Does Anybody Know the Real Reason No EVH Signature on Headstock?

[Jim Warnstedt]

Hello everyone, I have a 1995 Ernie Ball Music Man Eddie Van Halen guitar with a beautiful blue quilt top. My question is that there is NO signature on the headstock. I know what you are all thinking, it is an AXIS. That is not it, because it doesn't have the moved toggle or the body contour. Next, you will say it is an AXIS EX. That too is a good guess, but it says on the back of the neck MADE IN SAN LUIS OBISPO. It also has an EVH serial number: 87432. I wonder if any of the mods or employees working at the factory back in July of 1995 know why this is? I know there is a red one that is like this as well. Thanks, Jim.

 

[Jimi D]

I'm sure Derek or Jon will correct me if I'm wrong, but if I'm not mistaken, some of the very last EVH's to leave the factory - the ones that used up left over parts after Eddie and EBMM parted ways - were shipped with no signature on the headstock...

 

[AVH]

I be the bad guy and say it: could it be you have a Axis neck on a EVH body? Maybe the neck was warped or broken and it was replaced?

 

[Jim Warnstedt]

Everything is all original from new. Neck and body both stamped as 7/95. I know there are a few others in existence.

 

[dwf1004]

Since Derek and the guys appear to be busy folk, I did a little diggin' because I knew that this arose previous, and here's what I found from the man in question himself:

"We made a few unnamed Axis/EVH guitars late 95 into 96 just after Eddie left the company. There is not that many out there like that, but they do exist. The switch is on the upper horn with no signature."

You can see the actual thread where I pulled this here:

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1559

 

[ratter]

I have a red one, so yeah they definitely do exist. Hardtail no less. I confirmed with EBMM that it's a transition-era EVH.

Enjoy it!

 

[AVH]

cool...didn't know there was a date stamp on the neck. Never had to take the neck of my guitars before. Learn something new everyday.