what is the real reason VH left EBMM?

[VOLTAGE]

?

 

[dwf1004]

From what I heard, my understanding, which is always open for correction, is this:

EVH left EBMM due to the fact that the amount of guitars being produced during that time were not meeting the demand of the people that were wanting one. I've heard from people that they waited near a year (I got lucky when I got my first EVH in '92, and only waited for 3 months to get one that was already ordered!)

Long and short, he left because of this backlash, and didn't want his name associated with this. Hence the change to Peavey...

Such a shame...I'd definitely want MY name associated with quality and finesse. And hey, good things come to those that wait, right?

So that's what I've heard, and keep in mind that this is unconfirmed, nor is it any attempt whatsoever to disgrace the mighty EBMM.

 

[VOLTAGE]

thanks for clearing this up i think that VH should have stayed with EBMM anyway!

 

[dwf1004]

You better appreciate me for this... I dug up a Nov. 1995 issue of Guitar World, and the direct quote from the man to put this in its place (by the way, I was one of the mentioned "kids", though a $100 deposit until product arrival is far less drastic than what he thought!):

----

GW: When did you make the decision to move from Music Man to Peavey?

VH: When I started realizing what the drawbacks of working with a small company are, such as problems with product availability. Before I left Music Man, I had my management call 15 dealers from Ohio to Hawaii to find out how long the waiting period was to get one of my guitars. The shortest time quoted was 10 months, but most dealers said it could take anywhere from a year to a year and a half. Everywhere I went, kids were telling me, "I can't get your guitar!" Some kid is not going to shell out the $1,800 that guitar costs then wait 18 months to get it! That's the reason I left. I'm not in the business of making guitars--that's not my livelihiood. I make music for a living. I didn't go with Music Man for the money, and I didn't change companies for the money either--contrary to popular belief. People think I got a big lump of money from Peavey or something, but that had nothing to do with the switch. I went with Music Man in the first place because of their ability to produce a quality instrument. Also, my experience with my 5150 amps had proven Peavey's commitment to extremely strict quality control. So the most logical home for me to go to was Peavey, especially after we got the combo unit finished.

 

[VOLTAGE]

thanks bro! that answers that!

 

[Estin]

i guess the EVH/Music Man/Peavey convo is getting really overdone at this point. LOL i heard that he left because he wanted complete control over the instrument design. obviously he didn't own the design cause EB/MM now has the Axis. on you EVH! i've never been a EVH fan, but leaving a company that can make say 10 fine guitars, to go to one who can make 50 OK guitars wasn't the best move. so instead of EVH having to feel bad kids can't get his guitar, he can feel bad for kids shelling out $1800 for a O.K. guitar. everyone can go back and forth with which one is better but for me, i love my axis guitars WAY more. i played a USA wolfgang a few days ago and the frets were so tall and then i litterally couldn't play any solos. but maybe thats me. i'm glad EVH left, otherwise we wouldn't have the axis. and the musicman EVH neck is just WAY too thin.

 

[Jimi D]

Eddie went with Peavey because they offered him significantly more money and promised to pump out ten times the number of guitars that EB/MM would produce (I believe Ernie Ball originally limited their production to only 1000 pieces a year, but it quickly became clear that the demand was much, much higher)... Also, EVH didn't exclusively hold the patents/copyright on the EB/MM guitar, and Peavey offered to let him keep the patents and copyrights to the Wolfie (whether either the artist or luthier actually deserves to hold the exclusive rights to a signature design is another question). End result is that Peavey has Eddie's sig. and EB/MM have the Axis. I've owned Wolfgangs, and I sold the last one to buy another Axis. One of the most interesting things about the Wolfgang is that when you see EVH playing one, he's almost always playing the Special, which with it's flat top and lack of tone control is certainly the more "Axis-like" of the Wolf models... 'Nuff said.

 

[glockaxis]

Would Ed have changed his EBMM design?

Iagree---I love the Axis and would have endured over a years wait to get the EBMM EVH model----It would have allowed me to save up. The wolfgang design doesn't do anything for me. To the workers at EBMM, do you know if Ed had plans to change the EVH model or was he pretty much happy with the guitar?

 

[Nancy]

I never played an EVH until I bought one from a collector, a hardtail 1995 EVH in trans gold. Only 200 made of these bad boys. I bought it because I didn't have one in my guitar collection. I thought, this is a pretty cool guitar. I think I will buy another one, but an Axis Super Sport hardtail in trans gold to match the EVH, which was much less expensive and I didn't have to worry about taking it out of the house for gigs.
Now I am hooked on these guitars. I should have boughten some years ago. I love the neck and the weight is perfect. I have tons of Gibsons, Gretsch, Fender, Rickenbackers, Ovations, Takamines, Guilds etc. But I will be probably using my Musicman the most.
I am very impressed with Ernie Ball products. I've been using their strings for years, now I will be using their guitars. It makes no difference to me, if someones name is on the headstock. If I like the guitar, I am going to buy it!

 

[EB_EVH_Freak]

I always thought the pickups on the EVH were more hotter than the Wolfgang but I like the Wolfgangs body design more than the EVH. Just think, if Ed had the EVH pickups and threw them in the wolfgang, it would be unbeatable.

I also heard that Ed left EB because they werent making all of the models to his exact specs. I'm not sure on what it was but I think they said something about changing around the pickup design or something.

 

[VOLTAGE]

I always thought the pickups on the EVH were more hotter than the Wolfgang but I like the Wolfgangs body design more than the EVH. Just think, if Ed had the EVH pickups and threw them in the wolfgang, it would be unbeatable.

going by resistance only and that is not a good way to determine output(hotness)
the dimarzio EVH bridge is at 17.4K and the wolf is at 14.5K
neck dimarzio EVH is at 15.4K and the wolfs neck EVH is at 17K
in a millivolt the dimarzio bridge EVH is not as hot as test the wolf bridge pup.
the dimarzio may sound hotter due to its incredible sustain,raw creamy tone,harmonics but in reality it is very clean.
I always check a bridge pups clarity/cleaness with a suspended chord using heavy gain
with the dimarzio EVH ever note in the chord is clear even under imense gain.
the EVH dimarzio's are my favorite dimarzio. there are simply the best power pickups i ever tried

 

[Warg Master]

Speculation goes around and around...hehhehe

I agree, the Axis guitars are awsome.... money, hurry up so I can get mine!

 

[OrangeChannel]

You win that auction Warg?

 

[Warg Master]

heh, which one? I was looking at a few.

I'm still looking

 

[OrangeChannel]

Purple. There's a great Blue Dawn Axis up there too.

 

[SGMan88]

The World May Never Know

 

[SteveB]

EVH switching to Charvel

Well, this whole thread is outdated 'cause EVH is leaving Peavey and going to Charvel (for his guitars, anyway).

See the Charvel web site for proof! (Or their parent web site, Fender)

I talked to a local dealer, and these axes are going to be very expensive! There are going to be a limited number of guitars that EVH has some hand in, personally.. and then there will be the production models.

It looks like a basic Charvel San Dimas guitar with a single humbucker at the bridge and and EVH paint job.

I wonder if he'll endorse another amp, or stay with Peavey for that?

 

[koogie2k]

A while back there was something posted about that. I can't remember too much other than Charvel was making some EVH guitars straight from the Custom shop that would have every ding and scratch to the micro inch on it........personally, who cares? I think EVH himself was very innovative and certainly changed that way we look at guitar......I don't care if he played a banjo. He certainly likes to jump around. I stated this before, it is business and nothing more. $$$ is the motivator. Plain and simple. More power to him. He knows how to market himself to put himself in a good position business wise. I was never a fan of the paint job, just my opinion of course . I would rather see him come out with a new model axe instead of recycling his old models just to make a buck....whatever. I am sure he and Charvel will make money on this and more power to him.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Well, this whole thread is outdated 'cause EVH is leaving Peavey and going to Charvel (for his guitars, anyway).

See the Charvel web site for proof! (Or their parent web site, Fender)

I talked to a local dealer, and these axes are going to be very expensive! There are going to be a limited number of guitars that EVH has some hand in, personally.. and then there will be the production models.

It looks like a basic Charvel San Dimas guitar with a single humbucker at the bridge and and EVH paint job.

I wonder if he'll endorse another amp, or stay with Peavey for that?

Dude youre like 3 months late on this.....search the guitar forum. We've beaten that issue to literal death.

 

[SteveB]

Oops! Sorry, OC et al.

I didn't realize that this subject had been thrashed out elsewhere. Let's drop it like a hot potato, then!