Eddie Van Halen's 1982 Kramer electric guitar, a piece of rock history, is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s New York during Grails Week from October 21-28.
The black-white-and-red striped guitar, modeled after Van Halen's iconic "Frankenstrat" design, is expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million, per Consequence. The instrument was used by Van Halen during his 1982-83 tours and later became a part of Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars's collection.
Van Halen modified the guitar at Kramer's New Jersey factory, and it was featured in a famous advertisement where he described it as "the best guitar you can buy today," according to Billboard. He later gifted the guitar to his guitar technician, Robin “Rudy” Leiren, inscribing it with a personal message stating that "Its Been a Great Ten Years — Lets Do Another Ten." Leiren sold it to Mars, who used it during the recording of Mötley Crüe's 1989 album Dr. Feelgood.
The guitar, which shows extensive wear, includes a letter of authenticity from Mars. It will be displayed in Monterey, California, from August 13-16, marking its first public appearance in over 40 years, per The Hollywood Reporter. The auction follows a previous sale of Van Halen's guitar from the "Hot for Teacher" video, which sold for $3.9 million in 2023.
The rocker, who co-founded his band in 1972, passed away in October 2020 after battling cancer.