Eddie Van Halen’s emotional gift to Dweezil Zappa

Watch as Dweezil Zappa tells the story of meeting Eddie Van Halen at 12 years old and the life changing gift he was given.

Watch the full episode at Gibson TV now!

In this clip from The Collection with Dweezil Zappa, listen as he tells the story of how Eddie Van Halen showed up to his school band practice and watched 12 year old Dweezil soundcheck “Runnin’ With the Devil”. When he noticed Dweezil’s guitar was out of tune, Eddie went home and brought back his own Kramer style guitar and not only helped Dweezil play the song correctly (and in tune) but let him use it during the performance and told him to keep the guitar, which Dweezil later customized the as a tribute to Van Halen’s style.

In the full episode, Dweezil also talks about Eddie’s kindness, how he was the first to call him after his father Frank Zappa passed away. That early morning phone call and Eddie’s offer of support left a lasting impression and showed the generosity and heart of a rock legend who was not only an inspiration to a young guitarist and performer on stage but also as a friend.

Watch the full episode on Gibson TV now host Mark Agnesi travels to Los Angeles, CA, to visit the guitar collection of Dweezil Zappa. Growing up as the son of musical icon Frank Zappa, Dweezil started playing guitar as a young child and by 12 had released his first single. Dweezil has performed as a solo artist and as Zappa Plays Zappa recreating his father’s music. Over his career Dweezil has accumulated a massive collection of odd and obscure guitars including many of his father’s original instruments, fretless and half-fretted guitars, a microtonal guitar and a Kramer guitar given to him by Eddie Van Halen during a soundcheck at his middle school talent show. Dweezil’s love of modifying guitars and his search for new sounds makes his collection anything but ordinary.

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