History Of Kurt Cobain's Epic Fender Jaguar [Nirvana]

A tribute to Kurt Cobain and the most epic Fender Jaguar that ever existed! I go over the unique modifications and outline the timeline of the guitar and speak about some of my favorite shows where it was used like Beehive Records, Tree's Club, and Reading Festival 1992.
#kurtcobain #cobainjaguar #Nirvana
#nirvanaguitar #Nirvanadocumentary #fenderjaguar #loungeact

[@Darklord-et9xz]

One of the few guitars Kurt chose not to destroy.I own a right handed Kurt Cobain signature jaguar and I love it.I can totally understand understand why Kurt chose to spare the jaguar from destruction.

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

Awesome history of the coolest Jaguar to ever be. I remember back in the late 90s when I was first starting to play guitar I could not find a Jaguar anywhere. The closest I could get to a Kurt offset was a fender cyclone I love the jag so much

[@loungeact6311]

So true I remember back then and there weren't many around, not like today where we jump online and find them. Lol

[@guinness1376]

I bought a cyclone at the same time. Fender wasn't making mustangs or jaguars. I was never really happy with the cyclone and ended up selling it.

[@loungeact6311]

@@guinness1376 I had a candy apple red cyclone but it was short lived also.

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

@@loungeact6311 very true, makes it a lot easier lol

[@bigmuffmelvin7388]

@@guinness1376 same here, I have owned two over the years but they just don’t jive with me for some reason

[@rychcorporhate]

6:57 I'm not sure if you know this but that Sunburst Stratocaster Kurt played at the 1992 Reading Festival, was NOT a real Fender Stratocaster.... The sunburst Strat with a white pickguard and three white single-coil sized pickups. Earnie built it for Kurt out of Stewart MacDonald parts. The bridge and pickguard assembly were leftovers. Earnie put an aftermarket Fender decal on it. This Sunburst Stratocaster was used on August 30, 1992 at the Reading Festival, it was used during "Endless, Nameless" on April 09, 1993 at the Cow Palace (Tresnjevka Women's Group Benefit), Daly City, CA and then it was Smashed on November 26, 1993 - Morocco Shrine Auditorium, Jacksonville, FL.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Eric Erlandson was given - and still has - Kurt's Jaguar. It was given to him by Courtney as a gift in the days after his body was found. When Fender made the Kurt Cobain signature Jaguar, arrangements were made thru Erlandson's people for Fender reps to pick up and loan the guitar. Also, not everyone at Fender or many independent Fender experts/researchers agree with the assessment that the neck is "an oddity from and original to the Fender factory" and a 1965 model. It seems an obvious certainty that the guitar is the same as Martin Jenner's 1966 left handed Jaguar and that Kurt was correctly informed at the time of purchase that the Jaguar was "a 1966 owned by a professional touring guitarist." No one has _ever_ seen a short scale, 24.5" Fender neck with a Stratocaster headstock shape made anytime before Fender released the Cobain signature Jaguar. The closet thing would be the neck of a vintage Music Master or Duo Sonic guitar from the late 50's and early 60's - *BUT* those headstocks are still noticeably different/smaller and the scale length is an even _shorter,_ 3 quarter, 22" scale length and we're *never* made with a neck binding. In and around L.A. in the 70's, 80's and 90's there were _many_ companies making aftermarket parts for professional and amateur musicians. Like Boogie Bodies for just one example where Eddie Van Halen got the parts for his "Franken-Strat." It's most likely that either Martin Jenner or another owner between himself and Cobain for whatever reason (either aesthetic or functional) re-necked Jenner's 1966 Jaguar. There were also (and still are) companies who made custom Fender decals and added whatever model name the customer wanted and ordered a "Fender Jaguar" decal in the pre-CBS "spaghetti" logo and smaller block model font. The chances of a company like Fender who even _before_ being bought by CBS in 1964 did everything with modularity and cost effectiveness in mind making a _one off_ neck and decal for a 1965 Jaguar is just something that if true, would be the _ONLY_ documented time of that happening in Fender's *HISTORY* prior to the opening of their Custom Shop in 1989. The chances further still of that guitar either being owned by *TWO* famous musicians or less likey still, that two famous musicians each had a sunburst vintage Jaguar with the *EXACT* same modifications (extra volume control, Tele style knobs, Seymour Duncan cream pickups, extra strap button, tune-o-matic bridge) is *unfathomable* and Fender execs should know that. I think they just _wanted_ to believe the neck was a Fender original. Also, why they decided the guitar was a 1965 instead of a 1966 (which it almost certainly is) can be easily explained. When they took hold of Cobain's Jaguar to make his signature model, they were instructed to be "minimally invasive" with the guitar. This is why, very unfortunately, they never removed the neck to check for date manufacturer clues. So they only unscrewed the pickgaurd and tremolo plate, while not unsoldering anything. Fender guitars are dated *three* ways to provide an *approximate* date; the date on the neck heel, a date handwritten on the body and the date codes on the volume and tone potentiometers. Experts will typically choose the latest date as the date of release/year of the guitar. Often, a Fender guitar that shipped in say, March of 1964 will have a neck date of January 64, a body date of November 63 and pot dates sometimes as far back as 1962 as Fender *NEVER* let anything go to waste. The body date in a Fender Jaguar is written in pencil in the tremolo cavity. So I'd bet when Fender removed the tremolo plate, they found a date of late 1965. So they called the guitar a "1965" although it was almost certainly Jenner's guitar which clearly had a large, CBS style headstock and block inlays indictive of a 1966 Jaguar. I own a 1963 Jaguar for instance with a body date of 8/63 and a neck date of December 63. Body and neck dates are not always the same and can be months apart. Especially for Jaguars and Jazzmasters. Bottom line, Fender should've popped the neck but then, they might've found out something they didn't want to; that the neck wasn't in fact an original Fender part. Hope that helps!

[@loungeact6311]

Great stuff! You sure know Jags inside and out.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

@@loungeact6311 Thanks! I'm a Fender enthusiast for sure. A bit of what I'd call a "healthy obsession." Jaguars are my favorite but I love and research Fender in general.

[@philpants44]

a nice lil pressie for helping her get away with all those murders i guess...

[@wellyes]

Erlandson used the Jaguar in the Doll Parts video but it is not confirmed whether he owns it or not.

[@lugarner8493]

Reading the comments… the love and respect for detail when it comes to anything kurt cobain makes my heart happy 😍

[@ringtail1401]

Erlandson will definitely have it. The guy is such a worm.

[@augbogonalog]

Ayyy!!! Thanks for makin this!

[@loungeact6311]

Ty for watching!

[@joshingtonbarthsworth631]

Cool video. Thanks!

[@shadowhunter2846]

Perfect content. Thanks Bro

[@OZKÄRSTALIN]

Very interesting!!! Nice video.

[@loungeact6311]

Ty...I really like your channel!

[@somethingelsedoesmatter]

8:04 lol Accurate.

[@wellyes]

theres a video showing the Jaguar with the same neck as purchased by Kurt from 1981. Cliff Richard everyman documentary from 1981. Its on youtube.

[@Captainbeaverbongin]

Great vid you should do one on the jagstang

[@wattershed4214]

Maybe one on his univox or acoustics? Maybe even his brown soundgarden sticker mustang! Good videos man!

[@loungeact6311]

ty for watching. I am working on more stuff including Univox.

[@rychcorporhate]

@@loungeact6311 I would Love to see some videos on Kurts Univox Hi-Fliers. As Kurt owned all 4 of Phases .... From 1985 to October 30, 1988 Kurt used the Sunburst Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 (which Kurt had some random pictures taped over each other, then drew a guitar which says the Monkees inside it, and at the bottom he wrote "WASP We Are Scary Posers" which Kurt smashed on October 30, 1988 at Dorm K208, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA then he used parts from that Broken Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 inside the body of the Fender Mustang with the Soundgarden Sticker. Then in May 1989 Kurt used a Natural Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3, which is seen at the May 26, 1989 Lindbloom Student Center Green River Community College Auburn WA show and in June '89 Kurt added some Red Spray Paint to the upper body and on part of the Headstock to try to make it look Sunburst (but it looked more like a Cherry Sunburst) this was used up until July 13, 1989 when Kurt smashed it 45 minutes away from my house at Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ then Tracy Marander bought Kurt a White Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 which Kurt used on July 18, 1989 at the Pyramid Club, New York, NY until November 11, 1989 when Kurt smashed it at Ecstasy, Berlin, West Germany. The Next Univox Hi-Flier Kurt used is the Univox Hi-Flier Custom Phase 1 that Earnie Bailey bought and modified for Kurt and gave it to Kurt backstage at the October 3, 1992 Carver Gymnasium Western Washington University Bellingham WA show which Kurt used on stage, Kurt also used it the next night on October 4, 1992 Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA and was most likely used on October 25-26, 1992 at the Word of Mouth Studios, Seattle, WA and it was also used on October 30, 1992 Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires, Argentina show. During the Soundcheck at the January 16, 1993 São Paulo Brazil show and during the Encore of the January 23, 1993 Rio de Janeiro Brazil show Kurt used a Sunburst Univox Hi-Flier Phase 2 then on August 31 and September 2, 1993 during the Filming of the "Heart-Shaped Box" Music Video Kurt used a White Univox Hi-Flier Phase 4 then on September 23, 1993 (SNL Rehearsals) and September 25, 1993 SNL Kurt used the Univox Hi-Flier Custom Phase 1. During the North American In Utero Tour in some of the photos of the side of the stage you can see a few of Kurts Univox Hi-Fliers. Kurt had the Univox Hi-Flier Custom Phase 1 on the In Utero Tour but it was never used live, on the 4th show of the In Utero Tour October 21, 1993 Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS Kurt Used the White Univox Hi-Flier Phase 4 (the one from the Heart-Shaped Box Music Video) and Smashed it at the end of the 10/21/93 show. In the Fall of 1993 Kurt bought 2 Natural Univox Hi-Flier Phase 4 guitars one of them Kurts friend painted it in a Van Gogh style, and the second Natural Univox Hi-Flier Phase 4 (In 1994 Courtney Love used it live occasionally on the "Live Through This" tour) and she later gave it to Billy Corgan who played it at the 1994 Lollapalooza when Billy Corgan played with the band The Frogs. There was another Sunburst Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 (same model as Kurts original Univox from 1985 - October 30, 1988) which wasn't used and was Photographed in the book "Cobain Unseen") and there was another Sunburst Univox Hi-Flier Phase 2 which was slightly modify, it had the original Black P-90 pickup in the Neck and a beige Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker installed in the Bridge position. That's pretty much the List of Kurts Univox Hi-Fliers. On January 28-30, 1994 Nirvana had a Studio Session at Robert Lang Studios, North Seattle, WA the first 2 days Kurt was a No Call/No Show... During the evening of January 30, 1994 Kurt finally showed up with None of his equipment or any of his effect-boxes, luckily Earnie Bailey was fixing one of Kurts Univox Hi-Fliers and had it in his car so he went and grabbed it and Kurt borrowed Earnie's Pedal board which had some of the same pedals as Kurt, so when Nirvana recorded the song "You Know You're Right" Kurt used a Univox Hi-Flier (which I think may of been his Univox Hi-Flier Custom Phase 1 maybe), but Kurt recorded "You Know You're Right" with a Univox Hi-Flier and used Earnie Bailey's 1980s MIJ Ibanez M9 Super Metal Distortion pedal. (Anyways, Hope this Info helps you out with Kurts Univox Hi-Fliers timeline).

[@loungeact6311]

@@rychcorporhate wow .. ty lots of good info here I can track down for sure I've started this project but still in the early phases. This stuff from the early days is a little bit harder to figure out and gather and I really want it to be good. I really do thank you for sharing!. . stay tuned!!!

[@rychcorporhate]

Here's some Info about Kurts Brown Soundgarden Mustang... (This was Kurts First Left-Handed guitar). From 1985 to October 30, 1988 Kurt used a Sunburst Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 which Kurt smashed on October 30, 1988 Dorm K208, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA. The Next show Nirvana played was on November 23, 1988 at Speedy O'Tubbs Rhythmic Underground, Bellingham, WA which is the first show with that Mustang. That Fender Mustang was originally Red (either Kurt or the original owner had sanded it down to the bare wood, And made it look almost like a Walnut style finish) the Mustang was only the Body, with the Tremolo/Vibrato Plate, Bridge, and the Fender Neck, Kurt took parts from the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 he smashed on October 30, 1988 and screwed the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker into the body, then Kurt used the Broken half of the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Pickguard as a Mustang Control Plate, and Used the Univox Pots, along with the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Vol/Tone Knobs and Input Jack. (So it was basically a Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 inside of a Fender Mustang Shell). And added a Soundgarden Sticker on the upper body. Besides the songs "Floyd the Barber", "Paper Cuts", and "Downer" recorded on January 23, 1988 and the songs "Big Cheese", "Love Buzz", etc recorded in June 1988, were recorded on the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3, the rest of the songs recorded for "Bleach" in December 1988 were recorded with this Modified Univox Fender Mustang.... By January 1989, Kurt added a Home Made Vinyl Record Pickguard from a Christian Sermon entitled "Where Are The Dead?" By Thomas Road Baptist Church, which was Kurts guitar from November 1988 to April 1989, by April 1989, Kurt removed the Soundgarden Sticker, and the Homemade Vinyl Record Pickguard, and painted the body Light Green and added a White Mustang Pickguard. besides painting the Mustang Light Green and adding a Real Mustang Pickguard everything else was left the same, still had the Original Neck, it had No Neck pickup, the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker was installed in the Bridge position, the Mustang Control Plate was the broken bottom half of the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Pickguard, it had the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 pots, and the Univox Vol/Tone/Input-Jack. It still had the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 toggle switch but it was bent down and covered with silver duct tape.... This Mustang was seen on the cover of the "Bleach" Album. This Mustang was last seen live in early April '89 while in May 1989 Kurt started using a Natural Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 seen at the May 26, 1989 Lindbloom Student Center, Green River Community College, Auburn, WA show and in June '89 Kurt added some Red Spray Paint To the Upper body and a bit by the crown on the Headstock to try to make it look Sunburst (but ended up looking more like Cherry Sunburst) this is the Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 used on the Bleach USA Tour until it was smashed 45 minutes from my house at Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ on July 13, 1989. Then by July 18, 1989 to November 11, 1989 Kurt used a White Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3, then a Red Hagstrom II from November 5, 1989 to November 27, 1989 when it was smashed then used a Washburn Force 31 from 11/29/89, 11/30/89, 12/01/89, 12/02/89, 12/03/89 when it was smashed, then on December 20, 1989 Kurt bought a Black and White Hondo 737 Les Paul Copy and fixed up that broken 1970s Gibson SG he got on July 16, 1989 from Sluggo after trading him his smashed 1973 Sunburst Fender Mustang with a Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker in the Bridge which Kurt only used at 2 shows July 8, 1989 Club Dreamerz, Chicago, IL and July 9, 1989 The Sonic Temple, Masonic Temple, Wilkinsburg, PA where it was smashed. A week later on July 16, 1989 while in Watertown, MA at a Musician Sluggo Cawley (Hullabaloo/The Grannies) Kurt traded his smashed 1973 Sunburst Fender Mustang for Sluggo's broken 1970s Gibson SG. So after Nirvana's European Tour In late 1989 Kurt fixed up the Gibson SG and added yet another Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker in the Bridge... And on January 6, 1990 Kurt used the 1970s Gibson SG, Hondo 737, and had the Epiphone ET-270 against the wall. Kurt used the Hondo 737 from January 6, 1990 to January 12, 1990 when it was smashed. The Epiphone ET-270 Cherry Red became Kurts main guitar and the Gibson SG was used on and off until it was smashed beyond repair on February 17, 1990 Iguana's Tijuana Mexico. The Fender Mustang which started out Red then became Sanded down to Brown/Walnut Finish, had a Soundgarden Sticker, Univox Hi-Flier Phase 3 Humbucker, Pots, Broken Univox Pickguard as a Control Plate, Univox Vol/Tone/In-Put Jack and then a Thomas Road Baptist Church "Where Are The Dead?" Vinyl Record as a Pickguard, Then was painted Light Green, and had the Custom Vinyl Record Pickguard replaced with a White Mustang Pickguard and had the Soundgarden Sticker removed was last seen live in early April '89 it was next seen live on February 9, 1990 at the Pine Street Theater, Portland, Oregon where it was smashed beyond repair... Jason Everman on his Natural Fender TL-72 Made in Japan Telecaster also had a Pickguard made from a Vinyl Record in his case it was a copy of Venom's "At War with Satan" and under the Black Humbucker, and Saddles on his Telecaster Bridge Jason had the same exact Soundgarden Sticker Kurt had on his Fender Mustang. (I was always curious since Jason had a Vinyl Record Pickguard and had the same Soundgarden Sticker I wonder if that's why Kurt decided to remove the Soundgarden Sticker, the Vinyl Record Pickguard and paint the body Light Green to make it look different then Jason's Telecaster?) Or maybe thinking too much into it.... Anyways Hope this Info on Kurts Brown Soundgarden Mustang you learn something new....

[@rychcorporhate]

@@loungeact6311 No Problem, I am a huge Cobain fan, and I study his Equipment for many many years and as Univox Hi-Fliers are my All-time favorite guitars ever made I know pretty much everything about them... If you ever need any help, on some of Cobain's early stuff feel free, you could always reach me here or Facebook, or whatever.... Like I figured out what Kurts Gear was on the American Bleach Tour (Nirvana's first tour) I know everything from his Amps, Heads, Guitar, Strap, Pedals and even Microphone... Well you do a great job, and when I corrected you on some parts I don't mean that as being a dick I was just getting helpful so hopefully it doesn't come.out the wrong way. Anyways ever need help feel free to ask ... Take care.

[@harimeow9382]

Floyd the barber

[@fuchsia5899]

Aneurysm

[@rychcorporhate]

4:00- 4:35 you made one little mistake, the Nirvana show at Rotterdam was before the Beehive Records Seattle WA show. The Rotterdam show was the last show on the Sonic Youth Goo European Tour. Which was on September 1, 1991 and the Beehive Records, Seattle WA show was on September 16, 1991.

[@loungeact6311]

Damn dude your attention to detail is spot on! Lol. I will try really hard on upcoming vids being more accurate in timelines and such.

[@rychcorporhate]

@@loungeact6311 I'm sorry, I really wasn't trying to sound like a dick... and I sincerely apologize if I came off that way. I know so much about Cobain, and his Equipment, Clothes, shows, what clothes he wore at which show, etc .. that people call me like a human Cobain Biography, lol .. anyways I was just trying to help you out... Like I knew that the Rotterdam show was 15 days the Beehive Records show so I didn't want people to give you crap about it, so I thought Id let ya know.

[@spacesmuggling]

At least the Martin is a display at the Martin factory

[@mobaisnevercomingback7016]

Honestly, my favorite lives have to be both cow palaces and second has to go to live at the paramount

[@loungeact6311]

Can't go wrong with those. They were really a great "live" band.

[@JDStone20]

Offsets grow on me.....When I first see them, I think they are ugly, but the more I play guitar, they really look awesome.......I want a Mustang, Jazzmaster, and a Jaguar.....

[@ayanjaved322]

otherwise if the Trees Club manager Steve Shein would fire Turner Van Blarcum for assault and indecent exposure after he calls the Dallas Police Department to have Van Blarcum arrested and get sued by Nirvana and Geffen Records for assault and indecent exposure and end up getting sentenced to 5 years probation on assault charges it's probably like Nirvana & Geffen Records v. Turner Van Blarcum court decision until Van Blarcum will commit suicide in prison like Evan Chandler who was the dentist who accused Michael Jackson for sexual abuse in 1993 after he commited suicide in Nov 5, 2009 after Jackson's death in Jun 25, 2009

[@cooperconnolly5744]

Mr. moustache

[@jasonsullivan4584]

It was a Christian musician

[@tooldaniellateralus9298]

For those who didn't know... .that jaguar had more heroin residue on it then his dealer.

[@Leon-Coils19912]

What?