The custom-made Kramer guitar that Eddie Van Halen played in the video for Van Halen‘s 1983 “Hot for Teacher” is expected to heat up the auction block.
Sotheby’s is estimating they will sell the iconic red and pinstriped guitar for between two- and three-million. The minimum bid is $1.8 million.
Should it hit its estimate, it will become one of the 10 most expensive guitars ever sold at auction.
In addition to the video, Eddie used the guitar extensively in 1983 and ’84.
Eddie gave the guitar to the band’s retiring drum tech, Gregg Emerson, around 1990, and it’s had a few owners since.
It comes with a letter of provenance by Paul Unkert, who built it, along with a signed photograph from Eddie, its original case with tour and Warner Brothers tags, and the straight jacket and white gloves worn by Eddie in the video.
And for you guitar-heads, it featured a 22-fret, bolt-on maple neck with an “Unk” stamp on the heel, a single double-coil Seymour Duncan humbucker pickup, one volume knob, and a Floyd Rose bridge with a whammy bar.
There are also screw holes on the back of the body for connecting his patented support system for playing the guitar piano-style.
Bidding closes next Tuesday, April 18th.
