KURT COBAIN’S ELECTRIC GUITAR SOLD FOR R11.4 MILLION

A smashed up guitar signed by Kurt Cobain has sold for what’s believed to be almost 10 times its estimated value.

The Hard Rock Café in New York City recently auctioned off the black, left-handed Fender Stratocaster for R11.4 million.

The guitar was the headline item during the three-day auction of pieces of rock history.

After the guitar was smashed up, it was reassembled. It remains unplayable and is signed by all three of the band’s member in silver ink. On the guitar’s neck there’s an engravement that reads “Boddah Lives”. It’s believed it’s a reference to Cobain’s imaginary friend when he was a child.

The guitar also contains a message from Cobain to his friend Mark Lanegan of the band Screaming Trees: “Hell-o Mark! Love, Your Pal, Kurdt Kobain/Washed up rockstar”.

Julien’s Auctioneers staged the sale at the Hard Rock Café said the guitar was smashed up “during Nirvana’s seminal Nervermind era”, although no further specific details were provided.

CNN reports that Nirvana’s popularity soared with their second album, Nevermind. Released in September 1991, the record had sold more than 1 million copies in the US by the end of that year. In 1992, it reached the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 -  and has spent 472 weeks on the chart.

Image credit: Sky News