5.13.2009

Vandalism Stratocaster




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)



Source
Rob and Earnie
Miki J

23 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:51 PM

    nice men, nice

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  2. Anonymous5:03 PM

    Using a Dimarzio Super Distortion pickup at the bridge position.

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  3. Anonymous5:42 AM

    Can 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

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    1. Anonymous2:11 PM

      its an mim lefty strat that he put and hss pickguard a seymour duncan humbucker in. dont believe they made an hss lefty.

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    2. Anonymous10:44 PM

      Made in Japanese strat. Around the same as a mom with a Seymour duncan Jb pickup in the bridge position.

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    3. No that is not the American Special HSS, it's a 1991 Fender Made in Japan (Fejigen Factory) K Serial Number, Stratocaster, with a 3-Ply (Black-White-Black) Pickguard, a Seymour Duncan SH-1N or SH-1B '59 Humbucker in the Bridge, and the "Vandalism" Sticker came from this Arizona Punk Band second Album 1986 Teachers in Space. The Sticker Reads: "Vandalism : Beautiful As A Rock In A Cop's Face Courtesy of the Feederz Department of Anti-Public Relations" Kurt first used this Japanese Fender Stratocaster on June 10, 1991 Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO (minus the Sticker), Kurt added the Vandalism sticker in August 1991 which you see at the 08/15/1991 The Roxy West Hollywood CA show. Soon after Nirvana head over to Europe to do some Festivals opening up for Sonic Youth (which is seen in the Sonic Youth film 1991 The Year That Punk Broke) after Kurt broke off the Fender Neck Kurt replaced it with another Japanese Fejigen Factory made neck a "Fernandes" Neck which you see up until 10/31/91 The Paramount Seattle WA... After the neck was broken off again... The next time it's seen is on 11/25/1991 at the Paradiso Amsterdam Netherlands which now had a Kramer Neck installed on the Stratocaster, it stayed like that until 12/07/91 when the Vandalism Stratocaster was Destroyed in Rennes France. It was Never used again after that show... Even though in 1992 Kurt's guitar Tech Earnie Bailey added a Brand New Fender Neck on the body Kurt still Never used it again....

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  4. Anonymous2:06 PM

    kurt 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

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  5. Anonymous12:39 PM

    3). 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
    or 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).

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  6. Anonymous12:49 PM

    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

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    1. Hey 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
      please if you can help me with any info about this model guitar my email is arcaneest1984@gmail.com
      thanks heaps
      Peace

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    2. Anonymous9:44 PM

      Same, I'd like to see that

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  7. Anonymous9:57 PM

    psshshsss...

    Gilmour strat.


    sshhhhh

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  8. Anonymous9:59 PM

    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

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    1. Kurt has a Seymour Duncan SH-1B '59 Humbucker in the Bridge position of the Vandalism Stratocaster. it's NOT a JB Humbucker as the first time Kurt used a JB Humbucker was in his Univox Custom Phase 1 (from Aregentina 10/30/92 and SNL 09/25/93) Kurt was given the Univox Custom Phase 1 from Earnie Bailey on October 3, 1992 right before the Same Carver Gymnasium Western Washington University Bellingham WA show so that's the First time Kurt ever used a Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker..... Earnie Bailey bought that Univox Custom Phase 1 for Kurt for $150 Purchased from Danny's Music in Everett WA (The Previous Owner was a Minister in Everett WA).

      But before Earnie Bailey gave Kurt the Univox Custom Phase 1 he Modified it by cutting the Tremolo Tailpiece Bar by blocking the Tremolo, he replace the bridge with a Vintage 1970s Ibanez Gibraltar Bridge, replace the P90 Pickups with a Black Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan '59 in the Neck) Kurt kept the Original White Plastic Tuners on it for the 10/03/92 Sam Carver Gymnasium Western Washington University Bellingham WA, 10/04/92 Crocodile Cafe Seattle WA and 10/30/92 Estadio José Amalfitani Buenos Aires Argentina shows and by the time it was seen next on Saturday Night Live 09/25/93 it had Vintage 70s Schaller Tuners.

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    2. Anonymous11:41 PM

      He use Seymour Duncan 59 Neck on the bridge position...

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  9. ready grunge........


    yeeeeeeeAh

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  10. AFAIK, DiMarzio USA H3 (OEM humbucker sold to Fender and Ibanez only) + 2 Fender USA Texas Specials.

    Just 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.

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    1. Anonymous12:49 PM

      sorry, but its not a DiMarzio. If you look closely you'll see that DiMarzio is different from the one in the guitar, its probably one of the other two.

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  11. Anonymous7:47 PM

    I own a MIJ left hand strat I 006412, just two before Kurt's. It may have even been Kurt's at one time. Found in a Seattle Goodwill store about 1996.

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  12. Anyone know if it was a neck humbucker that was put into the bridge? ive heard people say thats what it was

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    1. Anonymous11:44 PM

      Yeah he use Seymour Duncan 59 Neck on bridge position, according to Earnie Bailey nirvana tech...

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