Description

When Eddie Van Halen set out in 2015 on his Different Kind of Truth world tour, he made a special last-minute request for a distressed “ivory over black” finish to be his number one choice axe. This limited edition Special Striped series Wolfgang pays homage to that unique guitar, complete with accurate relic ivory finish and a host of features like a killswitch, Floyd Rose vibrato, D-Tuna, and Bourns low and high-friction control pots the legendary virtuoso used to dazzle audiences at his live shows. A shredder’s dream setup Eddie had his ideal guitar setup nailed to a tee over decades of shred evolution. This Wolfgang Special reflects his personal preferences, with a hand-rubbed, satin quartersawn maple neck sitting just on the fuller side of a thin style neck, increasing in thickness heading towards the body to provide a solid soloing foundation. The relatively compact ebony fingerboard, akin to a Fender Strat, makes long stretches over multiple strings more manageable. Combine that with the compound radius fingerboard transitioning from 12 inches to 16 in the upper register and you’ve got both a fast-riffing machine and more expansive area to tap out precise solos higher up the neck. Hot and lively “brown sound” tone Two Wolfgang humbuckers bring a hot-rodded, heavy midrange tone serving as the foundation for Eddie’s iconic “brown sound”. These pickups possess a hairy ‘80s shredder personality that stand out among a sea of cold, ultra scooped tones many rock and metal pickups have trended towards. The bridge pickup is tight, bright, punchy, and great for harmonics. The neck pickup is warmer while staying articulate unlike a PAF, and leads really sing. Floyd Rose madness The Wolfgang Special is kitted out with exceptional array of hardware. Van Halen is famous for popularising the Floyd Rose bridge, and the R2 model is present here to provide all the divebombs and flutters you’ll ever want. The R2 locking nut keeps tuning in check. And if you ever need to make truss rod adjustments to tweak intonation, there’s an easy heel-mount adjustment wheel for quick access. D-Tuna quick tuning changes The incredibly handy D-Tuna lets you switch between drop D and standard tunings in a pinch – an incredibly useful addition to a Floyd Rose, which would usually prevent you from making a quick change without tilting the bridge backwards and putting all your other strings slightly out of tune. EVH Bourns volume controls Also equipped are Bourns low-friction volume and high-friction tone pots. This makes it quick to turn the volume control, essentially turning the volume into an adaptable swell effect. The Treble Bleed circuit ensures sure there’s no loss of high-end EQ as you reduce volume, keeping tone consistent throughout the range. Meanwhile, the tone control is tightened up stiffer to prevent accidental turning as you reach for the volume or the trem arm. Creative killswitch and thoughtful additions A killswitch adds a load of variety, creativity and showmanship to your playing, cutting the guitar’s signal entirely for as long as you press down on the switch. This is a feature Eddie and several other guitar virtuosos have used to create rhythms and unique phrasing. Little touches like the oversized strap buttons set this guitar aside from many factory-made guitars, and ensure this Wolfgang isn’t going anywhere regardless of how much you’re moving about as you rock out. Gig bag included The Wolfgang Special comes with a gig bag for you to travel light, carry extras and accessories, and keep your new instrument protected from bumps and scrapes while on the move.Key Features Modelled on the guitar Eddie Van Halen used on the 2015 “Different Kind of Truth” world tour. Hot and fiery Wolfgang AL2 bridge pickup and AL3 neck pickup Get wild with the Floyd Rose 1000 series tremolo and R2 locking nut U…