Before we dig into the EVH Wolfgang Special Guitar we need a detour. If you know me you know that I am all about Van Halen. If you ask me who I prefer Dave, Sammy or Gary, I will say yes. To me it was all about Eddie, the rest really didn’t matter. I will never forget that day in October 2020 when things changed and would never be the same.
A little side story first. The year was 2015 and I had tickets to see Van Halen in Hershey, PA. A friend of mine and I along with a brewery full of VH fans were preparing for a show. The Troegs brewery is right next to the Hershey performance facility, there were VH shirts everywhere and even VH playing on the speakers. There was a happy groove on and it was infectious.
Kind of suddenly the place got quiet and the feeling of a “bummer” came over me. People were saying the show was cancelled because Dave had the flu. Everyone was deflated and very quickly the place cleaned out. I still feel robbed because that would have been the last time I saw Eddie.
I would have been totally down with going and watch the show without Dave. We all could sing with the band. Let’s do it. But no one would take my suggestion.
That Guitar – The EVH Wolfgang Special
I’ve owned a Peavey Wolfgang and an EVH Wolfgang Standard but I had to have a Special. We were all deel in a pandemic and Eddie just passed. I kind of figured if I got a model that was available while Eddie was alive I could believe he gave that model a nod. It’s possible that new ones to follow may be someone else’s idea. I don’t know.
The Standard is an amazing guitar and a great value but I wanted a D Tuna and an arched body. Along with that some of the extra touches just make the Special feel more premium.
Colors and Wood
The EVH Wolfgang Special comes in a few varieties which are mostly appearance based. There are solid colors, metal-flake colors and bursts. Ones in burst finish usually cost more but they are beautiful. Fingerboards come in a variety of woods. The Special has maple and ebony fingerboards on certain models. Depending on the year there can be additions and removals of types of wood used.
The Chlorine Burst was just so pretty to me. The maple neck combined with the blue color plus the chrome and white accents just make this guitar something to sit back and stare at. But hey, play it, don’t look at it.
EVH Wolfgang Special Review
There’s probably a plethora of videos and reviews on this guitar at this point. All probably done by better guitarists than us. But I’ll give some observations, opinions and a quick review.
Feel
Although this guitar has some weight to it, is balanced nicely making it comfortable when holding it for an extended time. The neck length is pretty standard and feels nice, it is quick and has a smooth feel to its finish. Additionally, the neck isn’t too thick in either direction but isn’t too fat or too skinny.
The switch location requires some getting used to and the positions of the switch feel backward. I find that when looking at the switch I don’t really know which pickup is selected.
The volume knob is low friction and is amazing. It’s a quick and easy motion to go from off to full. The tone knob is effective in sound changing and is of a normal friction feel.
A quick observation of the Wolfgang Special vs the Wolfgang Standard. The Standard has a rounded body that makes is more comfortable on the arm. The Special doesn’t have the rounding since it’s an archtop, this can make it less comfortable on the arm especially when sitting.
Pickup Tone
This guitar is equipped with the specially made EVH pickups that can burn as well as cleanup nicely when playing quiet. I’d compare the tone of the pickups to a Duncan JB at the bridge and a Duncan Jazz at the neck. I find I am happy playing at 3/4 volume for a nice groove tone leaving the rest of it when more is needed.
Locking Tremolo aka Whammy aka Floyd Rose
The EVH Wolfgang Special features a Floyd Rose style tremolo that is blocked to prevent raising pitch. As you may guess that means it only goes down. Eddie liked it this way and we like it too. The blocking gives a bit more sustain and tone to the guitar as well as provide a stable base for the D-Tuna. There’s not to much of a point discussing the Floyd Rose, it works perfectly. This Floyd Rose uses a threaded collar style of connecting the bar which allows for some tension adjustment as well as quick removal.
Floyd Rose D-Tuna
The D-Tuna is a device that attaches to the E string of a Floyd Rose locking tremolo that allows a quick tuning change typically from E to D or D to E. Once you get used to this handy device you are much quicker to pop it out or in for a quick change. Some minor adjustment is possible with the D-Tuna if needed but I haven’t needed to touch it. I have noticed that if the fine tuning screw is to close to the end of its range the D-Tuna can be difficult.
Final Thoughts
I love this guitar and it’s probably one of my favorites. I’m pleased I spent the extra money on the Special and especially the amazing finish. It’s very versatile and can seem to fit in to many playing styles and music types. It really can’t sound like a single coil Strat but then it was never designed to. Most people who know me know that I’ve always fancied Ibanez guitars like the RG and SZ but I really love this one as well. Consider one for yourself!
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