It feels a little weird to be writing up the future auction of Kurt Cobain’s 1969 Fender Mustang. It’s obviously an iconic part of music history that deserves to live on in perpetuity. At the same time, Cobain didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d be particularly comfortable with any of his possessions selling for nearly a million dollars, even if that was just an estimate. At the same same time, a portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to “Kicking the Stigma”, an organization working to destigmatize mental health disorders. Let us sort through these conflicted feelings and we’ll get back to you.
In the meantime, here are a few details. This is the same guitar Cobain praised so highly when he was talking about the difficulty of finding left-handed guitars, as well as the one he plays throughout the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video. This opportunity comes courtesy of Julien’s Auctions, the auction house renowned for the incredible star power of its offerings. It also comes with an NFT (further complicating Cobain’s legacy, which we’re still processing), which consists of the musings of Earnie Bailey, Cobain’s guitar tech, along with a 360 degree digital rendering of the guitar.
Bidding for the guitar will take place at the Times Square Hard Rock Cafe from May 20th through the 22nd. The opening bid is expected to start at $2 million so you’ll need some deep pockets to add this to your collection.
[UPDATED: May 13, 2022]
