OPENING NOTES
Eddie Van Halen
San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, CA
July 8, 1978
Photo by Neil Zlozower
Published for the first time, this NOS shot from Neil Zlozower, Van Halen’s
primary photographer for years, shows Eddie with the Les Paul Custom that he
acquired right after Van Halen got signed. Eddie worked on this guitar a bit,
repeating some of the mods we identify with the iconic Frankenstein guitar that
actually preceded it. You can see here that he had already ripped out the bridge
humbucker tone knob—he later replaced the strap buttons with eye hooks, and
would even play this famously heavy beast with a chain in place of a strap.
24 PREMIERGUITAR APRIL 2009
