The Frankenstrat quarter

[JB_From_Hell]

What's the deal with the quarter screwed to Ed's Frankenstrat? He stated in the recent GW interview that he'd taken the guitar apart before a show, couldn't get the Floyd to lay down, so he borrowed a quarter from the GW writer and screwed it to the body.

My first thought was that the bridge was tilting back too far, and he used the quarter to keep it out of the body, but we all know the Frankenstrat wasn't routed to pull up on the bar..... what's the deal?

 

[jmh151]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

From my experience, the neck pocket wasn't routed on an angle, it was the flat Fender Strat route (since the guitar was a Fender). When you shim the neck to accomadate a Floyd Rose, the Floyd Rose sits a bit above the body, allowing slight pull up. Since Ed didn't like this, he put a quarter under the baseplate so it couldn't pull up and it would rest on the body.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

From my experience, the neck pocket wasn't routed on an angle, it was the flat Fender Strat route (since the guitar was a Fender). When you shim the neck to accomadate a Floyd Rose, the Floyd Rose sits a bit above the body, allowing slight pull up. Since Ed didn't like this, he put a quarter under the baseplate so it couldn't pull up and it would rest on the body.

the guitar was a Boogie body, not a Fender... but ya there must of been some shims under the neck for the Floyd... Most likely he used too thick of a shim and had to use a Quarter to rest the floyd on for the show...

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

I didn't think of the neck pocket issue. That makes sense.

 

[jmh151]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

the guitar was a Boogie body, not a Fender... but ya there must of been some shims under the neck for the Floyd... Most likely he used too thick of a shim and had to use a Quarter to rest the floyd on for the show...

I forgot that detail- it was a boogie body body- some sites show EVH with an old sunburst/rosewood board Fender Strat and claim that's the start of Frankie, while EVH claims he bought all the parts and started from scratch.

Anyway, the non angled neck pocket is why it's there. If you see an old 80's bolt on Kramer or ESP with a Floyd check it out- most of them have horrible action since the neck's not shimmed properly

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

If you see an old 80's bolt on Kramer or ESP with a Floyd check it out- most of them have horrible action since the neck's not shimmed properly

Sounds like mine :laugh2:

Feel free to let me know how to "properly" shim it. Seriously, the action on it sucks!

 

[jmh151]

Re: The Frankenstrat quarter

Not to resurrect a zombie thread, but to shim a neck for a Floyd, I've taken an old credit card, cut 2 slivers about 1/8 " by the width of ne neck pocket. I stack them on top of each other right at the butt end of the neck- between the neck and body- that that usually gives the proper angle