Through the years, many interpretations have been made of Eddie Van Halen’s classic ’80s striped electric guitars. However, a build by self-described “Van Halen fan and hobbyist woodworker” Ryan Kramer that emulates the striped paintwork pattern of the Kramer guitar Van Halen used on the band’s 1986 5150 tour is truly memorable.
Kramer, based in Boulder, CO, got in touch with Guitar World to showcase his unique build crafted from solid blocks of wood.
(Image credit: Ryan Kramer)
“I’ve always loved Eddie Van Halen’s iconic striped series of guitars, so I decided to build an homage to this classic style,” Kramer explains.
“Rather than painting the stripes onto the body, I constructed the guitar from solid pieces of padauk (red), maple (white), and wenge (black).
“The guitar is based largely on Eddie’s custom 1986 Kramer striped guitar that he played during the 5150 tour. The fact that my name is also Kramer is a happy coincidence!”
Here, we have a wonderfully fitting example of nominative determinism.
(Image credit: Ryan Kramer)
The process involved gluing tonewoods together into a solid block before shaping, an undoubtedly painstaking process. While we can’t remark on the tonal qualities of such a construction, in aesthetic terms, it’s an absolute triumph.
The neck, crafted from carbon-reinforced maple, and matching headstock made from maple with half-depth wenge and padauk inlays to emulate EVH’s own headstock striped pattern, have made for a seamless match.
(Image credit: Ryan Kramer)
A curly maple fingerboard is inlaid with wenge dots as fret markers, and wenge cover plates adorn the Floyd Rose and control areas on the reverse side of the guitar.
The result has been put up for auction on eBay, with all proceeds going to Kramer’s chosen charity, CAMFED, which supports girls’ education in Africa.
(Image credit: Ryan Kramer)
Kramer cautions that due to the construction’s differing grain directions, there is an elevated humidity risk with the instrument. As a result, it’s best kept away from environmental extremes. However, given its uniqueness and charitable cause, it seems unlikely that it will see much time in the cold depths of a tour van.
Revel in the pictures, and don’t miss the chance to place a bid on this one-of-a-kind instrument. Read more for additional details and the auction link.