Eddie Van Halen: Two guitars played and partly made by late rock star to go to auction

Eddie Van Halen (right) of Van Halen performs in August 2015. Van Halen, who had battled cancer, died on Tuesday, October 6, 2020. He was 65. AP Photo

Two guitars owned, played and partly designed by the late Eddie Van Halen will be going up for auction.

A 2004 EVH Charvel Art Series electric guitar and a customised electric guitar Van Halen built at his home studio with his guitar tech Matt Bruck to give to a friend in 1991 will be among the items for sale at the event called Icons and Idols Trilogy: Rock 'N' Roll, starting December 5, Julien's Auctions announced on Monday.

Both guitars were hand-striped by Van Halen in the familiar style of most of his guitars dating back to the first Van Halen album in 1978. Each of the guitars is expected to fetch between $60,000 and $80,000.

The guitar legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer died of cancer on October 6 at age 65.

The auction was in already in the works at the time.

"As we were preparing for our annual Icons and Idols: Rock and Roll auction line-up, we were stunned to hear the sad news of Eddie Van Halen's passing last week," Julien's Auction's president Darren Julien said. "We are honoured to include at this event two of his iconic guitars from his brilliant and blazing career as one of rock's greatest and most gifted guitar heroes."

The auction also includes a Fender Stratocaster played, and smashed, by Kurt Cobain on Nirvana's 1994 In Utero Tour, and a crystal-studded white glove worn by Michael Jackson on the Jackson brothers' 1984 Victory Tour.