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On the cover of Van Halen’s 1978 eponymous debut album, Eddie Van Halen thrusts his black-and-white striped Strat®-style guitar towards the camera as if he’s showing you the future. He played this guitar on his unprecedented and mind-blowing “Eruption” guitar solo, thus its nickname, and almost immediately, this monumental instrument became a timeless icon, symbolic of a paradigm shift in guitar-driven rock and roll.
Back when this trailblazing album first appeared, nobody had ever seen or heard a guitar like that because no such guitar ever existed. What was this? You couldn’t buy one.
That’s because he made it himself. The 22-year-old Eddie Van Halen had the mind of not only a great musician, but also of an innovative inventor—a constant tinkerer who was always messing with his gear. Eddie would say it was out of necessity as no off-the-shelf guitar had the features he needed to really do his job and realize his full potential. So, he took matters into his own capable hands — refretting the neck, installing a humbucking pickup which he potted in paraffin wax, as well a single master volume knob (famously labeled as “Tone”), brass nut and tailpiece from a ’58 Strat, cutting out and mounting his own homemade black and of course, coming up with iconic striped motif.
The all-new EVH® Striped Series ’78 Eruption guitar combines many of those famed mods along with modernized features and a relic treatment.
The Stratocaster®-style body sports Eddie’s famed white-and-black-striped paint job and has been paired to a quartersawn maple neck with a hand-rubbed satin urethane back finish. The 12”-16” compound radius maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets was designed for fast and furious playing styles with maximum comfort, while a heel-mount truss rod wheel makes for time-saving neck adjustments.
A single EVH Wolfgang® humbucking bridge pickup provides classic Eddie Van Halen guitar tone – from crystal cleans to fat and rich mids and lows, while the brass nut and six-saddle vintage Fender® Stratocaster synchronized tremolo bridge with a 43mm brass block allow for authentic EVH tone.
Other features include a skirted white Strat-style volume control knob (labeled “tone”) with 500K EVH Bourns® low friction pot and treble bleed circuit, black pickguard, chrome hardware, oversized strap buttons, EVH neck plate and larger, ‘70s-style licensed Fender Strat headstock with gold EVH logo.
Artist Name: | Eddie Van Halen |
Product Color: | White with Black Stripes |
Relic/Aging Level: | Relic |
Case Type: | Gig Bag Included |
Factory Setup: | E Standard (E-A-D-G-B-E) |
Body Material: | Basswood |
Body Finish: | Lacquer |
Neck Material: | Quartersawn Maple |
Neck Shape: | EVH Modified "C" Backshape |
Fingerboard Material: | Maple |
Nut Material: | Brass |
Nut Width: | 1.6875" (42.86mm) |
Fingerboard Radius: | Compound 12-16" (304.8-406.4mm) |
Scale Length: | 25.5" (647.7mm) |
Number of Frets: | 22 Frets |
Neck Joint: | Bolt-On with Graphite Reinforcement |
Fingerboard Inlay: | Black Dots |
Inlay Shape: | Dots |
Side Marker Inlay: | Black |
Bridge Pickup: | EVH Wolfgang Humbucking |
Controls and Switching: | Volume with Treble Bleed Circuit |
Hardware Color: | Reliced Chrome |
Bridge: | 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Fender Strat Synchronized Tremolo with 43mm Brass Block |
Tuning Machines: | EVH-Branded Gotoh |
String Tree: | Single Wing with Tall Metal Spacer |
Fret Wire: | Jumbo |
Saddle: | Metal |
Pickguard: | 1-Ply Black |
Knobs: | White Stratocaster-Style Skirt (Labeled "Tone") |
You read that right! Any orders over $75 ship for free!*
The CME Difference: CME's mission is to make sure your shipment will arrive quickly, carefully, and correctly. We realize that the online ordering of guitars and instruments, in general, can be a nerve-racking experience. We are here to put your mind at ease and make your transaction smooth and enjoyable! As musicians ourselves, we want to make sure everything gets to you the way it should, every time.
Most orders ship the same or next day: We greatly appreciate your patience, and are working hard to fulfill all requests as quickly as possible, while practicing recommended safety guidelines.
Our Bottom line: We care! This is something we take very seriously, because it's what you deserve. Our shipping, sales, and customer service teams are always striving to create the best experience for you. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, we want to know.
Please don't hesitate to reach out to support@chicagomusicexchange.com, or call us directly at 773-525-7773.
*Special exceptions do apply.
We’re all musicians here at Chicago Music Exchange and we want you to love the gear you get from us. We understand that sometimes you get a piece of gear that doesn’t work out for you. That’s why we offer an easy return policy to take the stress out of purchasing from us.
If you decide you'd like to return an item, please contact your Sales Rep, chat us, or give us a call.
If you placed your order on Amazon or eBay, we advise issuing the return request from your account on the platform of purchase - our Customer Service team will process a refund upon receipt of the item(s).
Most new items may be returned within 30 days of delivery and most vintage & used items may be returned within 3 days of delivery for a full refund, exchange, or store credit. Please pack the product safely for the journey back to us. If the product was shipped for free, the charge will be deducted from refund, unless the reason for the return is outside normal circumstances.
Please contact us as soon as possible if your order was received incorrectly, damaged, or defective. Most times we will give you an RA number (Return Authorization). Why is that number important? This will allow us to speed up the process of the return.
We reserve the right to charge a restocking fee based on the return condition. Some items we just can’t take back for returns, due to a one time function like strings or drums heads and other times it’s not sanitary to do so with microphones or harmonicas. If you aren’t sure if what you bought falls into a category like this, call us (773) 525-7773!
We strive to get your return processed quickly. Most of the time we have it done within two business days. Funds going back to credit cards usually takes two to four business days. CME strives to make sure all customers are happy with their experience. It is our priority to provide great service along with great gear. We always want to be helpful, and open to your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts! If you have any questions, we’re here for you!
Feel free to email us at customerservice@chicagomusicexchange.com or give us a call at (773) 525-7773.