Eddie Van Halen Guitar Name: Frankenstein or Frankenstrat?
“Eddie Van Halen guitar name” is a popular internet search that will give you one of two names for the guitar icon’s equally iconic axe. Those two names, of course, are “Frankenstein” and “Frankenstrat.”
But which name, if any, is the official name? Wolfgang Van Halen put the debate to rest in a recent appearance on Shred with Shifty, where Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett asked WVH for confirmation.
Wolfgang said, “Officially, on the case, it says Frankenstein, but people call it whatever they want … But officially on the case, for the nerds that really want to know, it says ‘Frankenstein,’ so that’s what I say.”
Wolfgang also noted his father didn’t have a name for the red, white and black-striped guitar, but “Frankenstein” is just what people started calling it. The EVH Gear website confirms this, too, stating, “Indeed, it’s worth noting that it was never Eddie who called the guitar by that name; it was his legions of devoted fans … To Eddie, it was simply ‘My baby.'”
The Time Eddie Van Halen Tossed Frankenstein
Before the release of Mammoth WVH’s self-titled debut, Wolfgang shared a funny story about the iconic Frankenstein, which he actually played on Mammoth WVH.
In a May 2021 interview with Total Guitar, Wolfgang recalled a time when Frankenstein was taken out of its safe. He said his Dad picked up the guitar, played it a bit, said it “feels about the same” and then just tossed the historic guitar on a nearby couch.
“Everyone just gasped when he did that, ” said Wolfgang. “To Dad, it’s just a little piece of junk that he built himself, but to us, it’s the most famous thing in the world.”
An Eddie Van Halen guitar on display as part of Julian Auctions Presents Icons And Idols: Rock ‘N’ Roll, Hollywood and Sports at Julien’s Auctions on November 23, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Mammoth WVH: Upcoming Tour Dates
Wolfgang’s band, Mammoth WVH, has some high-profile dates in late 2024.
As previously reported, the band is providing support on Creed’s “Are You Ready?” reunion tour. Also providing support on the tour are 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven.
The “Are You Ready?” tour kicks off on Nov. 2 in Oklahoma City and wraps on Dec. 5 in Orlando. A full list of dates is below. Complete ticket details can be found at Creed.com.
11/02 – Oklahoma City, Okla. – Paycom Center *
11/03 – Little Rock, Ark. – Simmons Bank Arena *
11/06 – Kansas City, Mo. – T-Mobile Center *
11/08 – Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena *
11/09 – Biloxi, Miss. – Mississippi Coast Coliseum *
11/12 – Corpus Christi, Texas – American Bank Center Arena *
11/13 – Fort Worth, Texas – Dickies Arena *
11/15 – Austin, Texas – Moody Center ATX *
11/16 – Bossier City, La. – Brookshire Grocery Arena *
11/19 – Grand Rapids, Mich. – Van Andel Arena *
11/20 – Detroit, Mich. – Little Caesars Arena *
11/22 – Cleveland, Ohio – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse *
11/23 – Baltimore, Md. – CFG Bank Arena *
11/25 – Montreal, Quebec – Bell Centre ^
11/27 – Toronto, Ontario – Scotiabank Arena ^
11/29 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden *
11/30 – Bangor, Maine – Cross Insurance Center *
12/02 – Allentown, Pa. – PPL Center #
12/04 – Atlanta, Ga. – State Farm Arena *
12/05 – Orlando, Fla. – Kia Center #
* 3 Doors Down/Mammoth WVH
^ Mammoth WVH/Finger Eleven
# 3 Doors Down