Eddie Van Halen Frankenstrat replica

[Dirty Halo]

I've read all the posts and other forums and agree about some of the absurdity of making a $80 guitar, non-funcational parts and all...

My question is a bit different.

A friend asked me if something like that would truly be valuable as a "collector's investment."

I didn't know what to tell him.

What do you guys think in terms of the value going up or not?

Curious.

-a

[lowfreq33]

As with all collectibles, it depends on two things:
1) How many were made?
2) Does anybody want it?

[CorkyTart]

It's hard to say, I would say in 40 years or so they will be worth a ton. However, EVH has finally saturated the market with his name which he really hasn't done (Key word, saturated) He has the EVH Charvelle models, the Frankenstrat, the MXR flanger and phaser and even a wah. Hell, EVH used a wah on one VH tune that I can think of which was Poundcake in the chorus. I wouldn't expect a quick return when they are going for $18.5 on ebay.

[Jim Williams]

I suspect their value will drop once the owner finds out he still can't play like Eddie.
These will be as desirable as the '68 Hendrix strat re-issue and the Stevie Ray V. models.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by CorkyTart

It's hard to say, I would say in 40 years or so they will be worth a ton. However, EVH has finally saturated the market with his name which he really hasn't done (Key word, saturated) He has the EVH Charvelle models, the Frankenstrat, the MXR flanger and phaser and even a wah. Hell, EVH used a wah on one VH tune that I can think of which was Poundcake in the chorus. I wouldn't expect a quick return when they are going for $18.5 on ebay.

Not really sure if the ones on eBay are legit. Do ya think? Hell if I were spending that kind of cash, I don't think I'd risk it on E-scam... I mean evilBay.

I hear a lot of negative from people, is it just aht it really is NOT a collectible or investment or people just can't afford it? I had read a lot of bitchin' in the lower-end forums and things like G.C. reviews, so I was asked what we all thought... so far, the same.

-a

[redrue]

The Wikipedia entry for Frankenstrat states that the 300 Fender replicas
sold out in 15 minutes... How many of those you think went to dealers and
speculators? I'll bet most.

You've seen the guys at the guitar shows with all the 20k to 50k strats?

Somebody's driving those prices.

[Mike Caffrey]

I've got a Kramer version, with a latter from Kramer stating that only 3 were made (I got it for free from an Ex- who won it in a contest).

I got all sorts of appraisals, from $800, to "Wow, this is really unique. I used to work a Kramer and know a lot about their guitars and this is the real deal, you could probably get $3k for it"

First, let's assume that it's a "cool" guitar.

Then, the reality is, it's a replica, so that kills a lot of the potential value.

Then hold on to it for 20 years and try to sell it. Because of it's appearance, you're going ot have a limited market of who to sell it to. If you ant big money, you can only sell it to rich VanHalen fans 20 years from now, who want to buy a fake version of a guitar they thought was cool 50 years before.

A '59 LesPaul is a differnt story. It's all original, but more importantly, its appearance doesn't limit the market of who you can sell it to.

It may be a great guitar, especailly for a VanHalen fan, but I think it's very unlikely to be a good investment.

[TheArchitect]

Originally Posted by redrue

The Wikipedia entry for Frankenstrat states that the 300 Fender replicas
sold out in 15 minutes... How many of those you think went to dealers and
speculators? I'll bet most.

You've seen the guys at the guitar shows with all the 20k to 50k strats?

Somebody's driving those prices.

I generally see the guy who brought the 50k strat leaving with it

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

I suspect their value will drop once the owner finds out he still can't play like Eddie.
These will be as desirable as the '68 Hendrix strat re-issue and the Stevie Ray V. models.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

No one has those hands... I suspect this is more like investing in art than a "playing" guitar. The question, will it hold value , increase or decrease, no matter what the current feeling of absurdity, jealousy or envy.

-a

[big country]

It kinda looks like a tweeker's guitar

Eddie is cool in my book
but not a 25k$
piece of crap looking guitar cool

If it was the original maybe

makes me wonder if some of the stuff people collect is blown out of proportion $wise

Its a piece of wood with some steel shit on it
that makes noise

I guess if money goes like water it doesn't matter


----------------
but then again the price that some pay to fuc their head up with drugs
25k doesn't surprise me

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by big country

It kinda looks like a tweeker's guitar

Its a piece of wood with some steel shit on it
that makes noise

That's kind of like saying a Warhol is just ink on paper.

-a

[Clayphish]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

That's kind of like saying a Warhol is just ink on paper.

-a

But you don't play a Warhol, you just look at it.

[big country]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

That's kind of like saying a Warhol is just ink on paper.

-a

I didn't know Eddie built the guitars him self?
if thats the case maybe they are worth 25k
Oh but wait Eddie didn't build those guitars
they are just replicas of the original BFD



you can get silks of Andy's work that doesn't cost to much
but if you want the real deal good luck

[big country]

Originally Posted by Clayphish

But you don't play a Warhol, you just look at it.

good point...

[Nu-tra]

Guitar Center is driving them prices up. HAve you seen the prices on guitars in the "Vintage room"?

Originally Posted by redrue

The Wikipedia entry for Frankenstrat states that the 300 Fender replicas
sold out in 15 minutes... How many of those you think went to dealers and
speculators? I'll bet most.

You've seen the guys at the guitar shows with all the 20k to 50k strats?

Somebody's driving those prices.

[big country]

Originally Posted by Nu-tra

Guitar Center is driving them prices up. HAve you seen the prices on guitars in the "Vintage room"?

vintage room in holly wood

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by big country

I didn't know Eddie built the guitars him self?
if thats the case maybe they are worth 25k
Oh but wait Eddie didn't build those guitars
they are just replicas of the original BFD



you can get silks of Andy's work that doesn't cost to much
but if you want the real deal good luck

The funny thing is, Warhol didn't physically produce MANY of the famous works from "The Factory," which are still considered EXTREMELY valuable, more than $25k guitar, so even if Eddie didn't build these... I guess its more a matter of what is "valued."

So the REAL question is, will this be "valued" and why? (ok, two questions)

I've read the G.C. forums, it'd be nice to gt past the sme old riff raff bichining about a "badly built guitar." Got it. This is either about art or not. Collectible or not. Valuable or not.

-a

[big country]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

So the REAL question is, will this be "valued" and why? (ok, two questions)



-a

I guess its up to the individual buying the piece to make that call

is it art? Yea in a rare form I do think his guitar is art

but In a weird way it reminds me of the old days of doing drugs

so I guess my opinion is very biased

[big country]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

The funny thing is, Warhol didn't physically produce MANY of the famous works from "The Factory," which are still considered EXTREMELY valuable, more than $25k

-a

this form of produced art was probably influenced from Andy working at a magazine and also influenced from heavy drug use
the guy was kind of a nut
not that brilliance stems from ordinary
but the guy was way on the outside

[Master Tang]

Guitars like that have entered the art, and vintage car type market.

There's a sh!tload of people out there, which buy any sort of limited edition guitar. Some are collectors, some are speculators, all are nuts.

I have seen an absolute piece of crap Les Paul sell for over 20,000 dollars simply because of the year it was made. The guy that bought it was an oriental business man who doesn't even play.

Go figure.

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Master Tang

Guitars like that have entered the art, and vintage car type market.

There's a sh!tload of people out there, which buy any sort of limited edition guitar. Some are collectors, some are speculators, all are nuts.

I have seen an absolute piece of crap Les Paul sell for over 20,000 dollars simply because of the year it was made. The guy that bought it was an oriental business man who doesn't even play.

Go figure.

Yeah, they are out there... so what are the odds that THIS $25k guitar will appreciate?

Is it a pure vanity buy for someone or is it legit in the "collector's" realm?

-a

[Master Tang]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

Yeah, they are out there... so what are the odds that THIS $25k guitar will appreciate?

Is it a pure vanity buy for someone or is it legit in the "collector's" realm?

-a

You are guaranteed it will appreciate. They won't ever command the price of a '58 Goldtop, (at least not in our lifetimes) but they will absolutely go up.

It's a lot like if the Louvre authorized Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to have a limited print run of 300 full sized giclee on canvas copies with all the paperwork to certify them. They would be off the charts expensive right off the bat, and be chased by collectors the world over.

Granted a Frankenstrat is no Mona Lisa, but it's the guitar that changed rock, and redefined the way a rock guitarist was supposed to play, making it uniquely special.

I still wouldn't buy one. Wouldn't want to put an unauthorized ding in it.

[big country]

Originally Posted by Master Tang

There's a sh!tload of people out there, which buy any sort of limited edition guitar. Some are collectors, some are speculators, all are nuts.



Go figure.

collecting is an addiction

[big country]

Originally Posted by Dirty Halo

Yeah, they are out there... so what are the odds that THIS $25k guitar will appreciate?

Is it a pure vanity buy for someone or is it legit in the "collector's" realm?

-a

I dont think any thing is guaranteed to appreciate
unfortunately it all depends on hype

it's an ego Item for sure

I guess it goes back to what the era of psychology
will be like in twenty years




will we be more advanced

or will society be a frigin fish in a pond
biting at any thing shiny

lets hope it more advanced
for the sake of man kind

[big country]

[big country]

I wonder if Willie
will cash in on
selling copies of his beautiful junk

[Acoustic Cloud]

Man, I thought the Charvels he was taping on his dining room table were outrageous$$$$!

If people buy this one, I guess they want it pretty bad.
Thats pretty profound, isnt it?
If I had a ton of money, I would buy one. But I would play the heck out of it, and wouldn't count on it for any investment worth.

[big country]

not exactly a good place to dump the kids college fund

Indeed it does look like a fun axe to swing

[jrtme]

While I think they are neat. I'm a huge Van Halen fan and even if I had the money I wouldn't dump it into that guitar. They made too many of them.

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by jrtme

While I think they are neat. I'm a huge Van Halen fan and even if I had the money I wouldn't dump it into that guitar. They made too many of them.

Did anyone on G.S. buy one? Or do you know anyone who did? When they say the "sold out" right away... we've GOT to be talking dealers, right?

And if so, what did dealers pay for this thing?