The guitar used by Kurt Cobain on Nirvana‘s legendary MTV Unplugged set has recently been put up for sale.
The guitar is a 1959 Martin D-18E which Cobain modded and is rumoured to be the last guitar Cobain played before his tragic death in 1994.
The guitar used by Kurt Cobain on Nirvana’s legendary MTV Unplugged set – a Martin 1959 D-18E – is up for auction. It’s set to sell for $1 million USD.
Diehard Nirvana fans or those looking to own a piece of music history can purchase the guitar for the price of a $1 mullion USD before the guitar goes on auction on June 19th at the Julien’s Music Icons event (held in Beverly Hills and online).
Frances Cobain’s ex-husband Isaiah Silva—who gained possession of the guitar after his divorce with Kurt’s daughter—has put the guitar up for auction, although as of yet the funds will not be going towards a charity.
Cobain’s modifications to the guitar include adding an extra pick-up in the guitar’s sound-hole, and flipping the strings around as the guitar was made for right-handed players (Cobain played left-handed). Cobain used the guitar on songs on Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged set, including Come As You Are, About A Girl and their cover of The Man Who Sold The World.
The guitar also comes with Kurt’s original guitar case, filled with some of his paraphernalia. Also up for auction (at much lower prices) are Kurt’s smashed-up Fender Stratocaster from the 1994 In Utero tour, a signed and drawn-on copy of Nirvana’s first album Bleach, and the T-Shirt Kurt wore in the Heart-Shaped Box music video.
More info can be found at Julien’s Auctions.