EVH Striped Shapes Electric Guitar - Shapes

Inspired by one of Eddie Van Halen's most distinctive stage guitars from the 1981 Fair Warning Tour, the EVH Striped Series Shapes brings his unconventional design and explosive playing style back to life with bold black-and-white graphics, powerful Wolfgang humbucker tone and modern high-performance hardware. A mahogany body provides a resonant foundation with rich sustain and pronounced midrange, while a graphite-reinforced quartersawn maple neck with Eddie's signature Modified C backshape delivers the fast, comfortable feel essential to his playing style. A 12"–16" compound-radius maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets supports fluid lead work and expressive bends, complemented by a smooth oiled neck finish. A direct-mount EVH Wolfgang bridge humbucker produces powerful, harmonically rich tone through a straightforward master volume control. An EVH-branded Floyd Rose locking tremolo with D-Tuna brings expressive pitch control and quick access to drop-D tuning, completing a distinctive instrument rooted in Eddie's fearless approach to guitar design.

Resonant Mahogany Body and Iconic Black-and-White Graphics

The Striped Series Shapes draws inspiration from a unique guitar Eddie Van Halen played during the 1981 Fair Warning Tour, pairing a familiar S-style body with the bold black-and-white geometric artwork that gives the model its name. Its distinctive mahogany construction provides a resonant foundation with warm lows, strong mids and substantial sustain, complementing the focused voice of the bridge humbucker. The striking Shapes graphic recalls the visual experimentation that became synonymous with Eddie's instruments, while the satin urethane finish provides a smooth, understated surface beneath the dramatic artwork. Together, the classic S-style construction and unmistakable graphics capture a memorable chapter in Van Halen's creative evolution.

Quartersawn Maple Neck Delivers Eddie's Signature Playing Feel

A one-piece quartersawn maple neck gives the Shapes a stable, responsive foundation, reinforced with graphite for added strength and resistance to movement. Eddie's signature EVH Modified C backshape provides a comfortable, substantial feel without sacrificing speed, while the oiled finish allows the fretting hand to move naturally along the neck. The 12"–16" compound-radius maple fingerboard offers a comfortable curvature for chord work near the nut that gradually flattens for expressive bends and fluid lead playing higher up the neck. Twenty-two jumbo frets and a 25.5" scale complete the familiar EVH playing geometry, while a heel-mounted truss rod adjustment wheel makes neck relief adjustments convenient and accessible.

Direct-Mount Wolfgang Humbucker Delivers Powerful, Articulate Tone

The Shapes centers its electronics on a single direct-mount EVH Wolfgang humbucker in the bridge position, delivering the powerful output, rich harmonic content and articulate response associated with Eddie Van Halen's signature sound. Its focused midrange and defined attack keep riffs clear through saturated amplification, while the pickup's dynamic response allows individual notes and expressive phrasing to retain their character. The direct-mount configuration places the pickup firmly against the body, reflecting Eddie's preference for straightforward, performance-oriented electronics. A single master volume provides immediate control over output and gain response, allowing players to move between cleaner textures and full-powered distortion without navigating additional pickups or switching systems.

Floyd Rose Tremolo and D-Tuna Expand Playing Possibilities

An EVH-branded Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo gives the Shapes the expressive pitch control central to Eddie Van Halen's playing, from subtle vibrato to dramatic dive bombs. The locking design secures the strings at the bridge and Floyd Rose R3 nut, helping maintain tuning stability through demanding tremolo use. An integrated EVH D-Tuna allows the low E string to be dropped quickly to D and returned to standard tuning, providing a direct connection to the alternate tunings Eddie explored during the Fair Warning era. EVH-branded tuning machines, a Floyd Rose retainer bar and oversized strap buttons round out the performance hardware. An included EVH Striped Series gig bag provides practical protection during transport.

Eddie Van Halen's Fearless Design Returns to the Stage

Eddie Van Halen transformed the vocabulary of electric guitar through his revolutionary technique, expressive tremolo work and unmistakable approach to tone, influencing generations of musicians across rock and beyond. His relentless experimentation extended to the instruments themselves, resulting in unconventional designs and custom modifications that helped shape the sound and visual identity of Van Halen. The Striped Series Shapes revisits one of those distinctive creations from the 1981 Fair Warning Tour, combining its striking black-and-white graphics and distinctive mahogany construction with modern EVH playability, powerful Wolfgang electronics and the expressive control of a Floyd Rose tremolo with D-Tuna. More than a visual tribute, the EVH Striped Series Shapes brings Eddie's adventurous approach to guitar design into a performance-ready instrument for today's players.