Edward Van Halen’s homemade “Frankenstein” guitar placed third on Billboard’s recent list of the 100 most iconic guitars of all time.
Before we get to what Billboard had to say about Edward’s guitar and their rankings, here is how they came up with their list:
What is “the greatest”? Iconic, influential, inventive, famous, game changing? Unusual, oddball, beautiful, even whimsical? Just plain cool? It’s all of that and more. Some of the guitars that follow are standard models with minimal modifications; others are one-of-a-kind pieces that have been endlessly tinkered with. Some are technical and auditory wonders; others have been beaten to hell over the years by overzealous owners. But all are important to the guitar’s history and ongoing evolution.
This was a big undertaking that we didn’t want to do alone. We invited a panel of ace guitarists across a variety of genres, as well as journalists and experts, to peruse a lengthy list of guitars, compiled by Billboard, and vote on them. We invited our voters to submit their own picks. After tallying their responses, we sent it back to the voting panel, solicited additional feedback and incorporated that into a final list of the 100 Greatest Guitars of All Time.
In addition to a few voters who wished to remain anonymous, the voting panel included: Duane Betts, Nick Bowcott of Sweetwater, Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket, Larry Campbell, Joanna Connor, Michael Doyle of Guitar Center, Alejandro Escovedo, Pete Evick of Bret Michaels Band, Damian Fanelli of Guitar World, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Slim Gambill who plays for Lady A, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge and Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr, Dave Mason, Scott Metzger, Bob Mould, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Orianthi, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Joe Satriani, Chris Scapelliti of Guitar Player, Peter Stroud of Sheryl Crow’s band, Matthew Sweet, Mark Tremonti of Creed and Alter Bridge, Seth Walker, Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards, Jack White, Nancy Wilson, Andy Wood and Oliver Wood.
Here is what Billboard’s Tom Beaujour had to say about “Frankenstein”:
Few, if any, guitars in rock n’ roll have inspired more adulation and imitation than Eddie Van Halen’s red, white and black “Frankenstein.” With it, Eddie revolutionized not only how people played the guitar but also the very guitars they played. Soon after Van Halen’s emergence, Frankenstein-inspired “Super Strats,” featuring similarly brash color schemes, hot-rodded electronics and high-impact locking tremolo systems, became de rigueur for guitarists in hard rock circles and beyond. Van Halen, who built Frankenstein himself, modified the guitar many times before it assumed its current guise. It appears with a white body in photos from before the band’s signing to Warner Bros.; with black stripes on the cover of their 1978 self-titled debut; and then eventually in its most recognizable, red, white and black guise on Van Halen’s 1979 tour supporting their sophomore album, Van Halen II.
Pickup Line: “Frankenstein” featured many different pickups in its bridge position, but Van Halen eventually settled on a “Patent Number” humbucker removed from his 1964 Gibson ES-335.
Double Whammy: Although it began its life with a traditional Fender Stratocaster bridge, Frankenstein would eventually be fitted with a double-locking Floyd Rose tremolo that allowed Van Halen to perform his signature “dive bombs” without going out of tune.
Coin Operated: At some point, Van Halen screwed a 1971 quarter onto the face of the guitar.
Billboard’s 100 Most Iconic Guitars of All Time
100 Johnny Thunders – ca. 1959 Les Paul Junior TV Model
99 Brittany Howard – 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Custom
98 John Mayer – PRS Silver Sky
97 Adam Jones – 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Silverburst”
96 Jimmy Page – 1959 Telecaster “Dragon”
95 Lzzy Hale – Gibson Explorer
94 Rory Gallagher – 1961 Fender Stratocaster
93 Lou Reed – Gretsch Country Gentleman
92 J Mascis – 1958 Fender Jazzmaster
91 Jimmie Rodgers – 1927 Martin 00-18
90 Ron Wood – Zemaitis Metal Front
89 Jerry Garcia – Doug Irwin Custom 1979 “Tiger”
88 Zakk Wylde – 1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom “The Grail”
87 H.E.R. – Signature Chrome Glow Stratocaster
86 Billy Gibbons — Dean Z “Fur” Guitar
85 Kurt Cobain – 1959 Martin D-18E
84 Wayne Kramer – American Flag Stratocaster
83 Dave Grohl – 1967 Gibson Trini Lopez Standard
82 Nancy Wilson – Gibson SG Junior with Bigsby
81 Waylon Jennings – “No. 1” Leather-Covered Fender Telecaster
80 Jeff Beck – “Wired” Fender Stratocaster
79 Prince – Auerswald Symbol Guitar
78 Elvis Presley – 1942 Martin D-18 “Sun Sessions”
77 Clarence White – Martin D-28 Herringbone
76 Allen Collins – 1958 Gibson Explorer
75 Memphis Minnie – 1941 National New Yorker
74 Joe Satriani – 1990 Ibanez JS Special “Chrome Boy”
73 Ace Frehley – 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Budokan”
72 Buck Owens – Mosrite Red, White and Blue Acoustic
71 Mark Knopfler – 1937 National Style “O” 14 Fret
70 Brian Jones – Vox Mark III “Teardrop”
69 Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks – 1993 American Standard Telecaster & Gibson Custom Dickey Betts SG
68 Rick Nielsen – 1981 Hamer Five-Neck
67 Prince – Hohner HG-490 “Mad Cat”
66 Dimebag Darrell – Dean ML “Dean From Hell”
65 Hank Williams – 1941 Martin D-28
64 Vernon Reid – ESP Custom
63 Jack White – 1964 Valco Airline Res-O-Glas
62 Carlos Santana – Custom 1980 Paul Reed Smith
61 Courtney Love – 1994 Fender Venus
60 Bruce Springsteen — ca. 1953 Fender Esquire-Telecaster Composite
59 Pete Townshend – 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe “#5”
58 Eric Clapton – Gibson Les Paul Standard “Beano”
57 Lead Belly – ca. 1930 Stella 12-String
56 Buddy Holly – 1954 Fender Stratocaster
55 Bob Marley – 1958 Les Paul Special
54 Jerry Cantrell – 1984 G&L Rampage “Blue Dress”
53 Buddy Guy — Fender Stratocaster “Polka Dot”
52 Peter Frampton – 1954 Les Paul Custom “Phenix”
51 Eric Clapton – 1964 Gibson SG “The Fool”
50 Robbie Robertson – 1954 Stratocaster ‘The Last Waltz’
49 Joe Strummer – 1966 Fender Telecaster
48 St. Vincent — Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent
47 Jimi Hendrix – Fender Stratocaster “Woodstock”
46 Randy Rhoads — Karl Sandoval Custom 1979 V
45 Jerry Garcia – Doug Irwin Custom 1973 “Wolf”
44 Maybelle Carter – 1928 Gibson L-5
43 Joan Jett – 1977 Gibson Melody Maker
42 Charlie Christian – Gibson ES-150
41 Tony Iommi – 1964 Gibson SG Special “Monkey”
40 Prince – Dave Rusan Custom “Cloud”
39 Joni Mitchell – 1956 Martin D-28
38 Steve Vai – Ibanez Jem
37 Slash – Kris Derrig Les Paul Replica
36 Johnny Winter – 1964 Gibson Firebird V
35 Bob Dylan – 1964 Fender Stratocaster
34 Bonnie Raitt – 1965 Fender Stratocaster “Brownie”
33 Malcolm Young – 1963 Gretsch 6131 Jet Firebird
32 Billy Gibbons – 1959 Gibson Les Paul “Pearly Gates”
31 Wes Montgomery – 1963 Gibson L-5-CES
30 Woody Guthrie – Gibson L-00
29 Duane Allman – 1961 Gibson SG
28 Kurt Cobain – 1969 Fender Mustang “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
27 James Burton – 1969 Fender Telecaster, Paisley Red
26 Les Paul – “The Log”
25 Chet Atkins – Gretsch Country Gentleman
24 Eric Clapton – Stratocaster “Blackie”
23 Johnny Ramone – 1965 Mosrite Ventures II
22 Bo Diddley – Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird
21 Keith Richards – 1954 Fender Telecaster “Micawber”
20 John Lennon – 1965 Epiphone Casino
19 George Harrison – 1963 Rickenbacker 360-12
18 Django Reinhardt – Selmer Maccaferri 503
17 Jimmy Page – ca.1959-1960 Les Paul Standard “Number One”
16 Neil Young – 1953 Gibson Les Paul “Old Black”
15 Jimmy Page – 1969 Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck
14 Brian May – The Red Special
13 Albert King – “Lucy” Erlewine V
12 Jeff Beck – 1954 Les Paul aka “Oxblood”
11 Peter Green / Gary Moore / Kirk Hammett – 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard “Greeny”
10 Stevie Ray Vaughan – ca. 1963 Fender Stratocaster aka “Number One”
9 Sister Rosetta Tharpe – ca. 1961 White Les Paul
8 Robert Johnson – Gibson L-1
7 David Gilmour – 1969 Fender Stratocaster “The Black Strat”
6 Angus Young – Gibson SG
5 Chuck Berry – 1955 Gibson ES-350T
4 B.B. King – “Lucille”
3 Eddie Van Halen – Homemade “Frankenstein”
2 Willie Nelson – 1969 Martin N-20 “Trigger”
1 Jimi Hendrix – ca. 1965 Fender Stratocaster “Monterey”
READ: The 100 Most Iconic Guitars of All Time: Complete List Revealed