EVH Stripe Series Bumblebee has some flaws and issues

EVH Bumblebee had trem issues. It needed a neck shim in a bad way. It’s a great guitar but was not quite there yet when I got it. Also the D’Tuna had issues as the grub screw fine adjuster was not threaded all the way through.

[@npvaughn]

Wow! this guitar room is sweet. Cheers.

[@treykook]

That's just in keeping with the IRL Bee, which Ed always said gave him fits. 😆

[@e.l.norton]

Ed gave people SHIT over that kind of thing when he was alive. The stories of him ripping the people at the factory are almost legendary. A shame.

[@WickedFesterBand]

It’s good now that I fixed it and there are a lot of things about it that are exceptional, but if it’s not put together right none of that matters. A simple thing like neck tilt is so important.

[@guyincognito320]

​@WickedFesterBand I just got this guitar and am planning to strip the spotty paint job from the cavity and dye it all black, as I do with every Fender. They act as if that cover is actually gonna stay on.. bs

[@JohnnyBeane]

I always wanted that guitar! Played it at NAMM many times over the years.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Once I got the neck shimmed it was great. I understand they were rushing to assemble them as the demand was high, but my MIM Charvel San Dimas had me expecting the same quality. The parts were, just not the assembly. The paint is amazing!

[@Ibaneddie76]

I have the whole run of those guitars and bought them when they first came out so they were great out of the box besides setting them up for my taste but I have friends who bought them later on and yeah they definitely seemed to drop the ball on the QC side on some of them. Nothing that wasn't easily fixable but you are right for over $1000 guitar you shouldn't have to deal with that, it's actually surprising because usually the guitars out of Mexico are the shit!

[@WickedFesterBand]

They just disappointed when Ed passed and I think they rushed production to sell as many as they could. I love it now that it’s fixed! My MIM Charvel SanDimas is perfect.

[@patpolowyk6434]

When I got my Bumblebee guitar, I hated it.The frets were sharp on the ends,action horrible and bridge was way to high.So I had some work done to it,and a super distortion pickup.And Now I Love this guitar.Great video.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, love mine now that I rebuilt it too. lol Don’t know if it was the pandemic or what but QC suffered.

[@mtlspider]

i got the bumblebee a few years ago and it had the same issues but wasnt shimmed so the floyd was floating a bit. i shimmed it a bit too high so now that i fixed that and lowered the action more i found out the 19th fret was buzzing on the high e string so i leveled the last few frets only to fix that.the pickup might be too high now but im living with it. same terrible looking spring cavity too,i replaced the stock trem block with a copper one and it sounded much better to me. as for the nut i keep having to tighten those screws from the back for the guitar to stay in tune,dont remember having to do that much with nuts with the scerws that go from the top into the wood

[@WickedFesterBand]

Yeah, quality control could be better. Haven't checked the bolts on the nut lately now that you mention it. lol I have a Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod that would be comparable in price, actually got it before prices went crazy so $899 , not $1149. It is built way better and no issues what so ever, also made in Mexico but a lot nicer.

[@RandySchartiger]

it's amazing how some guitars come from the factory, even brand named ones! nice work mate!

[@WickedFesterBand]

Thanks Randy. You could see the 6 dimples in the paint in the bridge area where it had been meant for a Strat with a 6 screw trem so obviously not an angled neck pocket as a top mounted Floyd requires.

[@j7cc]

That guitar rocks ! EVH. ✌️🚩

[@srh361]

I check every guitar I purchase as soon as I get them and honestly that guitar would have went back or I would've tried to be compensated for the defects not to mention it will give you problems going forward.

[@philfrank5601]

How do you find the D Tuna, can you switch back and forth and the E stays in tune? I have had issues with mine.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Took it off cause I didn’t like it. I don’t use drop D tuning and with the D’Tuna drop D is the default and E is the fine tuned option and I didn’t like the way the fine tuner worked. (The D’Tuna was defective as well on mine and had to be fixed)

[@PhpGtr]

The original VH2 guitar was super thick - 2" I believe? Is this one any thicker than the Frankensteins?

[@WickedFesterBand]

I think all the newer EVH Strat shaped guitars are the same thickness but not sure.

[@nafis6668]

thanks for pointing that out, they just put 2 paper shim in my neck pocket. im getting proper wooden wedge shims and a brass trem stopper for this guitar.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Sounds good! I used some of my adhesive sand paper to make a shim but should but the right thing at some point. I glued a wood block in for a trem stopper. Was wondering which guitar to use. I think I’ll play mine today.

[@nafis6668]

@@WickedFesterBand i really like this guitar. I even ungraded the frets to jumbo Jescar stainless steel . This minor mod will make the guitar perform perfectly.

[@RivieraOrthodontics]

I bought a new black & white one from Sweetwater in April without any issues. Went to change the strings today and now the post on the treble side will lift up. Ugh, ordering a new set from Floyd Rose to see if that helps but I'm not sure what else I can do. Perhaps blue Loc-Tite and just hope I get close enough to the desired action before it sets? Thank you

[@WickedFesterBand]

Man that’s a bummer. Fender needs to up the QC on these. Hopefully you straighten it out.

[@RivieraOrthodontics]

@@WickedFesterBand thank you, I have removed the insert and the entire bushing. I'm hoping it's just a one off and the replacement will fix it. I have three other MIM Jackson/Charvel guitars made in the same factory and they have all been perfect.

[@WickedFesterBand]

@@RivieraOrthodontics I have a San Dimas Pro Mod and it is perfect. Kinda wish I’d have gotten another instead of the EVH lol

[@RivieraOrthodontics]

@@WickedFesterBand update: I purchased a new post from Floyd Rose and that seems to have fixed it. No more lifting up, at least for now.

[@WickedFesterBand]

@@RivieraOrthodontics That’s great!

[@majkon93]

That's crazy. I've always used guitars with recessed floyds and I'm considering some with top mounted floyd because i don't really care about floating + d-tuna is temting me. And I had exactly these thoughts, what if it's not aligned since I want it to sit on the body because of the d-tuna (if I understand correctly how it works). I can set a floyd but I would be afraid to disassemble a neck from a body. Now what would happen if the neck angle was bad let's say on LTD M-1 1987 reissue which has a neck-through design, that would be f*** up right? *your conclusion about screws under the nut is logical but I have Kramer from early 90' which has 2 screws same way as this EVH and there's also truss rod on a headstock, nothing wrong happened yet. but maybe it's more risky construction than truss rod at the heel.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Thanks for watching! I think a neck through would be designed correctly I would hope. For the locking nut, the old ones only came bolted from the back. The recessed screw from the top is a more modern thing. I bet that vintage Kramer is cool!

[@majkon93]

​@@WickedFesterBand Thank you sir! Now I know what should I pay attention to

[@JosephChavez]

This video is exactly what I'm concerned about with the Bee (and the other EVH lines). I had the Wolfgang Special LTD Ash that was setup perfectly: no neck shim and the Floyd was flush and parallel with the body. I sold it to get the following year's LTD Sassafras. This one is a slightly different story. I had to get a FU Tone trem stop because this Floyd couldn't really be lowered properly and sit parallel. Drives me crazy. I've seen a TON of these EVH guitars where the Floyd looks like \ (angled back) instead of ---- (flush-decked and parallel to the body). Anyone saying "just shim the neck" is missing the point. These guitars were designed to be setup and used a certain way especially considering they have D-Tunas installed. Like you said, Fester, these require angled neck pockets. And what? Are any of the Wolfgang USA's like this? I seriously doubt it. Anyway, just venting because I think it's wrong and they need to get this figured out.

[@WickedFesterBand]

When I had it apart to fix it, you could see six dimples in front of the route for the bridge. Former pilot holes for a six screw standard trem. The body was meant for a Strat with a vintage bridge. Obviously not an angled neck pocket model or a Floyd at all.

[@JosephChavez]

@@WickedFesterBand terrible quality control. Ed would have their heads if you ask me. Maybe it was just 1 out of 100 and a mistake but who knows.

[@guyincognito320]

@@WickedFesterBand I think the treble side mounting stud must be pulled out a bit on mine, because the treble side of the bridge is lower. So when you view the Floyd from the rear end, the bridge is sitting at an angle, and only the treble side of the base plate contacts the body. And I use the same string height for all 6 strings so it's not tilted in order to get lower action on the trebles. Something is asymmetrical here but I don't know what. The mounting studs appear to be flush with the body and have not pulled out.

[@WickedFesterBand]

@@guyincognito320 I have several guitars with Floyd’s and this is not unusual. Most of mine are like this. (If not all) As long as the inserts the studs screw into haven’t lifted out of the body you are fine. OK I checked. 8 Floyd’s. Only one sitting perfectly level. (Sterling SUB Axis copy) Ibanez RG slightly lower on bass side. All the rest lower on the treble side.

[@sbrave]

Could you have put new posts in or glued the ones that were already there?

[@WickedFesterBand]

I used glue and it seems to have worked. Of course I shimmed the neck and raised the bridge so it doesn’t lever them up anymore.

[@edwardoliver3473]

This is why I tend to buy second hand. Found a decent condition one of these here in the uk on a certain online selling site for 475 uk (about 550/600 dollars) because you ALWAYS have to set up a guitar (even if it’s just a little to get it right for u)

[@WickedFesterBand]

Good policy!

[@ryanfraley7113]

This is kind of surprising given most MIM EVH’s and Strats have generally been very good, at least the ones I have played around with. Sometimes we need a professional tech to evaluate the guitars and adjust some things.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Totally a matter of the assembly. Should have been shimmed and set up correctly at the factory. Fortunately I am a bit of a tech so I fixed it. The actual overall quality is very good. They were hard to find for a bit and selling like hot cakes so I’m sure they were rushing to get them done. My Charvel SanDimas and Fender Player Strat are fine.

[@banditcountry31]

Les Dawson is back on guitar again!!!

[@daviddonaldson5908]

I had the exact same issues with the posts, used the trem and it started to pull them out of the body

[@RivieraOrthodontics]

Me too. How did you correct it?

[@daviddonaldson5908]

I took it to a tech who reset the posts for me. He also shimmed the neck so he could lower the action properly.

[@flashrocks666]

"......$1100, AND, the whammy posts got pulled out or something? i feel horrible for you, brother. my buddy sold guitars at the Sam Ash here in San Antonio Texas when those first came out. they had them for $899. told my buddy thats was just a little too rich for my blood at that time, and had to accept reality. a month later im in there getting some strings, and my buddy says a guy bought a bumblebee, had it for maybe 5 days, and came back to trade it in for anything else, was just not happy with it. he tells me theres no scratches or anything wrong with it at all, and it plays like Heaven! But he cant sell it new for $899 anymore. so he says he'll give it to me for $660 OUT THE DOOR! Made me wanna slap his momma and beg for butter! i ran next door to a credit union, pulled it out, and have had it since. the ONLY thing wrong with it is, after a year, one night my Pit Bull was walking by the guitar stand, somehow the guitar cable got wrapped up in his back legs, he pulled it off the stand which scared the fucking shit out of him, and so he BIT THE FUCK out of the body back where the jack is! 2 deep fang holes on the top, and 2 on the bottom! fuck it. gives it character now. but it still plays like a dream! no problems with whammy posts or shims or anything. maybe you just got a lemon, but im relieved all is well with yours now. here's me, embarrasing myself, trying to do some EVH for some biker rally here ".........kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWm5aayBbNt4oZo .

[@WickedFesterBand]

@@flashrocks666 Nice playing! Yeah, should have bought one before the prices went crazy. I think after Eddie passed and you couldn’t find them the were in such a rush to put them out QC suffered. On the other hand I have gear I bought before the prices went nuts and have stuff that I paid a fraction of the current cost for like my Marshall DSL20 rig.

[@hayabusa1300100]

Question did you do any upgrades with the springs

[@WickedFesterBand]

No

[@billnelson9413]

Good information. What are you playing through?

[@WickedFesterBand]

Spark 40 😎 Love the little thing.

[@billnelson9413]

@@WickedFesterBand sounds great!

[@maryannmoran-smyth3453]

I think you’re right, for the money. You should have a guitar with it shit together and Eddie was notorious for working on his own guitars and getting them to work the way he wanted them because that’s what you have to do. High-performance guitars have to be set for your particular playing style and needs. It’s very specific. as a machinist I have no problem working on my guitar and had to do some changes that would probably challenge the regular guy… I play my EVH Franken Strat as much as I can and it’s the only Guitar I never had to mess with ,it kicked ass right out of the box. Of course… And in EVH style I made some changes, but that’s another story… Anyway… Keep on rockin……

[@WickedFesterBand]

Yeah, I have the skill to make the necessary adjustments so that wasn’t so bad. I just thought, what about those that don’t. I take apart and rebuild and work on most of the guitars I buy. That said, I’m talking my lower price point instruments. When I get around the $1000 mark they should only need setup. It unfortunately is not always the case. I suppose that’s why I love cheap guitars. I plan on rebuilding them. lol Rock on!

[@willieboy8798]

i have two frankie and a 5150 everybody expects you to play vh on it every time you pick it up, sounds better with jazz and blues to me! it never leaves the house sick of peoples mouths on what i should play!

[@rocksteady6448]

All guitars no matter what kind or make need a good setup I've never bought a evh that wasn't awesome even then the need to be fine tuned evh gear Wolfgang are top notch

[@WickedFesterBand]

Removing the neck to shim it is NOT a setup. It’s a repair. The trem ripping the posts from the body with normal use is NOT setup. It’s a repair. . I’ve played Wolfgang models. They were great. One I really liked was half the price of this stripe series and made in Indonesia.

[@mannyfragoza9652]

what amp are you using?

[@WickedFesterBand]

Spark 40 direct to mixer

[@mannyfragoza9652]

@@WickedFesterBand interesting

[@EdDanaGuitar]

Gotta love the Bee!

[@dalepal]

It doesn't seem right you had to fix the guitar but good that it sounds and plays great now.

[@WickedFesterBand]

Yeah, at this price point huh?

[@irreversablecontentment4651]

I bought this guitar and got rid of it...The pickup is very bright and buzzy and the pickup is to high without much room 4 lowering it...

[@bluehappyscrap]

What strings on your bumblebee?

[@WickedFesterBand]

Ernie Ball Slinkies 10’s but I put those on soon as I got it. Don’t remember what came on it.

[@bluehappyscrap]

AWESOME guitar!

[@bluehappyscrap]

Love that red jackson on the wall behind you.

[@saiyaniam]

only thing that would stop me getting one of these, besides ridiculous price ofcourse.. Is the EVH logo, I think it looks terrible. Same reason I don't like ESP

[@CP-kb1du]

Wolfe is making a mint

[@1969Donovan]

They make a trem stop so you dont have to use a block. they are cheap and adjustable..

[@guyincognito320]

Those things are horrible imo. Loud metal clank of the device against the block, plus it causes too much extra resonance and the extra spring reverb requires another upgrade with 'noiseless' springs which are expensive and only somewhat effective. It's already a pretty stable guitar being top mounted. Why buy a Floyd guitar if you dislike what they do?

[@user-pu3vu1uf6d]

The cavity? Man, I thought mine is the only. My EVH bumblebee ‘s cavity was like a war zone.. the surface of the cavity was like someone chiseled pieces of wood unevenly.. it was that ugly . The side of the cavity had splinters and stuff. Luckily I do not have that tremolo issue u are facing. But for $1659 (singapore dollars) for this kind of shabby quality of how the cut the wood.. totally unacceptable

[@WickedFesterBand]

Unacceptable it is! I like it now that I fixed it but it should have come from the factory that way.

[@jamesmurry5910]

Covid era guitar maybe?

[@WickedFesterBand]

Very likely!

[@robertappleby4891]

NOTHING IS SET UP FROM FACTORY LOL

[@davekiddie4467]

Probably one of the worst guitars I have owned, you pay for the paint job. The hardware is terrible. Tuners are a bitch for intonation, swapped out the horrible bridge. The shelf where the fine Tuners live is angled down which makes the dtuna hard to pull out. I'll play it for a while put the original crappy bridge on and sell it, I'm real disappointed

[@WickedFesterBand]

Exactly why I did this review. Some seem to love it but I found it had issues. Except as you said the paint. That is stellar.

[@irreversablecontentment4651]

I agree the paint job and the maplewood neck is what your paying for...I made a huge mistake buying this noise pollution fest !

[@jasonthemason1971]

Yeah. A $20,000 PRS has issues and flaws. Anything made by humans has problems. I got the white and black version. Only cost me $800 (new 2023) last week.

[@majinblood6133]

Dude EVH brand has gone downhill soooo bad... the 5150iii first batches back in 2007-2010 were solid as fuck and amazing. The USA/MIJ wolfgangs are immaculate....then he switched it to china within a year then Mexico. its all about $$$ folks. Got a 5150 in 2020 the hot pink bs.... worst guitar I ever played. Had to send it back after 30 min of messing with it trying to convince myself it was me. Kill switch didnt work, pickup selector froze and stopped working, lost tune instantly, even felt like a cheap pos. Sorry EVH brand is now shit.