1990s ESP EVH Frankenstrat 5150 VH-250 Striped w/ Floyd Rose, Japan

Up for sale, a 1990s ESP EVH VH-250 “Frankenstrat” 5150 in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. An exceedingly rare iteration of the Frankenstrat platform, this model was produced by ESP both with and without Kramer branding, and while storied and well-documented, it never appeared in any ESP or Kramer catalog.

Very faithful to EVH's original Kramer 5150, this model is exacting down to even the smallest details like the eye loop strap buttons and a black stripe in the finish just above the output jack (imitating a piece of gaffer’s tape that EVH would affix to his own guitar). Additionally, because ESP was making necks for Kramer as far back as 1981, this 5150 shares more immediate lineage with Eddie's Frankenstrat than almost any other EVH-inspired instrument.

Tonewoods comprise a two-piece ash body (only seen on early examples) and a one-piece maple neck, delivering a natural acoustic quality that's lively, detailed and punchy-sounding. The Seymour Duncan JB humbucker is a screamer, wound by the venerable “Queen of the SD Custom Shop,” Maricela Juarez, as identified by the “J” on the baseplate sticker. Juarez has wound pickups for artists including Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, George Harrison, and Slash, to name just a few. Weighing 10lbs 3oz, this 5150 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, slinky action, and spot-on intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Medium D, full shoulders and lightly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .830” 1st fret, .910” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Maple, 16” radius
-Frets: Medium jumbo, no wear
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1.650” (42mm), locking
-Tuners: Gotoh
-Headstock: “Banana” with star sticker, no-logo version, small cigarette burn at bass side of nut

Body Specs:

-Wood: Ash, two-piece
-Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB, Maricela Juarez “JBJ” sticker on baseplate
-Harness: Original 500K Japanese pot (solder obscures date)
-Hardware: Floyd Rose tremolo

The finish stripes are very faithful to EVH's Kramer 5150, applied correctly with a layered appearance and differences in depth of each color stripe. The original 5150 stickers on the lower bout are also intact. Cosmetic wear includes a few finish chips and scuffs along the body perimeter, and some minor marks on top along the pick path. The neck profile retains its smooth gloss, with a few shallow marks along the profile length that have no impact on playability.

A heavily padded GSM faux leather gigbag with lace-up detail is included.