Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer electric guitar will be auctioned by Sotheby’s New York during the house’s inaugural Grails Week from Oct. 21-28.
Ian Ferreyra de Bone, Sotheby’s managing director of its luxury division, said in a statement: “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 electric guitar was played by Van Halen on tour between 1982-1983, with the instrument’s black and white-striped design based upon the rocker’s well-known ‘Frankenstrat’ guitar from 1975. The guitar was seen onstage during concerts in Philadelphia; Caracas, Venezuela; São Paulo, Brazil; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Van Halen went on to gift the guitar to longtime friend/guitar technician Robin “Rudy” Leiren, who later sold it to Mick Mars, former lead guitarist and co-founder of Mötley Crüe. Mars used it during the recording of the hit Dr. Feelgood album, including on the track “Slice of Your Pie.”
According to estimates, the custom-built Kramer electric guitar is expected to fetch between $2 million-$3 million. A previous Sotheby’s sale for a guitar owned by Van Halen (which is on display in the band’s “Hot for Teacher” music video) netted $3,932,000 in April 2023.
Van Halen's guitar will lead Sotheby's upcoming "Rock & Pop" auction on Oct. 24 during Grails Week, with the sale also featuring memorabilia from Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and more. Head to Sotheby's website for more information.
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