Franky With White Pickguard?

[DaveMcLain]

I was just looking through a Guitar Heros magazine which is a compilation of a bunch of old articles on Eddie Van Halen from over the years and in the magazine there is a picture of Ed standing by a bunch of his guitars with a pick axe over his shoulder. One of the guitars is the Frankenstein Stratocaster, painted with the red, white and black paint scheme yet fitted with a full size white plastic pickguard. I can't say that I've seen this anywhere else.

What's the story on that "mod"?

[Tone Slinger]

That was right after he first put the red paint on. Previously to that (like a month before) when it was still white, he had put a rosewood board neck on it. Possibly the same neck that was on the Franky before the 'taped white coat' (it was black with white pickguard in mid '77). If I am not mistaken, this version you mentioned was right before the second tour started.

The version of the Franky you are talking about, is my second favorite version. It still had the cool 'Ellsworth' cbs looking maple neck, as well as the original Fender 6 screw tremelo (a '58 model I believe). That pick up has been said to have been a Seymour Duncan JB 'rewind'.

[Marshall SL12301]

The version of the Franky you are talking about, is my second favorite version. It still had the cool 'Ellsworth' cbs looking maple neck, as well as the original Fender 6 screw tremelo (a '58 model I believe). That pick up has been said to have been a Seymour Duncan JB 'rewind'.

TS, when you say JB rewind are you referring to a PAF rewound to the JB spec? or a stock JB that was rewound?

[Tone Slinger]

Paf to JB spec.

I've read where Seymour thinks thats the one Ed opted for (JB). It makes sense, especially since ALOT of Ed's guitars over the years (Kramer, Music Man, Peavey, Charvel) have had either a Duncan JB or a Dimarzio knock off of one (JB).

I think Ed got one (JB rewind) after the 1st record, but before the Dec. 31st 1977 gig at the Whiskey. You can hear it by then. I was hearing a warmer mid/upper mid musicality from then all the way up to and including the second album. As always with Ed it seems, this isnt fact, 'cause Ed has never said.

You do hear alot of that upper mid bloom on a song like ' SBGMAD' , that you would hear on other 'known' JB pu tracks, like say 'Wanted Man' by Ratt.