Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Nevermind-era Fender Strat up for auction
Nevermind era Stratocaster up for sale
2,5 / 5,0 | 
Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Nevermind-era Fender Strat up for auction · Source: Julien's Auctions
This Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Fender Stratocaster is up for auction. The left-handed black Strat is also signed by all three members of Nirvana and dates from around the time of Nevermind. Plus it has a note from Cobain addressed to the Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan.
UPDATE
Sold for $596,900 which is roughly 10 times the estimated sale price.
Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Fender Stratocaster
The Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Fender Stratocaster is signed by all three members of Nirvana and has a note from Cobain addressed to the Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan.
“Hell-o Mark! Love, your pal, Kurdt Kobain Washed up rockstar.”
Kurt Cobain Black Strat · Source: Julien’s Auctions
Boddah Lives
There is also another inscription on the instrument’s neck plate, “Boddah Lives,” which references Cobain’s childhood imaginary friend.
Hell-o Mark! Love, your pal, Kurdt Kobain Washed up rockstar. · Source: Julien’s Auctions
Nevermind
This makes this left-handed Strat quite desirable, especially as it comes from the Nevermind era of the band’s career. Cobain gifted the guitar to Mark Lanegan in the fall of 1992, during the North American leg of Nirvana’s Nevermind tour.
It is a ’90s Japanese-made Strat in black with a white pickguard, a set of Gotoh tuners and a Hot Rails pickup in the bridge position, for more output. Which was something that Cobain was seen using frequently around that time period.
Apparently, the pickups still work and the main damage to the guitar is at the headstock, which is split/broken and some missing fretboard on the rosewood fretboard around the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fret.
Hot Rails bridge pickup · Source: Julien’s Auctions
Extras
This unique stage-smashed guitar comes with a signed letter of provenance from Tony Palmer who was its previous owner.
The guitar auction also includes a stage-used white Ernie Ball guitar strap and a black Fender hard case with the inscription “Abort Christ”
Case · Source: Julien’s Auctions
Auction Details
The auction date is set for May 19th with an estimated selling price of $60,000 – $80,000 and with a starting bid of $15,000. I’m guessing that it could actually sell for a lot more, as it has a lot of provenance and all those band signatures. If you are a fan of Nirvana and have deep pockets, then this is a great piece of music history to own.
Get the Nirvana Sound
And if you like Kurt Cobain’s playing and also want a guitar that will emulate his sound, then Fender has plenty of good options for you.
Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang Fiesta Red · Source: Fender
Below are a few effects that will get you a little closer to those Nirvana guitar tones.
More Information
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One response to “Kurt Cobain stage-smashed Nevermind-era Fender Strat up for auction”
Kaputte Schrottreife Gitarre vom Toten Gitarristen. Klingt nicht besonders sinnvoll. Dann lieber die Harley Benton für nen Hunni und ich kann wenigstens Gitarre spielen!