WOLFGANG VAN HALEN announces launch of new EVH SA-126 signature guitar
11-12-2023
EVH has announced the debut of Wolfgang Van Halen‘s signature guitar, SA-126.
SA-126 is the result of a three-year collaborative development process between Wolfgang, Matt Bruck and EVH‘s masterbuilder Chip Ellis. With this release, Wolfgang and EVH carry forward the more than 30-year brand legacy of innovation and top-quality standards into the future with a unique hybrid of classic and high-performance design and features. The end result is a guitar that is unique in its vision and tonal fingerprint.
The SA-126 will become available in may 2024.
“The SA-126 was born out of necessity for finding my own sound,” said Wolfgang Van Halen. “I wanted to do my own thing and that’s how I gravitated towards semi-hollow bodies and how it became my core sound. The goal was to put together a guitar that didn’t exist yet, which merged the beauty and wonderful warm tones of a classic semi-hollow guitar but with the performance style and neck that EVH gear is known for.”
Crash-tested for over two years by Wolfgang on tour with his band MAMMOTH WVH, this hot rodded semi-hollow instrument projects a beautiful and detailed aesthetic while producing a super wide spectrum of tones from articulate cleans, to burning leads to brutal chugging chordal rhythms. It creates a new categorization for electric guitar and is characterized by its limitless nature.
Featuring a set of custom wound bridge and neck pickups — meticulously crafted exclusively by Fender‘s resident and legendary pickup designer Tim Shaw, in collaboration with the EVH team — the development was exhaustive. What came from that attention to detail is the perfect, unique voicing the instrument needed to provide such a wide range of versatility and tones.
The SA-126 also features a mahogany body with a basswood centerblock for tone, along with a capped maple top on solid finishes and quilt maple top on translucent finishes with 5-ply body binding. The mahogany neck features a 22-fret 12″- 16″ compound ebony fingerboard, jumbo frets and triple block inlays, providing a modern-classic feel that is both familiar and comfortable. Its 24 and three-quarters scale length adds to the overall playability. To facilitate easy adjustments on the fly, a spoke wheel truss rod adjustment is conveniently located at the butt end of the neck.
“Unveiling the SA-126 on this significant day is a testament to the future we’re forging at EVH Gear,” said Jon Romanowski, VP category management, EVH Gear. “I’m incredibly proud of Wolfgang and the team for their dedication to pushing boundaries and shaping the brand’s next chapter with innovation and artistry.”
EVH is a licensed brand under Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) and their work together has provided musicians everywhere with the foundation to emulate one of the world’s best guitarists while also recruiting some of the biggest names in music whose inventive playing styles honor the legacy of Eddie Van Halen.
In recent months, Wolfgang has repeatedly said that “drama” in the VAN HALEN camp has prevented a proposed all-star VAN HALEN tribute project from materializing.
Wolfgang, who played “On Fire”, “Hot For Teacher” and “Panama” at the Hawkins tribute concerts, told Classic Rock magazine that he was no longer actively interested in pursuing the idea of a standalone Eddie Van Halen tribute event. “I think I already did it with the Taylor Hawkins tributes,” he explained. “I feel a lot of closure because my part of the show was a tribute to my father.”
“When it comes to VAN HALEN and entities surrounding the band it’s unfortunate, certainly compared to FOO FIGHTERS who have their shit together with interpersonal relationships,” Wolfgang added.
“I don’t know what it is with some bands but certain personalities just can’t get over themselves to work collectively for one purpose. That’s been the curse of VAN HALEN for its entire career. So my playing at the Taylor shows delivered that catharsis without the stresses of dealing with the VAN HALEN camp, and the players involved. Their camp is very dysfunctional — everyone! Hell, it was difficult to make plans even when the band was active.”
When Classic Rock‘s Dave Ling asked Wolfgang about Hagar‘s comment that he would “love to play those songs again,” Wolfgang said: “He said that, but he also said he wouldn’t. Sammy said two different things. No… I feel that I’ve said my piece, and if the Taylor concerts are all that happens then I’m happy with that.”
In June 2021, Wolfgang, who joined his father in VAN HALEN for the band’s 2007 reunion tour with Roth, replacing Anthony, told SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” it would be “great” to eventually organize an Eddie Van Halen tribute show. “It’s not in the immediate plans, ’cause that’s a lot of moving parts that you’ve gotta corral to get that to happen. But I definitely think it should happen. Absolutely,” he said.
Asked how he envisioned the tribute concert taking place in terms of which musicians should be involved, Wolfgang said: “I have no idea. All I know is that the focus should a hundred percent be on Pop. While it could be a celebration of VAN HALEN and the band’s history, I think more than anything, it should be focused on him… It’s a tall ask and a big thing to figure out. But I do think it should happen at some point.”
In November 2020, Wolfgang told Entertainment Tonight that proceeds from any tribute show in honor of his father would go toward Eddie‘s favorite charity, Mr. Holland’s Opus, which helps underprivileged students access musical instruments. Proceeds from the debut solo single from Wolfgang‘s solo band MAMMOTH WVH, “Distance”, are also benefiting Mr. Holland’s Opus.
MAMMOTH WVH released its second album on BMG on August 4th.
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