Back in the early ’80s Eddie Van Halen designed a guitar that was dubbed ‘Frankenstrat.’ The guitar was custom-built by Kramer electric guitar in 1982. The guitar became famous, and it is now set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s New York during the house’s inaugural ‘Grails Week’ from October 21, with the estimated sale price said to be between $2-$3 million.
The guitar’s design was based on his original “Frankenstrat” axe, with the black and white-striped guitar making its first live outing during Van Halen’s ‘Hide Your Sheep Tour’, which kicked off in 1982.
As detailed by the auction house, Van Halen had visited Kramer’s New Jersey factory to customize the instrument, with photos said to show him wielding an electric drill while working on it.
Later, the guitar was featured in one of the brand’s most famous print ads, where Van Halen can be seen clutching it with pride, with text telling readers: “It’s very simply the best guitar you can buy today.”
It made another iconic on-screen appearance in the band’s “Hot for Teacher” video, with the guitar from that shoot sold for $3,932,000 to an unnamed bidder in 2023.
Van Halen later gave it away as a gift to close friend and longtime guitar technician Robin “Rudy” Leiren, writing a message for him on the instrument that read: “Rude – Its Been a Great Ten Years – Lets Do Another Ten. Eddie Van Halen.”
Leiren, in turn, sold it to Mötley Crüe’s Mick Mars, who used it throughout the recording of 1984’s Dr. Feelgood album.
The instrument also comes with a letter of authenticity signed by Mars, who wrote: “Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Also it’s a great piece of history.”
