I Modded My Frankie Relic Series After Two Days .... It Turned Out Amazing!

In this video I documented the process of modifying my brand new Frankie Relic Series guitar. It turned out amazing! I decided to put a Fender pickguarrd on it for cosmetic purposes, covering up the middle 5 way switch in the middle pickup cavity. I used a tortoise shell pick guard that I think really looks great with the white relic finish on this model. I installed a 3 way toggle switch and wired up the single coil. The results were amazing. I do a full documentation of the process and then provide a pro recorded audio demonstration at the end. I hope you enjoy the video. Please subscribe!
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[@Brycereigle2000]

Eddie would have loved this man. He was all about the tinkering and modification and making the guitar your own. I love it!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I appreciate that man. I think he would approve as well. Long live the king. 🍺🎵

[@nikolabakich9709]

looks great are the evh strat bodies thinner then fenders ?@@Ranch5150SkinWalker

[@rl6470]

Long live the Greatest Guitarist Ever. Rock In Peace Eddie

[@KinkellaTeachesArchaeology]

Finally, the Marty5150 signature model has arrived. You gotta start selling upgrade kits (pickguard and switch) - you already made the “how to” video right here! Awesome job man.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Man that's a fun idea! Lol. I need distribution lol. Thanks for the comment and watching man!

[@richcharvel7162]

Great video! That's my kind of "the ultimate tone" selection.."Jimi to EVH" with the flick of a switch. That pickguard gives it a Mick Mars "Izabella" vibe. I think the stock single coil in there is a Fender Alnico 5. I found out recently that the single coil in Ed's Frankie was an unwired DiMarzio FS-1 (Fat Strat). Again, great video.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Man thanks so much!!! I appreciate the info. Very cool indeed! 😎🤟🏻

[@ryanpaul4833]

I’ve been thinking about buying one of these with the exact same idea. I think this video has given me the final push to do it! Great vid!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Awesome man! You won't regret it! Thank you. 😎🤟🏻

[@DeputyVanHalen5150]

😁 I like what you've done here man. You've taken an iconic sounding perfectly toned guitar and completely made it your own. This is a true Marty Frankenstein. Looks like you've used this thing your entire life doing your own tone chasing. If it were me, I'd be chomping at the bit to get this thing on stage and let it rip. 😁😲🎸 Thanks for sharing this with us man.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welding dude. Thanks!!

[@gearhead2017]

Cant pin point it marty but every time you jam its like eddie himself comes alive,everything he touched turns to gold,RIP edward lodwijk van halen,your memory will live forever and to help your music will also live forever in our hearts..

[@philipbeasley72]

Nice! That's awesome and functional. You could still take that file and smooth those cut outs. Easy

[@jimmyz2098]

Holy crap, Marty!! Dang. I saw where you posted the other vid, and have not even had time to get into it yet. But saw this thumbnail tonight.... and I couldn't resist. LOL Some Friday night fun with The Mart-Master. FFS man.... you damm near blew the roof off my crib. LOL Wow! Monster riffage in this one, Bro. I mean... you're about as good as it gets anyway. But wow. On fire in this one. I gotta admit.. I was like what is he doing? Why? !!! And then I saw it. Wow. KILLER guitar, and one of a kind! Man this thing is absolutely sikk!!! Making me want to do another build of some sort. Rock on Bro.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much man. You're the best! 😎🎵

[@smc8144]

Heck yea!!

[@andthatsalliknow]

Sweet, you inadvertently made a Mick Mars tribute guitar! It's still awesome!!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much man!

[@ccaamm1]

Was never really a fan of tortoise shell pick guards or even picks for that matter lol. But this! It looks amazing with the light relic on the body. The dark red and white go good together. The cut outs were absolutely correct by not being perfectly cut straight and smooth.

[@nickgreen5369]

That looks 1000 times better now. Fantastic work

[@Brandon_Hisey_music]

Dude, your playing is top notch!!

[@cguitarallday]

Neck pickup is a great addition wired up isn’t it. I always like the tortoise against white and you can always get another and cut a more accurate one if you choose. I like that better it’s a Martystein.

[@derekthrasher1116]

It’s like a FrankenMars! VH + Mick Mars 🤘

[@derekthrasher1116]

Any idea what the Single Coil is? What model of Single Coil? Fender Texas or ... ?

[@LJLobsingerVideo]

Sounds epic! Killer mod my man.... Love it.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! It's one of my favorite guitars. Definitely my go to "shredder".

[@davismusic3674]

Whatever single coil they used sounds great 😎🎸

[@jerrygriffin6388]

This sounds great! I think it sounds even better now, than in the first video! Fits the era of music.

[@AndyK.23]

Very cool! Makes it a way more versatile guitar. I guess you could have also kept the chopped original pick guard, and just added the toggle and single coil wiring?

[@Mets_xx_Fan_01]

It’s looking good

[@eddiejr540]

Marty …excellent job…that neck p/u sounds quite nice….you always have an awesome tone…rock on bro 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! I really was surprised at how good it sounded. I'm in love with this axe! 😎🤟🏻

[@geoffreylowery9730]

Lolks and sounds great Marty! Thanks for showing the Frankinisms

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welcome man! Thank you!

[@Neridog]

That's cool as heck, dude! Nicely done. Also good to know that the neck pickup is functional and sounds great. Rock on!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks dude! I appreciate the comment and for you watching. ☮️😎

[@evanmiller2579]

You do amazing work with a soldering iron. Super impressed. Sounds amazing.

[@thexnewyorker7284]

Ya man thats the way to do it . Looks good. Sounds great in the neck . Better then i thought

[@brandonjackson5865]

That looks cool. Anybody want a Mick Mars Strat ? It reminds of the strats Mick has played for the last 30 years. Something about a Strat that looks like it fell out of the truck and was drug through the ditch. Cool project I think it looks better with the pickguard, they were cool but without the stripes there’s a lot of blank space on them. Now I want to see a black one done up like that. Tortoise or aged yellowed pearloid , with the humbucker mounted in the guard parallel to the bridge and like a quarter pound Strat PU in the middle and a stack in the neck on a five way wired RG550 style so in position 2 and four it’s the middle and a humbucker in parallel, so you can do everything with it. I’m sure there’s something better to start with for that project but aren’t all current fenders with Floyd’s routed to float ? Anyway cool project gave me some ideas.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! Yeh it does give off Mick Marrs vibes! Never thought about that. Cool! The black would be a great for a project like this too. I think the Strats with Floyd are routed to float yes. I have an 80's photo flame and they were routed to float.

[@brandonjackson5865]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker I’ve got an old RG of course it floats and it’s cool for flutters and Dime squeals but I’ve always wanted a decked Floyd so I could put a detuna on it and change tunings and everything easier. I just think I’d use it more decked and it’d be easier to setup. I like a pretty stiff bar so crank the claw down on the body and it’s always got to return to zero assuming the studs and knife edges are good.

[@ravenstrange8466]

amazing work, totally subscribed and I can't believe how incredible that neck pickup sounds

[@jessienidiffer9440]

Marty, you have gotten some sweet tones from the middle position. I too love the look. Now all it needs is a 2023 quarter just for fun. Maybe even some truck reflectors on the back. Enjoy

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

2023 quarter! I love that idea ! 😎🍺

[@Wolf.51.50]

Good job! And that neck pickup sounds great! Cool!

[@johnnyrasmussen9441]

Well done.

[@beforethunder4987]

I love this guitar!! Sounds soooo good at all levels. Great job man and your playing is inspirational!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much for watching and the also the comment. I appreciate that. 😎🎵🍺

[@mattcates8325]

Sounds really nice after the mod. The Marshall sounds amazing

[@adorovivere1488]

❤❤❤❤❤ This is Frankie pour!!! ❤❤❤❤❤🎸🤙🎸🤙🎸🤙🎸🤙💞✌️

[@rvk5150]

Very cool....DIY just like the man originally did!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks dude! I am in love with it. It's so versatile and it rips ass man.

[@watchingthecrazyworld7761]

Love the mod, hate the pickguard color though. But good mood and good job making it work.

[@steveymoon]

This is great. The only other thing I would have done is to have straightened the humbucker. I hate them angled like that.

[@maryannmoran-smyth3453]

Kool showman ,love geeking out on EVH stuff anyway, I would’ve done all the mods you did, including the Gibson toggle switch, which I put on all my strats. I particularly love my stripe series EVH’s Frankenstein. It was affordable and done right. Only Guitar ever bought that was good right out of the box… Of course I had to tinker with it… .keep on rockin.

[@AndrewReitze]

i'm between this EVH relic white or the Fender Am Pro II HSS. kinda thnking of not wanting to go through all the fuss of doing the mods, but I just Love this Relic EVH. Not sure what to do. Can you change that neck pickup for any Strat neck pickup?

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Yeh man, you can put whatever single coil you wish in there. This one is a Fender pickup since EVH is a Fender company. Sounds really good.

[@guitar.gangster]

Excellent. What amp/rig/axe preset are you using? Sounds great.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! Just a fractal ax8 Friedman BE patch I tweaked a little to my ears. ML labs Friedman IR's. Delay and verb in pro tools for mixing purposes. 😎🤟🏻☮️

[@RicardoDLF]

SOUNDS REALLY AMAZING!! I'll give it a try on my Line 6 Helix Friedman amp. Again, congrats on your guitar setup and sound. Please post more videos using this same gear!!

[@shawnhaught6774]

Awesome video, Marty! I loved the guitar the way it was, but man what you did looks absolutely killer! Kinda gives it a Mick Mars vibe with the tortoise pick guard. Also, the neck pickup sounds amazing. You have me thinking I ought to hook up the one on my striped Frankie.

[@anxose]

pero..hazlo yaa👍👍

[@paulbateman81]

Think I’m gonna sell my mij Wolfgang special to get one of these. Just got the evh franky and love the neck and playability. Perfect project to get the neck pickup working Ok just saw the price! That’s a rip off.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

They are high priced. I sold my 2019 SG special to get mine ... I managed to get a small discount too so I was only out a couple hundred bones.

[@DaddySaysNo]

Saw your unboxing of this and so wanted to see a full pick guard installed. But now it just seems that you created an EVH branded Henrik Danhage model.

[@seanp2k617]

improving guitars by partially un-relicing them, I love it

[@814Taylor]

The neck single coil pickup actually sounds good in my opinion.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! I really think it's nice too! This has been turned into a super versatile super strat! 😎🤟🏻

[@kengyang1908]

Alright gigadeee goo,, getting a little Mick Mars vibe

[@muleblues71]

That would look sweet with a mint pickguard too!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Yeh man! I agree. I almost stuck a pearl charcoal on it

[@DAZ0204]

I’ve been thinking about doing this with one of new Relics, so great video! I’d like to figure out a way to get the cutouts on the pickguard cleaner and do a full on HSS with proper toggle switch and volume and tone installed as well. I have a Frankie which is awesome, but also want something “non-Eddie”. This could be the gateway to that guitar.

[@MarkEdward-bl6cr]

Cool man came out awesome kinda matches your American strat now it's yours nobody has that exact guitar 🤘

[@davismusic3674]

I like how you did it like Eddie by using what you had laying around ! Love my Frankie too !

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks dude! Only way to go man if you're doing EVH style 🤟🏻😎🤟🏻

[@rip.n.Rob.61]

My god dude you give a whole new meaning to the word hack😢 not exactly a Craftsman

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I totally agree! 😂😂

[@OhYouAteOne2]

@Ranch5150SkinWalker that neck pickup sounds FANTASTIC with the volume rolled down!! Let me know when you are ready for that dimed Marshall follow up video! 😅👍 Maybe I could bring my rack and do a DIMED Wet/Dry/Wet? lol

[@JohnBurris-p7k]

I love it it's really cool. Thinking you do a show on Vito Brado guitar riffs. I haven't looked to see if you have anything on that or not

[@BillyE5150]

I love it man! I almost dig this look more for “people other than Eddie” playing Frankie… IMHO the stripes belong to Ed… & pro level players like yourself, who can actually play & do it justice.

[@wolfgangdollendorf9199]

The mod sounds phantastic, offers a lot. Good job man 🤘. I am about to buy one EVH out ot the „Frankenstein“ Series and will consider your mod. As not being a Heavy Relic fan, I am not sure which one it will be finally. You videos are definitely helping me a lot. Thanks 🤘🤘

[@Swanlord05]

Man why da Hell you do that to that nice guitar......just add it to the old pickguard ..... smh

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Cosmetic purposes. Covering up the 5 way in the middle position. Also the single coil wire may come out without a cover.

[@Swanlord05]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker thats one of the most unique elements of the Frankie

[@Craig52-zq1bt]

Relic guitars suck. I have been playing 58 years, been in two big bands with CDs out. Relic tells me you are trying to impress noobs. I have ALL guitars I have owned, NONE are scuffed or worn. My very first guitar, a Lyle Anniversary arch top electric, still looks as new. Relic equals shallow person grasping for acknowledgement in my mind.

[@amagnani17]

Grande uomo! Lo farò anch'io!!🎸❤️

[@bluematrix5001]

YEP... EVH needs to release a clean GTR no crappy switch in the middle pickup and not cavity there and a clean cavity for the humbucker ...just a simple clean super strat with the Franky's Humbucker the Neck..and an extra single pickup..... I will buy one

[@dorfsteen]

Another awesome video thank you Marty and God bless you sir

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks for watching man! 😎🍺

[@MMAjunkieXX]

I have the evh frankie in red.. Wanting to do the exact mod.. I noticed the single coils are real low in the body... Did you not have to raise it up somehow? And I didn't notice Much of a volume change when you changed pickups. .nice!!!!!! Great videos!!!!

[@Krullmatic]

Great job! They probably put just a regular Fender single coil in it I'd imagine.

[@Terry-ms5ze]

Neck pickup sounds good. I might have used a push/push 500k pot to switch pu's if that's possible? The original pickguard might look good with the neck pu functional. .

[@grahamharding9396]

You've done a great job! Looks and sounds fantastic,dare I say,better than it was! By the way,what's your rig?, 'cause you've got a great sound!👍

[@hikimad1523]

That looks good Marty! Great job! 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man!!

[@MikeBravos]

I was thinking buying one and doing the same thing, cause I like the specs compared to what other else is offered in the market atm. How is the neck pickup?

[@tractordirt]

We’ll played, man! My dealer told me that neck pup was not a dummy…cool to see that you followed through on wiring it up!

[@dorfsteen]

I just modified my Squier Affinity with a brass nut, guitar sound excellent. Now i have to watch the video🤔😎🎸

[@robblackmoreofficial]

Wow! The Tone From Both Of Them Together & Just The Neck Pick Up...Brilliant Marty, Now You Can Quite Literally Go From Van Halen To Gilmour In a Flick Of The Switch. 😉👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Totally man!!!! It's a beast. I I love it! Thanks man!

[@mikedtubey]

Dude that's Hot sounding! Good Mods!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks! I was blown away by the single coil. Made this guitar twice as versatile and some how even more fun to play than it already was!

[@toddman26]

I am wondering why you didn't just mount the toggle to the original black pick guard and leave the neck pup exposed.

[@nathancourtney2006]

What kind of pickups do you have in this guitar please sir I have a Mexican strat to mod. Thanks Nathan

[@mariek6993]

i would do the same, i've also heard of people putting a button in one of the holes for the bucket head type kill switch button.

[@ltcuaa]

do all that but ditch the pic guard!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I might. It looked a little barren without a pickguard.

[@nicirvin1994]

I didn't realise how much Americans talk without saying much. 🤔

[@zoinkiezz]

Yeah the tortoiseshell and white with maple combo drives me up the wall in a good way too man. Sweet axe ideed

[@jasonhoneman1272]

That guitar needs some stripes or something! It looks kind of odd without some more character to it!

[@rl6470]

I love how you took an EVH guitar, and modded it. Eddie would be so proud

[@birdman316]

hekk yaa brother! bet eddie was watching with that ear to ear famous grin!

[@donalddegaetano9502]

II don’t getting changing all that for what it was intended for the look that they came out with

[@kennethquintini658]

You sounding great 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks Dude! 😎🤟🏻

[@anxose]

es una gran idea incluso para la frankenstrat roja..tú tienes la suerte y el dinero para poder hacer todas esas modificaciones..y la pastilla del mástil suena perfect!..me encanta esta combinación de audios! y tu kemper claro!.. quién pudiera tener lo que tú tienes!.. saludos y enhorabuena por la idea del selector y sólo te queda ponerle el killswitch💪😉✌️

[@mountain7777]

Cool stuff and I agree Edward would have agreed with this.

[@stevehemme8603]

Absolutely love the Marty Frankie! Totally made that your own dude! Amazing! Well done l'm sure Eddie is smiling 😊

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much!

[@flixsymmetry]

Nice play by play. The surgery was a success! Your lessons are great but it is nice to watch you rip it out!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks dude. I appreciate that. Taking a small break on lessons to focus on gear but lessons will still be a major component of the channel. 😎🤟🏻

[@federicomejia2929]

Great video bro!....long live King EVH

[@kennethquintini658]

It's looking good 👍😊, you're customizing a nice evh relic, fantastic work 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you!! 😎

[@sonnymao9461]

Would love to hear it through that Duotone back there!

[@ThisOldGuy3]

I have been wanting a DeMartini but now I want one of these with this mod.😎🎸👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Dude. I am serious, this is a great guitar platform for this mod. I love it!

[@sinnertrain7405]

Noooooo! Just kidding, but interesting mods.

[@rjh1469ii]

Fantastic work!!!!!

[@toddprater14]

Looks way better with a full pickguard…I woulda went one further and got a pickguard that didn’t have the middle pickup cut out, just hum bucker and neck pickup.

[@lilmissdangerous2267]

I would of put on a pick guard that covered the whole guitar body. Do they sell those?

[@toddprater14]

@@lilmissdangerous2267 that would be a custom pick guard for the strat body.. you can find someone to make it for u.

[@tonybrown7847]

The guitar looks so much better with the tortoiseshell pick guard.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks!!

[@hubridgell4511]

I think I would add a middle pickup

[@twowaymuir]

I used a coping saw to cut out the humbucker hole and then a file. Worked out pretty good on a Squire Strat, but then I found a pearly HSS pickguard on line that I liked better. LOL

[@cscoioscscoios2768]

Awesome video Marty, great detail on how you made the transformation into your own SuperStrat!! I'm doing something similar to my white EVH relic. Bought a black matte humbucker pickguard, will cover up the single coil slots. Want to turn into a sort of homage to Eddie/Jake E. Lee superstrat. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@carsandguitars3894]

Holy smokes that sounds good!

[@papablue3015]

We might be related? Any of my cheaper guitars, I can't resist changing or fixing something! Lol😅 thanks Marty 😊

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

2nd cousins my friend. Haha!

[@papablue3015]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker I took a strat cut horns off at angle turn them around put them back on looks like a bc rich eagle and a strat. Looks good! I was surprised!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

@@papablue3015 damn dude. That's adventurous!

[@garybrady9531]

Knocked it out in Eddie would have approved

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! I really appreciate it 😎🍺

[@80sRockHead]

Looks way better now. I don't why EVH didn't make these guitars look like a regular super strat in the first place since their intent was to not look too "Frankie-ish." The front pick up sounds pretty good.

[@ChuckChrome]

Nice, you really seemed to approach that install in the spirit of the original guitar. Had it been perfectly fitted and all the cuts straight it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Nice job and even nicer playing. You do those guitars justice.