Up Close With Eddie Van Halen's 1980s Kramer Tour Guitar
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2024
- Tommy Colletti gives a tour of one of the coolest guitars in The Music Zoo's collection: an authentic Kramer built for and played by Eddie Van Halen on tour in the 1980s. This guitar was obtained from the estate of the late tennis star Vitas Gerulaitis, who was a close friend of Eddie's. For more photos and history of this guitar, visit: www.themusiczoo...
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Yes, Eddie is on the reeeally short list of change-the-game guitar players. It's not even my thing, really, but you know it when you see it. He completely invented an entire generation of hard rock players. But most of them (with exceptions) sound like they're stringing together their book of stunts. Van Halen never sounds like that. It sounds real when he does his thing, because it is *his* thing -- he is the original. And those don't come along every day.
Meet Eddie at a music shop one day he said hey you play pretty good want to came back to my place and jam ,I said ya ok ,went to 5150 studio and jammed for hour's and then Sammy showed up with a case of beer and Valerie made us some sandwiches, and I don't remember what happened next because my alarm went off a woke me up?
Good story lol
Lmao
You almost had me man
Eddie faked an orgasm and spit on your back,and sent you home...
@porta - Ya got me with that one. Fucking hilarious!! hahahahahahahah!
Also, us metal/hard rock guys sometimes don't remember quite so accurately the popularity factor of evh. People who didn't dig our genre of music aka damn near everyone alive in 78, dug what eddie did. He made it cool to be heavy again. Hard rock was dead in 78. Everything was punk or disco in the us back then in 78. All the big bands of the late 60's early 70's had petered out and died. Only other players and metal guys dig rhodes malmsteen and the other shredders of that time. Everyone dug evh
The tapping in the beginning sends a chill down my spine
It's a piece of music history and guitar design history.
Eddie Van Halen's impact on guitar playing will never be matched, and is still felt to this day imo.
@chief wiggums There are many players more technically proficient than EVH, but None are more musically innovative or influential.
Amazing. It's like a less famous brother or cousin that has similar qualities to their 'superstar' sibling, this guitar has all the qualities of eddie's frankenstein, the 1984 and 5150. All built with the same philosophy and blue print, and eddies' best thinking at the time.
And my god! It sounds fucking amazing.
Big surprise to see this round little guy whip out so pretty impressive VH style licks and tricks!!
Is it just me, or did this guy come as close to anyone on youtube getting the Van Halen 1 guitar tone?
RIP Eddie - this interview nailed it as the line ran from Jimi to Eddie, we will see who comes along next to move electric guitar forward once again. Cool look at one of EVH's actual touring guitars.
Love the back of headstock, red V scarf paint that bleeds into top of neck is the most unique and awesome feature of guitar. That little feature just screams USA Kramer!!!
I have a Kramer 2980..red and white striped....plays great!
Didn't know Dr. Evil could shred like that.
Thats what happen when you invest ONE MILLION DOLLARS on guitar lessons
I painted Eddie's 5150 studio back in 1989 up on Coldwater canyon. During my break I played this guitar in Eddie's studio.
You couldn't have, Ed gave it to Vitas in 82/83
It was one of his "Franken' models that he had in his studio in 1989
douche bag replies whats with our world people are fucking punk bitches now
he probably played a back up, eddie has a grip of backups
really?
I had an opportunity to hold his guitar one time, the thing that you first notice is how light it is! I remember thinking it felt like balsa wood or something! Super light!! (i think its alder) it was an honor to handle it!
I got to play his striped Wolfgang in Tokyo in '98. The thing that stuck out the most to me was how low the action was. Unbelievable that he doesn't get any fret buzz.
always liked the sound of the kramer he played.
The more plausible story (as told by one of the old Kramer employees) was that Kramer was asked (possibly by Eddie) to make a couple guitars for his friends, who happened to be John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis. This was around 1983. McEnroe's was pretty cool, Pacer Imperial done in a camo finish with a reverse headstock. The story was that they started making the guitar, until some inquired, "Isn't McEnroe a lefty?" Thus they used a right handed neck upside-down, long before any Kamikaze guitar.
The infamous "Frankie Ad" guitar was the guitar that Ed made at the Kramer factory. The neck was by accident - Paul Unkert made a copy Destroyer guitar, probably not realizing Ed didn't really like the guitar after he hacked it up, and at the time Ed didn't like shiny guitars. So after they finished the body - which was actually a maple Walker Pacer body - Eddie thought it would be cool to slap the neck from the Destroyer copy. Thus the Kramer "Frankie Ad" guitar was born. I'm pretty sure that neck was then eventually transferred to the HFT guitar as the stripe pattern looks identical.
See the six screws on the neck plate? That's a Paul Unkert build right there, 100%. We've researched a ton of these backups on Vintage Kramer, this one is legit, in terms of it being built by Paul and "maybe" being a backup. As far as Eddie ever playing it, eh, chances are no.
Absolutely an Unkert build. Ed did use these guitars on the Diver Down tour. There are vids floating around. Even if it was just for an encore. Who cares?
Still very cool though
Agreed. He states Ed had it as a tour guitar for years. More like months or weeks. This would've been a backup for the Diver Down tour and given to Vitas in 82 as they didn't play MSG in 83. He played a completely different guitar for the South America tour in 83, played the Frankie for the Us Fest and 1984 album then the 5150 from there. There are loads of these guitars out there and nothing special about them other than Unk probably making it. There's zero wear on this one.
Yep
And no cigarette burns...
Their is a UA-cam video of Eddie playing his solo with this guitar
Great vid and rippin guitar player. That thing sounds sweet. i remember in 78...yep it was all Kiss all the time until the 1st VH record. Eruption was and is mind blowing. 42 years later and I still can't play it like Eddy but I'll keep trying.
A Kramer replica of Ed's Frankenstein guitar . Ive read a story or two of Ed spending a day at a Kramer factory to personally make/paint quite a few 5150 guitars .
Wow! What a thrill to see this-I didn't know the Vitus story at all- I remember these Kramers though.
That ad back in '83 where Ed says "the finest guitar you can buy today" he is holding one of these-this actual one? I don't know-but yeah-you get the idea. Thanks for posting.
Thank you Tommy, I enjoyed that a lot. I was a junior in HS in 78 and remember where I was when I heard the first VH album on cassette. Great memories. I hope to play as well as you one day (ha! I'm just starting at 59). Thanks again...8 yrs later.
This guitar IS THE REAL DEAL. It's not a fake, it's not a copy, it's THE REAL DEAL. This guitar was made at the Kramer factory by a Paul Unkert, who as the artist relations luthier for Kramer guitars in the early 1980's. There was about 6 guitars that were made for Eddie. There was also another guitar made by Unk that was in the Kramer ads when Eddie first joined Kramer, then there was another one made that was used in the Hot For Teacher video. The second generation of Eddie's Kramers were made by Billy Connolly (who has since passed away). Eddie's famous 5150 Kramer was built by Billy and painted by George who worked at the paint booth. I could go on and on about Eddie's Kramers but I don't feel like typing it out. But that guitar Tommy has is definitely legit.
Thanks for knowing and saying...
I don't think anyone will change music and bring attention to the guitar like Edward Van Halen did I seen every tour. Precious memories I will never forget
I was into Deep Purple, Zeppelin, ACDC and all those bands when I heard my first Van Halen song. It was Mean Street. I couldn't figure out what was going on with that intro and was hooked big time. The guitar work on Women/Children First is his best, IMHO and Diver Down a close second. Just listen to Fools and try and dispute that claim!
I dispute that claim! The first album is the best!
DD holds a special place in my heart. The album that for me into VH and that album works. Works well. Tons of nuggets on it. I have it second to FW then VH1.
I heard that Eddie's original motivation for the guitar was to get a les Paul sound on a strat type guitar. He gets such a hot sound where things like pinch harmonics just scream. And the strat design provides a good setup for technical playing. That sort of what I'm looking for in my next guitar.
yeah, gibson had dual humbuckers, a fatter sound. And fender stye guitars have Single-coils, just have a Thin sound and squeal too much. And he wanted a floating Trem system like on a metal guitar. So just combined it all on a fender knock-off body and added a kramer neck, lol.
Sorry but Edward NEVER!! used floating tremolos!....he HATED them!....hence why every guitar he has made or contracted to make as a signature model all had Floyd s that rested flat on the guitars surface!!...He hated battling with a floating term to stay in tune....😁
That's interesting, considering I have a 32 year old Kramer with a floating Floyd, and it doesn't EVER go out of tune.
I think they mean "out of tune" when eddie would palm mute..........which causes a floating floyd rose to go sharp with very little pressure.
"Never" is a big word:P
Ahem... TransTrem?
In 1989 I saw a comercial for Kramer Guitars, with Eddie Van Halen sitting at a bonfire, playing an orange Kramer Sustainer. I loved the look of the guitar, it looked really cool, so I went out and bought one. 32 years later, I still have, and love that guitar, it was the guitar I learned to play on, and it`s one of the best guitars I have ever played, and I`ve tried them all. The sustainer is absolutely brilliant, and is the perfect " Metal Guitar ". The built in sustainer, simply adds another dimension to your playing. I highly recommend it, and if you want to get one, het The American model, and not The Korean.......you won`t regret it.
Thats a really cool historic piece of history, thanks for showing it off. But for me (OK, I'm predjudiced...) his original Frankenstrat had a '62 PAF in the bridge, though technically those were the first of the "early patents." To me that guitar has never been equalled because of that pickup, it was super bright, yet not shrill, if you go find EVH videos of him playing "Eruption" and you notice the bridge pickup is double black and you look close and see how warped the bobbins are, that was his PAF from his 335 '62 that he ripped the pickup from. The bobbins are warped because Eddie potted it way too hot and the bobbins partially melted. I don't know who has that guitar now. Eddie was a real tinkerer kinda guy, and all you guys who say he had no enfluence, well every guitarist doesn't exist on his own. Even Charlie Christian who gave us just about every rock lick you know, didn't come from a vacuum, he had his enfluences but he learned from them and made his own statement. If you want to get technical, finger tapping was invented by Harry DeArmond way way back in the 40's. Eddie is a true guitar god and stands on his own, his idols were Hendrix and Clapton. Bless the man, he is an example of stepping out of the box, playing his own soul power and not copying anyone but himself...
It's amazing how a guy took some parts (with the original guitar) threw em together, to suit him and no one else. Grabbed some spray cans and put a crappy paint job on it, and made musical history! He didn't need a custom made guitar or a high dollar factory guitar either! Goes to show, you don't really need what you think you need!👍😎🎸🎶
Exactly, I've herd him play just about everything under the sun and it always sounds like Eddy.
@@30pitchcleaver yep!👍😎🎸🎶
If anything what really does matter is the neck, Kramer necks, especially from the 80s just feel great. The neck is the thing you’re actually playing, a shitty neck makes a shitty guitar.
It is kind of amazing isn't it?
@@briandietrich1373 for sure!👍😎🎸🎶
The Kramer was always my favorite red & white.
actually! paul unkert made that guitar and he added 6 bolts!
Alberto5150 you are absolutely correct.
awesome...I love the "Kramer" years & it'd be cool to play that guitar just once. I bought a shop standard one when I was like 18-19. they didn't have a red one on the rack so I got the next best thing, a black one, got some yellow gaffer tape & joined a band. some of the best times of my life with that guitar...thanks for the post
Eddie's the guitar GOAT. RIP Eddie.
I don't remember Ed straightening the pickup in the Kramers... but the 6 bolt with rubber gasket gives it away as a pre 84 build. probably a spare Ed wasn't too high on..
Tommy is a GREAT guy and a pleasure to buy from....a real class act. His staff is equally professional and knowledgeable. I have been going into guitar shops, around the world, for over 30 years and The Music Zoo is in my Top 5. What a store....
Thanks!
Form following function. Classic problem solving. I heard Eddie say once, "You don't write songs, you discover them", which shows he understands the true nature of reality. Smart guy.
John Lennon pretty much said the same thing, long before Eddie did. And he wasn't the first to feel that way, either.
How interesting! I too was a Kiss fan and then during High School "Running with the Devil" came out. Eddie was my favorite after guitarist after that. Thanks for the great history on this guitar.
RIP Eddie. Never forget ❤️🤘
2:50 is the best . . . shows back on headstock with red triangle scarf that bleeds into skunk stripe on neck. Now THIS was a Kramer!! Built in USA, Cannot wrap my mind around Gibson not producing a USA banana headstock USA Baretta??!!!
R.I.P. Ed
Wow - that’s awesome! I wanted to play the drums when I was 12 yo (because of Neil Peart), but EVH made me want to play the guitar. I got my first guitar In 1984 and quickly learned that it was going to take me a long time to get to where I wanted to be and that I could never play like him. Years went by and my taste for VH vanished as I learned about tons of other music and guitarists. But these days I would love to own a Kramer - they have an interesting business history. My first electric was a MIJ SSH Fender strat with a locking Kahler tremolo and Seymour D live wires - a great reflection of the guitars of that era. I still play it, even with all of the quirks it’s got through a lifetime of use.
Your quite fortunate to have that gem that a true virtuoso Inovater of sounds great 💯💯💯👍👍 video
For all the people commenting about others being more influential than eddie are idiots. Randy Rhodes, Dimebag, Malmsteen and all the rest are great players I love them but evh started it all for those guys. What you have to realize about evh was the technology advances he made and made popular that we use everytime we play. No one used a floyd rose before eddie. No one dipped pickups to eliminate buzz before evh, hell no one ever thought of throwing a humbucker in a strat before evh too.
Dimebag maybe, but Randy was completely different from Eddie and he was around right when Eddie got famous too.. so no, Eddie started nothing for Randy.
Van halens first record came out 3 years before rhodes and ozzy released their first album. As far as listeners are concerned without evh in 81 no one would have given a damn about hard rock/metal bands by 81 w/o evh in 78...
Really, because everyone gave a shit about Black Sabbath before EVH was a thing, so all of the Sabbath fans (which were tons, Sabbath was a huge band) were looking forward to Ozzys solo release.
Is that why ozzy couldn't get a record deal and no one wanted him? Is that why the last 2 or 3 Sabbath albums didn't sell for shit? As far as die hards go, yea a few may have given a shit but overall no. Metal/hard rock of the early 70's died. Evh made hard rock commercially viable again. I'm sorry, that's not opinion those are the numbers.
Thomas R. Bowen No one wanted him? His album was a massive hit, and it was heavy metal, not hard rock, heavy metal was extremely viable in the late 70's, early 80's.
accurate 6 bolt neck and rubber shim/padding there at the neck joint.
I love this. I Frankenstein all the guitars I know are keepers. Not for live, but to have one to pick up for a certain genre.
So many people worry about tiny scratches or dings. If they ever got close to a touring guitar they'd see how beat up they are.
Thanks Tommy, great video! Nice to see that your chops are still as great as ever!
What a cool piece of Rock history many many amazing guitar players in the world but Edie changed guitar 🎸 and Rock like no one before or after him.
If it was 82 or 83, this was probably the "replica" that was made to look like his Frankenstrat, made from a Kramer body, etc. It probably was pretty new and he probably wasn't touring with it for "years". His prototypes were made around then.
Yeah. Pretty sure the guitar he thinks he has, Ed donated to a museum.
@@cherbutler85 Yeah, he had a bunch of Kramers that he toured with after he retired the Frankenstein but it still was likely the 84 tour or later. Not 82 or 83. He was still using his OG Frankenstein on the 83 tour.
Wow! What a treasure and amazing story. I'm glad it wounded up in your hands instead of some random collector who never played it. Just Knowing that Eddie's DNA is on this Guitar must feel amazing.
Agree. Eddie Van Halen has made his place in rock history right at the top alongside other guitar greats who changed youth and pop rock and western culture. He really did have a massive impact that can't be overstated. If he was a British subject he would've been Knighted to become Sir Edward Van Halen, Knight of the realm.
Well it's probably a Paul Unkert build but that story about the tennisplayer seems legit. So at least Eddie held it haha. Great guitar anways!
You LUCKY @$$!! I'd get an adrenaline rush just touching it!!! If I had this, it would probably heal my handicap, beings Eddie is a guitar God!! The Eruption would be massive!!
I got into guitars when I was 15 and this was THE guitar sound I was after! Sadly I was born too late to enjoy Van Halen in their pomp.
That is a great video and great story telling video. I hope they make a movie about Eddie one day, or about the band, but focus on Eddie and his part in it. I hope they spend like 300 Million budget and do it Right!!!
I like that headstock shape better than the standard strat shape. Vitas seemed to be the kinda guy who liked to party. I suspect that he and Ed and John hung out and became party friends. Thanks for sharing!
Very cool! Thanks for sharin the history!
Simply awesome..... a piece of history in your hands ;)
OH MY GOD!!! WHAT A GUITAR !!!🙏🙏RIP EVH 🙏🙏
Greetings from Scotland. Excellent upload Tommy.
Sicko chops! That pickup sounds warm- like all his Kramers- I'd be curious if you ever can identify it; if its a 59 or customcustom or what... What can be ascertained about the magnet, wire coil type/ gauge, DC reading...
Thanks for sharing!
Tommy ..! Oh My God Dude, That Is A Very Special Guitar You Have There🎸 Love It Man
Awesome ..!🎸
Fully agree with everything you said ! I was a quasi guitar player At that time as well and it was like I was proud of my bicycle and he came roaring in - with a jet fighter ! Or I had my slingshot And he has a turbo flame thrower !
Owned a Kramer ZX-30 with a Marshall amp for a while. Unmistakable VH sound.
Hell yeah baby... Go Tommy! You look like you are enjoying it!
That was fascinating. And the guy can play good, an added bonus.
By far my favorite CHARVEL dealer! Great score on the VH kramer Tommy but i like your charvels more!
Myself and Jackie wired the one for the Hard Rock Cafe in NY dedication. I'm sure any of you who worked there will remember the day. That includes you George.
That guitar sounds amazing... great playing as well....
I should try that extra bolt trick on the plate holding the neck to the body on my guitar when I get the chance. I recently bought a Kramer Pacer as a project guitar, and I wanna make it into a workhorse.
Eddie sounds like Eddie even when he plays a $50 squire. But you sounded pretty good playing his guitar. Great score man!
Dam that is awesome . You have gold . When he first started using Kramer’s . I love the 6 bolts. So Eddie. Awesome .🎸🎸thinks for sharing that story.
is the kramer body thinner than frankie strat
What amp were you using? The sound was pretty awesome.
Kramer Guitars became Available to the public in 1976 and quickly became King of all Guitars..
Gene Simmons of KISS was the first Kramer player I saw in the late seventies.
I remember playing a heavy ass metal neck Kramer with the forked head stock in 79.
I understand why Vitas was a close friend of Eddie. Vitas was more known for his love of nosecandy than his tennisskills ;-)
Love Kramer
That guitar is just COOL as hell !!!!!
I didn't know Dana White was so interested in guitars.
He has a same sounding voice as joe rogan too
Dana actually owns a few
3 years later and this is still funny.
Dana's throwing heymakers with that right hand tap
I thought Matt Serra
That's a treasure!! You play it pretty well too.
A friends friend used to work for Kramer,and hand deliver Eddies guitars 🎸 to Eddies door 🚪,Val would make dinner 🥘,and they’d play dollar poker all night.
This is an awesome little piece and studying Eddie Van Halen and his ways can teach you about being an artist in any discipline: he served his own vision and made his tools work for him in an uncompromising way. Not to bad with the eruption Tommy! Next video, let's see you sit in as shortstop for the Yanks!
This guy is so dang good.
Van Halen is way better than that guy in the video.
BADASS, I THINK IT'S HILARIOUS ALL THE HATERS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION SAYING IT WASN'T PLAYED BY EDDIE OR IT WAS (JUST A BACKUP GUITAR) HAHAHAHA, ANY OF YOU SOUR GRAPERS WOULD GIVE A NUT TO OWN THAT GUITAR OR ANY GUITAR THAT EDDIE EVEN TOUCHED DON'T BE JELLY THATS CHILDISH JUST APPRECIATE THIS GUY SHARING A PEICE OF ROCK HISTORY. BADASS GUITAR YOU ARE BLESSED TO OWN IT. I BUILD CUSTOM GUITARS SO OF COARSE ONE OF MY FIRST BUILDS WAS A FRANKENSTRAT REPRO. EDDIE IS AMAZING, VAI IS STILL MY FAVORITE BUT THERE IS NO DENYING WHO THE GRANDDADDY OF SHRED IS.
Eddie Van Halen must be a big fan of Hockey sports...
Sweet! What amp are using for this tone Tommy?
Is this piece of rock history available to seen up live?
Holy mackerel! You shrrreddd!!
You rock bro! I love your love for EVH. And you ain't to shabby yourself bud. Some people play eddie riffs, and they're note for note, and sound like sh*t, why? No soul. Ya gotta have the pick slides, the vibrato, the diggin' into the strings ass you fly into some supersonic blues. I tell all those guitarists "congratulations, all that practice and all you've managed to do was make Van Halen sound like crap!?" Don't worry bud, you're good! Sean Black
When Eddie got his deal with Musicman he figured that it would be a good idea to have his old Kramers overhauled by Musicman since they knew what they were doing and the guitars themselves were getting pretty busted up.
His famous 5150 Kramer had suffered a headstock break but he kept the part of the headstock which was snapped off, so the headstock was repaired but the people at Musicman put a "Musicman" sticker on the headstock covering the Kramer logo. EVH wasn't impresed with that move.
img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/5150rob/five_775.jpg
The Headstock of Eddie's actual 5150 guitar, you can see the break and the residue where the sticker sat, note also the seventh tuner, needed to keep the guitar roadworthy with a snapped off headstock
LONG LIVE EDDIE!!!
Oh don't worry his legacy will go on. NO one is going to forget what he did to Rock guitar! 😎
He changed so many elements i cannot even list them all here.
Great video! Love the history
Tommy Colletti aint no slouch!! Cool vid!
if memory serves me correctly I think he eliminated the use of the neck pickup in his franken-collection, more of a fool me once type of thing, gotta love them bridge humbuckers lol, personally I'd use neck pickups; single coil or humbucker, for more of a presence boost to my sound, unlike the killer boost I receive from the bridge position
either way I love Kramer and what they had brought forward for versatility
I’ve never seen a cross between his Frankenstein and a 5150 Kramer for that matter ever seen a picture of him playing that guitar. It’s probably a relic’s fugazi.
Amazing! Thanks for sharing. How low is the action out of curiosity? Like a feeler/sparkplug gauge under string at 1st, 12th, and 22nd fret. Love Eddie but never touched one of his guitars.
Dude... awesome
That's my favorite one
That's amazing Tommy!!
Those springs on the floyd are not set correctly. Even Eddie used the springs straight in line not with the two out springs on an angle. They only have equal tension if they are all straight.
Guitar player & a shortstop. Hell yea!
Should have tuned that down to Eb to make it sound more like VH!
There was a 10yr gap between Hendrix and EVH, two guys who reinvented the way rock guitar was played. Nearly 40yrs later, and that new player has yet to emerge.
Nah 7 years gap van halen were around since 1977
Danny Gatton.
Cool story and SICK guitar!! Lucky man to own that bad boy!!
Just to be in the same room with that guitar would give me wood. Playing it? Owning it? Cannot fathom that.......
Lucky Dog.