Offered Here: Eddie Van Halen 1994 Balance & Van Halen III Album Recording Used Don Musser Acoustic Guitar. This is the 1994 Don Musser custom acoustic guitar hand-selected and played by Eddie Van Halen. Part of Van Halen’s 1995 album Balance, it provides the foundational sounds on the track "Take Me Back," and was also used in the recording of "Without You" and "Neworld" from Van Halen III. Custom-built by renowned luthier Don Musser, the guitar is labeled as 155/1994/#12 and stored in its original hardshell case. It comes with two of Eddie’s heavily worn personal guitar picks and extra tuners.
Additional Information: Eddie Van Halen acquired this unique South American Musser guitar from Norm’s Rare Guitars, as recounted in a 1995 Guitar World interview. During this time, Van Halen was exploring musical options with Patty Smyth. The Musser guitar quickly became a key component of Van Halen’s sound during the recording of Balance, used extensively at 5150 Studios.
Provenance/Authenticity: The guitar was purchased by Eddie from Norm's Rare Guitars and subsequently used on the Balance album. In 2005, it was gifted to a business associate who has maintained possession. It is documented as guitar #84 in The Guitar Man, a 2012 publication by Shinko (Japan) and includes a handwritten letter from Don Musser, with additional verification from Rob at Norm’s Rare Guitars.
Condition: The guitar remains in very good condition with noticeable signs of heavy use, including dings and scratches on the top, and minor wear on the back and sides. It is housed in its original hardshell case.