1970's Fender Mustang

70's Fender Mustang

Kurt used this guitar on Nirvana's 1989 US tour. At some point in the northeast part of the tour Kurt had smashed the guitar to the point where it was rendered unplayable. He took it into Mouradian Guitar in MA to fix the broken neck but either did not have the time or the money to go through with the repair.

While in New Jersey Kurt traded his broken Mustang with Sluggo (of the band Grannies and Huballaloo) for a Gibson SG that Kurt ended up painting light blue.

At one point the guitar was on display at the Seattle EMP on loan from Sluggo himself. It was taken off display to be auctioned off. In December of 2008 the smashed guitar made news headlines when it sold for $100,000. It is rumored to be returning there on loan from it's current (private undisclosed) owner for the Nirvana 2010 exhibit at the EMP.

If anyone has more photos of this guitar please send!

Pictures of the trade @ Sluggo's house in NJ

1. Kurt and band holding SG

2. Kurt - Mustang seen on floor

Sources

Esteban B

livenirvana.com

NME

The photograph above is from the last show that this guitar was used on (Wilkinsburg, PA 7/9/89). There are no videos of the show but it's assumed that's where the guitar was smashed last. The video below is from a performance on 7/12/89 in Philadelphia, PA. No Mustang, but still a neat insight on this era of the band.

And another great montage of photos from this era.

Sears Bass

Auctioned off by Christie's of New York.

Sears model bass guitar, serial number 20180. According to Cobain's Aunt Mari Earl, Cobain recorded his first demo at her home in Seattle using this bass. The demo was called "Organized Confusion" a name he wished to call his band. In 1985 Cobain recorded a second demo also using this bass called "Fecal Matter". On June 23, 2009 the bass was sold to a private collector at a Chrysties auction in New York for $43,750. Article on sale here.

From NPR article;

"Going for an estimated $60,000-$80,000, this Sears model bass guitar was used by Kurt Cobain to record his early demos at his aunt's home in Aberdeen, Wash. The item comes with an image of a teenage Cobain playing the bass, and a letter from his aunt regarding the provenance of the guitar."

Sources

NPR

Mark S

1953 Martin D18

From the Press Release;

"We're pleased to offer what many would consider an even more significant instrument, the 1953 Martin D-18 acoustic guitar that Cobain purchased while on tour shortly before the 1991 release of the seminal Nevermind. This 1953 Martin D-18 acoustic guitar was played regularly by him before being gifted to indie-folk rock musician and then-girlfriend Mary Lou Lord during their brief relationship. Cobain's first Martin D-18, he loved it so much that this became his favorite brand of acoustic. Mary Lou Lord played the guitar regularly (with the guitar strung right-handed - Cobain was a lefty) during her career, on tour and in the studio, and often shared the guitar with her pals Elliott Smith and Shawn Colvin."

Article here

The guitar apparently did not meet the auction reserve.

Correction. It sold for $29,875

Interesting observation; on the photo of Kurt playing the guitar the strings are strung up for a right handed player. Was this really Kurt's? Or was it Mary Lou's and Kurt happened to strum it? The only Martin mentioned on kurtsequiptment.com is the Unplugged D18E.

Here is a short video clip of the guitar on display at the Dallas Guitar Convention 2007

1960's Mosrite Gospel

Kurt bought this guitar from Chris Cobb of Real Guitars in San Francisco, CA. It is one of only two known 1960's Mark IV Gospels. The other is owned by Mosrite founder's daughter Michelle Moseley. A small number of these were reissued in Japan and usually sell on ebay for around $1000.

This is perhaps the most auctioned off Cobain guitar to date. The initial auction estimate was $75,000. It was initially auctioned on April 27, 2004 at the Dallas Guitar Show by Odyssey/Heritage Auctions. At the 2004 auction the closing price was $117,500. The second auction ended on April 14, 2006. The closing price was $131,450.

From the Press Release

"This instrument is unusual in a couple of ways. It is the only known example of a Mark IV style Mosrite Gospel model. While Kurt owned and smashed many cheap (usually Univox) copies of Mosrite guitars during his career, this was one of only two actual Mosrites he owned. (The other was damaged and given away.) It was also one of his favorite guitars, which saved it from the usual fate of the instruments he used for live performances. Kurt purchased the guitar in San Francisco in 1990. "According to Earnie [Bailey], 'Kurt had only one Gospel, and this is a beyond rare guitar. At the time Kurt died, I was secretly working with Loretta Mosley to build Kurt a lefty Gospel... in some cool color.' Unfortunately, Kurt passed away as Earnie was gathering photos to send to Mosrite of Kurt's original. 'Loretta sent me a nice letter after it ended, as she had recently lost Semie (husband, founder of Mosrite) and was now running Mosrite on her own... she had sent me some sales literature of another Gospel, but could find no history of ever having made one based on the Mark IV guitar.'" (Quote reprinted from www.kurtsequipment.com.) Kurt had painted the very small Mosrite dot markers with white-out to make them more visible in a live setting. Although the current owner removed this simple modification, residue is still visible on the instrument. This is a factory right handed instrument, so it was modified for Kurt with a strap button added to the treble side horn, and the original metal string guide has been flipped to allow it to be strung left handed. The original case bears the words 'NIRVANA' and 'Fuck Elvis' in white paint which, while painted over with the same white paint, are still visible on inspection. Est. 250,000-up."

Video of Kurt rehearsing with the Gospel.

Download high-resolution photographs here.

Reference Article #1

Second Auction Listing

Smashed Guitar @ Auction

UPDATE 10/07/2009

Information has been confirmed and images obtained.

Stay tuned for a new entry. For now I will leave this old entry here.

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Another one of Kurt's guitars sold at an auction in December 2008.

It was a modified 70's Fender Mustang with a Univox humbucker.

This is the second Cobain guitar selling for 6 figures.

The first was a Mosrite Gospel in 2006 (here).

The guitar was sold by Sluggo of The Grannies and Hullabaloo.

Kurt traded it him for either a white Univox Hi Flier (pic 1, 2, 3) or a Gibson SG (pic 1, 2)

Update; It was the SG

It was displayed (on loan from Sluggo) at the Experience Music Project (Seattle, WA) until he decided to sell it in 2008. The news articles mention that it was smashed in New Jersey.

This may lead one to assume it may be have been the sunburst Univox. However two of the articles (NYTimes and Rolling Stone) mention a "Mustang"; hence the confusion.

My guess is that Kurt had smashed both the Mustang (possibly in 7/9/89 PA) and his sunburst Univox (7/13/89 NJ). Looking at photos from nirvanaguide.com, Kurt did not play guitar on the show following the Maxwell's gig. He played the whole show with no guitar. The show after that, he is seen with a white Univox.

To recap;

7/9/89 - Kurt is playing a sunburst Mustang (top photo)

7/12/89 - Kurt is playing a natural/sunburst/duct taped Univox

7/13/89 - Kurt is seen smashing the Univox (see photo)

7/15/89 - Kurt did not play guitar (see photo)

7/18/89 - Kurt is playing a white Univox

If anyone has photographs from when it was displayed in Seattle, or at the auction please share!

Thank you - Jon

Photo source