Vandalism Fender Stratocaster
The most famous use of this guitar was at the 1991 Reading Festival.
The second famous use of this guitar was at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle 10/31/91.
This guitar is being lent to the Experience Music Project for a dedicated Nirvana exhibit. After Kurt's death the guitar was still in pieces. It was put back together by Earnie Bailey, Nirvana's guitar tech. It is currently on display at Seattle's Experience Music Project.
The sticker came from an Arizona band called The Feederz.
The guitar had at least one neck replacement, possibly more.
The necks ranged from Fender Japan, Kramer, and at one point a Fernandez Strat neck.
The gentleman in the photo holding the guitar is famed guitar builder Kevin Burkett of Electrical Guitar Company.
The complete photos can be seen by clicking on the links below.
This guitar was also used on one of Kurt Cobain's favorite moments on stage, playing Molly's Lips with Eugene Kelly. See video here. Kurt was quoted saying; "that was one of the greatest moments in my life".
Related Links
9. Video of Vandalism Strat getting smashed #1 (removed by YouTube. bah humbug)
10. Video of Vandalism Strat getting smashed #2 (@1:04)
Source
Rob and Earnie
Miki J
nice men, nice
ReplyDeleteUsing a Dimarzio Super Distortion pickup at the bridge position.
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me what guitar that is. Is it the American special HSS? Or it is a different one? what is the specific name of it. -Thanks
ReplyDeletekurt cobain es un astro de la musica solo por ser kurt cobain ... represanto a muchos y sigue representando a muchos ... es alguien que encontro la in mortalidad perque nunca va a ser olvidado
ReplyDelete3). All-black Fender Strat, black pickguard, 2 white single-coil sized pickups and a black full-sized humbucker in the bridge, used as early as 1991 (15). Serial # I 006414. The bridge humbucker was either a Seymour Duncan JB
ReplyDeleteor a '59. The last tone knob had come off (59). Had the sticker, "Vandalism: As beautiful as a rock in a cop's face" (seen 15) and "Courtesy of the Feederz: Office of Anti-Public relations" (41). The neck was replaced with a Fernandes neck for the 10/31/91 Seattle Paramount Theater show (seen 15, 16, 10) where it was broken off again and replaced. This guitar was smashed in Paris in the spring of 1992 or the winter of 1991 (41).
it is Limited edition 89-90 strat special,USA/Japan halfling,you can see under odd serial number as serial"I" on fender official serial list,had "Made in USA"stemp on neck heel, beautifull guitar,amaizing flamed roundfingerboard slab neck,I own one serial I015299 while Kurt's was I006414,there are few on them on market,sells cheap because people aren't sure if it is usa or japan strat,actually one of greatest strats I ever played and owned,much better then most american models
ReplyDeleteHey man, I have been trying to find detailed photos of one of these strats the I serrial number 89-90 could you please share some pics with me, do you know what the parts are orignal? is it a Japan or a Usa strat
Deleteplease if you can help me with any info about this model guitar my email is arcaneest1984@gmail.com
thanks heaps
Peace
beautiful
ReplyDeletepsshshsss...
ReplyDeleteGilmour strat.
sshhhhh
so which is it a dimarzio bridge pickup or a jb or a 59??? id like to know cause im making a replica from a squier affinity hss
ReplyDeleteready grunge........
ReplyDeleteyeeeeeeeAh
AFAIK, DiMarzio USA H3 (OEM humbucker sold to Fender and Ibanez only) + 2 Fender USA Texas Specials.
ReplyDeleteJust built one w/ an NOS Mex Std last night, sounds spot-on. The Nirvana sound is basically position 2 with maxxed tube gain, with the singles used alone for the cleans/acoustic stuff, and the humbucker used for choruses or smthn when you want a little less bite & edge (as opposed to the H3 wired in parallel with a Texas Special, which barely loses it any volume, but gets both the snarl and the bite of both worlds).
...no way is it a 59. And that JB crap, like the Jagstang stuff, was there for about 10 seconds until he died - but then came Courtney and the suits, talked it over, signed some paperwork, and suddenly even dead men can endorse stuff for corporate greed.