When I was a kid, playing guitar, I always wanted the same guitar that my heroes were playing. At that time it was either a Fender Stratocaster, a Gibson Les Paul, an Ibanez RG or a Jackson of some sort. Of course the ones my heroes were playing were high end custom shop models costing thousands of dollars, but I was always able to find a similar guitar, same brand, at the music store for a few hundred bucks that got me excited that I had the same kind of guitar that Steve Vai or Jimi Hendrix played.
Boy times have changed. As an adult player I am very unlikely to buy a signature guitar. I want something unique for myself, not to look like I am copying someone else. But what about my son, or all the other kids in the world that will grow up like me idolizing the guitar work of Eddie Van Halen. You are out of luck guys. The entry level to the Eddie Van Halen series guitars is just short of three thousand dollars.
I am not saying that these guitars are not worth that kind of money. Well, yes I am, but that’s not the point. I am saying that there are few things that kids grow up watching and dreaming to do professionally. There is sports of course, and the entry point to some Lebron James sneakers is about $140. There is golf, and you can buy a reasonable priced set of Nike clubs to dream that you are Tiger Woods when you tee off. These days the music world seems to have lost touch with the fans on so many levels.
I can’t say I blame Lars Ulrich for not wanting people to steal Metallica music, I can get his point. I am not saying that Eddie Van Halen doesn’t deserve to have a top of the line guitar that reflects his unique playing style. I am saying that it’s a shame that I can’t go buy Andy a guitar that looks like the one Eddie Van Halen plays for Christmas if he gets excited about guitar.
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Back when I first started getting interested in who played what, Eddie was playing various contraptions called guitars that had a “Kramer” label slapped across the head stock. As he used to be a spokesman for that line of guitars, it was sort of obligatory for him to do so. However, the Kramer company made a strat-style guitar called the Pacer that was about $500 new (which was still very expensive back in the early to mid 80s.) It was still a lot cheaper than a new Les Paul or Stratocaster.
at least you have options with strats and pauls, you can go Fender Squire or Epiphone Les Paul.
I agree. I just sent a email to the company website. Fender has a Frankenstrat copy for $25,000 and the original wasn’t even Fender. Eddie’s orginal guitars were a pile of parts that he made magic and now the average working person or kid can’t afford one of HIS guitars. Very sad. Go to youtube and check out riff guy playing on a very cheap guitar and making it smoke. It’s in the heart, mind and fingers kids. Not the pocketbook.
Eddie be PIMPIN’! I paid $1,800.00 CDN w/case for my Peavey Wolfgang, 10 yrs ago. They didn’t even charge extra for the AAAAA flame maple top. THAT was fair. THIS is not. This is Eddie & Fender pimpin’. They charge $280.00 + delivery for the pickups alone. The brand name “Fender” & the initials “EVH” permit them to overcharge by approximately $1,000.00…give or take.
Well, I have to say when the firs EVH Wolfgangs came out by Peavy I waited a couple years and bought one. I got the green one with the flame maple top, it cost me about $1400.00 and now that the new Wolfgangs are out again, here I am a couple years later buying one again, I got the black special, so it cost again $1400.00. There is no way I can afford the $3,000 model, and really don’t know what the difference is other then the one I bought may be the Japan built one. (god I hope not).. I don’t like thinking my Wolfgang is made in Japan. If it says Japan on it, I will return it when I get it.