EDDIE VAN HALEN's “Hot For Teacher” Stage-Used And Filmed Guitar Fetches $1 Million More Than Expected At Auction

Sotheby's has held an auction for the guitar Eddie Van Halen used in Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" video. The guitar, which was estimated to fetch between $2 and $3 million dollars (USD), sold for $3,932,000, surpassing expectations by nearly $1,000,000.

Description: "One of the most iconic guitars of the MTV era as played by the most influential guitarist of his generation.

The legendary “Hot For Teacher” stage used and filmed guitar, custom made by Paul Unkert of Kramer Guitars for Eddie Van Halen, including important innovations customized for Eddie’s evolving guitar technique.

Poplar double-cut “Strat” style body, the top routed for a single double-coil Seymour Duncan humbucker pickup, volume control, Floyd Rose bridge with whammy bar, unvarnished 22 fret maple bolt-on neck (stamped “UNK” on heel) with Kramer sticker on headstock, unvarnished body and headstock spray painted with Van Halen’s characteristic black and white abstract stripe design on a red ground, rear routed for the Floyd Rose’s three springs and stop, no pick guard or rear cover (as designed), screw holes on the back for Eddie Van Halen’s patented flip-up rest (for playing the guitar horizontally. Original case with tour and Warner Brothers tags. [With] The straight jacket and white gloves worn by Van Halen in the video.

Unkert’s accompanying letter of 4/13/05 details the guitar’s history: “The ‘Hot For Teacher’ Van Halen [guitar] was built by me at the Kramer Green Grove Road Plant in Neptune, NJ around 1982-1985/ #CO176. Look for ‘Unk’ stamps on Neck and Body. It was my last project for Ed and Kramer. Paul ‘Unk’ Unkert.”

For more information on the guitar, head here.