Photo courtesy of Jason Becker
The upcoming auction of the Edward Van Halen owned Wolfgang model serial numbered 91000069 given to Jason Becker in August of 1996 presented by Guernsey’s Auction House
11/12/23 — An amazing meeting took place on August 31, 1996. That’s when Eddie Van Halen spent the day with a guy who had followed in his footsteps playing alongside David Lee Roth—Jason Becker.
Jason had been diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and was not in good shape. Van Halen came to Jason’s house to give love and support—as well as a guitar—to his friend and to film
an ALS awareness promotional video. During that time, Eddie told stories, talked about his creative process, and played amazing music, instantly sounding exactly like Eddie Van Halen even when playing Jason’s guitar through a small practice amp.
The guitar that Van Halen gave to Jason that day was one of his very own. It was the 69th Peavey Wolfgang ever made, with the serial number 91000069. It had been given to Van Halen as a contract fulfillment guitar, which he personally inspected and kept for himself until the day he gave it to Jason. Eddie signed the instrument with a touching message: Jason, we will play guitar together in the future. Love, from heart to your soul. Eddie Van Halen. VH ’96.
Jason truly wants this special guitar to be seen, heard, and played, and that’s why it’s being put up for auction on December 14, 2023, so that the legacy of these two brilliant musicians can continue to reach new audiences. And as important as it is to get the guitar out into the world, for Jason it’s equally important that the story of Eddie’s kindness and generosity be known.
“When I was finishing up my Triumphant Hearts record,” says Jason, “I told him this guitar hung next to me in my studio, giving me good vibes throughout the writing and recording process. That
made him happy. He was incredibly kind to me and my family. Not only was he my biggest influence, he had such a huge heart. He honestly saved my life. We will always deeply love and appreciate him.”
The December 14 auction, titled Iconic Items from the 20th Century, is being held by Guernsey’s, who previously facilitated the sale of three guitars that Jason played. This current guitar is a one-of- a-kind piece of history for anyone who appreciates the genius of Jason Becker and Edward Van Halen.
Image from Guernsey’s website
Please see the link below for how to bid on this one-of-a-kind instrument. Also, take a moment to watch some scenes from that very special day when these two incredible musicians met and became friends.