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I'm selling my Wolfgang at the moment, I was heaping praise on the Wolfie initially, but after a couple of months, I find the Wolfgang special an ergonic nightmare. Bad high fret access, no body contours. The width of the fretboard isn't a big prob but it's not for me. Dirty Craig has his on ebay from : localhost/cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=33046amp;rd=1

I was thinking about Ed Van Halen and his decline as a player. I manged to get my hands on 2 shows from the VH 2004 tour. Not withstanding a few moments of briliance in the solo section, Ed is now a hack, plain and simple.

If you've seen EVH play live with his strat's back in the day, I think he looks much more comfortable playing with the guitar's main body contour resting against his stomach. It's like he's one with the guitar. He played extremely well with the EBMM on the right here, right now DVD, but didn't have that 'off the cuff' brilliance.

I wonder if the lack of body contours is a factor in his decline.

Know what's an ergonomic nightmare? Gibson Les Paul.

People don't value the importance of ergonomics in an instrument, mainly the forearm and tummy contour. With that said, I doubt it affects a player much aside from comfort. Telecasters and Les Pauls have no contours whatsoever.

The wolfie imo doesn't have a bad body contour. However... Upper fret access is horrible.

It's not so much the comfort as the angle of the guitar against your body when your standing and playing. I'm one of those guys that pretty much need the stomach contour so I can look down occasionally and see what's going on.

I've seen guys bend their head way over to get a good view of the strings or doing the Zakk Wylde, Slash thingie of sitting something like a les paul on your knee with a foot on the monitor during a solo. I used to think it was a 'rock move', but I can't recall seeing a strat player doing that. I think it's so they can actually get a good view of the higher frets.

I know there's loads of players (like zakk, gary moore, john sykes, etc) and heaps of country guys that wail on a straight edge body. To me, it's tough to look over and occasionally check and see if i'm in the right position past the 12th fret.

I guess the archtop makes a big difference, but I'm still not sold. The stomach contour and the angle the guitar sits just makes it easier.


Originally Posted by XeromusKnow what's an ergonomic nightmare? Gibson Les Paul.

People don't value the importance of ergonomics in an instrument, mainly the forearm and tummy contour. With that said, I doubt it affects a player much aside from comfort. Telecasters and Les Pauls have no contours whatsoever.

i just realized that last night. ive been playing my les paul for so long, i just got used to it. i picked up the strat last night, and it just felt so much more natural to play. everything about the body design is just flawless, IMO. ill be using that as my number 1 for a while now im thinking, and it cost 1/4 the price at least, even with the p'up upgrades.

Btw, is there a spell check on this board? Let me know where it is since my lazy ass clearly needs one .


Originally Posted by slash857i just realized that last night. ive been playing my les paul for so long, i just got used to it. i picked up the strat last night, and it just felt so much more natural to play. everything about the body design is just flawless, IMO. ill be using that as my number 1 for a while now im thinking, and it cost 1/4 the price at least, even with the p'up upgrades.

I still think the Les Paul is one of the most horribly designed guitars ever and should have been resigned to the dust bin permanently as it almost was. Clapton re-popularized it and they started production on them again in the late 60's.

It's only saving grace is that they are really cool sounding.

This is definitely an interesting discussion. I've been a strat or strat-style player ever since I got my first electric almost 20 years ago. I've only owned 2 Les Pauls, one Gibson and now my Epi. It took a little bit to get used to the lack of contours on the LP but I still love it for what it is. My strats are like putting on an old pair of shoes, just right and comfortable.

For me though it's more than just the body that makes the the guitar comfortable or not. The neck contour is a big thing for me. That has to be just right. The love the contour on the SRV Strat. My homemade strat has the boat contour (Warmoth neck). Sure we can all play on different contour necks and get used to them but each of us will have a contour that you'd love to have on all your guitars.

As to the EVH Wolfgang, I was excited about it when it first came out and played one several times. It played fine but there was something missing from it. It didn't have that vibe that the EBMM EVH model had. I still kick myself in the a$$ for not buying one when I had the chance.


Originally Posted by XeromusIt's only saving grace is that they are really cool sounding.

Like with women: sometimes you have to sacrifise something for some fun

Back to the track: for some reason, the EBMMEVH felt much more natural for me than the Wolfie. There is something with the balance that fits me better but all of these things depend on personal feel.


Originally Posted by interI wonder if the lack of body contours is a factor in his decline.I think with EVH, it has to do with the slow breakdown all practicing alcoholics suffer from. You can tell he's just a mess- the temper tantrums on stage last tour. The dude had half of his mouth removed because of cancer and he still smokes. Do you think he's going to quit drinking anytime soon?

If you want an Ernie Ball Van Halen model, just buy an Axis. Same exact guitar, but with a tummy contour, pickup selector moved, and slightly improved neck (it's wider at the 22nd fret to prevent strings from falling off).

I find the archtop and bridge on a Les Paul to be comfortable.

I didn't get a wolfgang because I tried a wolfgang special and the strings were just too high off the body, I found the guitar unplayable.


Originally Posted by big_blackI think with EVH, it has to do with the slow breakdown all practicing alcoholics suffer from. You can tell he's just a mess- the temper tantrums on stage last tour. The dude had half of his mouth removed because of cancer and he still smokes. Do you think he's going to quit drinking anytime soon?

ed didn't have quot;half his mouth removedquot;

Ed had cancer on his tongue and had a portion removed. As a result he doesn't speak the same anymore.

I'd have to diagree about the ergonomics of a Les Paul...for me they are more comfy than a strat or similar. Why? Not sure..I think it's the thickness...by the TOM being farther from my body it's jes more natural picking hand/arm position. Because of the way they balance it also puts the neck at a more natural angle for my fretting hand (angled up ala Michael Schenker). The Firebird is REALLY comfy that way.

I find the contours of strat or superstrat comfy but the design throws me all out of whack..The bridge especially. I have to force my palm down flat on the bridge...very unnatural for me. Also because of the big bolt on neck area, I don't find higher fret access particularly easy nor difficult.

I don't really have any issues with high fret access on a Les Paul either..probably because of the angle I have the neck at when playing..allows my hand to reach the higher frets more comfortably..I don't play alot up there though.

Only time I really notice a diff in high fret access is on a 24 fret guitar like a Jackson or PRS... I tend to play up higher a bit more with those...on a 22 fret neck..doesn't seem to matter.

I've read Ed interviews in magazines where he says he hates body contours. Early in his career, he was very fond of the es335, though he never used one onstage, at least after they were signed. Perhaps this desire for slab bodies comes from his liking of 335s.

As for 'decline', well, if there is one (haven't seen anything from the last tour, he was ripping it up when I saw him on the '3' tour), it probably has more to do with drinking.

Conversely, many people think Clapton lost it when he switched from Les Pauls and other gibsons to Strats. Perhaps the addition of body contours was the problem there?

In summary: that's some weird reasoning, man.

body contours really dont make a difference to me at all. probably cause i hang my guitars fairly low. for me, its a lot more about how much body is in the way of the picking hand. i hate strats for that reason, cause theres a ton of wood in the way or your picking arm. i have no problem with LPs, but they have carved tops, so it doesnt block your arm. and also this reason is why explorers are my favorite guitars- theres barely anything in the way of your picking arm.

Lol, nothin weird about it. I find it strange that Ed wouldn't let Peavey amp; EBMM do the contours. Both companies have since brought out copies that have the contours, better fret access, etc. Why make it harder to play a musical instrument?

Now, my Kiwi friend, any bloke who own's a hot pink quot;anythingquot;, should book a flight to Sydney and come check out Oxford street. Many fine establishments for a guy with your, err, tastes.

I've heard about the 355. He was asked to use something else due to comparisons with the big O. I saw the VH3 tour in Sydney, mate, there is a huge difference between seeing a show, being caught up in the atmosphere, etc and watching a recording. Check out the Japan 89 and 83 US festival shows, brilliant.

That's the thing about being a high profile player and designing a signature ax. You can get it exactly how you want it, even if 95% of the playing public won't like it.

I saw final rehearsal (basically the whole set) and first and second gigs of the three tour, and was sober for every minute. So apart from being in the front row directly in front of his dry cab for the first concert, I had plenty of time time to carefully assess the state of Ed's playing compared to my friend's collection of 40 plus bootleg and official concerts, including tokyo dome, US festival etc...

Ed was in real good form, apart from missing one chord during the keyboard solo section of 'jump'. Even that was cool, though. He looked down at us with that goofy grin as if to say 'oops, ****ed that one up...'

As for pink, well, I've always maintained that it should be every straight guy's favorite colour. You're not a real man if you don't go downtown...


Originally Posted by jmh151I didn't get a wolfgang because I tried a wolfgang special and the strings were just too high off the body, I found the guitar unplayable.

You can change the action with the truss rod adjuster...