Used Judah Guitars - EVH Stripe Series Relic - Yellow/Black - Frankenstein Bumblebee - w/Hardshell Case

Judah Guitars “Frankenbee” Tribute – EVH Stripe Series Conversion

Another absolute home run from Judah Guitars.

This one started life as a 2017 EVH Stripe Series Black/Yellow model before being transformed by Judah Guitars into the monster you see here. If you know the Judah builds, you already know the deal—these weren’t casual relic jobs or quick cosmetic mods. Will and his crew were chasing the look, attitude, and spirit of Edward’s original guitars with obsessive attention to detail, and the results speak for themselves.

During the late 2010s, Judah Guitars really raised the bar with their various relic’d interpretations of Edward Van Halen’s iconic instruments. This one lands firmly in that lineage. It’s a “what if” concept build—imagining what might have happened if a handful of the legendary Red/White/Black “Frankenstein” features had found their way onto the Black/Yellow “Bumblebee” guitar from the Van Halen II era.

Purists might say blending the DNA of two of Eddie’s most recognizable guitars is blasphemous. We think it’s brilliant.

The result is a killer tribute that keeps the aggressive Black/Yellow vibe but layers in some of the unmistakable Frankenstein attitude. The relic work captures that chaotic, road-worn personality that made Eddie’s guitars feel alive in the first place. The details are exactly the kind of thing that made Judah builds so sought-after among Van Halen fans.

There’s also a bit of real-world rock history baked right into the guitar—a genuine 1971 quarter installed, just like the famous trick Eddie used to stabilize the original Floyd Rose on the Frankenstein guitar. We can always spot the true Ed-heads when they walk into the store because they go right to the these guitars and look at the date on the quarter. :) 

On a personal note, these builds always make me smile. I worked for Fender/EVH during this era and was also friends with Will (R.I.P.) from Judah Guitars. The backstory around these guitars could fill an evening of conversation. Let’s just say the folks at Fender weren’t thrilled that these things existed, and Will had a remarkable talent for finding creative ways to tiptoe around a very heavily guarded set of trademarks.

With Will’s passing in 2025 and the closure of Judah Guitars, these aren’t being made anymore. As a result, they’re starting to get noticeably scarce on the market. Every time one comes through the shop we’re honored to handle it for a bit before sending it on to its next caretaker.

Beyond the cool factor, this one is simply a great playing guitar. It has been freshly setup and restrung and feels exactly like a hot-rodded EVH-style guitar should—fast, lively, and ready to make some noise.

An EVH molded hardshell case and an EVH strap with dog clasps are included, 

This guitar is available for a test drive in our Jamestown, Kentucky showroom. We ship worldwide, and if you have any questions just let us know.

Weight: 7lbs 13oz