Scottsdale, Arizona—EVH® today announces the release of the all-new Striped Series Shark, a model based on the iconic striped guitar that Eddie Van Halen debuted during the first Van Halen World Tour in 1978.
With his visionary hands-on approach to personally modifying his style and tone, Eddie Van Halen took his angular offset axe and sawed a chunk out of the body, leaving jagged edges in the wood that resembled teeth. After applying a coat of silver paint, Eddie added tape to create his famed striped pattern and then grabbed a rattle can of burgundy Schwinn bicycle paint to finish the job. The final striped creation became widely known and adored by fans, especially after appearing on the back cover of 1980 album Women and Children First.
Highly sought by fans ever since, the EVH® Striped Series Shark in Burgundy with Silver Stripes features an angular ash body that is paired with a rock-solid set maple neck, carved to a fast and comfortable modified “C” profile. The neck also features a “hockey stick” headstock and the same striped paint job as the body on the back, while the fast-playing 12”-16” compound radius Pau Ferro fingerboard has 22 jumbo frets and white dot inlays.
The Shark is fitted with custom designed EVH Wolfgang® alnico 2 Humbucker bridge and neck pickups, delivering power and articulation with sweet sustain and thick chunky rhythms in a perfectly balanced EQ curve. Like the original, the bridge pickup features parchment bobbins with metal braid wire, while the neck pickup features black bobbins with metal braid wire.
A low-friction volume knob with a treble bleed cap provides for high-frequency retention when lowering the volume. This provides for unmatched performance and even-volume tapering for the smoothest volume swells, while a chrome-plated solid-brass harmonica bridge provides massive attack, presence and sustain.
This head-turning axe also includes many stylish features including black numbered speed knobs, three-way toggle switch housed on a brass mounting plate, brass nut, gold, and chrome custom EVH-stamped Gotoh® tuners and chrome eye hooks with turnbuckles.
For more information about the Shark or other EVH products, please visit evhgear.com.