Fender "Vandalism" Stratocaster main image

Fender "Vandalism" Stratocaster

This instrument is classified as iconic due to its unique significance. It holds historical or cultural importance and is tied to a renowned moment, artist, or story.

4.5 (20)

5 Reviews

Find out who is using Fender "Vandalism" Stratocaster

1 community setup

42 wishlisted

59 saved

Page last updated Apr 12, 2026

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Videos

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Secrets of Rock

Kurt Cobain Vandalism Strat History | Guitars of the Gods

Secrets of Rock

Comparing 5 Kurt Cobain Fender Guitars | Nirvana Tones

NirvanaGuitars

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Fender "Vandalism" Stratocaster.

Mods and upgrades

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A humbucker in the bridge position, like the Super Distortion, is essential for achieving the desired tone of a Vandalism Strat.
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A Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59 humbucker is recommended for enhancing tone, along with replacing potis and a proper output jack for improved electronics.
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Features and functionality

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Kurt Cobain's Vandalism Strat did not use a tremolo bar, which is crucial for an authentic replication.
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The unique illusion of screws through the pickguard and sticker creates a visual effect as if the pickguard is transparent.
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Use cases and applications

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Emulating the wear and tear of a punk band guitar involves intentional damage, mimicking the environment of live performances.
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Setup and maintenance

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Duct tape was used to secure the guitar strap, preventing accidental drops during energetic performances.
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Other

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Achieving the authentic Vandalism Strat look involves replicating gig-related damage patterns, like dings and chips from being thrown or dropped.
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The Feederz sticker, sourced from their 1984 album, adds an authentic touch to the guitar’s appearance.
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Build quality

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The thick poly and clear coat finish protects well but makes achieving natural wear difficult, with unpredictable paint chipping.
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User experience

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Owners note that replicating Kurt's specific scratch marks involved intentional wear, such as dragging the guitar over a rock.
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4.5 out of 5

Based on 5 Reviews and 20 Ratings

5 star

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1 star

johnpickk_

874

over 8 years ago

My Replica :D

Made my replica from a Squier - turned Fender... It's been bashed around, and I'm currently in the process of refretting and finishing it!

kaine_delay

146

about 9 years ago

Vandalism Strat right handed model replica

Just found a Barracuda Strat copy for $40 cdn on Craigslist; installing humbuckers black pick guard and sticker soon.

UPDATE it's done. Will post pics as soon as I figure out how.

johnpickk

almost 9 years ago

I made a replica, and I love it!

Mine's got a JB in it, and I love strats, so yeah.... what's not to love!

whyu_doto

about 9 years ago

Fernandes

well actually kurt cobain is use Fernandes guitar not fender

jimmarchi1

41010

9 years ago about 9 years ago

this is going to be deleted eventually, and yeah, this one was a modded fernandez

skylinerr

5339

7 years ago over 7 years ago

no it was a fender the neck was replaced with a fernandes neck when he snapped the fender and then it had a kramer neck

daniel_rivas_jr

136

almost 11 years ago

this is a great guitar

this is my main guitar i like to us when my band plays shows

jimmarchi1

41010

11 years ago almost 11 years ago

what, did you make your own replica?

Artist usage

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Kurt Cobain

Singer, Guitarist

Nirvana

Verified via Photo

In this photo Cobain can be seen with a Japanese-Made 1991 Fender Stratocaster. K-Serial Number. It has undergone many Neck changes over time (in this photo shows the original Fender neck) which than by October 1991 had a Fernandes Strat Neck installed (which was also made in the Fejigen Factory in Japan same Factory that makes Fender Japan Guitars) This Guitar was later destroyed while preforming Live at the Paramount in 1991 while preforming the song "Endless Nameless" (During which at 0:59 the Fernandes Headstock can be seen). The Next time the "Vandalism" Stratocaster was seen was at the 11/25/1991 Paradiso, Amsterdam NL show which now had a Kramer Neck installed on it, it was used until 12/07/1991 when this guitar was destroyed....and Never used again.... (Sometime in 1992 Kurt's guitar Tech Earnie Bailey added a New Fender Neck to the body but Kurt never used it again) it Now sits in a Unidentified Secret Storage Facility in Seattle WA.