According to Rolling Stone, Eddie Van Halen‘s 1982 Kramer electric guitar will be auctioned by Sotheby’s New York this fall.
The guitar, which was played by the legendary VAN HALEN axeman in 1982 and 1983, is expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million during Sotheby’s inaugural Grails Week from October 21 to October 28.
Eddie later gifted the guitar to his longtime guitar technician Robin “Rudy” Leiren (the guitar sports an inscription to Leiren),who sold it to then-MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars. Mars used it during the recording of his band’s “Dr. Feelgood” album, including on the song “Slice Of Your Pie”. The guitar’s current owner is not known.
This guitar was played on tour by Eddie Van Halen in 1982 and 1983 at concerts in the United States and South America with photo documentation including shows in Philadelphia, Caracas, Venezuela; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The original “Frankenstein” guitar was from 1975 which this guitar is based upon, represented Eddie Van Halen‘s goal of combining some of the best elements of Fender and Gibson electric guitars into a single new musical instrument that was not commercially available at the time. Van Halen was endlessly striving to create the ultimate guitar for tone, playability and dependability. This Kramer guitar personifies not only EVH‘s innovative playing style but also his passion for design and engineering. This guitar is amongst his most iconic and identifiable instruments, encouraging copies from other manufacturers and inspired generations of fans to design their own instruments.
The lot also includes the factory Kramer case and a letter of authenticity from Mars where he states: “Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Also it’s a great piece of history.”
Ian Ferreyra de Bone, Sotheby’s managing director of its luxury division, said: “Played during some of Eddie‘s most iconic performances and later used by MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s Mick Mars, this instrument connects two giants of heavy metal. With its custom build and incredible backstory, it’s a true grail — exactly the kind of piece we had in mind for Sotheby’s first-ever Grails Week, which shines a spotlight on the most sought-after treasures from music, film, TV and comics and puts Sotheby’s right at the center of pop culture.”
The guitar will be on display in Monterey, California from August 13 until August 16.
Back in April 2023, another guitar owned by Edie Van Halen — that one he used in VAN HALEN‘s “Hot For Teacher” music video — was sold for $3,932,000.
Eddie died in October 2020 at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Following his death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena, California. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and his brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex, scratched their band’s name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.
After Eddie was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he began flying to Germany for treatments. Eventually, the cancer spread to Eddie‘s spine and brain. Just a few months later, Eddie died at age 65.
VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
