Here is my collection:
1982 Charvel "San Dimas" EVH
I picked this up in early 1992 at a little hole-in-the-wall guitar store that I just happened to drive past taking a detour on my way home from work. I had remembered seeing these Charvel EVH Specials in the old Music Emporium USA catalog in the early eighties. At the time, the $595.00 price seemed outrageous - after all, one could buy a Les Paul Custom for around the same money and at the time 595 dollars was a HUGE chunk of change for a 17 year old to plunk down for a guitar. I had no intention of buying a guitar that day, but my curiosity got the best of me and I had to pick it up and see how it played.
It came home with me that afternoon. At the time, I thought that I had overpaid for it - I bought it for roughly the same price that she sold for new - but given that the guitar felt better than any other that I had played to date (started in 1975), I didn't much care. If I could only find another for that price today - I'd buy 10 of them!
She had been modified with a Kahler when I found her, and the pickup appeared to be non-original. I got rid of the Kahler string lock and had a Floyd nut installed, which greatly stabilized the tuning. I then installed a Seymour "Evenly Voiced Harmonics" custom shop pickup, and this is how she sits today.
1984 Charvel "San Dimas" Lynch Bengal
This Charvel is a 99.5 on a scale of 100, with the only non-factory original item being the "EVH" pickup - the original "JB" was much too sterile to my ears in this guitar - I believe it is a maple body, as it is quite a bit heavier than my 82 Charvel. I still have the factory original JB pickup, but since I have no plans to sell this I doubt that it will be going back in her.
This one came home in mid 2002 - she was a bit more expensive than I hoped for, but being a George Lynch fan and given the fact that she has an Ebony board and a factory Floyd, I had to have her.
2004 J.Frog "Skull & Bones"
This is probably one of the most recognized guitars of the 80's - right up there with Eddie's Frankenstrats. I had seen many poor attempts to replicate this guitar over the years, but when I happened to be in Las Vegas on business I made the mistake of stopping by Ed Roman's store where this was hanging on the wall.
After shooting the shit with Ed for an hour or so, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked to try this bad boy. I expected it to be all show and no go, but found it to be a superb guitar with an extermely comfortable neck profile. This ended up coming home that day - and I still play it regularly.
1998 Gibson Les Paul Custom
This one came home in mid 2003. I had wanted a Cherry Sunburst LP Custom for a long time. I stupidly passed on a 68 in the early 90's that was near mint with a $1200.00 asking price - I thought it was too expensive at the time.
This one is flawless - not a mark on her - and the top has to be seen in person to appreciate. Believe me when I tell you that this picture does not do her justice. She plays like a wet dream, and is unmolested - save for the addition of the fine tuning tailpiece. I have the original stop bar tailpiece and the pick guard in the case for safe keeping.
1974 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
When I look at this guitar, the first thing that comes to mind is "young and dumb" - make that plain stupid. Purchased new in early '76 by my Father, this was my first "real" guitar. As can be seen, I wasted no time "improving" it.
To make a very long story short, it is now in the shop getting a new top and being restored to a respectable state. For the life of me, I can't figure out why in the hell I had a Kahler put on this thing in the first place - didn't feel like a Les Paul after that, so I rarely played her. Live and learn.
"The Mutt" (1979 - 1980)
"The Mutt" was my first attempt at a Super Strat that was built between late '79 and early '80 - when I was but 15. It consists of a DiMarzio body (which has the infamous "Boogie Route"), a licensed Strat neck, X2N pickups, a Power Pot (why in the hell I needed this with X2N's I'll never know, but when you're 15 you do stupid shit!), and originally had a nice Shecter vintage type trem - the ones with the heavy brass blocks. The Kahler was added sometime around 83-ish (can't remember exactly when - too many doobies going on at the time). This was my main road warrior during my band days, as can be seen from the various bumps, bruises and contusions.
This one will be my next rebuild project. Since discovering the oil finished maple necks on the Charvels and Waynes, I no longer feel comfortable with this neck, which is lacquer coated and has too much curve to the fingerboard. This one screams out to be a Charvel, so I plan on making it my personal Charvel PrePro Replica. Will most likely pick up a Musikraft 21 fret Charvel neck, get her stripped and refinished in clear satin, get rid of the Power Pot and put in new pickups. Already have a double creme Seymour EVH for the bridge and double creme Alnico II for the neck.
Hopefully, this will be completed sometime before I'm dead.
1984 Fender USA Stratocaster
A nice clean example of an '80's USA made Strat. She is in virtually flawless condition, completely unmolested and has the classic tone that can only be had from a Strat.
Wayne "Ratt Swords" Rock Legend
My first Wayne guitar, this was purchased out of sheer frustration over being unable to locate an EVH striped Wayne. No regrets at all, as she plays like a dream as do all of my Waynes.
The only complaint I had with this one is that in spite of the knob, tuners and nut being black, she came from the factory with a chrome Floyd! WTF! The only logical reasoning I can think of for this was that perhaps Warren's original was like that - but in any case I found it to be just plain wrong. I like her much better now that she has a proper black Floyd. A Seymour EVH pickup completed her.
Wayne "VH-I" Rock Legend
This is the first of the EVH graphic Waynes that I added to my collection, and was like a holy grail for me - I had wanted one since early '78 when she appeared on the first Van Halen album cover.
Nothing like playing Runnin' with the Devil, I'm the One or On Fire with this one! Added D-Tuna and EVH Pickup.
Wayne "VH-1984" Rock Legend
This was the second EVH graphic Wayne that I purchased, and it remains my favorite of the three. All of them play equally well, but this is the first one that I grab nine out of ten times.
While the graphic is not the same as the "original" red Frankenstein, I actually like this one better. This one is from the Baretta type guitar that was used in the '84 - '86 time frame. Added D-Tuna and EVH pickup.
I have heard from several different sources that this particular graphic is very rare. Rumor has it that prior to receiving a cease and desist from Ed, Wayne and Michael shipped approximately 35 - 40 guitars with the EVH type graphics. I have seen several examples of both the White/Black and the Black/Yellow, but have only seen three (including this one) of these Red/Black/White ones - four if you count a star bodied example. Another interesting note is that the stripe patterns on all three "Strat" examples I have seen was different - one being Red with White stripes and no black stipes whatsoever.
The White/Black examples that I have seen appear to be pretty consistent - I did see one where the striping varied slightly in one area, but all have had unpainted headstocks and the standard single hum configuration. I have seen some variations on the Black/Yellow examples however. The stripe pattern is consistent, but I have seen at least one with a single coil PUP in the neck position and one with a painted black headstock.
Wayne "VH-II" Rock Legend
This was the final EVH graphic Wayne added to the collection. I almost passed her up, as I had just purchased three Waynes within the previous five weeks, but I just had to have a complete set so I bit the bullet and here she is.
She differs slightly from the other three Waynes in that she has a flamed maple neck and board as opposed to the birdseye on the others. Added D-Tuna and the obligatory EVH pickup.
Wayne "Blackie" Rock Legend
After much searching, I finally found a "plain-jane" black Wayne..
She originally had chrome hardware, but I changed everything to black as you can see above. Also added my usual Seymour EVH pickup. Plays and sounds great, just like you would expect for an early Wayne.
1997 Gibson Les Paul Custom
Basic stock Les Paul Custom.
1999 Fender USA Stratocaster
A bone stock '90's USA made Strat.
2008 Charvel So-Cal
Basic 2008 Charvel So-Cal USA Production Model - bone stock - even the knob.
Leo's Collection
Threaded Mode
