Comments on: Review: EVH Frankie Pickup Worth Every Penny

By: Trev Morson

Trev Morson — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:54:56 +0000

I just swappeed out my George Lynch SH12 Seymour Duncan Screamin’ Demon for the EVH Humbucker.. and OMG!.. this

review was right on. I tested it first through a cheap 5-watt practice amp with no effects or pedals. And wow!… I

have the EVH Brown Sound instantly!!

Next, was through my Peavey 6505+ rig and effects for gigs.. .. this thing is totally phenominal !! – All I had to

do was turn down the gain (PRE) on my two channels and adjust slightly, the pole pieces (higher) on the bottom end

strings. Natural Harmonices, tap harmonics and squeels etc.. ring out like a charm. I did notice I lost my 100%

clean sound and it is now a little dirty, but for me, that’s absolutey ok.

One thing I really like, is when you turn down the volume using the guitar volume knob, if you do the whole

extended “live” Eruption thing as I do in my band, then you start with the nice 316 with volume turned down and it

is quite exact tone/sound that Eddie uses.

Incidentally, I used a 500K linear POT – perfect for Catherdral etc..

My EVH Frankenstrat replica has a mahogany body, most humbuckers I have used over the years are on the low end and

a lot of bass.. but not the EVH Humbbucker.. it works perfectly with an excellent Brown Sound tone!!

Easy set up too, usual nickel betwwen high e-string and pole piece when pressed at the highest fret, and two

nickels for the low E. The EVH has a mystery ingrediant that my previous Seymour SH12 did not.. it oozes the

Eddie Van Halen sound PERECTLY!!

I am not just very pleased, I am 200% ecstatic.. no more tone chasing for me!!

Go get it, ..you WILL NOT be dissapointed !

And thanks for the review here.. I purchased it based on this review alone.

Trev Morson (Guitarist – Clasic Rock – gigging for 32 years)

By: Trev Morson

Trev Morson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:10:45 +0000

Based on your review, I just purchased the EVH Frankenstrat Humbucker and coincidentally.. it is replacing my George Lynch SH12 (screamin' demon), same as yours. I sure hope it works out for me, my Frankenstrat Replica has a body made of mahogany and the SH12 was little too bass'ey sounding. Seems the EVH pickup is hotter and I hope it has a brighter sound for me. Question: Can pickup's over time lose there magnetism and become microphonic?

By: Yek

Yek — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:49:32 +0000

Problem solved by disconnecting the wire to the tone control. Somehow they didn’t get along. I don’t use the tone control anyway.

By: Yek

Yek — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:25:01 +0000

Hi, I installed the EVH F’stein humbucker in my Strat’s bridge position.
While I love the sound of it, I’m amazed by the lack of highs (treble) in its sound. I wasn’t planning on using the pickup at clean settings, but it wouldn’t work anyway since it’s “darker” than the neck and middle pickups (single coil Lindy Fralins). Can other users confirm this?

By: admin

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:26:55 +0000

I don’t think it’s super-critical what the distance is, and it may depend on the body wood (ash you want the mids boosted, alder maybe not so much, etc.) — it’s a mid-heavy pickup in some guitars. Just experiment. I just eyeballed it, and it was great right off the bat. Could it be better? Probably, but I haven’t messed with it yet — afraid I’ll mess it up!

By: CaBaGu

CaBaGu — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:45:16 +0000

I came back to this article as I am assembling a project guitar using the EVH Humbucker and I was wondering where you ended up setting the pickup to string distance? I am looking for the elusive brown sound and I know this will affect it.

By: Ed hunter

Ed hunter — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:25:00 +0000

I really want to try out one of these after reading your review here!

By: CaBaGu

CaBaGu — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:25:24 +0000

Nope, that’s what is was looking for – output, not tone. Now time to go shopping. Thanks!

By: admin

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:18:42 +0000

At the neck posn I have a Seymour Duncan single-coil, standard Strat-type, not stacked. It matches output-wise with the EVH Frankie pickup, but if your question is about sound, I don’t know how to answer. The EVH sounds like VH, the single coil sounds like Jimi, SRV, etc., which is what I want it to sound like. Also don’t know what the magnet is in the single-coil, but I’d guess A5. Re: recommendation, I’d like to get a stacked single-coil. If I did, it would be a DiMarzio YJM or HS3, or maybe a Duncan Classic Stack. Otherwise, any decent Strat pickup for the neck posn will do. Hope that helps.

By: CaBaGu

CaBaGu — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:04:05 +0000

I have an EVH pickup coming in the mail as we speak, to put in a Frankenstrat I am building. I would like to liven up the neck pickup and switch it on stealthily with a push-pull pot. You have a single coil in the neck position on your guitar – how does it match up with the EVH at the bridge? Any recommendations for a good companion neck single coil pup?