Kurt Cobain’s Smells Like Teen Spirit 1969 Competition Blue Fender Mustang is going on display in London before auction

Recently, it was announced that Kurt Cobain’s Nevermind-era Fender Mustang is due to go up for sale as part of Julien’s Auctions Music Icons collection, alongside Cobain’s 1965 Dodge Dart. Now, Nirvana and Cobain fans have the opportunity to see the guitar in the flesh, as it’s set to be put on display at London’s Hard Rock Cafe.

Between 28 April and May 3, the iconic 1969 Competition Blue (or Competition Burgundy as the Fender catalogue called it) Fender Mustang will be free to view at the Picadilly Circus venue. 

The Hard Rock Cafe says, “We've partnered with Julien's Auctions to give you an exclusive, sneak peak of Kurt Cobain’s iconic electric guitar used in Nirvana’s landmark ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ music video.”

“See Kurt's 1969 Fender Mustang electric guitar used by the Nirvana frontman in their seminal and cultural defining 1991 music video, which ignited the alternative rock revolution.

“The guitar will be on display at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus in our external retail window from April 28th through to May 3rd. View daily 10am - 11pm (*ending 4pm on May 3rd).

While the guitar only saw limited live use throughout Nirvana’s career, Cobain did occasionally use the Competition Mustang on stage. Notably, it appeared in action at Nirvana’s release show for Nevermind at Seattle’s Beehive Music & Video store alongside his distinctive 1965 Fender Jaguar.

However, it was its appearance in the Smell Like Teen Spirit video that cemented the Mustang’s place in history, eventually becoming the basis for the now-discontinued Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang.