could at least digitally CNC copy it in a playable unfucked up useable form for release. I bet there are some guys here that would fork over $1000 just for THAT NECK unreliced.
Not me though. I am past fairy dusted magic wood.

Copy it Ed-then put the original in a vault for family heirloom history. I think your great grand children will think its cool. Plus you can make some $$$ in the process

While I am not interested in having that particular neck exact I would like to know what it feels like in the hand.

[Strat78]

All that is absolutely valid rdodson. Ed is not some grotesque Norma Desmond type, the guy still has that wicked gleam in his eye, and he looks great, furthermore he carried that whole Smithsonian event without any bells or whistles. Ed can afford to be his own fan for a while, he even acknowledged how hard they worked to make that first album happen. How long would it take to flesh out a project that required a little digging through the archives. His original fan base is dying out anyway, what is wrong with going down memory lane with these folks? He should be happy that his material still holds up after all these years, that is what it is all about, you know, the fullness of time. Love the Black and White guitar, It came out of nowhere from a wellspring that is Ed's and Ed's alone.

[mapat]

Well.... if it truly was all that they could at least digitally CNC copy it in a playable unfucked up useable form for release. I bet there are some guys here that would fork over $1000 just for THAT NECK unreliced.

Too true.

I might even be one of them...

[rgorke]

At least my picture I didn't have red eye...I walk across the street and try and get some decent photos of the headstock, etc.

EDIT: In true Smithsonian form, the guitars are no where to be seen. I was told that they were "probably" given to the curators to do whatever they do to items donated. Ugh, probably never to be seen until the new wing is done in 2017. Had I known that the guitar on the neck was made from the original, you bet I would have taken as close up a picture of the head stock as possible.

[Rich_D]

While I am not interested in having that particular neck exact I would like to know what it feels like in the hand.

This.

[Rich_D]

Ed can afford to be his own fan for a while.

Amen.

How long would it take to flesh out a project that required a little digging through the archives

They did that with the red replica, albeit with an absurd $25,000 rollout. But I think they dove into the deep end on that project.

btw, what are the issues with that B&W replica on stage? Is it not a one off for the Smithsonian? I do see a gloss on it but I'm not sure of the details of that guiar.

[Tone Slinger]

In that early '90's Guitar mag buy'ers guide where Ed's on front with his #1 Marshall,Soldano's, Peavey's,etc, he mentions that the original neck is "Up there in the corner", refering to a bunch of parts that were tied up and mangled togather. Ed has always 100% known where that particular neck is and more than anybody else,KNOWS how historically (and in his case,PERSONAL) important it is. Hell, it was infamous the year after he first got it on that '78 tour.

From what I gather, that 1 and 3/4ths nut width would be wrong for me, but it must be remembered that Ed had just had that eureka moment upon his discovery of taping. He was in the mindset of "I need a wider neck so's I will have more ease of finger taps"or something along those lines. Also, that neck appeared EXACTLY around the time he started tapping. The rosewood neck (May '77 Golden West Ballroom gig ?) that was on the 'bare' Franky was the neck used prior to the Famous Ellsworth. The gig flyer for a June (or July ?) show finds the 'famous' VH1 version already in action.

[Strat78]

Roger, it would be great to get a pic of that neck replica, perhaps they would let you have a private viewing if you harass them enough. There are more details Chip got correct on the neck than he got on the body.

[rgorke]

Here is the original neck. Roger, it would be great to get a pic of that neck replica, perhaps they would let you have a private viewing if you harass them enough. There are more details Chip got correct on the neck than he got on the body.

Yeah it was a bit funny when the guy at the museum said that the curators need to "assess" the object and "do their magic" to preserve it. I snickered and said, "you realize its a brand new guitar that's suppose to be beat up, right?"

Here is a shot of the neck that Ellis did. Looks pretty good to me....