Fender Kurt Cobain / Stratocaster / 1993 / Black / Guitar For Sale
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SOLD SOLD SOLD Kurt Cobain Guitar (body only), and package of unique Nirvana ephemera.
You are looking at an incredible Nirvana package that comes around once in a lifetime. Kurt Cobain’s Fender Stratocaster body, bashed and cracked on stage from the In Utero Tour. This comes directly from Kurt’s Guitar Technician Jim Vincent, who was Kurt’s tech from December 1993 – March 1994. Jim originally had two of Kurt Cobain’s Fender Stratocaster guitar bodies, one which has already been sold. Kurt used Mexican built black Fender Strats on these dates, and would routinely demolish one at the end of each show, and Jim would piece and glue them back together, if possible, for future use. When the necks were too damaged they would give them away to fans, sometimes bodies too, and at the end of the In Utero tour only two bodies were left. The one body that was sold was destroyed on stage with the help of Jim’s cordless drill, and is watchable on youtube as “Nirvana 12/30/93 Destruction” and has to be one of the best and certainly unique Kurt guitar smash-ups. The guitar that we have for sale is another body-only survivor, with a later (1994) lefty neck that Jim fitted later, and is fully playable. The neck and neck plate are the only non original parts on the guitar. But can be included in the sale if desired. PLEASE NOTE: According to Jim’s notes, there were 5 left handed Black Mexican Stratocasters, 4 that Kurt played and smashed from December 1993 – March 1994. 1 Strat was unused. This is one of the four! Pictured here is Jim Vincent holding the body that is for sale.
Also included are all of the notes that Jim made regarding gear, guitars and his tech work from these days with Nirvana. They show the details of these guitars, and others that were smashed and repaired, and smashed again. All of these notes are written in Jim’s hand, and are a fascinating history of Nirvana on the road. Also included are RARE original Nirvana set lists, receipts, etc. These items and notes are all original and no photo copies exist. A list of all paperwork is included below. Just a few samples are pictured here. To note also, Jim worked on the Nirvana crew all of the In Utero touring, starting in the Fall of 1993. He began as the guitar tech for Krist and Pat and after Christmas 1993, he switched roles and moved over to tech for Kurt for the time that remained through March 1994. This is why there are notes for all guitars here spanning Fall 1993 into 1994. This guitar is securely stored in a storage facility but we have detailed photos of the guitar body and of all of the paperwork. A detailed letter and photos of Jim with the guitar body will be included. We will also do a detailed letter of provenance. This is an incredible package and a rare chance to acquire a legendary piece of history with provenance that is second to none. Please, serious inquiries only. Please call for details.
Itinerary. Nirvana After Christmas. 6 pages.
Itinerary. Nirvana European Itinerary continued. 5 pages.
Itinerary. Nirvana Europe Itinerary. 12 pages.
Krist bass rig layout. Early In Utero tour Fall 1993
Krist bass string pack 1993.The bass string of choice for all of Krist’s long scale basses.
Krist rig. The full description in Jim’s handwriting of Krist’s bass rig Fall 1993.
Pat’s broken Stratocaster 8×10 pics (2) This guitar is right handed so it was Pat Smear’s. US tour 1993.
Marshall wiring. Another hand drawn note to Jim.
Nirvana 5×8″ concert flyers (2)
Nirvana cases. A good list to know what’s going to fit where. Jim’s note bottom indicates an MTV comment so this would be 1993.
Nirvana guitar pickup James Vincent receipt March 1994. This is a receipt for a pickup Jim purchased thinking the tour would continue.
Nirvana Melora cello string pack 1994. Melora Creager was the 2nd cellist they had on tour for the In Utero tour.
Nirvana set list . Jim noted this was page 2 of a set list when in fact this could have been the entire set list for a show.
Nirvana Rat Pedal James H Vincent receipt 1994.
Nirvana Rat Pedal receipt 1-25-1994 Another receipt from the same day.
Nirvana set list Euro 1994 page 1 and 2. This is the 1994 set list for Europe.
Nirvana set list well used page 1 and 2. This list is Jim’s personal tech set list from 1993.
Rock Stars Guitars, USA 
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Who we are.....and what we can do for you!
Rock Stars Guitars ® was founded in 1996, when Greg Dorsett and David Brewis met and realized they both had a fanatical interest in guitars as well as significant personal collections of authentic rock memorabilia. Together their collections benchmark some of the most explosive moments in rock and roll history.
Rock Stars Guitars ® is the first place players call if they had an old guitar to sell; but many artists were unaware that tour gear and stage equipment is becoming highly collectable too. We are proud to broker sales of guitars or gear between the artists and the collectors who want to own a piece of Rock and Roll History. Some fans and collectors were given keepsakes by famous stars decades ago, and don't realize what their prize could be worth.
Since 1996, Rock Stars Guitars ® has built a solid reputation in the Rock and Roll Collector's world. We sell only authentic instruments and stage equipment. Everything we sell is backed by hand signed letter of authenticity from the artist's themselves or their management/technicians, or backed with photographic or film material.
We also handle consignments. Please contact us to discuss your instrument or item.
About the Founders:
Greg Dorsett was a roadie for Southern Pacific (members of the Doobie Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revival), and while on tour, he made lasting friendships with some of rock and rolls greatest legends. While feeding his obsession for Rock and Roll, Greg established himself as one of California's premiere Vintage Gibson Guitar collectors and an expert on John Birch Guitars of England.
Across the pond, in the United Kingdom, after working in vintage guitars for several years, David Brewis was winning awards for producing rock and roll classics for Prefab Sprout and The Kane Gang. While working closely with rock's most awe-inspiring artists. Personal and trusted relationships were forged throughout the industry.
David Brewis has been involved in the Jimi Hendrix collecting world since the mid-1980's when he purchased a Gibson J200 from Chas Chandler, Jimi Hendrix's manager. The guitar was a 1968 model, and Chas recalled it being given to him by Jimi and Noel Redding in New York in 1968. Dave used the guitar on some recordings with his band The Kane Gang, and struggled for a while, unsuccessfully, to get the guitar's neck to straighten out. It became so difficult to play that Dave eventually consigned the guitar to a Sotheby's pop memorabilia auction, where it sold as a Slade/Jimi Hendrix guitar (it had also been played on a record by the group Slade, who were managed by Chas in the 1970's). Keith Shadwick later documented this brief ownership in "Jimi Hendrix/Musician".
Through owning this guitar, Dave was contacted by Tony Brown, who was running a Jimi Hendrix archive, and had recently sold the 1960 Zemaitis 12-string used by Hendrix in the 1967 "See My Music Talking" film. Through this contact, Dave's name and guitar appeared in the index of "Electric Gypsy", by Harry Shapiro and Caesar Glebbeek.
Dave then purchased, in the early 1990's, a couple of Jimi's Fender Dual Showman speaker cabinets (one of which is now at Experience Music Project in Seattle) and a Maestro "Rhythm'n'Sound" effects unit, plus a junk shop find of a Vox wah pedal and Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, both believed to be Jimi's.
The biggest find was buying a 1967 Gibson Flying V as a used, refinished instrument, and discovering that it was the one painted and used by Jimi Hendrix in the 1960's. The instrument was verified by Sotheby's, and put in a sale, but did not sell, possibly due to having lost its original paintwork. It was later restored to its "painted" appearance.
During this time, interviews were conducted with "Univibes" magazine (the international Jimi Hendrix magazine), UK "Guitarist" magazine, many newspapers, etc. and was photographed for the "Classic Guitars of the 1960's" book By Tony Bacon. This guitar was examined by many guitar authors, writers, and experts, to determine its authenticity. Shortly afterwards Dave purchased Jimi Hendrix's Martin D-45 (also listed in "Electric Gypsy") from Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, and supplied information and features to many magazines, including the "Experience Hendrix" magazine, run by Hendrix's estate. The Martin was sold to Experience Music Project.
In 1999, the Flying V was fully restored, having its finish and paintwork redone more accurately, and was shown at various international guitar shows. The guitar was featured in an exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Art, and its image used, along with information supplied by Dave, in the book "Guitar - Music, History, Players", by Richard Chapman, also USA "Guitar Player" magazine.
After forming Rock Stars Guitars with Greg Dorsett, other Hendrix-owned and used guitars and equipment were purchased from Experience member Noel Redding, and Animals' road manager/assistant to Mike Jeffery and Chas Chandler, James "Tappy" Wright.
Dave, as a partner in Rock Stars Guitars, continues to be consulted by authors and auction houses in connection with Hendrix-associated material.
We are proud to say, these friends and industry contacts stretch back to the 1970's and remain strong today.
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PLEASE SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY |
Payment: Wire Transfer, Money Order, Cashier Check, Cash.
No Credit Cards.
We ship anywhere in the world. Shipping and insurance is paid by buyer. We use DHL, FedEx, and US and UK Postal Services. All shipments are professionally packaged.
We can hand deliver high end instruments. All travel and expenses are paid in advance by buyer.
Please fill out the form, or if you wish, you may contact us by email or phone:
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Greg Dorsett U.S. Phone: 619-229-8709 |
David Brewis U.K. Phone: 0191 4211831 U.K. Mobile: 07970 868572 |
