Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
Post Reply
User avatar
FenderBob
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:26 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by FenderBob » Sun May 22, 2022 9:17 am

Wow… Looks like it over and ended at $4.5 M making hedonismbot the winner! Congrats!

Really am shocked it didn’t beat the unplugged acoustic!

User avatar
Highnumbers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 610
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:21 am
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by Highnumbers » Sun May 22, 2022 9:21 am

Specifically it sold for $3,750,000 plus buyer’s premium.

Wildly under many of the predictions on this thread. Interestingly well under the Unplugged D-18E (which is arguably a less significant guitar in Cobain’s history, IMO).

User avatar
Highnumbers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 610
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:21 am
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by Highnumbers » Sun May 22, 2022 9:26 am

According to this Rolling Stone article, Jim Irsay is already the owner of this guitar and is the one selling it.

Has that been confirmed? I’m surprised the Cobain estate would have sold this guitar directly to Irsay, privately.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... 51028/amp/

User avatar
JVG
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1401
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 9:54 pm
Location: Sydney, Straya

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by JVG » Sun May 22, 2022 11:50 pm

For anyone who missed the post a couple of pages back (link below) I proposed a plan to buy the winner a DS-1

https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/v ... 4&start=60

Only got a few willing contributors so far - anyone else interested in participating?

Also depends whether Hedonismbot (our winner) is into the idea or not….let me know of you are :)

Will make a call one way or other by the end of this week.

User avatar
sal paradise
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 3596
Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by sal paradise » Mon May 23, 2022 12:58 am

We could all draw our version of a DS-1 & turn it into an NFT?

I think that’s what Kurt Cobain would have wanted.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

User avatar
HedonismBot
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:14 am
Location: Northern California

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by HedonismBot » Mon May 23, 2022 5:13 am

Highnumbers wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 9:21 am
Specifically it sold for $3,750,000 plus buyer’s premium.

Wildly under many of the predictions on this thread. Interestingly well under the Unplugged D-18E (which is arguably a less significant guitar in Cobain’s history, IMO).
I’ll go ahead and make an arguable point here.

I know, Cobain’s fame makes this far less relevant. But D-18E is an ultra rare guitar and even a specimen not associated with KC’s name would command a collector’s premium. I have no idea how much since there is never one for sale so I have no point of reference (they were only ever produced for a few months, I believe). Which makes that particular guitar a special artifact (let’s call it the “only Cobain played one of those on TV” factor).

The Mustang, while being “that iconic guitar from Smells Like Teen Spirit video” is a mass-produced guitar that almost every other gen-Xer guitarist in the US had at some point in their teens / youth. These were readily available used, a dime a dozen, in the 80s & 90-s. The Mustang is widely associated with the entire grunge scene (Mudhoney, The Screaming Trees, TAD, etc., all played Mustangs) and indie rock in general. I know, I know. Kurt is the most famousest of all and it’s HIS Mustang. However, the people who still care enough to remember specific artifacts like this one are probably the dedicated nerds that are more or less aware of what I said above. Which must, at least subconsciously, affect their perception of value.

Anyway. I may be totally off here, but this is sort of why I thought that it would be weird if the Mustang sold for more that the D-18E did a few years ago. Besides, we are now in the midst of a global financial crisis, which is the more important factor.
Last edited by HedonismBot on Mon May 23, 2022 10:04 am, edited 6 times in total.

User avatar
HedonismBot
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:14 am
Location: Northern California

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by HedonismBot » Mon May 23, 2022 5:17 am

JVG wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 11:50 pm
For anyone who missed the post a couple of pages back (link below) I proposed a plan to buy the winner a DS-1

https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/v ... 4&start=60

Only got a few willing contributors so far - anyone else interested in participating?

Also depends whether Hedonismbot (our winner) is into the idea or not….let me know of you are :)

Will make a call one way or other by the end of this week.
I don’t really know what models Kurt used or the prices, but I’d take a chorus or a vibrato pedal (didn’t he use one in Heart-Shaped Box?) over a DS-1, actually. But whatever is easier.
Last edited by HedonismBot on Mon May 23, 2022 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
FenderBob
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2076
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:26 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by FenderBob » Mon May 23, 2022 11:02 am

Highnumbers wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 9:26 am
According to this Rolling Stone article, Jim Irsay is already the owner of this guitar and is the one selling it.

Has that been confirmed? I’m surprised the Cobain estate would have sold this guitar directly to Irsay, privately.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... 51028/amp/
The rolling stone article is confusing. Says the guitar was displayed as part of his collection but that he was the buyer. Other articles just say he is the buyer, which makes more sense.

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/kurt-c ... ction-sale

User avatar
Highnumbers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 610
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:21 am
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by Highnumbers » Tue May 24, 2022 8:06 pm

HedonismBot wrote:
Mon May 23, 2022 5:13 am
Highnumbers wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 9:21 am
Specifically it sold for $3,750,000 plus buyer’s premium.

Wildly under many of the predictions on this thread. Interestingly well under the Unplugged D-18E (which is arguably a less significant guitar in Cobain’s history, IMO).
I’ll go ahead and make an arguable point here.

I know, Cobain’s fame makes this far less relevant. But D-18E is an ultra rare guitar and even a specimen not associated with KC’s name would command a collector’s premium. I have no idea how much since there is never one for sale so I have no point of reference (they were only ever produced for a few months, I believe). Which makes that particular guitar a special artifact (let’s call it the “only Cobain played one of those on TV” factor).

The Mustang, while being “that iconic guitar from Smells Like Teen Spirit video” is a mass-produced guitar that almost every other gen-Xer guitarist in the US had at some point in their teens / youth. These were readily available used, a dime a dozen, in the 80s & 90-s. The Mustang is widely associated with the entire grunge scene (Mudhoney, The Screaming Trees, TAD, etc., all played Mustangs) and indie rock in general. I know, I know. Kurt is the most famousest of all and it’s HIS Mustang. However, the people who still care enough to remember specific artifacts like this one are probably the dedicated nerds that are more or less aware of what I said above. Which must, at least subconsciously, affect their perception of value.

Anyway. I may be totally off here, but this is sort of why I thought that it would be weird if the Mustang sold for more that the D-18E did a few years ago. Besides, we are now in the midst of a global financial crisis, which is the more important factor.
I think you’re getting confused by still thinking of these as guitars.

They’re historical artifacts at this point. They’re objects that are worth money because of the person who owned them and what that person did with them. Their merits as instruments - or their rarity - is almost irrelevant in this equation.

If a D-18E is $20k (due to its scarcity) and a ‘69 Competition Mustang is $4k (due to its relative lack of scarcity), then we’re talking a difference of $16k …. On objects worth millions of dollars.

User avatar
HedonismBot
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:14 am
Location: Northern California

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by HedonismBot » Tue May 24, 2022 9:31 pm

Highnumbers wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 8:06 pm
.
As I said, I made an arguable point. If I bought it, I’d play it. Maybe I’m insane.

User avatar
caples
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon May 10, 2021 10:41 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by caples » Wed May 25, 2022 9:30 am

If I bought it I would play it too. It's sad to think that it will just end up in some collector's glass case.
1969 Comp Blue Mustang, 1965 Natural Jaguar

User avatar
HedonismBot
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 262
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 10:14 am
Location: Northern California

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by HedonismBot » Wed May 25, 2022 9:44 pm

HedonismBot wrote:
Mon May 23, 2022 5:17 am
JVG wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 11:50 pm
For anyone who missed the post a couple of pages back (link below) I proposed a plan to buy the winner a DS-1

https://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/v ... 4&start=60

Only got a few willing contributors so far - anyone else interested in participating?

Also depends whether Hedonismbot (our winner) is into the idea or not….let me know of you are :)

Will make a call one way or other by the end of this week.
I don’t really know what models Kurt used or the prices, but I’d take a chorus or a vibrato pedal (didn’t he use one in Heart-Shaped Box?) over a DS-1, actually. But whatever is easier.
Been thinking about this more. It doesn’t have to be something that Kurt used (it looks like vintage Small Clones and PolyChoruses are way too expensive).
But you guys would make me real happy if you got me this: https://reverb.com/item/55181465-ibanez ... raleigh-nc

Or this: https://reverb.com/item/54436838-used-d ... cts-chorus

User avatar
Wucan
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 305
Joined: Fri May 07, 2021 12:45 pm

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by Wucan » Fri May 27, 2022 4:40 pm

yep if you ever wanted to own a vintage competition now, it's over

Image

User avatar
Highnumbers
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 610
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:21 am
Location: Orange County, CA

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by Highnumbers » Fri May 27, 2022 8:52 pm

Wucan wrote:
Fri May 27, 2022 4:40 pm
yep if you ever wanted to own a vintage competition now, it's over
Let's check back the day he sells it for that price (if we don't all die of old age first).

This is laughable carpetbagging at best.

User avatar
caples
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 317
Joined: Mon May 10, 2021 10:41 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Cobain's Mustang up for auction

Post by caples » Sat May 28, 2022 4:19 am

I don't know what's crazier, the price or the fact that 4 people have it in their carts.
1969 Comp Blue Mustang, 1965 Natural Jaguar

Post Reply