1982 Edward Van Halen Kramer Frankenstrat

[Diamondjimi]

Not sure if this has been posted before...

This video chronicles the reunion between one of the world's most prized guitars, one of Edward Van Halen's Diver Down/1984 era Kramer guitars and it's builder, master guitar builder Paul Unkert. Edited from just under an hour's worth of footage, Paul takes us through the guitar top to bottom and offers his insights into not only the build process, but also the requests & demands of Edward Van Halen. Truly one of the finest documented cases of a master builder reuniting with one of the world's legendary guitars.


This guitar was used as one of Edward Van Halen's main touring guitars for the Diver Down World Tour '82-'83 as well as one of the studio guitars for the 1984 album. The guitar is being sold with an accompanying written letter from Rudy Leiren, EVH's longtime guitar tech and personal friend. Rudy personally verifies it's authenticity and history with EVH. Also included is a written letter and video from the original guitar builder Paul Unkert, verifying every detail of it's original condition from when it was built in 1982. Paul is a master guitar builder and was in charge of building all the artist guitars for EVH during the 1982 relationship between EVH and Kramer Guitars.

[ELVIS]

Talking about "making the necks as thin as humanly possible", the $25,000 piece of shit replica I messed with at Guitar Center had a huge baseball bat neck...

[Diamondjimi]

Baseball bat?

Could it simply be the fact that you have the hands of a woman?

[jhale667]

Cool how to vid:

[ELVIS]

Baseball bat?

Could it simply be the fact that you have the hands of a woman?

No, it was a piece of shit...

[Diamondjimi]

Build one. I did....

[Diamondjimi]

Talking about "making the necks as thin as humanly possible", the $25,000 piece of shit replica I messed with at Guitar Center had a huge baseball bat neck...

Wait a minute. Aren't you a lefty?

[ELVIS]

Yeah, they still let me check it out...

[sadaist]

As cool, intricate, custom, expensive, whatever these guitars are...I got some news for you cats:



It ain't the guitar. It's how this dude plays em >>>>

[Diamondjimi]

Yeah, they still let me check it out...

Probably sounded like you we're playing with boxing gloves on

[Nitro Express]

I played an old 50's Strat that had a funky V shaped neck on it. I had no idea Fender made anything like that. I didn't like the feel. That guitar is probably worth some money these days. I like the neck on my 72 Strat. It's thicker than most. They say the three bolt neck and the thick finish kills the sustain. My guitar didn't get the memo. That guitar has a ton of sustain. I played it in a shop and it had the magic. I snagged it. Strats are weird that way. They look the same but they don't play the same.

[sadaist]

They look the same but they don't play the same.

I knew twin sisters way back when just like that. Reminds of a line from a ZZ Top song...


"She won't do it, but her sister will...."

[Matt White]

As cool, intricate, custom, expensive, whatever these guitars are...I got some news for you cats:



It ain't the guitar. It's how this dude plays em >>>>

And HELLS BELLS....when ya buy the $25K relica...IT AIN'T EVEN THE GUITAR!!!

[jhale667]

As cool, intricate, custom, expensive, whatever these guitars are...I got some news for you cats:



It ain't the guitar. It's how this dude plays em >>>>

Thank you for that .... Sadaist..prince of obviousness...


The old axiom is "80% of your tone is in your hands".