Fender Venus Owned by Courtney Love ex Hole Surf Green 1994 Custom Shop Guitar SOLD
Out of stock
Here for sale is a Fender Venus in Surf Green Custom Shop guitar from 1994 built by master guitar builder Larry Brooks.
This is a very special guitar one of the few times Fender produced a brand new body shape which is designed in collaboration with Courtney Love. It takes design styling from a Rickenbacker and a rare model played by Courtney called a Mercury and the end result is the Venus, a true goddess of the guitar world. The finish is a beautiful Surf Green and it has an exquisite neck with a stunning grain. It has a matching Surf green headstock and Sperzel locking tuners. The guitar is very distinct as it does not have a volume or tone knob at Courtney’s request, so when playing live there was less to go wrong or knocked onstage and diving into the crowds! Courtney adorned the guitar with very eye catching glitter hearts which can be seen on stage with her at Hole’s famous MTV Music Awards in 1995. The guitar has a string through body and currently has a Schaller Bridge which was used for more adjustability as well as the original Japanese made Tunomatic stye bridge. It also features creamy white binding around the neck reminiscent of the classic mid to late ’60’s Jazzmasters and Jaguars. The guitar is very rare as these Fender Venus’ were only ever made for Courtney Love herself and Fender made a run of Squier Venus’ which have been very collectable in their own right. The Squier Venus Surf Green model is based on this very guitar. The guitar comes with its original G & G USA made case which was used when it was not in Courtney’s touring guitar rack and includes the signed Larry Brooks letter. This guitar was kept with Courtney at her famous Lake Washington home she shared with Kurt Cobain. It even has the last strings on it that were played by Courtney Love also has all of the original pick scratches and other play wear from Courtney. There is a small paint chip on the back of the guitar near the top and a couple of surface dings on the back. At one concert the guitar suffered a partial headstock face split which was carefully repaired by her guitar tech and is completely stable. The neck itself is completely intact and is made of beautiful birds eye maple. A time capsule piece and a genuine piece of Rock ‘n’ Roll history, used on numerous legendary performances such as the 1994 Lollapalooza tour, the MTV Video Music Awards 1995 performance and the Reading Festival in 1995, tracks from which can be heard on the Hole ‘My Body the Hand Grenade’ album.
Watch the MTV performance here: https://youtu.be/KZfKG-e15qs
Here is what Larry Brooks had to say about the guitar:
Courtney Love’s Fender prototype Venus guitar from the 90’s, played during her days with Hole shortly after the passing on Kurt. This guitar was rocked out with by her! Built at Fender USA Custom Shop (Artist Relations) It was toured with Hole and kept at home by Courtney at Lake Washington house that Kurt and her had purchased in 1994.
This is a rare guitar and a historic piece as Courtney and Bonnie Raitt were the fist two women to have fully custom guitars built for them from the custom shop. It was built by Mr. Larry Brooks (one of the first at the Fender Custom Shop, and the head of Fender Artist relations). His builds are some of the best Fender Custom Shop builds ever. Before this project with Courtney, he worked with Kurt Cobain to build the Fender Jag-Stang which is an iconic guitar.
This is from the included signed letter by Larry Brooks (Fender master-builder–built the guitar):
“Regarding Courtney Love’s guitar: I was the Artist Relations Builder at Fender during the 90’s when I built/designed this guitar, serial number CN402003. It was owned and played by Courtney Love. I worked closely with her to build this prototype. It was 1 of 3 guitars that were built for her during that time period. Fender model “Venus” is what ensued.
Courtney played this guitar during many of her shows, including Lollapalooza (see photo). During one show the guitar was dropped/broken and someone, presumably her guitar tech, re-glued the headstock. The guitar has been left as it was when it came to me.
I designed this ballsy-toned guitar to include many custom aspects, like the bound custom shaped neck, matching painted headstock, absence of a volume knob, custom shape pick-guard, custom body shape, and strings that flare over the tune-o-matic bridge through the body. I designed the custom body shape. At the request of Courtney’s manager, a volume knob was left out of the build because she apparently would keep turning it up louder and louder.
I used Fender U.S.A. Custom Shop decals with my name on it for artist guitars. There is one on Courtney’s guitar underneath the finish on the back of the headstock.”
You may also like…
Follow Us on Social Media
Gibson 2017 Les Paul Traditional Antique Burst Guitar with Burstbucker pickups and the original case @guitarsmiths #gibson #traditional #antique #BURST #guitar #guitarsmith #hamburg #germany #international #shipping #rock #traditional #cool #modern #pop #indie #alternative #Classic #future
Youtube
Gibson 2011 Songwriter Deluxe Ex Richie Sambora Bon Jovi Guitar Guitarsmith Demo
Fender 2019 American Performer Jazzmaster Guitarsmith Guitar Demo
Fender 1966 Shoreline Gold Mustang Guitarsmith Guitar Demo
Fender 1966 Mustang Red Guitarsmith Vintage Guitar Demo
Gibson J45 Studio Natural Guitarsmith Guitar Demo
Gibson J-45 Studio Walnut Burst Acoustic Guitar Demo by Guitarsmith
Fender Mustang 1966 Sonic Blue Guitarsmith Custom Guitar
Fender Mustang 1966 Olympic White Zebra JB Humbucker Guitarsmith Custom Guitar Demo
Fender Mustang 1966 Olympic White Guitarsmith Custom Guitar Demo
Guitarsmith Fender 2021 Jim Root Signature Jazzmaster Arctic White Guitar Demo
Guitarsmith Fender American 2020 Acoustasonic Ziricote Exotic Wood Stratocaster Guitar Demo
Guitarsmith Fender 1993 Olympic White Stratocaster Same Model as Kurt Cobain Played Guitar Demo
A selection of Vintage Fender Guitarsmith Custom Guitars currently available @guitarsmith
A selection of Vintage Fender Guitarsmith Custom Guitars currently available @guitarsmith (SHORT)
Fender Meteora HH 2019 Surf Green Alternate Reality Guitarsmith Guitar Demo
Gibson Grabber II Guitarsmith Bass Guitar Demo
Guitarsmith Fender Jag Stang Original Run Fiesta Red Kurt Cobain Nirvana Guitar
Guitarsmith Squier Venus 12 String Guitar Ex Jimi Hendrix Bassist Noel Redding Demo
Guitarsmith Univox Phase 3 Sunburst Kurt Cobain Nirvana Guitar Demo
Guitarsmith Fender 1978 Metal Mustang Custom Guitar Demo Seymour Duncan Black Winter + JB Jr
Guitarsmith Fender Jaguar 2017 HH Special Olympic White Guitar Demo
Fender 2011 Kurt Cobain Mustang Signature Sonic Blue Left Handed Nirvana Guitar Demo Guitarsmith
Fender 2011 Kurt Cobain Mustang Signature Lake Placid Blue Left Handed Nirvana Guitar Guitarsmith
Guitarsmith Fender Meteora 2019 Surf Green Alternate Reality Guitar at Guitarsmith
Guitarsmith Aria Pro II Kurt Cobain Nirvana Bleach era Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Competition Mustang Bass 1971 Lake Placid Blue Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Ibanez Black Eagle Vintage Bass Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Gibson Ripper II Bass Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Jag Stang Shell Pink Kurt Cobain Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Mosrite Gospel Kurt Cobain Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang Fiesta Red 'Roseland Ballroom' Guitar Demo Olly Smith Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Jag Stang Fiesta Red Left Handed Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Kurt Cobain Road Worn Left Handed Jaguar Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Gibson Les Paul Coppertop Ex Chris Cornell Band Logi Lonich Guitar Demo Olly Smith Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Chris Shiflett Telecaster Arctic White 2012 Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith PRS Custom 24 Aqua Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender 1964 Jaguar Olympic White Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Jag Stang Sonic Blue Left Handed Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Mustang Candy Apple Red 2002 Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Univox Hi Flier Custom Phase 1 Sunburst Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Lake Placid Blue Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Top Twenty 1960's Vintage Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Stratocaster ST 62 Sunburst Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Mustang MG73 Olympic White Japan Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Mustang MG69 Sonic Blue Kurt Cobain Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Mustang MG69 Sunburst Kurt Cobain Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Stratocaster ST 62 Black Kurt Cobain Strat Japan Guitar Demo Olly Smith Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender XII Sunburst 1966 12 String Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Stratocaster ST 62 Sunburst Gold Hardware Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil
Guitarsmith Fender Stratocaster ST 62 Torino Red Japan Strat USA PU Guitar Demo Olly Smith The Vigil