Someone could pay a pretty penny for a guitar that was designed for and played by Eddie Van Halen.
Van Halen’s iconic 1982 Kramer Electric guitar is expected to sell for between $2 and $3 million in a Sothebuy’s online auction.
The instrument was designed to resemble Van Halen’s famous red with black-and-white stripes “Frankenstein” guitar.
The rock legend played the Kramer guitar on tour in 1982 and 1983 at concerts in the United States and South America, according to the auction’s website. There is photo documentation showing Van Halen playing the instrument at shows in Philadelphia, Caracas, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires.
The guitar was also featured in a famous Kramer advertisement. It was eventually sold to former Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars who played it extensively while recording the band’s 1989 album “Dr Feelgood” and other projects.
“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,” the auction page reads.
“Van Halen was endlessly striving to create the ultimate guitar for tone, playability and dependability,” the page continued. “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 highest bidder will also get the guitar’s case and a letter of authenticity from Mick Mars where he states: “Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Also it’s a great piece of history.”
The auction will take place between Oct. 21-28, Billboard reported, A guitar used by Van Halen in a video for “Hot for Teacher” sold for $3.9 million in 2023, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
