White Fender Stratocaster

White Fender Stratocaster

One of two white Fender Stratocasters mentioned at http://www.kurtsequipment.com/ It is currently on display at the EMP's dedicated Nirvana exhibit. Long time friend of the band Rob took the photo above and hooked us up with this info:

"The story on the white Fender Stratocaster is that it shows up in Kurt's arsenal late 1991. It is first destroyed in Ghent, Belgium 11/23/91. It is repaired (new neck, pickguard, etc.) Then it sees it's final destruction 9/11/92 at the Seattle Center Coliseum show."

Videos

1. MTV Music Awards performance

2. Kurt smashing white Strat in 1991 Ghent, Belgium

Source

Rob

http://www.kurtsequipment.com/

EMP - Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses exhibit

The EMP (Experience Music Project) in Seattle opened up it's Nirvana exhibit last month. This story is being covered by loads of media.

This story on MTV.com is one of my favorites so far because it has video clips featuring the curator of the exhibit, Jacob McMurray, giving a guided tour of some of his favorite pieces in the exhibit.

Here is the EMP's Flickr feed featuring photos from a special member only preview.

Guitars on display:

1969 Fender Mustang

Vandalism Stratocaster

Univox Hi Flier Body

Black Fender Stratocaster body

Smashed Fender Mustang (entry coming soon!)

White Fender Stratocaster (need more info, if you have any please send!)

Sorry for the lack of post in the last few months. I designed a dedicated web site for this guide (with the intention of getting rid of the "blog" format) but it's taking longer than anticipated to bring it live. I'm contemplating leaving it on Blogger but the templates are so damn ugly!

Thanks to all of you who come here regularly. You will not be disappointed once this gets cleaned up. Also if you attend the exhibit, EMP is allowing non-flash photography! Feel free to post links to your photos in the comments section.

Fall 2010 Update

This entire guide will be redesigned from the ground up. I finally found a way to make it so it's easier to navigate (namely; taking it out of the "blog" format). Stay tuned. I hope to have the new Kurt's Guitars Now live by December.

I'm really excited to have a proper format! No more annoying blog! wooo!

Your support is encouraged. The new guide will be costing more than time (as in money). Show your support by clicking on the sponsor ads, or email me for donations.

Experience Music Project will open world's biggest Nirvana exhibit

Curated by EMP's Jacob McMurray, "Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Massess," is scheduled to run April 16-22, 2011.

More info here:http://www.empsfm.org/press/index.asp?articleID=1538

Who's coming with me?!

Happy Spring 2010

Semester in school is over and I'm working on revising and cleaning some of the previous entries. Yes, I know about the Kurt neck that recently hit eBay. I will be posting information about it soon. I purposely avoid making posts of things while they are available for sale. Once the sale is finalized I will post the entry.

Anyway.

I'm working on a new design for the entire guide.

What do you guys/gals think of this?

Courtney < 3 Telecaster Neck

Fender Telecaster Neck

This neck was once attached to Kurt's Japanese made Telecaster. Kurt had painted the front of the guitar's body with blue latex paint and etched out "Courtney" and the shape of a heart. The neck is now part of Recordmecca's impressive collection.

From Jeff of Recordmecca

"This broken neck is from Kurt Cobain's blue telecaster from the Sao Paulo "Hollywood Rock Festival." I obtained it from Louie Mathieu, who was the Red Hot Chili Peppers' road manager (the Chili Peppers co-headlined the festival with Nirvana, and Louie picked up the neck off the stage when Kurt threw it towards the audience--obviously it didn't make it.) As you can see, it has bits of the blue paint Kurt used to paint the Tele on the sides. Anthony Kiedis of the Chili Peppers talks about Kurt smashing the guitar at the festival and Louie coming away with the neck in his book, "Scar Tissue."

From Louie of the RHCP

"As far as the body of the guitar goes I can't really recall think it was either snatched by the crowd as he threw it out there or remained strewn about the stage? He threw the neck out to the crowd as well but it landed kinda lamely in the no-man's land between the crowd and the stage. I jumped off stage to retrieve it and as I got back up on stage Courtney Love was walking by and I said "Hey, you forgot this" so as not to appear like an over-eager souvenir scavenger. She reached out for it and went "ugh, thanks". Cut to years later I'm at a show and I run into Jennifer from L7 and we're reminiscing about that time and those shows. I mention how much I regretted not having held onto that neck.

She turns to me and says: "I have it"

I say, "What are you kidding me!?!"

She says, "Not at all! Courtney left it in the corner of the dressing room and after taking it to Kurt's tech and determining that it was beyond repair; I took it home."

She then said I could have it back seeing as if it hadn't been for me it would have never been rescued."

Jeff from Recordmecca was awesome enough to provide numerous close ups of the neck. You can check out the collection of photographs here. Recordmecca also owns "Sky Stang III" which is on public display at the RRHOF in Cleveland. Thanks to Jeff, a revised entry for Sky Stang III is in the works!

Louie deserves a special thanks for sharing his story and placing the neck in proper hands. He also sent in photographs of the neck. You can check out Lou's photos here.

Below is the video of Kurt jabbing the Telecaster into the amplifier during Scentless Apprentice @ 3:37.

Sidenote

Video also shows Kurt splitting the black Stratocaster body @ 2:39.

Sources

Louie

Jeff of recordmecca.com

nirvanaguide.com

Updates for Spring 2010

I have a lot of cool NEW entries in the pipeline!

Sorry it's taking me longer to post. I'm currently in school, broke ($), and my schedule has been constricted. Nonetheless there are about 4-5 entries in the pipeline as well as cleaning up previous entries (fixing links, updating info etc).

Update

All of the embedded videos are now working. YouTube likes to remove them from time to time and our links get lost. If you come across a broken link or missing video please email me.

In the meantime check out Jaime's entry on Nirvana's Tijuana (Mexico) gig. He has an amazing video of Kurt smashing the Sluggo-trade SG.

Stay tuned. Lots of cool post coming!