Did Kurt Cobain Play This Guitar? Teisco Del Rey EV-2T

Recently a Tesico Del Rey EV-2T reportedly signed and played by Kurt Cobain was sold for $120,000. Let's take a dive into the details of this story, the guitar model itself and hear what it sounds like!
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[@NirvanaGuitars]

Like what I do? Buy me a coffee so I can stay awake while I mix audio and edit videos 😴 www.buymeacoffee.com/nirvanaguitars

[@PalmettoStateSirens]

Looks like Skystang1 hasn’t finished rendering yet

[@Kikilouise]

Should’ve tried some fecal matter riffs since Kurt used it in 1985!

[@d.a558]

I remember someone who did some Nirvana covers in a surf rock version and that teisco seemed interesting to me because of the pickups it has For me, vintage pickups will always sound different.

[@DrMurdercock]

its because the magnets are dead or dying they have super low output. So just buy some new low out put pick ups for a new guitar and there you go man

[@alexandblaise]

Hearing every song you played on that thing made me realize just how vital Kurt’s sound is to have a Bridge Humbucker. The Single Coils are nice, but they don’t have that thick punch that you’d get from a Humbucker.

[@TransfemMuffin]

I've also noticed P90s can also kinda achieve a similar sound to a hum. (Usually with Univox guitars)

[@101Volts]

@@TransfemMuffin Univoxes probably didn't have P90s, but some off-brand type, if we want to nail it with specifics. And on a semi-related subject, the Mosrite Ventures models that Univoxes are a rip on? Those do not use P90s, they use their own thing that just looks like a P90 but is about 10% shorter than a P90.

[@TransfemMuffin]

@@101Volts i was talking more offbrand univox

[@KarlBonde]

And the legend is back with another video! That’s one hell of a guitar. Keep up the great work man!

[@NirvanaGuitars]

haha thank you for your patience! Weekly videos are back after last week's break 😃 thank you for the support and for watching!

[@KarlBonde]

@@NirvanaGuitars Awesome!

[@Georgeisjawa]

@@KarlBonde Well Said.

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

I could see Kurt kind of digging the tones that guitar produces. For whatever reason, he seemed to gravitate towards guitars that were originally designed to cater to the 1960s surf music explosion. Jaguars, Mustangs, even the Univox Hi-Fliers & Mosrites that he liked were initially favored by artists who played that treble-y, reverb-drenched ethereal sounding surf rock stuff.

[@seanmckelvey6618]

you're probably right, but I think he mostly just gravitated to weird looking 'pawn shop specials' that he would find cheap. At that point in time a lot of the guitars you would find in a pawn shop would be those 60s surf guitars, and often very cheap because they were a hard sell during the era of superstrats and floyd roses. Kurt probably liked them not just for the price, but that they looked totally unique from all the hair metal guys guitars.

[@101Volts]

Mosrites weren't trebley like Fenders, though, they're more Mid-Range Based. Somewhere between a Fender and Gibson; more mid-range than a Fender, but not as "dark sounding" as a Gibson. Less "colorfully clean sounding" or "wet" than Fenders, but they still have some of that, and they have more "color" than Gibsons. Univox Hi Flyers are somewhat as copies of Mosrites, but not with the same pickups. Mosrites also have a 24.50" scale length, Univoxes seem to be 24.75".

[@101Volts]

@@seanmckelvey6618 Mosrites and others are still somewhat cheap today, depending on the model, at least compared to Fenders and Gibsons where you can pay $2,000 for a 1963 Stratocaster *pickguard.* My 66 Mosrite Ventures II (Carved version, same as a Mark V) was about $1,200 in 2012, but it's one of the worst conditioned examples and it's missing half its original parts _and_ the finish. I also paid maybe $325 for a Silvertone 1448 ("parts-tone," no parts are original to each other) and $400 for a 1966 Kay K-300 (2nd generation model that isn't always called a K-300, but we might as well since it's about the same body shape as the 1st gen model.) None of these are flea market / yard sale specials, but I've found a few of those, too. 78 Fannin Acoustic for $6 in 2015 or so, etc.

[@blade6552]

Do Not Judge A Book By Its Cover. The same thing can be said about this Guitar even though it has single-coils its distortion is very aggressive to a point where I wouldn't even feel weird seeing Kurt play this guitar

[@eljoel89]

Didn't J Mascis like these style of guitars too?

[@chrise058]

The improv in the start and end was so nice!! Had such a warm feeling! Like on a beach watching a sunset😄 Love your vids man!

[@garysmusic615]

Dude I loved hearing your clean riffs

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Thank you! Those are just quick instrumentals I wrote while playing this guitar

[@jltrem]

Actually, it's not tear shaped, it's what's referred to as coffin shaped, due to the five sided body shape. There were a number of these style guitars in the 60's (I'm 71, was around then) labeled Domino Californian. There was a white one in a local pawn shop when I was a teen that I used to drool over.

[@101Volts]

One of them is a Vox Phantom. Ian Curtis (Joy Division) had at least one of those (and its Repeat effect button was misprinted as "Replat,") but I heard he had 3 of them - though I didn't look deep into it.

[@kadenshoemaker6669]

I freaking love the coffin design ian curtis turned me on to it as a joy division fan it just looked so cool and the fuzz on it sound so good i love the 60s nasally velcro sound and i want one so bad

[@jltrem]

@@kadenshoemaker6669 I have a 12 string in the coffin design. The problem is they’re quite uncomfortable if you play sitting which I do a lot as I’m an old guy.

[@kadenshoemaker6669]

@@jltrem really post a video or something about it they need to be documented as vox phantoms are a dying breed sadly

[@kadenshoemaker6669]

Also does it have a fuzz button like the phantom special 6

[@yea8776]

I am floored by how good "Drain You" sounded through that. Look up the 4-Track demo of that song and the tone this guitar gives matches that demo so well! Great video as always!

[@ajplays-gamesandmusic4568]

Radio friendly Unit shifter sounds way better on this one than it even did on the sky stang auction video.

[@StitchesAndBitches]

never knew about this, but i absolutely adore tear-shaped guitars and other odd funky guitars like this, so this is quite splendid!

[@andrewpappas9311]

That's a surprisingly nice guitar, it's definitely funky-looking but sounds really nice as well

[@user-ge8xk6eq7c]

5:09 "Come as you are, as you were, AS I WANT YOU TO BE!" -Kurt Cobain at Amsterdam

[@tylerferrusi7652]

The r/s switch is rhythm/solo - it uses a cap for a freq cut but those caps in those old mij guitars go bad easly so the switch usually does nothing. I know because I have a Domino Barron with the same switch

[@N.Grosvenor]

It looks and sounds really cool! Did you know in 1989 kurt used a greco firebird in blue as a back up?

[@RideTheWhitePony]

I don’t think he did

[@NirvanaGuitars]

That's the first I've ever heard of that! I am not aware of a Greco being on the In Utero tour

[@N.Grosvenor]

@@NirvanaGuitars im not aware if he did use it but i remeber seing a photo online with it in the background Ive just researched it again turns out it was used in the bleach era sorry This was during the time he had his red hagstrom

[@GoldAmple]

​@@NirvanaGuitarsI've heard he used an Ibanez les paul while recording In Utero

[@N.Grosvenor]

@@GoldAmplethere is a chance he did because he did own one of those 70s lawsuit les paul copys but i dont know if he did though but he did use the veleno he borrowed alot

[@ginnrollins211]

I hope one of these days you can get your hands on a Valeno aluminum guitar. A Valeno was used during the recording of In Utero.

[@amandahammond2691]

Love that surfy tone so much

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

I’ve owned a few tiesco’s over the years, a friend who is no longer with us and I were in a surf band together and we would hunt them down at pawnshops. Those microphonic pickups are similar to the et270 pickups in ways. I think this one is kinda a copy of a vox guitar like Ian from Joy Divison played.

[@Georgeisjawa]

That guitar looks sick. But also a very exotic and unique guitar in Kurt's arsenal. Great video Eric keep up the good work!

[@thrillvilled111]

Can't wait for October 27, 2023 for the In Utero 30th Anniversary! 🎸

[@coldbanana4785]

last music was really good, want to see it full version

[@pennsy77]

Really cool! Still wish we had a Discord to discuss stuff like this in 😅

[@tylerdubs-]

Idk why but I really like the Big Muff on this guitar, what a unique sound

[@piolacat]

Yooo the tone it gives for radio friendly unit shifter sounds wierdly accurate

[@Eoghan_guitar11]

Great video as always!!! And i was wondering if you were going to a drain you studio tone recreation video anytime soon because its one of my favourite nirvana songs

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Thank you! Yes that is a tone video I will eventually do. It's a tricky one that I've been trying to nail down for a long time now

[@punkrockisdead]

Reminds me of the guitar Ian Curtis used on love will tear us apart

[@mikerophone235]

Definitely a similar body shape, Ian's was a Vox

[@patriotic80]

Ive never seen him playing it but he played so many its very possible.🤘😎🤘

[@sematp1]

Totally a surf guitar. Even when playing Nirvana songs clean, it sounds like surf music! At the end, is that a song or just improvisation?

[@NirvanaGuitars]

The beginning where I am soloing on top of a loop and the clean instrumental at the end are both improvisations I came up with while playing this guitar 🙂

[@NEMOPMORPHY]

Great video! I have a Teisco, it was the first electric guitar I ever had. I need to get the electronics looked at. I think I’ll do that soon. . . Also I think Teisco is the Pokémon of the guitar world. . . I gotta collect them all!

[@Faust_s]

Dayum that’s one interesting guitar

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Kurt connection or not, it definitely is different and interesting!

[@Kalina-vo4zd]

@@NirvanaGuitarsI have something similar it’s a teisco del Rey et 200 very similar pickups and switches with the same bridge

[@Juan-wo7zu]

Cool that you played radio friendly unit shifter

[@legatomodi3522]

I was gonna bring up that hagstrom deluxe when I first started this video and this comment but you brought it up. I remember when I first heard about the hagstrom deluxe I thought it was just some random guitar someone said was kurts to sell it off for more expensive cause I thought I knew every guitar he played but nah. He had many apparently he purchased and signed to make Xmas gifts for friends of his. There are still many guitars we don't know about too. Like the electric xii. Died in the bathtub sewage backup incident.

[@grantmingo5009]

That guitar looks sick!

[@SmoothCriminal69]

I may try to get one of these & try it for myself, it's such a cool & unique guitar & sounds absolutely amazing!

[@themoonisdusty]

I'm so surprised you don't millions of subscribers your super under rated

[@sonivox.z]

I love the clean and distortion sound on the Drain you's Riff

[@Michiganvideoswithmyfriends.]

I know Kurt’s 1st guitar was a Teisco but it looked different There’s some video of it

[@James__________________]

I don’t doubt he would play something like this the only doubt is the signature I would’ve thought he’d sign it Kurdt

[@coldking1935]

I believe it. Deep love for quirky guitars and mods. Sick guitar. Sweet video 🤘

[@solar9137]

that guitar is pretty cool

[@carrterdinkins7977]

The R S switch is a rhythm/solo circuit- they’re a little uncommon on these Japanese student guitars but not at all rare, they’re usually broken and if they’re not the capacitor in the rhythm circuit is so small it makes very little difference in the tone most of these guitars are designed with a similar working to the fender jaguar- with the rhythm circuit and switches and all that

[@CharlesDuranJr]

The fact that this guitar has the same style tremolo as my Eastwood LG150T that sounds just like nirvana tones

[@PolaroidLandCamera-cm8ke]

The R-S Switch is the Rhythm and Solo Switch, I can only assume. Newer guitars today do not often come with them, so I have not been able to try one myself.

[@tymime]

Cool that you're into surf music too

[@thebeetle1656]

It sounds like the perfect guitar for 60s surf songs!

[@angush8595]

The "R-S" switch will be a Rhythm-Solo switch like on a Hofner bass

[@kurtcobeans_]

that is one oddly cool looking guitar

[@abraxis20]

Sounds pretty good!

[@I_love_guitars]

Love your videos Eric! Keep it up legend

[@scottreedersacoolguy]

your vid's the first thing that pops up when you search "Teisco Del Rey EV-2T" now lol

[@blazaar3099]

I don’t even like that guitar because of Kurt or if he signed or what ever. Just seeing this video and that guitar I just love it because of its look and especially that sound. In my opinion it sounds pretty cool which the distortion! I love the clean tone as well especially with the effects like the reverb. I wonder what its feedback would have sounded like? What a great video! Well done.

[@BrandonPGeneral]

I’ve always loved those Teisco pickups. I had a Silvertone Mosrite copy that had them. So buzzy.

[@MilesTippett]

R/S may be a Rhythm/Solo circuit, like a Jazzmaster?

[@joeymulkey16]

I think this might be the guitar Kurt uses in the clean up before she comes demo

[@saxwastaken]

put a red tort pickguard and a humbucker in the bridge and it's an alternate universe skystang 1

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Thinking outside the box I love it!

[@platypuspracticus2]

I could see him playing the instrument. I'm not sure about Kurt autographing his name, though.

[@adrolion]

Dive sounded incredible on this Teisco, had that chunky, full, agressive distortion that did the riff justice (tho the bigmuff did help out a lot i presume). Come As You Are lacked that watery effect on the chorus tho, but that is probably just because the guitar is better for reverb and not chorus. Eric, as a request, could you do a bleach but with pine street tone video? (honestly I wouldn't mind if you just played swap meet, sifting and Mr Moustache, I just really want to know how those would sound like on the ET-270) it also would be really cool if you played sifting or swap meet more often when doing tone demos.

[@arlobrubaker]

It's like a Vox Delta

[@Moonslurpy]

what song are you playing with it for the first 3 minutes of the video? it sounds amazing!

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Thank you so much! That’s just a quick instrumental I wrote while playing this guitar 🙂

[@ethanmiller631]

the joy division guitar

[@badname8501]

Exactly what I was thinking lol

[@1minutecomicswalahollywood648]

Hello Eric, I am a new subscriber. ❤

[@lol-yn1qn]

hey there dude i have a question, when will you do the Argentina 1992 concert tone? or also the Incesticide/With the Lights out boxset tones? really excited to hear them, love your videos.

[@TROJAN859]

always loving these videos!!!💗💗💗💓❤❤❤❤☺☺

[@Girgood67]

Podrias comprar la guitarra de tom morello la arm the homeless custom y usar sus raras técnicas de solos como el killswitch o el trhemolo

[@cherrykoolaiddisasters]

He could of used it for Fecal-Matter at any point between 1985 and 1986 if you think about it.

[@grungeisdead8998]

I think kurt liked odd misfit guitars in fact he said that before there's no doubt in my mind he found this guitar interesting enough to pickup and jam on it for an hour or two

[@alfgamer3615]

Welcome back, how was your holiday

[@coontachi]

please do a video about Kurt's telecaster

[@erikwettergren1986]

Next guitar Hagstrom Standard 80 💙

[@martianmurray]

I think it looks kinda comfortable sitting since it naturally angles the neck up, but maybe it puts your strumming arm in a weird angle.

[@shinjiikari6894]

Waiting for the day you get yourself a mosrite gospel, I heard it was supposed to be the main guitar for later on in nirvana but it got stolen 💀

[@ghostrider5959]

Do a cover of Sappy(1990 Studio Demo) or maybe the smart seasions version. It would be awsome to hear on an Epiphone ET 270

[@rivalmjd8541]

I saw this thumbnail and said “Nah, bro is trying to meme with us now” 😂

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Got em 😏

[@metallitech]

Very interesting guitar. Good sound too.

[@garfield1987]

cool new pfp dude!

[@lukeskysprinter6654]

Always love when you post a new video, really cool guitar. I loved the tones you got out off it, i liked the surfy tones more than the dist tones but i didnt really think the distorted tones sounded all that bad.

[@its-not-ermac-0444]

I can see Kurt using a guitar like this for jamming at his house, not necessarily for recording or touring

[@cubegaming9372]

You should make a video on covering outtakes and covers by nirvana

[@colinchung9722]

I actually bought a Tesico E-110 and modified it to be like what a Bleach era guitar was! i put a cheap humbucker it it, and i put a different bridge in it! i also repainted it!

[@stereosanctity7]

It’s been known that he played some weird guitars in his day. The mustang could be considered a weird guitar in itself.

[@MrMicalo]

Sounds great

[@Kaydenbutyt]

Thats a weird looking guitar😂

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Kinda hard to play sitting down haha

[@Kaydenbutyt]

@@NirvanaGuitars sounds good though

[@Robyn_iz_Here]

It appears to be based on an old vox guitar

[@MrSpaghettti]

perfect for kurt

[@music19870]

Based off the vox phantom quite a nice guitar (not the teisco)

[@jaysun9459]

You should do MTV unplugged songs on the Stella harmony

[@alexkeenan5768]

Hey man, could you please look at re-creating the studio tone for Anuerysm? I’ve come to realize nobody on KZbin has ever attempted to do it. I’ve tried countless times using multiple Kurt Cobain set ups that would’ve been used around that time. Nothing gets close. I’m starting to think it’s either his Randall or his twin reverb. With the jag, ds1, and small clone.

[@Mustardmans2836]

He might be a nirvana fan

[@sammyboi886]

R-S probably means rhythm or solo circuit

[@sofaslapper8715]

will you be doing in bloom or drain you soon for your nevermind tone videos? i'd love to see how you recreate those tones

[@aaron4757]

You can get some Mac DeMarco tones with that guitar

[@priestgoober5160]

interesting tone

[@imnotfunnyanymore]

Can you do a Nirvana tone video live at Melbourne?😅

[@DE_Razor_Shaving]

Looks like something Steve Vai would have played in the 80's.

[@amandahammond2691]

Hey Eric unrelated question, but how can I buy your band’s albums? Can I get them on CD or anything?

[@NirvanaGuitars]

Wow, I am honored by your interest thank you 🥹🙏🏻 we are on all the big streaming services, but we do have some physical CDs leftover from when we would sell them at shows! It’s $10 for our full album, $5 for our EP. Go to the “contact” page at Ithomiid.com and send us a message saying what you’d like 🙂

[@amandahammond2691]

@@NirvanaGuitars Sent! I listened to your stuff on Spotify and loved it, but prefer listening to music on cd while driving over the road, so I try to get physical media whenever possible.

[@shshebeb]

I love your videos! Can you recognize me a alternativ chorus pedal to play radio friendly unit shifter?

[@kj7303]

Maybe he did play it why not but it looks like a vox definitely I have seen teisco guitars before looks like type of guitar Anton Newcombe the Brian Jonestown massacre would play

[@FeliciaPaul-sw2sx]

Can you do a tone video of Live and Loud once you get the DOD Grunge Pedal?

[@cake_9510]

Oh you broke out Papercuts!

[@tymime]

Maybe a guitar like this is better suited to a '60s style fuzz?