One of the 1980s MTV era’s most famous rock artifacts can soon be yours. Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer “Frankenstein” electric guitar is hitting Sotheby’s Grails Week auctions this October.
The instantly recognizable red guitar with black and white stripes was based on Van Halen’s original “Frankenstein,” or “Frankenstrat,” design, which combined several components from different guitars with a Fender Stratocaster body in an effort to create the sound of a Gibson and the feel of a Fender. The master musician used several iterations of Frankensteins, and after visiting the Kramer factory in Neptune, New Jersey to personally modify the instrument, he played this iteration on tour in 1982 and 1983 at concerts in the U.S. and South America.
But its rich history continued to unfold even after Van Halen autographed and gifted the six-string to his guitar tech, Rudy Leiren, with the inscription “Thanx Rude – Its Been a Great Ten Years – Lets Do Another Ten.” Leiren ended up selling it to Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars, who played it extensively while recording the bands landmark album Dr. Feelgood.
“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,” explained Ian Ferreyra de Bone, Sotheby’s managing director of its luxury division, per The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Notably, Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang, recently played another Frankensteins while recording a track for his band Mammoth (formerly known as Mammoth SVH).
“Tracking the slap part of [‘The End’]”—a horror-themed song that was released in 2025. “Fun fact, I recorded the main tapping of the song, and the slap part with the Frankenstein! Makes me feel closer to Pop that such an important part of his history can live with mine every time I record,” he wrote.
Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer Electric “Frankenstrein” guitar is expected to fetch between $2 and $3 million at auction on October 24 in New York City—tap here for more.