Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang has criticized a recent auction of three of his late father’s guitars, which fetched US$422,050.

Wolfgang said the sellers were “taking advantage of my father’s passing,” and he had “nothing to do with” the sale.

“I don’t ever plan on selling any of my father’s iconic guitars,” he said.

Julien’s Auctions said two of the guitars were submitted for sale weeks before Eddie Van Halen, co-founder of rock band Van Halen, died in October.

The revered 65-year-old guitarist had been receiving treatment for throat cancer.

Wolfgang Van Halen added that one of the guitars sold had been a gift, adding: “It wasn’t for charity. They’re just taking advantage of my father’s passing. What a surprise.”

He also suggested the only place they could “possibly belong in is a museum.”

Julien’s Auctions said the instruments in the sale were a custom-designed 2004 “stage-played” guitar, a “customized and played” guitar and a “music video guitar” that was used for the 1984 single “Hot for Teacher.”

The latter was a non-playing prop that was used by a child actor who played a young Eddie Van Halen, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Darren Julien, president and chief executive of the auction house, said: “We, along with Eddie Van Halen’s millions of fans, are mourning his family’s and rock music’s tremendous loss, and are honored to keep his music legacy alive with the offerings of his memorabilia and instruments.

“We’ve auctioned many of Eddie Van Halen’s iconic guitars in the past years and this year was no exception with these two guitars which were consigned to our Icons & Idols Trilogy: Rock and Roll sale weeks before we learned the sad news of his passing.”

(SD-Agencies)