THE GUITAR MAN~EDDIE VAN HALEN'S GUITARS Book

[rgorke]

KnE's Franky clones have the high E string positioned closer to the edge of the fretboard as well. My take on it is that both the neck and the pocket were cut to Fender spec.I do not see a gap at either edge of the bodies neck pocket in any photo's. I think the 6 screw bridge mount was what was 'slightly' off,making the high string nearly miss the fretboard. Anyways, I PREFER having the high E closer to the edge of the board. You can get a certain playing touch with it like that, like up in the 17-20 'A pentatonic box'.

what? Total dealbreaker... Thanks for the heads up on that particlar body that I'll never get...

Unless you use a Mexican spec trem, the strings are closer together

[rgorke]

Here is a pic, not quite as close to the edge as Ed's, but still noticable. I love it like this

So there's the secret!!!! No distortion box or special pickup!!! Its the old string off the edge of the fretboard trick!!

[Tone Slinger]

Nah, thats 2-7/32's, must be how I had to resize the pic ? Anyways, the point is that the High E and the Low E strings on KnE's Franky bodies ARE NOT aligned perfectly to the edge of either side of the fretboard. The 6 screw mount and neck pocket are not perfectly matched up or something.

I used to have problems with guitars with the high E too close to the edge. I dig it now (this guitar anyways). You can get by with a lighter touch when playing 'certain' fast pentatonics (ala early Ed) up high on the neck. The left index finger can 'bar/fret' the high E string with almost NO effort.

[Rich_D]

I used to have problems with guitars with the high E too close to the edge. I dig it now (this guitar anyways). You can get by with a lighter touch when playing 'certain' fast pentatonics (ala early Ed) up high on the neck. The left index finger can 'bar/fret' the high E string with almost NO effort.

Depends on the fret roll too.

[plexified]

As a weird side note , when we made Eds tour guitars at the factory we set the Floyd about 3 millimeters longer on the bass side . It was a copy of Frankie in white when you see the pics . I wrote responding to Rockstah about this and the way the Floyd was set up . It was something that again went passed the radar , but search it out . If you cannot find it post that you cannot find it and I will re write it . Its a whole Floyd rose set up including the way the bar responds . Ed used to back out the nut on it to make it sloppy , but he used it in the studio because of particular sustain properties and the way the geometry of the bar works is quite unique . So imagine the geometry , not square but the bass anchor about 3+ millimeters longer measured from the nut , not square . Very unique . When the bar is back , nut taught (nylon washer) it had a certain sustain enhancement . He used three springs . Heavy and outside pins and center . Amazing fine tuning of the Floyd and no denying the man had ears and certain requirements . His Ripley was the same way . Basswood , Resin encapsulated an maple neck . Barcus Berry hexagonal pickups , but not spoke of in his recollection and usage during the 1984 through 1990 . Its the flagship axe he could pan each string left or right . Very unique tone and amazing at that . I think he used it a lot , and it went without saying . Its got less wide open frequency but massive sustain and grind . His was see through blue acrylic stain and a thick resin clear. Big frets and a very light nitro finish on the maple neck . a very beautiful guitar in every respect . It had no shims and the neck pocket was machined perfect . He wanted six neck screws , but four was perfect . We even made a few with brass inserts in the neck and machine neck screws that added sustain and sizzle . My preference actually . I use them to this day and would suggest thinking about this mod . The Stew Mac catalog has them . You machine the neck , screw in the brass inserts and install the machine screws . Its money in the bank . Makes a stock PAF just pop and sing even more .

[plexified]

I forgot to add , that I used an epoxy on a few to inject into the neck holes first . It solidified the gap , if any even more and added that next level of umph . Plus you knew their was no air gap or area for moisture to get to . Just a last lil tid bit .

[GilmourD]

KnE's Franky clones have the high E string positioned closer to the edge of the fretboard as well. My take on it is that both the neck and the pocket were cut to Fender spec.I do not see a gap at either edge of the bodies neck pocket in any photo's. I think the 6 screw bridge mount was what was 'slightly' off,making the high string nearly miss the fretboard. Anyways, I PREFER having the high E closer to the edge of the board. You can get a certain playing touch with it like that, like up in the 17-20 'A pentatonic box'.

what? Total dealbreaker... Thanks for the heads up on that particlar body that I'll never get...

Unless you use a Mexican spec trem, the strings are closer together

The mounting holes on an MIM/import trem are also closer together, so that may pose a problem if the holes are drilled already.

Callaham makes a V/N model of their bridge which has the USA hole spacing but the import string spacing. I dunno if anybody else does something like that.

[Tone Slinger]

The old Brass Charvel 6 screw trems have the FENDER mounting hole spacing, but, the string (saddles) spacing is that of Gibson.

[jester22]

hi garbeag wanted a good flat scanned pic of both pages of his frankenstein guitar with wolfgang neck as im trying to build one and i need a flat clear detailed pic can you help

cheers

rob

[garbeaj]

hi garbeag wanted a good flat scanned pic of both pages of his frankenstein guitar with wolfgang neck as im trying to build one and i need a flat clear detailed pic can you help

cheers

rob

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