My dad and I are going to make a Frankenstein Replica.

[VanHalenFan5150]

Not sure which one to do... Or what parts to use... Any suggestions or anything? DiamondJimi i'm looking at you!

[ThrillsNSpills]

there's a stickied thread on it

[Seshmeister]

Wow I made this one over 30 years ago with my dad and it's still on sale.

[Diamondjimi]

Not sure which one to do... Or what parts to use... Any suggestions or anything? DiamondJimi i'm looking at you!

Well, you could start by checking my thread about my replica.
A word of advice do your homework. Gather as many photo's of the original Frankie. Study the changes it went through from '77-'84.
Go to the Fender site and grab their high res. shots. What I notices about the Fender pics. is that there are slight variations between their Frankies.
Take as much as you can from the REAL Frankie.
Take your time is another piece of advice I'd give you. Don't rush things. Eg: be meticulous when setting up your tape lines, let your layers of paint cure for a few days between sanding and relicing (longer the better)
Do some research from online "Frankie" forums.

http://halen.com/evh/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=671125&postdays=0&postorder=asc

http://halen.com/evh/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewforum&f=46

Best of luck to ya. Start a thread and keep us posted on it's status.

Any questions, just ask!

[VanHalenFan5150]

Thanks a lot dude. I will have plenty of resources!

I'm not sure which Frankie I want to do though... I thought about maybe doing the 5150. I really like that one.

[Diamondjimi]

Thanks a lot dude. I will have plenty of resources!

I'm not sure which Frankie I want to do though... I thought about maybe doing the 5150. I really like that one.

Meh...

The 5150 always reminds me of the Hagar (the horrible) era.

How about this one?

[VanHalenFan5150]

That one and the VH1 Frankie seem to be the easiest to replicate

[Diamondjimi]

I don't know about easy (Frankie), but they are his 2 coolest designs...

Wanna talk about desisions? This dude said "fuck it" and built 'em ALL!!!
http://www.vanhalenguitars.com/

[GAR]

I would say the easiest one to build would be the black n white stripe job.

It gives you access to use a wider variety of strat body styles for the cheapest price to build.

For example, you could find a Korean squier strat 1988 to 92 for around 50 to 80 bucks in really distressed condition with a maple neck, that would be a good base to start with.

Chuck the tuners, bridge and keep only the middle pickup jackplate and hardware. Score a used Duncan SH1B humbucker for around 40 bucks, Floyd Rose licensed bridge, and some gotoh tuners plus a new 500K pot and 3-way CRL original pickup switch. They make the cool clickbang noise when you turn up, drop the bar, and pluck the springs in back simultaneously at a harmonic..

[Don Corleone]

I would say the easiest one to build would be the black n white stripe job.

It gives you access to use a wider variety of strat body styles for the cheapest price to build.

For example, you could find a Korean squier strat 1988 to 92 for around 50 to 80 bucks in really distressed condition with a maple neck, that would be a good base to start with.

Chuck the tuners, bridge and keep only the middle pickup jackplate and hardware. Score a used Duncan SH1B humbucker for around 40 bucks, Floyd Rose licensed bridge, and some gotoh tuners plus a new 500K pot and 3-way CRL original pickup switch. They make the cool clickbang noise when you turn up, drop the bar, and pluck the springs in back simultaneously at a harmonic..

Using Google again I see Gary in a desperate attempt to make it look as though you know what you are talking about.

Best thing anyone can do is to ignore anything Gar says - he's a proven fake and liar who cannot substantiate one thing of what he says.

[Diamondjimi]

Chuck the tuners, bridge and keep only the middle pickup jackplate and hardware.
Score a used Duncan SH1B humbucker for around 40 bucks, Floyd Rose licensed bridge, and some gotoh tuners plus a new 500K pot and 3-way CRL original pickup switch. They make the cool clickbang noise when you turn up, drop the bar, and pluck the springs in back simultaneously at a harmonic..

You really have no clue, do you?!

Yes, chuck the tuners and buy some Schaller "Mini's" on Ebay for $40. Not Gotoh...
Don't keep the middle pickup. Keep the pickguard screws, and jackplate.
Buy a black pickguard cut for 1 humbucker and drilled for 1 vol. pot. You do not need a 3-way switch, or any switch for that matter.
For taping the body you will need 1" & 3/4" painters tape. I recommend 3m brand. Make sure it's the flexable kind not the shiny backed kind (it's useless for corner contours and wants to stay straight)

I used Krylon gloss black and Arctic white. Be sure to wetsand very lightly with 1600 grit and follow up with 0000 gauge steel wool (very lightly, of course). Do this after each colour step.
For relicing the wear points use 600 wet sand paper. (go slow, take your time)...

[VanHalenFan5150]

Thanks a lot bro! It'll give me food for thought. I'm sure we have plenty, again, PLENTY of the building materials you listed to use in the making. But, I'm thinking, about the Squier body, I don't think i'd want one. I'm sure I can come across a Warmoth swamp ash Strat body routed for one humbucker. They have plenty of those. Some guy on the local Craig's List listing is sellling an all black stripped down Strat body routed for humbuckers... I think he wants like $30. No name brand for sure, but it'd be a start nonetheless.

[ELVIS]

Squier bodies are not cut right and they are way too thin...

Junk!

[chefcraig]

Why on Earth would you need a 3-way switch for a guitar with one pick-up? It would be like having a fake Hurst shifter in a car with an automatic transmission.

[VanHalenFan5150]

Like I said, I was looking into purchasing a Warmoth fat Strat body.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/PickupRoutingOptions.aspx

Here are some routing options.