Frankenstrat

Before my father-in-law’s surprise 75th birthday party last Saturday down in Washington DC, the girls and I spent the afternoon exploring the Smithsonian Museum of American history, per Patch’s request. I must say they had a great time, more so than I would’ve expected. Some of the highlights were –

The original Kermit the Frog

A baseball signed by Babe Ruth

One of the C3PO costumes from the original Star Wars

Benjamin Franklin’s walking stick

… and, this:

That’s Yours Truly posing next to Eddie Van Halen’s customized creation, called “Frankenstrat,” a mishmash of Frankenstein and Stratocaster. This self-built masterpiece is his original axe, dating way back to the mid-70s, built and rebuilt using a myriad of different parts. It is the guitar he used while recording the early Van Halen classics such as “Runnin’ with the Devil,” “Eruption,” “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,” among others, as is responsible for that unique Van Halen sound. It’s kinda vague, but based on the tag next to it, Frankenstrat seems to have been donated to the Smithsonian in 2007.

Very, very cool. A piece of history, as they say.

Oh, and here’s me trying to swipe Ben Franklin’s cane: