would you pay $25,000 for this guitar?

[Dukkha]

It's a reproduction of Eddie Van Halen's infamous "Frankenstein" guitar. His actual guitar is a custom build of a Charvel neck, strat body, Floyd Rose tremolo and Dimarzio humbucker modified and seriously beaten up over the decades. There's probably about $600 - $700 in parts on it but this faux road worn limited edition axe is being sold for an astounding http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/EVH-Eddie-Van-Halen-Frankenstein-Replica-Electric-Guitar?full_sku=104226733">$25K! That kind of dough can land you a true vintage 60's Stratocaster or Les Paul. You'd have to be an ultra die hard VH fan to fork over that kind of cash for this.

[Joe Fields]

1. A vintage strat costs that much? Dayum!

[Generic Brad]

2. For a reproduction???

No, thank you. I would never make any dough if I tried to recoup my losses on E-Bay.

[mitchum]

3. Hell no, but I'm sure some gear queen will

[Jamastiene]

21. I resemble that comment.

I've never been called that before. I kind of like the ring of it, "Gear Queen." :rofl: :hi:

[mitchum]

22. I first heard Ivy Rorschach use the term

That's okay, we've all got a little gear queen in us :)

[Jamastiene]

31. Yup, just watch any of us drool over our favorite instruments.

Then, it shows. :P

[leftofthedial]

4. absurd

[VenusRising]

5. No way.

A Carl Thompson bass is cheaper than that, and their custom made.

Well, not anymore since he stopped making them.

I hear Les Claypool got the last one.

[petronius]

6. Only if I could turn around and sell it for $30,000

or at least $25,001...

[Inchworm]

27. didnt see this until after I posted

oops!

:)

[petronius]

29. GMTA! Interesting that we have the same price point...

:)

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. Will it make me play better?

Probably not.

:thumbsdown:

[mitchum]

12. Dude, the gear manufacturers cartel is going to have you killed for that

Blasphemer!

[Blue-Jay]

8. I could build one for a lot less.

None of those parts are hard to find.

[swag]

9. I would pay a quarter to cross the street and piss on it.

[misanthrope]

11. Then you'd have me beat by 25¢...

...because I wouldn't even do that much. I don't like Charvel guitars and I've never really been a fan of Eddie Van Halen, a guy who rode a single technique to fame.

Here's a question: if tapping and hammer-ons made Van Halen a "genius," then does that make Stanley Jordan twice the "genius" Eddie is?

[misanthrope]

10. You could get a FEW vintage Strats or Les Pauls for that kind of dough**nm

**

[idgiehkt]

13. I knew who it belonged to ( or was reproduced of)

before I even scrolled down. How did I know this?

:shrug:

those brain cells could have been used for something better, surely.

:rofl:

[Jamastiene]

32. I had a clue, but clicked anyway.

Yippee, I got to see a killer Charvel, my favorite kind of guitar.

[enigmatic]

14. I'll take my vintage hollow-body Tele back instead

Damn, I wish I still had it; looked just like this one:

[Eagle_Eye]

15. This guitar sold for only $600,000

Lenny

<>

.

[Deja Q]

16. Wouldn't buying the original for $25k have more merit?

Reproductions aren't worth more than the cost of the parts.

[doggyboy]

17. You could have one custom-made for much less

About 5k

[Richard Steele]

18. No way. Anyone who would pay 25 grand for a COPY of the Van Halen Frankenstein is an idjit.

I don't care who you are, there's probably someone
within 30 minutes of your front door who could build
you an identical copy for 1/20th of that.
And be happy to do it.

[mulsh]

19. a repro-you must be high

I inherited a '62 strat a couple of years ago along with a les paul. I like both of these guitars & they're both in near mint condition but I wouldn't pay even a quarter of their book prices. "vintage" guitar prices are insane these days.

[Jamastiene]

33. Yes, they are.

Charvels have such a long history and used to have a great reputation back in the 80s. I guess that's why people would pay that much for that certain guitar. There is also a replica of Frankenstein on that site that doesn't have that roughed up look to it. It's about 1/10 the price too. I think this one falls in the same category as those "distressed" denim jeans they sell for way to much nowadays. Back in my day, we used to wear pants until they did that on their own. :P ...and we walked to school in the snow uphill both ways...

[Jamastiene]

20. Ye-No-Ye, I can't make up my mind.

To be honest, if I had that kind of money to fork over for that kind of guitar, I would probably go talk to Wayne Charvel and have him make a custom job for me like I want it.

The only real difference for me from the VH guitar would be to add a humbucker at the neck instead of the single pole pickup, add mounting rings on both humbuckers, no pickguard, and I prefer to plug in via the bottom not the front of the guitar. Also I'd like a rosewood fingerboard. In other words, that guitar's neck and body and Dimarzio pickups are great, but a few minor cosmetic differences would be appreciated. And the paint job would be some cobalt blue shade.

Otherwise, those old Charvels were some kickass guitars. I certainly love my Model 2. I'm torn. I might just be willing to pay that much if I had it. Dunno, I would prefer my dream custom guitar when the time comes.

[Left Is Write]

23. Absolutely not.

If I were going to spend 25 grand on a guitar, it's going to be an authentic vintage piece, not some repro.

[JVS]

24. No way!

[bigwillq]

25. Nope (nt)

[Inchworm]

26. If I could turn around in a month and resell for 30k

That is assuming I had won the lottery and had money to waste.

:hi:

[Critters2]

28. I have a friend who owns a $15,000 flute. It's literally made of gold.

She told me this when I was complaining about paying $400 for a preaching gown (which is highway robbery).

She assures me that it plays better than a cheaper one. It damn well ought to. And hers isn't a reproduction of some famous flute. It's just her flute. Her $15,000 flute. I don't understand it.

But it did make it easier to write that check for a $400 Geneva gown.

[freethought]

30. Some people might

Hey, Eric Clapton's "Blackie" Fender Stratocaster went for something like $950,000.00 some time ago.
The highest price paid for an electric guitar up to that point. I think it was broken some time ago
by another vintage strat with a bunch of autographs on it.

Then again these were one-of-a-kinds. Not limited run editions of someone else's guitar.

[Fenris]

34. Only if the $25K price tag includes the privilege of beating Eddie to death with it.