Kurt Cobain Vandalism Strat History | Guitars of the Gods

Kurt Cobain's Fender Stratocaster with the VANDALISM sticker has a storied history with Nirvana. Interviews with Earnie Bailey (guitar tech), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Butch Vig (producer) reveal this guitar's history and we learn about how the VANDALISM Strat became Kurt's favorite Strat.
We dive into the history of the Fender Stratocaster and Kurt's Strat specifically to find out what it is, where it came from and more!
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:27 - Stratocaster history
2:41 - Konichiwa
2:56 - What is this some sort of Fernandes?
3:19 - Kurt naughty
3:28 - Earnie Bailey interview
3:37 - Kurt Cobain interview
3:44 - The FujiGen connection
4:00 - Serial & Year
4:41 - Neck Specs
4:56 - Body Wood
5:28 - First Sighting
5:42 - Kurt's other ladies
6:22 - Butch Vig interview
7:00 - Different Black Strats
7:16 - Humbuckers
8:44 - VANDALISM Sticker
9:04 - Transparent Pickguard
9:39 - VANDALISM Strat Timeline of Changes to the Guitar
11:23 - Where's Vandy Now?
11:47 - Outro
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#kurtcobain #nirvana #fenderstrat #fender #strat #guitarhistory #guitarsofthegods #guitarsofthestars

[@SecretsofRock]

What guitar history should I do next? Also, I messed up and forgot about Trembuckers and F-spaced humbuckers until after I posted the video. My bad.

[@cymbaline87]

A few ideas: Stevie Ray Vaughan's Number 1 - Peter Green's / Gary Moore's Greeny - Clapton's Blackie - Rory Gallagher's 61 Strat - Jonny Greenwood's Tele - Brian Setzer's 6120

[@Porter788005]

Scott Lucas of Local H strat and or Tele Gavin Rossdales purple jazzmaster Billy Corgan batstrat Joan Jett melodymaker Page Hamilton pink Esp

[@segnoggin]

Maybe do a story behind the jag stang. I haven't seen any videos on it's history

[@DoubleRR44]

Duane Allman’s tobacco burst les Paul

[@idiotburns]

Thumbnail says vandalsim

[@spudvader]

Strats were usually bought so he could smash them at the end of the show, keeping the jag and the mustangs nice and safe...well safer

[@roosterj2599]

Yes. Fender would keep him stocked up with MIM Fender Standard Strats for the smashing. There were a couple he ended up liking enough to not smash them. There was a white and a black one I believe.

[@spudvader]

@@roosterj2599 How do you know this?

[@roosterj2599]

@@spudvader I read an interview with Kurt that was done in 93. It was on a website that I had found in 1997-98. I don't remember who owned the site, but it was a fan page. It was a gear interview. Kurt was being funny at one point where the interviewer ask what gauge his strings were and Kurt said he used real heavy piano wire. That left me scratching my head for awhile. Lol! When Fender bought Jackson/Charvel guitars back in 2002 I was a member of the JC Forum and there was a lengthy conversation about how we felt about Fender buying Jackson. I love Fender guitars and it's history. Somebody brought up the Jagstang guitar and a link to an interview with someone from Fender was posted. The guy said Cobain was so hard on his guitars on tour that they made a deal to send a half a dozen or so of Mexican made import Strats on a few occasions to wherever they were on the tour because he had smashed most of his guitars at the end of several shows and his tech could no longer repair what they had. I wish I could point you to a specific article or video. It's been over 20 years since I read anything about it.

[@maffeovivero2005]

@@roosterj2599 it was on guitar world magazine last interview

[@roosterj2599]

@@maffeovivero2005 Okay. Yeah. It was a good article. I sure miss Kurt and Nirvana. They were life changing. They came at a good time and helped to define the 90s.

[@--thatbih]

Imagine making a guitar so legendary people still ponder over it 30 years later yet it only lasted 6 months

[@kolex3713]

bruh

[@craigusselman546]

Thats how Kurt showed love to his guitars bashing the shit out of them. Sadly the Vandalism Strat is older than Kurt ever was being in its 30s now.

[@2_spoke391]

6 months in Nirvana time is a lot.😅

[@f.x.c.k]

@@2_spoke391 Yeah its like 1 of 8

[@thehistorybuff8265]

Fun fact both of those strats were bought at the same time from the same shop sadly only the vandalism strat went on to be famous the other strat is still amazing and has a great history

[@skylineXpert]

Most of his strats got smashed

[@user-bk3bp5yy7m]

Ummm- as a member of the Feederz - I’m very happy that Kurt appreciated our album and sense of humor . We made several different stickers - mainly to drive the collectors crazy trying to track them down . It’s an honor to share a tiny bit of the legacy of Kurt & Nirvana.

[@ruination775]

Great Album to Guy's...

[@Rjhorning]

Hey man, awesome video. I really appreciate the effort you put into these. As far as the pickup pole pieces not lining up with the strings, thats because Kurt always used pickups that were meant for a Gibson (which has a narrower string spacing than Fenders). Its the same way with all of his guitars that have humbuckers in them. It doesn't matter if its a bridge pickup or a neck pickup in the bridge position. Even the Mustangs with the JB's are like that. Seymour Duncan makes versions of all these pickups to accommodate the wider Fender string spacing. They're called "Trembuckers" because they are made for guitars with a tremolo. People believe its a 59N just because of the sound. Its just super bright. You can just tell its not a JB, IMO of course. The only reason I know this stuff is because I have recreated 9 Cobain guitars myself that I own. And as you know, ALOT of research goes into making these as authentic as possible. I'm not trying to act like a know-it-all or spread any hate or anything. I just knew the answer and wanted to share the info. Good day.

[@wittycream5522]

Holy shit boi, you sure know a lot

[@wittycream5522]

How can i recreate the roseland ballroom Mustang?

[@Rjhorning]

@@wittycream5522 Thanks man, its alot of research. But I've been crazy about Nirvana since 91, so I don't mind doing it. As far as the Roseland Ballroom Stang, just do the same thing I did. Keep your eyes peeled for a Squier Vintage Modified Mustang in fiesta red and slap a red tortoise pickguard on it from WD music. With a couple Seymour Duncan pickups and you're golden. You don't even have to worry about routing it out for a humbucker. If u can't find 1 in that color, get what u can and paint it yourself. I had to do that with my Sky-Stang cause Squier sonic blue sucks lol. All I've ever used for painting guitars is spray paint. They make it pretty easy nowadays with the internet at your fingertips.

[@wittycream5522]

@@Rjhorning thanks bro

[@Rjhorning]

@@wittycream5522 Anytime man. Seriously, if u ever have any questions about that stuff, just hit me up. I would be happy to help anyway I can. By the way, I know that the VM Mustangs don't have body contours like Kurt's MG69's but I personally don't care. If u want the contours, use a Bullet Mustang. But if u use a Bullet Mustang, you've got more work to do swapping the bridge and tailpiece. I also went this route to build my Competition Mustang, so I can help u that way also. Have a good day man.

[@victorcobane6644]

That story about how Endless, Nameless came about is fucking insane. Kurt is so cool, total rockstar energy. Cool video! It's crazy how you got all this info. I don't really know all the stuff about guitar changes and how they effect sound, but I think I'm gonna try to learn.

[@LSD123.]

He would rather be dead than cool.

[@kitcobain444]

"Not her", lol frikkin' love it!! Thanks for the great video, as a true 'lefty', what I wouldn't give to just *hold* one of Kurt Cobain's guitars...ahhh let a girl dream.

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks! I'm glad people are enjoying these videos.

[@TheAtariCreep]

I have never been a Nirvana fan but I love learning the history of iconic guitar. Great video man. Keep em coming, maybe James Hetfields white Kill Em All V????

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks! I'm working on some Hetfield videos for sure.

[@Uubbfippk]

@vernon dan This is why people don't like nirvana fans lmao

[@joeking433]

How can you not be a Nirvana fan???

[@danduntz9112]

“Not her”. Haha. Love the public trashing in this video of Courtney.

[@SecretsofRock]

I hope it didn't come off as too mean, I'm really just trying to have fun with these videos and get people to laugh.

[@mammontustado9680]

@@SecretsofRock if she mellowed over time. But she's still a mean bully, if not meaner. So, fire away

[@spidermanfan.3161]

11:22 Vandy 🥺😢😢😭 (ALSO YOU CALLED IT VANDY YEEE :D)

[@TheWooderson1974]

Hey just letting you know that late 80s and early 90s strats from Japan were basswood. Not mahogany. Basswood was popular with a lot of "shred" guitars, its light and plentiful in Japanese and Asian markets. I have a red FujiGen around the same year and the wood is basswood and the frets are in fact smaller.. good job on video. Love it

[@GeahkBurchill]

I agree with this. I believe it’s way more likely to be Basswood than either Ash or Alder and ZERO chance it’s Mahogany.

[@shaunw9270]

At the time , UK sales literature said they were Poplar. Basswood appeared a little after , maybe mid 90's to my recollection .

[@TheLexiconDevils]

Body wood was dependent on the model. For the most part The ‘57 type ST-57s were alder, ST-54 were ash ect same for telecaster & basses.They may have developed a bottom tier ‘57 ect type but rare. The other series that weren’t in the “reissue” style used poplar & basswood.

[@absea7918]

Great video! After a few short years, the Telecaster was hugely popular, but Leo Fender wanted to release a new, upgraded version. He reached out to many of his musician friends who had been playing Tele's for input on this new version, and input was to add a tremolo (like a Bigsby) and more pickups, and contours and upper cutaway to make it more comfortable to play (compared to the "slab" Tele). WIth all that input, Leo decided he'd just make a new model, instead of upgrading the Tele, birthing the Stratocaster. Also, Fender string spacing is different (wider) than Gibson spacing, so SD pickups like the JB, or 59' don't align. They now make "F-spaced" versions of those pickups for Fender guitars.

[@jimszikk775]

The wall painting at 03.39 is actually David Spade. Someone put the quote there after the painting's been there for some time.

[@dathorndike4908]

That guitar looks so beat to hell and still sounded amazing is a testimony to how tough those Strats were built.

[@reubenisaac702]

It wasn't the wood lol. It was the pick-ups and a good guitar tech.

[@parkerjb23]

My uncle gave me his limited addition fender Stratocaster. It’s off white with a maroon pick guard, and rosewood fretboard. I have no idea how much it costed him but it’s somehow mine now.

[@denboe2894]

With the 3 way switch you could lodge it between the 1,2,3, notches to get the 5 way sounds. You can hear that on some recordings from pre 5 way switch days.

[@macaroni1713]

It’s def not mahogany. Mahogany has a very distinctive color and grain pattern. Looks to be alder from the pic. Ash also has a very distinctive grain pattern/color and usually reserved for natural or transparent finishes to highlight said grain pattern

[@OZKÄRSTALIN]

Wow!!! REALLY NICE VIDEO!!!! amazing video!! Thank you for share it with us.

[@SecretsofRock]

Thank you too, glad you enjoyed it!

[@jralanmorgan]

Sweet! Thanks for this, Keith.

[@curtisnewton895]

Clapton used to jam a pick in the selector to lock it on 2 positions

[@IZZY_EDIBLE]

Which two pickup positions?

[@TiltmanMusic]

Between positions 1, 2 and 3. To have 2 pickups active at a time. To give a distinct clucky sound. Think Sweet Home Alabama intro or Sultans of Swing. That spanky sound is the in between positions hack that Fender later incorporated by using a 5 way switch.

[@IsabellaCatherine19XX]

This kind of video is right up my alley. Thank you for making it!

[@SecretsofRock]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FriendGaugeShotgun]

you found some awesome pics ive never seen!!! great job!

[@SecretsofRock]

Glad you like them!

[@FriendGaugeShotgun]

@@SecretsofRock I truly respect anyone contributing to the preservation of rock history!!!

[@SlyHikari03]

“Did someone say wah??” That killed me.

[@ryanfulldark2775]

I like the David Spade mural!

[@SecretsofRock]

I was so freakin' excited when I found that photo, had to use it.

[@thearbiter6350]

@@SecretsofRock i didn't know spade was that deep

[@MarceloDurham]

Love this video, as a nirvana fan I found it very accurate and pleasant to watch. Thank you. I did myself a copy of this Strat. PS: "LIKE' number 200! :P

[@SecretsofRock]

Cool, thanks!

[@MrDJDanny29]

The alignment issue is because it’s a humbucker not a trembucker being used but you are kind of correct it is a 59 bridge humbucker in the strat it was later swapped for a jb

[@SecretsofRock]

I forgot about the trembucker spacing, crap! Good catch.

[@acoffeewithsatan]

Doesn't SD humbuckers actually have a wider pole spacing than trembuckers, though? This, considering traditional Gibson spacing also has wider string spacing? Ofc, not to say you may be wrong, as it may still be a SD neck humbucker

[@MrDJDanny29]

@@acoffeewithsatan as someone who made the mistake of buying a SD humbucker for a strat I can say that they are not as wide as a trembucker

[@acoffeewithsatan]

@@MrDJDanny29 well, that's curious to know! Knowing EVH had to mount his PAF sideways to line up with the strings, I thought the other way around.

[@wittycream5522]

great video man, love kurt so how about a video on the skystang

[@SecretsofRock]

Great suggestion!

[@kurosuzu]

5:49 How did he even make that pose lol

[@mumbles215]

Action shot. One of the best shots of him. Classic.

[@bbq4126]

Earnie said himself it’s mahogany body and it’s a Seymour Duncan 59 neck humbucker

[@davidteasdale1]

If that pictures right, it's not mahogany. Ash and Alder would be hard to tell apart from that picture but i'd bet my money on Alder. Just some input from a woodworker.

[@mirata7748]

Well at the time I believe fender japan was using bass wood bodies for there strat's correct me if I'm wrong

[@ayberkgokdemir3234]

Amazing video, love it

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks so much!

[@nusenseumie]

thanks been waiting for this:)

[@SecretsofRock]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@nusenseumie]

@@SecretsofRock i will

[@justdev8965]

Come on man, you nearly killed me with the Hammett joke 🤣😂

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@rageflash9]

OH MY GOD!! You finally did it!!! Thank you very much!!!!

[@SecretsofRock]

Hope you like it!

[@rageflash9]

@@SecretsofRock Of course i did..and you did it after the 30th year of Nevermind!! Thanks again for doing one for the most copied (and under rated) guitars in the history of rock.

[@spidermanfan.3161]

@@SecretsofRock you cheeky guy You knew by my comments and mentions from that strat that you just had to it XD And come to think you called it Vandy

[@DaveWire]

Excellente vidéo et trop fier que cette guitare ait pris fin dans ma ville à Rennes aux transmusicales le 7 décembre 91!! Mon frère a vu ce concert !

[@thomaslevanti3959]

Awsome Video! I always love your guitar history videos. Do you think you can do one on billy corgans ghost start or the gish guitar?

[@SecretsofRock]

I'm a big fan of his so it's definitely on the list as are a few other of his guitars.

[@thebreakfastmenu]

The pickup alignment is probably off mostly because it was definitely an SSS guitar from the factory. Which also means that the guard is likely stock because it has the previous screw holes for the slanted bridge pickup. The routing was a total hack job to put the humbucker in.

[@markferguson3745]

Seems like he preferred the shorter Gibson scale, with the brighter Fender sound.When I started playing,knowing little, I still noticed how much easier the shorter scale was to play, and was initially drawn in that direction( Gibson SG's & Jrs .I think the Fender scale can seem off putting to many beginners.)It wasn't until I started consistently downtuning that I went to Strats and Teles; dropped to D, or C# Standard, the sound and string tension becomes closer to the shorter scale in E Standard, (depending on string gauge)

[@samblack5313]

I have big hands, a 24.75 scale with 24 frets and I literally can’t fit my fingers between the frets past the 12th. For many of us short scale is horribly off putting, depends on your hands.

[@markferguson3745]

@@samblack5313 I'm in the vast minority of the population according to height , and thus finger length, but the tips are tapered enough to manage if I angle them properly.While I sometimes have issues with string spacing, the fret size is generally not a big problem. Upon occasion watching others, I have considered that smaller hands likely make playing easier in general, but I think that working out techniques that are specific to strengths and weaknesses is part of the bigger point.

[@Seanmm8855]

03:38 "it's better to burn out than fade away" -David Spade

[@pok0000]

AT 6:00 you can see the best picture taken of a band during live performance

[@Aniki82]

You can see it in pristine condition at the reading 91 So I didn't know there was some questions about it being a full Fernandez guitar Oo Ps : really cool video! 🤗 I'm glad I found it my friend!

[@SecretsofRock]

It's still one of those hotly debated guitar origin stories. Thanks for watching!

[@ashscott6068]

I'm pretty sure their infamous performance on Top of the Pops was even earlier. And you get some really good closeups in it. But I remember that it still had that chunk missing. The headstock looked different, but I don't think it was a Fernandez. It looked like a Fender headstock someone had cut the rounded part off the end of, to make it look more aggressive. Edit: Just checked. That performance must have been after Reading, and the video quality on the version I checked, was too poor to make out the logo. But it looks like a Fender logo. If I remember, Fernandez logos are much bigger, bolder, and are in block capitals

[@shaunw9270]

Interesting video. I believe by the late 80's /early 90's , Japanese Fenders had Poplar bodies . Earlier 80's JV & SQ series were Sen Ash which isn't actually Ash ,but a wood regionally available to Japan.

[@LightsaberGoBrrrrrr]

Basswood for sure. Incredibly common in east Asia and many times it’s substituted for poplar

[@boofert.washington2499]

I like how that mural of Kurt is actually David Spade lol. Thats fuckin FUNNY!

[@Blink-bi1nb]

VANDALISM: BEAUTIFUL AS A ROCK IN A COP'S FACE MAN NO ONE CAN COMPARE IN THIS STICKER

[@VicDryson]

Very cool video

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks!

[@rychcorporhate]

A little help with the Black and White Strat with the Black Slanted Humbucker, that yes, was smashed in the Studio during the recording of "Endless, Nameless" while they were recording Nevermind May 2-28, 1991. But that Stratocaster wasn't fully smashed, it just had the neck broke off, the next time this Strat is seen it had a semi-new make over it had a new Fender Stratocaster Neck, there was a Thin metal bridge pickup ring around the Black Humbucker but I don't think it was used to hold the Humbucker I think it was just screwed into the Pickguard, and then the Fender Stratocaster Bridge was removed and a Gibson Nashville Tune-o-Matic Bridge and Stop Tailpiece, was added to the Stratocaster, which can be seen during the Nevermind North American Tour September 20 - up until October 12, 1991 then it disappeared. So that Strat which most people Nickname the "Tune-o-Matic Strat" most likely was smashed at the October 12, 1991 Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL show when they decided to Smash Dave's Drumset so the tour manager who have to buy Dave a new set.

[@SecretsofRock]

Dude, that's rad! Where'd you learn that?

[@rychcorporhate]

@@SecretsofRock I am a huge Cobain Fan and I prefer much know everything about him and his gear he used. And there's pics/videos of Kurt using the Black/White Strat that had the black Humbucker with like a Thin metal Pickup Ring screwed into the Pickguard over the Humbucker, and the Fender Bridge was replaced with a Tune-o-Matic Bridge and Stop Tailpiece, he used it on the beginning of the Nevermind North American Tour, which started 09/20/91, you see that Strat really good at the footage of the 09/21/91 show, etc...

[@rychcorporhate]

@@SecretsofRock A little back history, Kurts very first Fender Stratocaster was a White 1990 MIJ Strat which he Added a Black Slanted Humbucker in the Bridge and added the "K" Records logo sticker on the upper body, which he got in October 1990, by March 1991 Kurt got a Black and White MIJ Fender Stratocaster, that had the Black Humbucker in the Bridge, Cobain used both of these Stratocasters the White "K" Strat was used from October 1990 - April 17, 1991 the Black and White Strat was used from March 1991 to May 1991 and was used during the Nevermind Sessions and was smashed on the Recording of "Endless, Nameless" then on June 10, 1991 Kurt started using the All Black 1991 MIJ Fender Stratocaster with the Black on White on Black Pickguard, 2 White Stock Single-Coil pickups and a Black Seymour Duncan '59 Neck Humbucker in the bridge, which he used for shows In June and August 1991 (by August that's when Kurt added the Feederz "Vandalism Beautiful As A Rock In A Cop's Face" Bumper Sticker. Then during the Nevermind North American Tour which was from September 20, 1991 - October 31, 1991 during September and early October Kurt is seen using the Black and White Strat again which has a New Fender Neck on it, and it looks like on the Headstock by the Fender Logo Kurt wrote "Chaka" in cursive, (Dave Wrote Chaka on his drums in the Teen Spirit Music Video, and on his Yellow TAMA drums on the TOM) Chaka was a Black Graffiti Artist from Los Angeles, who was Mysterious and no one knew who he was and when Nirvana was driving into Los Angeles to record Nevermind they would see alot of Chaka Graffiti around town so Dave added that to his Drums and on the Black and White Strat that had it's neck broken off during the Nevermind Sessions on Endless, Nameless Kurt used it again in September - October 1991 on Nevermind North American Tour, and I believe he wrote Chaka on the Headstock, still had the same Black Humbucker on it but now had like one of those thin Metal Ibanez Humbucker Ring around the Black Humbucker, but it looks like it wasn't even around the Humbucker it looks more like it was screwed into the Pickguard to look more "Punk" and then the Fender Stratocaster Bridge was replaced with a Gibson Les Paul style Tune-o-Matic Bridge and Stop Tailpiece. And it was used from September 20, 1991 - to at least October 12, 1991 that was the show at the Cabaret Metro Chicago IL where they Destroy Dave's Yellow Tama drums as he had them for 3 years and wanted to smash them so the tour manager would have to buy him a brand new set. So I think that show Kurt Smashed the Black and White Strat as well, because the next show 2 days later Kurt used his Jaguar and the 1969 Lake Placid Blue Competition Mustang with Matching Headstock (Mustang used in the Teen Spirit Music Video), which was used from 10/14/91 - 10/19/91 Despite Kurt babying this guitar, he trashed this guitar during the infamous Tree Club show. As a result, it had lower edge damage and a broken neck joint. (It was obviously fixed the bridge was replaced with a Stewart MacDonald Gotoh Tune-O-Matic (Kurt's favorite) before the Argentina trip in Oct '92 and it was also seen at the Hollywood Rock Festival Rio de Janeiro Brazil on January 23, 1993). But by October 20-23, 1991 Kurt started using the Vandalism Stratocaster again, which had several different necks first had the Fernandes LE-1 replacement Neck (which was also made in the Fejigen Factory in Japan as Kurts Japan Fender Stratocaster), then the Fernandes LE-1 Neck was broken off at the Paramount on Halloween 10/31/91 and Kurt started using a New White MIJ Fender Stratocaster in November 5, 1991 on the Nevermind European Tour, which was smashed on November 23, 1991 at Vooruit Ghent Belgium, and on November 25, 1991 at Paradiso, Amsterdam The Netherlands Kurt is seen with the Vandalism Stratocaster again this time has a Kramer Neck with No logo. Which was used from 11/25/91 - 12/07/91 and was never used again, Earnie Bailey (Kurts guitar tech) did add a new Fender Neck onto the Vandalism Strat sometime in 1992 but Kurt Never used it again. But as for the Black and White MIJ Fender Stratocaster that had the neck smashed off during the recording of Endless Nameless in May 1991. He's footage of Kurt playing that Strat with a Brand new Fender Neck, Thin Metal Humbucker Ring, and the Gibson Nashville Tune-o-Matic Bridge and Stop-Tailpiece. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJO1fKt6pbBmoNU

[@SHADOWBEAR82763]

I've built cabinets, furniture, and guitars since the late '80s. The close-up of the body wood @5:20 sure looks like Alder to me. Ash is lighter, and Mahogany is darker.

[@corneliuscrewe677]

There is no way that is a mahogany body based on that damaged section. Mahogany doesn’t break like that.

[@SecretsofRock]

That's what I thought too, but there are people who disagree.

[@vorpalblades]

It's definitely ash.

[@jl3nnox]

I believe it was merely that 1991 tour’s workhorse guitar that eventually got killed beautifully. However, I’ve always found something iconic about it...probably due to the posters of him with it at Reading ‘91. I built a pretty nice replica from various Mexican strats but mine had a Pearly Gates Plus humbucker (lonestar) in the Bridge as I preferred it to the JB that his apparently had.

[@richardg5301]

Maybe the pole pieces were off because the JB is a regular spaced pickup and not fender spaced. Seymour Duncan makes a version of the JB that's F-spaced, it's called the Trembucker TB-4.

[@8bitakvids]

This was so awesome. This guitar is my favorite one I think out of all the Kurt guitars. Where can I buy a replica? Who will ship one to Taiwan? Asking for any info, much appreciated, thanks in advance! It's gonna be my birthday present this year 🎂

[@VashStarwind]

Something that I would like to point out, The humbucker definitely wasnt there from the factory (at least not on that pick guard). That pick guard was originally that of a SSS configuration (3 single coil pickups), and was routed to accommodate the humbucker. You can tell because the original mounting holes for the original single coil pick up are there, those are the extra holes with no screws in them, next to the screws holding the humbucker to the pick guard. On a strat, the bridge single coil pickup is mounted at an angle. The only reason I noticed is because I am in the process of up grading my SSS strat to a HSS So he either bought the guitar used, and that added pickup was already added, or he added it like right when he got it, but I think the former is more likely seeing how he liked to get used guitars a lot

[@ryanfulldark2775]

Exactly correct.

[@ryanfulldark2775]

I just swapped the pickups in my 79 Strat to Antiquities. Like just yesterday lol. Literally put up the vid 2 hours ago. I observed the same thing, I’m glad you said it!

[@SecretsofRock]

Good catch, I agree.

[@tonym.villacruzvillacruz5728]

Foes anyone know what happened to the white strato with a K used at the mtv awards

[@SubversionGarage]

Just a note to add that the bridge pickup could be almost anything. The JB and '59 come in both standard spacing and wider term spacing as well as with or without a logo.

[@PopExpo]

Basswood or poplar. Import strats were usually made of one of these woods during that period.

[@ghost93700]

You make my day with these videos !

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks!

[@terrypussypower]

Were 5-way selector switches made by anyone else before Fender made them standard in 1977?

[@DavidMadeira29]

It was also very easy to add a fourth pick up and to change displacement of the heavy artillery...

[@matthewdrysdale260]

I’d love to see Mick Mars on here!

[@SecretsofRock]

I like that idea.

[@angelotro]

As much as BC Rich Warlocks looked right for Shout at the Devil stagewear, he looked good played the Strats on the more recent shows. They sit on him well. The ESPs played between those periods were kinda generic. I guess if a company is paying you to play them and your chugging vodka onstage, it doesn't matter. Yeah, cover Mick! He's a badass.

[@Blink-bi1nb]

WHEN KURT THROW A BEAUTIFUL FENDER STRAT IN THE AIR AND BLOW IN PIECES THATS MAKES SMILE THAT HE'S NOT DEAD

[@danielsgrunge]

The TB-4 is the same as the SH4 but it has different string spacing tho... But it doesnt really sound like a JB/TB imo btw

[@SecretsofRock]

There are some people who've made replicas and complete the JB and 59 with some live footage and the 59 does sound closer, at least on the video, maybe different live.

[@AsyncVoid]

About the Seymour Duncan JB... Fender bridges are wider than that of Gibson bridges. 2" vs 1.9". Seymour Duncan has the SH-4 which is the regular JB "humbucker" which fits anywhere in a Gibson and in the neck of a Fender but when placed in the bridge of the Fender it will not line up. Seymour Duncan also have the TB-4 which is the JB "trembucker" which is the same but wider, to fit Fender and tremolo bridges like the Floyd Rose. Therefore it could definitely be SH-4 in there.

[@AsyncVoid]

Its also very possible he took it out of the white strat. As its common to fit a humbucker slanted in the bridge of a Fender because of this size issue. If you do this you'll see that at least one set of magnets will be lined up with the strings.

[@SH-ei3ql]

Kurts vandalism was removed from that Seattle museum, I have no idea why.

[@SecretsofRock]

Those bastards!

[@dwellerinblack7816]

With the current political events going on, and the fact that it has an anti cop sticker is prolly why.

[@StevenPhillips]

@@dwellerinblack7816 in Seattle… doubt that’s the reason why

[@the_golfpunk]

the reason is why the strings don‘t align is just that the bridge of a strat is wider than for ex. gibson. they never really align if its a neck or bridge humbucker pickup. they just align if you buy a so called f-spaced pickup. they a bit wider like the fender wide range humbucker. some other companies make f-spaced humbuckers for strats or teles. but soundwise the alignment doesn‘t really matter. i tried both.

[@SecretsofRock]

And that's my mistake. I did another video where I mentioned trembuckers and f-spacing and forgot about it when making this one and people are correct to call me out on it.

[@twenty3electronics]

A Japanese Strat from that era almost certainly has a basswood body.

[@chriskucholtz6967]

Thats what I was thinking. And almost definitely not mahagony.

[@SecretsofRock]

I agree, I just had to include mahogany as a possibility because I've read that they did use mahogany on some Japanese Fender during that time period.

[@chriskucholtz6967]

@@SecretsofRock interesting. Never seen one though... almost all Basswood.

[@talaris-uk]

There were several that used alder from this era, though basswood was more common. My 1990 ST62 MIJ is basswood. Ive never heard of mahogany unless it was a Fender special run; the wood colour would appear much darker in that case.

[@popsanddais]

something i think is worth noting about the pickup, is that ernie said they'd occasionally use neck humbuckers for the "smasher" guitars. gives a bit more merit to it being a neck 59

[@edphillips8578]

You've made a point about the string spacing on the Vandalism Strat bridge not match the Seymour Duncan JB pickup. Well that's normal as the string spacing on a Strat is slightly wider in comparison to a Gibson type bridge pickup: The JB bridge pickup will be G spaced at 49.2mm from E-E A Fender pickup is spaced at 52.5mm from E-E A difference of 3.3mm between the two, that's why they don't match up.

[@steverice7546]

The Fender Stratocaster, also known as a “Strat”….. So glad they cleared that one up right off the bat.

[@jeradcurtis]

That mural of David Spade is such a great troll.

[@beaumowery5610]

7:53 they have different spacings to match a tune o matic or a trem (f spaced), he probably just got the tune o matic by mistake and didnt care

[@springfieldsk8r]

At 11:23 you say…”So where is Vandy now?”. Is that what Kurt called the guitar or why was that said?

[@waynepayne864]

impeccable research

[@muletsag300]

My favorite part is you discussing about the FujiGen Fernandes factory, where interestingly Billie Joe also got his Blue Strat (California).

[@gunzngrunge9383]

Why was David Spade painted on the side of that building?

[@Lucyferrer1]

i love also his sunburst strat that has a hot rail bridge pick up

[@SecretsofRock]

Excellent choice.

[@mirata7748]

He had like a bunch of hotrail strat's, he also had a olympic white stock strat he used for a while which I like

[@jerk5959]

I'd wager that the body is basswood. Japan uses a lot of basswood in their domestic guitar industry.

[@procrastinator6902]

The biggest question I have about this guitar, and several of his others is: Why do they just say "Fender" on the headstock and nothing else? Fender guitars have several other smaller words on the headstock but his didn't for some reason 🤔

[@chriskucholtz6967]

Because its left-handed. At that time, Fender only put "Fender" on most left-handed headstocks.

[@Nothing-qq4hd]

Lefty

[@jasonmccann257]

The original neck had a "Fender Stratocaster " decal on it. The replacement necks that came from Fender, only had a "Fender" logo on it. If you wanted the full decal, you had to send the neck to either Fender, or an authorized Fender repair shop to get a full decal slapped on. Back then it was easier to just slap a replacement neck on it.

[@jaybirdgenetics]

Alder body. Definitely modded for the humbucker cause you can see the original mounting holes for the single coil.

[@SecretsofRock]

Good call.

[@스즈]

I think the body material of Vandy is basswood. According to a brochure of Fender Japan in 1990, there were two options of body material for rosewood fretboard strats. Alder and basswood. It might be basswood strat because it was cheaper than Alder body models. (Kurt preferred MIJ models for cheaper price & smaller frets.) Cracks on body are quite white colored, so it seems to be basswood. And lightness of basswood could be the good reason for my opinion because Kurt had suffered for his back issue during his whole life.

[@fidelity5993]

What’s the song in the background here?

[@elang7961]

Pls Do Brian May red special guitar

[@SecretsofRock]

Literally working on it today :)

[@spidermanfan.3161]

Also even though I didn’t ask or requested for it still thank you so much and come to think that I actually have that Guitar Yep have the real thing. it’s a right handed one but it’s the real deal I’m not kidding it is, you can check it out on my nevermind 30th anniversary riffs video where i’m using it there :D

[@Rjhorning]

I have a few Cobain guitars myself man. They're awesome, and I love every 1 of them.

[@spidermanfan.3161]

@@Rjhorning well the only one i have is the vandalism strat and im been baby it and Playing with it ever since

[@Rjhorning]

@@spidermanfan.3161 Awesome, thats cool man. If I'm being honest, its a pain in the ass having alot of guitars. I feel like I'm neglecting 1 of my children if I don't play them all regularly. I sometimes wish I only had 1 to worry about lol.

[@spidermanfan.3161]

@@Rjhorning hahah XD

[@jamesdereybekill755]

9:02 I have never weezed so suddenly

[@brianwilliams9791]

Going out on a limb, but fender Japan used basswood on a lot of stuff back then, it doesn't look like mahogany, and given Kurt's back issues, the super lightweight basswood, might make sense.

[@SecretsofRock]

Agree on the basswood. I had to include mahogany as a possibility though because people would roast me in the comments if I didn't.

[@_.NERDVANA._]

The “not her” moment 😂😂😂

[@tomjoad8939]

is the trem bridge clear? it looks like clear in all the pics

[@im_a_stain7874]

I suggested this lolololo thank youu

[@SecretsofRock]

Thanks for the idea!

[@tyrssen1]

LOL "Not her" ... Ain't it the truth!

[@SecretsofRock]

Glad you like it.

[@nialld2638]

Where is the lake placid blue mustang that was used in teen spirit video?

[@SecretsofRock]

That's a rad guitar and I hope to find out all of its secrets.

[@khristore]

Great video. Thank you for your work. I'll be making my 19th "Vandalism Strat" next week. Maybe you'd like my work as well Chris from France

[@viktorr5060]

Pls, make video about his univoxes!

[@SecretsofRock]

Cool idea. I just added that to the list of guitars.

[@RadicalSharkRS]

"Not her" Lmao

[@SecretsofRock]

Hope it wasn't too mean.

[@MinutesFromVegas]

What about Billy Corgans Gish Strat?

[@enriquepastor3626]

Would be cool if you made a vid about his sonic blue mustangs and his mosrites/gospels

[@SecretsofRock]

I love his blue Mustang with the matching headstock, if I can find enough info I'll do a video.

[@enriquepastor3626]

@@SecretsofRock Great! I can see the effort you put into these videos man and I really appreciate it.. Also I think the competition Mustang hasn't a great story, I think it's just a nice guitar he got with they money DGC gave them to buy equipment to record Nevermind and promote, but I could be wrong and the guitar has more meaning and history than that... Cheers from Spain!!

[@mammontustado9680]

1:56 that's exactly the reason why John Mayer left them for PRS

[@breadbowl4766]

please do all of billy corgans guitars from 1991-1996

[@breadbowl4766]

both gish strats, i love my mom strat, bat strat, 9/6 strat, geek usa strat, star strat, etc if i forgot any

[@xiiizay9033]

Why does the wall mural of him 3:38 look like David spade 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheTurkey79]

It may be basswood, I have a K series 1990 MIJ Fender P- Bass and it is Basswood

[@joeking433]

I bought a 2007 American Standard Strat and the strings don't go over the bridge pickup either. I thought it was a neck pickup.

[@BlueStratDude]

Regarding the last neck before it died... everybody calls it a Kramer neck but where is that documented? It has no logo and it's a different shape, with a less pointy "point". I've also heard people say it's a Samick neck but the curves and lines aren't quite right for a Samick either.