Stratocaster, left-handed
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Kurt Cobain of Nirvana demolished this guitar at the climax of a performance in Inglewood, California, during the 1993 tour in support of In Utero. He destroyed the bridge pickup by using his technician’s drill, allegedly to impress Eddie Van Halen, who was in attendance.
Technical Description:
Contoured basswood or alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard; 25½ in. scale; black finish; bolt-on neck with dot inlays; silver Fender logo decal on headstock; two single-coil pickups, bridge pickup missing, five-way selector switch, one volume and two tone controls; chrome vibrato bridge and nickel tuners, white plastic pickguard and knobs; bridge pickup and routing destroyed with drill, neck separated from body
Technical Description:
Contoured basswood or alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard; 25½ in. scale; black finish; bolt-on neck with dot inlays; silver Fender logo decal on headstock; two single-coil pickups, bridge pickup missing, five-way selector switch, one volume and two tone controls; chrome vibrato bridge and nickel tuners, white plastic pickguard and knobs; bridge pickup and routing destroyed with drill, neck separated from body
Artwork Details
- Title: Stratocaster, left-handed
- Artist: Fender
- Artist: Kurt Cobain (American)
- Date: 1993
- Medium: Basswood or alder, maple, rosewood, chrome, nickel, plastic
- Dimensions: Length: 39 in. (99.1 cm)
Width: 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm)
Depth: 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm)
Weight: approx. 7-8 lbs. - Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: Courtesy of Curtis Schenker
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments