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| Six Million Dollar Man |
Six Million Dollars for a 1959 Martin guitar! Unbelievable!! But it is true.
In 1959 one could have purchased a brand-new Martin D-18e guitar for $235. A regular Martin D-18 had a retail price of $175. The deluxe hard-shell case was $22.00.
The Rowe-DeArmond Company of Toledo, Ohio was the best quality source for many of these guitar pickups.
On November 18th of 2024 that Martin acoustic-electric guitar went on to sell for a record-breaking $6 million at auction. Kurt’s guitar, serial number 155864, was just number 7 out of 302 that were manufactured in 1959 according to Julien’s Auction House.
The Cobain Martin D-18e guitar will join the RCM Museum’s extraordinary collection, which includes what is believed to be the oldest surviving guitar in existence, made in 1581 in Lisbon by luthier Belchior Dias.
The D-18E and the D-28E both bore two chrome sided pickups which were typical of the day with large polepieces on one side and smaller ones on the other. These were replete with twin volume and twin tone knobs and a three-way pickup control switch on the top upper bout.
The pickguard needed to be cut to maintain the pickup rings.
The 00-18E had only one similar DeArmond that was mounted at the bottom of the neck. There was a single volume and tone controls for this model.
All of these guitars had the same accoutrements as their acoustic cousins. All had a spruce top. The D-18E and the 00-18E had mahogany back and sides and the D-28E had rosewood back and sides. The D-28E had gold plated Grover Roto tuners.
The sixty-dollar difference was considered an upgrade for the addition of two DeArmond pickups and wiring.
Piezo technology was invented in the late 1800’s it was not used on a guitar until the early 1970’s. Early players were confined to either using a microphone or an electro-magnetic pickup.
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| Rowe DeArmond Pickup |
In early 1992 Kurt Cobain purchased a 1959 D-18E from Voltage Guitars in Los Angeles. Even then it was a significant purchase as it cost $5,000. This was the guitar he famously played during Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance, a moment that's now etched in rock history.
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| 6 Million Dollar Guitar |
This guitar originally came equipped with two DeArmond pickups. However given Kurt’s guitar string preference, those stock DeArmond pickups didn’t sound very good with bronze-wound strings that Kurt was using, He fitted this guitar with an additional Bartolini 3AV sound hole pickup – which Kurt already tried out on his Epiphone Texan.
After Kurt’s passing, it seems that the guitar ended up with his daughter, Francis Bean. She kept it at the secret vault in Seattle, together with the rest of Kurt’s belongings.
According to TMZ, in 2018, the guitar ended up with Isaiah Silva, Francis’ ex-husband, as a part of the divorce settlement agreement.
Soon after, it was auctioned through Julien’s, and ended up with RODE Microphones founder, Peter Freedman. The final price was $6 million, which makes this guitar the most expensive guitar ever sold through auction at the time of writing this. What I find fascinating is the actual purchase price was $6,010,000. This meant someone else possibly bid six million dollars and that price was beat!
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| Royal College of Music |
The Royal College of Music has also confirmed that Cobain’s D-18E will anchor a new international touring exhibition planned for 2026, following the success of Kurt Cobain: Unplugged, an in-house exhibition that drew more than 15,000 visitors.
I was surprised that many players were unaware the C.F. Martin company at one time offered a small series of electric guitars.
The original instruments were the D-18E, the D-28E and the 00-18E, and were traditional Martin acoustic guitars that came with added single coil electric pickups, wiring, a selector switch, and volume/tone controls on the instrument's lower bout.
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| D-28E wiring |
The pickguard needed to be cut to maintain the pickup rings.
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| 1959 O-18E |
The 00-18E had only one similar DeArmond that was mounted at the bottom of the neck. There was a single volume and tone controls for this model.
All of these guitars had the same accoutrements as their acoustic cousins. All had a spruce top. The D-18E and the 00-18E had mahogany back and sides and the D-28E had rosewood back and sides. The D-28E had gold plated Grover Roto tuners.
In reviewing these guitars I am shocked to learn the current asking prices are between $25,000 and $50,000 for these vintage instruments.
Besides the pickups the biggest difference between the electric and acoustic models of this series was, due to the pickups mounting, the electrics were made with transverse bracing on the top. This changed the sound when the guitar was played acoustically. Subsequently they sound thinner than a typical X braced Martin.
Although Martin guitars did not become expensive until around 1973, electric guitar pickups that are screwed into a Martin acoustic guitar and holes drilled into the top along with ladder bracing.
Besides the pickups the biggest difference between the electric and acoustic models of this series was, due to the pickups mounting, the electrics were made with transverse bracing on the top. This changed the sound when the guitar was played acoustically. Subsequently they sound thinner than a typical X braced Martin.
Although Martin guitars did not become expensive until around 1973, electric guitar pickups that are screwed into a Martin acoustic guitar and holes drilled into the top along with ladder bracing.
Besides Curt Kobain, the only other artist I recall using a similar Martin electric instrument was Tracy Chapman when she first became famous. She owned a 1958 or '59 Martin D-18E.
The D-18E was discontinued within a year. The D-28E and the 00-18E were produced through 1964.
The D-18E was discontinued within a year. The D-28E and the 00-18E were produced through 1964.
If not for the provenance of this D-18E being associated with Curt Kobain, this guitar would certainly not be worth Six Million Dollars.
©UniqueGuitar Publications (text only) 2026
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13 comments:
It’s amazing how a single instrument can become much more than just a guitar. Kurt Cobain’s 1959 Martin D-18E represents a special moment in music history, where craftsmanship, personality, and an unforgettable performance came together. The fact that such a rare model was once an unusual experiment from Martin makes its story even more fascinating. It’s a great reminder that the value of an instrument often comes from the memories and emotions attached to it, not only the materials used to make it. For more interesting discoveries and topics online, you can also visit https://thor-fortunes.org/.
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Una storia davvero affascinante per gli amanti della musica e degli strumenti vintage. La Martin D-18E non è solo una chitarra rara, ma un pezzo di storia del rock, soprattutto grazie al legame con la celebre esibizione degli MTV Unplugged dei Nirvana. È incredibile pensare a come uno strumento acquistato decenni fa possa diventare un simbolo culturale dal valore enorme. Questi oggetti dimostrano che la musica conserva emozioni e ricordi che possono superare il semplice prezzo di mercato. Per chi ama anche scoprire nuove forme di intrattenimento online, può dare un’occhiata a https://nao-bet.it.com/.
Martin’s “Six Million Dollar Guitar” is a fascinating example of how craftsmanship, history, and storytelling can turn an instrument into something truly extraordinary. For guitar enthusiasts, the appeal goes beyond the price—it is about the details, materials, and legacy behind a remarkable instrument.
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A six million dollar guitar – that's truly in a league of its own! I wonder if it's the historical significance, the craftsmanship, or the materials that drive the price so high. For guitar enthusiasts who want a break from drooling over dream axes, realzcasino offers some light entertainment. What makes this particular Martin so special and valuable?
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A six-million-dollar Martin guitar is an incredible piece of music history! The craftsmanship, rare woods, and legendary story behind instruments like this never fail to amaze guitar enthusiasts. When I take a short break after reading fascinating articles about vintage gear and unique instruments, I like to check out https://duo-spin.it/. Thanks for sharing such an extraordinary guitar story!
It’s incredible how an instrument that originally cost only a few hundred dollars can eventually become worth millions because of its history. I came across ivybet casino while reading about vintage guitars and famous instruments, and some of the auction prices are astonishing. Kurt Cobain’s connection to this Martin makes it much more than just a rare guitar—it became part of music history. Stories like this make vintage instruments fascinating even for people who aren’t collectors.
It's mind-blowing to think how a guitar that cost around $235 back in 1959 ended up shattering records at over $6 million! Kurt Cobain’s modified D-18E from that iconic MTV Unplugged session is pure rock history. The fact that he had to slap a Bartolini pickup in the soundhole just to make his preferred strings work with those stock DeArmonds shows how much of a DIY approach he took to his tone—which makes the astronomical auction price even more surreal.
It’s awesome that Peter Freedman shared it with the Royal College of Music so fans can actually see it in person. Stepping back to look at crazy record-breakers like that really reminds you how much a bit of luck and legendary history can raise the stakes. Whenever you're taking a quick break from diving into vintage gear lore or reading up on famous rock memorabilia, taking a relaxed spin over at https://oscar-spins.com.de/ is a fun way to reset.
Martin's short-lived early attempt at factory electric-acoustics was definitely ahead of its time, but Cobain cementing that oddball instrument in music history is easily one of the best gear stories out there!
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The wildest part of this story is how far the guitar traveled from its original purpose. In 1959 it was a $235 instrument with an unusual pickup setup; decades later, Cobain turned that particular D-18E into an instantly recognizable piece of music history, and suddenly the price had almost nothing to do with the wood or electronics. The $6,010,000 auction result really feels like someone put a number on a cultural artifact rather than a guitar. And knowing it’s headed into a museum collection makes the story even better—it gets to be seen rather than locked away forever. You can find plenty of other unexpected rabbit holes while browsing https://boomerangbet-ita.net/.
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