Ed's Franky (beneath the paint)

[rdodson]

I had a 'LOTUS' brand guitar. This was '83 or so, and it was well used by the time I got it. It was basically like the BEE, but it was white with black stripes. Rear loaded, a lone hb'er and a strange looking floyd Rose copy tremolo.

By the way, Ed still has the original Ellsworth neck that was on the B&W striped era Franky. I take it that all that is wrong with it is the botched Floyd Rose nut shelf. He could have that fixed no problem. He could also take the floyd back off the Franky and put the '58 (or was it a '61 ?) Fender Tremolo back on. I'm sure he still has that too.

I think he was/(is?) pretty embarrassed about that neck getting botched so bad. I remember him not wanting to talk about it other than "yeah it got broken on tour".

[Tone Slinger]

Yeah, that was a debacle

In that '92 buyers guide issue where Ed is in the front with his gear and they have all the shots of his bunker where his guitars are Ed responded that the Frankys first neck "Is up there", pointing towards a collage of parts hanging in the corner ceiling. Sure wish he would get 'nostalgic'

[jnew]

Not likely to happen guys. It would be a speed bump for his current EVH line. Now if there was $ in it, like the $25,000, Black Red & White thingy, he would be going on about how exact it was to the original, yada yada. I keep hoping that one day, he just puts all the business stuff aside and gives it all up on his early days setup with the 12301. I mean just talks about everything, in detail, with no outside interests in $ or business development, etc. And I know in many ways he has but there's always been a sort of fear of being copied or ripped off. At least that's the vibe I get. When does he reach that point of not giving a crap about any of that stuff, and just gives it up with no holding back. I can only wonder if that will ever happen. Of course by now, there would be so much he probably just couldn't recall but who knows. He was really into his craft so we could be quite surprised. Big IF's, I know. That would really be giving back to a very unique niche of his most loyal, long long time fans.

[rdodson]

Not likely to happen guys. It would be a speed bump for his current EVH line. Now if there was $ in it, like the $25,000, Black Red & White thingy, he would be going on about how exact it was to the original, yada yada. I keep hoping that one day, he just puts all the business stuff aside and gives it all up on his early days setup with the 12301. I mean just talks about everything, in detail, with no outside interests in $ or business development, etc. And I know in many ways he has but there's always been a sort of fear of being copied or ripped off. At least that's the vibe I get. When does he reach that point of not giving a crap about any of that stuff, and just gives it up with no holding back. I can only wonder if that will ever happen. Of course by now, there would be so much he probably just couldn't recall but who knows. He was really into his craft so we could be quite surprised. Big IF's, I know. That would really be giving back to a very unique niche of his most loyal, long long time fans.

So hard though, for him, in that EVH is his income now. These guys are not rich. Well off? Yeah, but not Hollywood rich.

[Strat78]

I don't think it would matter if he was completely up front with his old setup, it is hopelessly impractical for the masses to put together much less keep running as it should. It's a glorious setup but it needs full hands on attention. It's like the Golden Gate Bridge, once they finish painting it to one end, they have to go back and start at the other end.

[jnew]

I don't think it would matter if he was completely up front with his old setup, it is hopelessly impractical for the masses to put together much less keep running as it should. It's a glorious setup but it needs full hands on attention. It's like the Golden Gate Bridge, once they finish painting it to one end, they have to go back and start at the other end.

That is too right man.

[Tone Slinger]

I'm still be-dazzled by that pic of Ed with the bare Franky. You can actually make out the seam/join 'pattern' of the wood. That combined with the unknown (X) factor (weight) is all thats needed in getting as close to that particular guitar as is humanly possible. I could care LESS about the paint. That pic of the 'Bare Wood Franky' is AWESOME . Ed said "about the weight of a Les Paul" to Jas back in '78. Ed, at that time, had a newer LP custom. Those are obviously 10 to 12lbs 'boat anchors'.

I do know that Ed eventually had to have hip replacement. To me, thats indicative of a fairly heavy guitar slapping that bone over many years. Ed used the Franky 95% of the time from early '77 to mid '83. I've heard Terry Kilgore and that singer who never made the band, say the Franky was 'medium weight'. I'd say that makes sense.

[garbeaj]

I'm still be-dazzled by that pic of Ed with the bare Franky. You can actually make out the seam/join 'pattern' of the wood. That combined with the unknown (X) factor (weight) is all thats needed in getting as close to that particular guitar as is humanly possible. I could care LESS about the paint. That pic of the 'Bare Wood Franky' is AWESOME . Ed said "about the weight of a Les Paul" to Jas back in '78. Ed, at that time, had a newer LP custom. Those are obviously 10 to 12lbs 'boat anchors'.

I do know that Ed eventually had to have hip replacement. To me, thats indicative of a fairly heavy guitar slapping that bone over many years. Ed used the Franky 95% of the time from early '77 to mid '83. I've heard Terry Kilgore and that singer who never made the band, say the Franky was 'medium weight'. I'd say that makes sense.

Well as far as the weight, you know that Ron has made mention of the fact that the wood that Lynn was using at the time was kiln-dried furniture grade Northern Ash...still heavy, but not as heavy as a Les Paul and probably just slightly lighter than the average Northern Ash strat.

But for a little guy like Ed, I'll bet a "medium weight" guitar feels "almost as heavy as a Les Paul". I just think that statement that he made about it being almost as heavy as a Les Paul was just hyperbole and I think "medium weight" makes more sense.

[rdodson]

I've never been around the Frank but everyone I've talked to that would know says the replicas are within a 1/2 lb of the real deal and they average 7 1/5 libs. Just an average strat. Ed hates heavy guitars.

I'm still be-dazzled by that pic of Ed with the bare Franky. You can actually make out the seam/join 'pattern' of the wood. That combined with the unknown (X) factor (weight) is all thats needed in getting as close to that particular guitar as is humanly possible. I could care LESS about the paint. That pic of the 'Bare Wood Franky' is AWESOME . Ed said "about the weight of a Les Paul" to Jas back in '78. Ed, at that time, had a newer LP custom. Those are obviously 10 to 12lbs 'boat anchors'.

I do know that Ed eventually had to have hip replacement. To me, thats indicative of a fairly heavy guitar slapping that bone over many years. Ed used the Franky 95% of the time from early '77 to mid '83. I've heard Terry Kilgore and that singer who never made the band, say the Franky was 'medium weight'. I'd say that makes sense.

Well as far as the weight, you know that Ron has made mention of the fact that the wood that Lynn was using at the time was kiln-dried furniture grade Northern Ash...still heavy, but not as heavy as a Les Paul and probably just slightly lighter than the average Northern Ash strat.

But for a little guy like Ed, I'll bet a "medium weight" guitar feels "almost as heavy as a Les Paul". I just think that statement that he made about it being almost as heavy as a Les Paul was just hyperbole and I think "medium weight" makes more sense.

[rdodson]

I've never been around the Frank but everyone I've talked to that would know says the replicas are within a 1/2 lb of the real deal and they average 7 1/5 lbs. Just an average strat. Ed hates heavy guitars.

I'm still be-dazzled by that pic of Ed with the bare Franky. You can actually make out the seam/join 'pattern' of the wood. That combined with the unknown (X) factor (weight) is all thats needed in getting as close to that particular guitar as is humanly possible. I could care LESS about the paint. That pic of the 'Bare Wood Franky' is AWESOME . Ed said "about the weight of a Les Paul" to Jas back in '78. Ed, at that time, had a newer LP custom. Those are obviously 10 to 12lbs 'boat anchors'.

I do know that Ed eventually had to have hip replacement. To me, thats indicative of a fairly heavy guitar slapping that bone over many years. Ed used the Franky 95% of the time from early '77 to mid '83. I've heard Terry Kilgore and that singer who never made the band, say the Franky was 'medium weight'. I'd say that makes sense.

Well as far as the weight, you know that Ron has made mention of the fact that the wood that Lynn was using at the time was kiln-dried furniture grade Northern Ash...still heavy, but not as heavy as a Les Paul and probably just slightly lighter than the average Northern Ash strat.

But for a little guy like Ed, I'll bet a "medium weight" guitar feels "almost as heavy as a Les Paul". I just think that statement that he made about it being almost as heavy as a Les Paul was just hyperbole and I think "medium weight" makes more sense.

[dirtycooter]

I think Unkerts latest on the 5150 bein poplar and didn't like maple because it was too heavy backs up this lighter guitar desires Ed had.
And yes on EVH ain't the crazy rich they once were. The music world has dive bombed unexpectedly for all these older artist counting on future record sales of their old stuff. Just rip or burn or play it online-royalty free.

[garbeaj]

I think Unkerts latest on the 5150 bein poplar and didn't like maple because it was too heavy backs up this lighter guitar desires Ed had.
And yes on EVH ain't the crazy rich they once were. The music world has dive bombed unexpectedly for all these older artist counting on future record sales of their old stuff. Just rip or burn or play it online-royalty free.

I really don't think Unkert has a clue what the 5150 was made of. He made the neck for sure, but the body I'm not so sure about. We all know he made the neck and shaped the headstock, but where has it been proven that he made the body?

[EJSLPlexi]

I think Unkerts latest on the 5150 bein poplar and didn't like maple because it was too heavy backs up this lighter guitar desires Ed had.
And yes on EVH ain't the crazy rich they once were. The music world has dive bombed unexpectedly for all these older artist counting on future record sales of their old stuff. Just rip or burn or play it online-royalty free.

I really don't think Unkert has a clue what the 5150 was made of. He made the neck for sure, but the body I'm not so sure about. We all know he made the neck and shaped the headstock, but where has it been proven that he made the body?

dude the VH kramers were poplar i dont get why that is so hard to beleive?

[rdodson]

I think Unkerts latest on the 5150 bein poplar and didn't like maple because it was too heavy backs up this lighter guitar desires Ed had.
And yes on EVH ain't the crazy rich they once were. The music world has dive bombed unexpectedly for all these older artist counting on future record sales of their old stuff. Just rip or burn or play it online-royalty free.

I really don't think Unkert has a clue what the 5150 was made of. He made the neck for sure, but the body I'm not so sure about. We all know he made the neck and shaped the headstock, but where has it been proven that he made the body?

dude the VH kramers were poplar i dont get why that is so hard to beleive?

There were two sets. The 5150 and 1984 and then there were the bazillion factory made backups.

[garbeaj]

dude the VH kramers were poplar i dont get why that is so hard to beleive?

There were two sets. The 5150 and 1984 and then there were the bazillion factory made backups.

Exactly...the 5150, the 1984 and the Hot For Teacher were one offs that had little to do with the production model Kramers and the dozens (if not more) red, white and black striped back up Kramers. The Sports company was providing the bodies for Kramer during the early days of Ed's association with Kramer and there is no reason to believe that they provided Kramer with only Poplar bodies. The only reason that anyone claims that the 5150 was made out of Poplar is that they have seen the "Secrets of the Kramer 5150" YouTube clip and they accept the unfounded opinion that the guy that made that video has that the 5150 was made of Poplar. I wish someone would take that clip down...it has some good information, but the poplar theory is just an opinion with nothing to back it up.

Basically the guy in that video falls prey to the mindset of "Well the production model Kramers used "X" and "Y" so therefore the 5150, the 1984 and the Hot For Teacher must have been made of "X" and "Y". That is just wrong. The deal is that the three main Kramers that Ed used most often which were designed, built and used for the first time on the 1984 tour were completely custom made instruments that were completely different than any production model Kramer ever made, up to and including the Gibson/Kramer "1984" model.