Kurt Cobain’s guitar on eBay for charity auction

The legendary Nirvana frontman’s Hagstrom Blue Sparkle Deluxe guitar is available to buy on auction website eBay, with a portion of proceeds going to charity.

Kurt Cobain owned the antique Hagstrom from 1992 until his death in 1994. Following this, Courtney Love gave it to close friend of Cobain’s, who allegedly was also a member of a Seattle-based grunge group. Eventually, it ended up with Nathan Fasold, a collector in Portland.

"It still has finger grime in the fretboard...this is something that has never displayed in any museums," said Fasold.

The guitar has been authenticated by Earnie Bailey, a tour technician for Nirvana, who delivered the instrument to Cobain and converted it to its current left-handed orientation.

Bailey says that Kobain bought the guitar as an early Christmas present to himself, after which it “stayed with him until the end.” It is a 1958-1960 Deluxe Model 90.

Youtube embed code:

The eBay auction opens on 16 February for 10 days, closing on the 26th - six days after what would have been the singers' 50th birthday.

10 per cent of the winning bid will go to Transition Projects, a Portland-based nonprofit that helps more than 10,000 people every year transition from homelessness to housing, and advocated for right of all people to a place they can call home.

Several of Cobain’s guitars have been sold before, with a Fender being sold for  $100,000 in 2008 and his Mark IV Gospel being sold for $131,000 in 2006.

Other memorabilia has been sold over the years, including a cardigan of Cobain's for £93,000 along with the singer's childhood home.