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Eddie Van Halen’s Kramer Guitar Expected to Fetch Up to $3 Million at Auction

The iconic custom-designed instrument was also once owned by Mötley Crue’s Mick Mars

By Alexandria Sillo
Red and white electric guitar with black stripes, Maple neck on a plain white background.
Eddie Van Halen's 1982 Kramer Electric Guitar. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby's

This one might make the buyers “Jump”: Eddie Van Halen’s iconic Kramer electric guitar is headed to auction this fall, with an expected sale price between $2 million and $3 million. The guitar, featuring the rocker’s trademark black and white stripe abstract design with a red background, is based on his original “Frankenstein” creation and reflects extensive use.

The guitar is headlining Sotheby’s inaugural “Grails Week” and will be part of the Rock & Pop auction on October 24. Other keynote items of the sale include memorabilia from Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and more.   

Red and white electric guitar with black stripes and autographs on the body, featuring a worn wooden neck.
Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer Electric Guitar. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s
Red and black electric guitar in a black case with white interior, featuring unique geometric patterns.
Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer Electric Guitar. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s

Eddie Van Halen played the custom Kramer guitar during the band’s 1982 and 1983 tours, which included stops in the U.S. and South Africa. The instrument also features an inscription from Eddie Van Halen to his guitar technician, Rudy Leiren, thanking him for 10 years of collaboration. He eventually gifted it to Leiren, who later sold it to a second rock icon, Mick Mars of Mötley Crue. The sale includes the factory Kramer case, and a letter of authenticity from Mars, according to a statement from Sotheby’s.

“Eddie Van Halen’s influence on modern guitar playing is immeasurable and this guitar is a rare piece of that legacy,” Ian Ferreyra de Bone, Sotheby’s Managing Director, 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.”

In 2023, Eddie Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” guitar sold at Sotheby’s for $3.9 million.