HOW EDDIE VAN HALEN PIONEERED THE ARTIST-AS-ENTREPRENEUR REVOLUTION
This week, guitar legend Eddie Van Halen passed away at the age of 65 after a courageous battle with cancer. As principal songwriter and lead guitar player for 1980’s powerhouse rock band Van Halen, he inspired hundreds of guitarists to pick up and play, including John Mayer, Nita Strauss and many others who shared heartfelt tributes on social media.
From the artist perspective, not only did we have a wildly talented player to look up to, but Eddie’s obsession with the guitar led him to create his very own instrument manufacturing company, EVH Gear, inspired by the creation of his original 1978 Frankenstrat (which, at one point, was on display at the Smithsonian.)
Today, we explore the superpowers of the Frankenstrat, in addition to the silent but powerful legacy his innovation left behind for future artist entrepreneurs.
THE SUPERPOWER OF THE FRANKENSTRAT
Eddie Van Halen posing in a 1980’s ad for his signature Kramer guitar.
Famously, Eddie’s original Frankenstrat guitar got its nickname from its patchwork construction—at the time, he combined parts of both a Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollow Guitar and a Fender 1950’s Stratocaster into his own monstrous music maker. However, the most memorable fan-facing detail became his decided finish, in which he painted the entire body black, covered it in gaff tape, and then repainted over the tape in white (and eventually red), making the iconic “EVH” pattern synonymous with Van Halen lore.
During the band’s 1980’s music industry reign, he was spotted at nearly every show with some iteration of the Frankenstrat model, eventually going on to partner with both Peavey and Ernie Ball Music Man for additional custom guitar designs, many of which included the now iconic red, black and white stripe design. He was able to successfully integrate the guitar as a method of marketing for the band, often matching full jumpsuit outfits to his gear at shows and photoshoots.
Not only did these creations sound incredible, but he had simultaneously designed a genius branding tool that followed him until the creation of his own company.
EVH Gear booth at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. Image courtesy of Van Halen News Desk.
THE LEGACY OF ARTISTS AS ENTREPRENEURS
The concept of the signature model itself had been around before Eddie—in the 1960’s, companies like Gibson experienced wild popularity with their Trini Lopez model, for example. But as a major player in a category in which artists previously were confined to signature models with other established brands, Eddie branched into his own guitar manufacturing company, EVH Gear, giving him the freedom to innovate and design “Frankenstrats” entirely of his own design. Quoting Eddie himself, from the EVH Gear website: “I am involved in every phase because I am not endorsing a product—this is my company.”
Since EVH Gear’s founding at the turn of the 21st century, you can now find an EVH Gear guitar or amp head at your local Guitar Center or music shop, with new releases still launching to this date.
And now, in 2020, as we celebrate Eddie’s legacy, we’ve so much to appreciate about his contributions to the life of an artist entrepreneur. Each year, more musicians are finding the confidence to branch into their own ventures, ones that rather than distract from their artistry, only serve to enhance it. A notion which can always be traced back to the pioneer that was Eddie Van Halen.
