On the Record: Nirvana's Love Buzz 7-Inch — How to Spot an Original 1988 Sub Pop Single

Nirvana's first single, "Love Buzz" backed with "Big Cheese", was released by Sub Pop on 1 November 1988 as catalogue number SP23. Originals come in a fold-over paper sleeve hand-numbered in red marker out of 1,000, and the side A runout carries the hand-etched line "Why Don't You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels?". Counterfeits are common, so those details matter. Genuine copies now sell for several thousand US dollars.

Quick check: is my Love Buzz single real?

• Catalogue number: SP23 on Sub Pop.
• Sleeve: a single folded sheet, so the front and back are continuous. The back has a "____/1000" space filled in by hand in red marker, or a red slash on unnumbered copies.
• Credits: the names Alice Wheeler and Susanne Sasic on the back are sharp and easy to read.
• Vinyl: black, 45 rpm, with printed labels on both sides. Any coloured vinyl is a fake.
• Runouts: side A is hand-etched "SP-23-A Why Don't You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels? L-31540". Side B is hand-etched "SP-23-B L-31540X". Both sides are also machine-stamped "Kdisc".

The first Sub Pop Singles Club release

"Love Buzz" was Nirvana's first official release and the first record sent to members of Sub Pop's new Singles Club, a subscription that sent members a year's worth of limited-edition singles. The A-side is a cover of the 1969 Shocking Blue song, written by Robbie van Leeuwen. The B-side, "Big Cheese", is a Nirvana original.

Both songs were recorded at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle and produced by Jack Endino with the band. The back of the sleeve credits "Kurdt Kobain" on vocals and guitar, "Chris Novoselic" on bass and Chad Channing on drums. The single version of "Love Buzz" opens with a short sound-collage intro that was dropped when the song was remixed for Bleach in 1989.

The sleeve: what an original looks like

The sleeve features photographs of the band by Alice Wheeler, with jacket design by Lisa Orth and label design by Susanne Sasic. It is a fold-over paper sleeve, not a card picture sleeve.

A Sub Pop invoice shows 1,200 sleeves were printed. About 1,000 were hand-numbered in red marker. The rest, roughly 100 to 200, have a red slash where the number would go and were given to Sub Pop staff and friends or sent overseas. Some reports suggest Australia received more exported copies than anywhere else.

The numbering was done by more than one person, so the handwriting changes partway through the run. Copies 1 to 3 reportedly went to the band, and 4 and 5 to Sub Pop founders Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Numbered and slashed copies are the same record: the vinyl and runouts should match exactly.

How to spot a counterfeit

Counterfeit "Love Buzz" singles have been around for decades, and some sell for real money in their own right. The runouts are the most reliable test, because most fakes get them wrong.

• Wrong runout wording. One well-known fake reads "Why Don't You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels" SP23A L31540: the etching is larger, the question mark is missing, quotation marks have been added, the dashes are gone and the order is changed. On an original the side A etching is small (about 2mm high) and reads exactly as shown above.
• A blue or black number. Original numbers are in red.
• Traced or blurry credits. If the Alice Wheeler and Susanne Sasic names look traced over, too dark or unreadable, be suspicious.
• A two-piece sleeve instead of a single folded sheet.
• Coloured vinyl. All official copies are black.
• An unnumbered sleeve with no red slash. Counterfeits with blank number boxes exist.

Test pressings also exist. They are black vinyl with a small centre hole and plain white labels.

Fan-run discographies keep detailed records of this single. Live Nirvana's "Real or Fake?" checklist includes side-by-side images, and its owners' list shows examples of genuine numbering.

What is an original worth?

Prices have risen sharply since 2019. As of April 2026, Pette Discographies put typical recent sales at US$7,000 to US$9,000, with some copies passing US$10,000. Very low numbers, especially 1 to 10, attract a premium. Otherwise, condition and authenticity matter far more than the number.

To value a copy, confirm the runouts and sleeve first, grade the record and sleeve honestly, then compare completed sales of genuine copies in similar condition. Our vinyl grading guide explains the grades, and our guide to identifying a first pressing explains how runouts work.

Frequently asked questions

How many Love Buzz singles were made?

1,000 hand-numbered copies, plus roughly 100 to 200 with a red slash instead of a number. A Sub Pop invoice shows 1,200 sleeves were printed.

What does the runout on Love Buzz say?

Side A: "SP-23-A Why Don't You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels? L-31540". Side B: "SP-23-B L-31540X". Both sides also have "Kdisc" stamped by machine.

Is Love Buzz a cover?

Yes. It was written by Robbie van Leeuwen and first recorded by the Dutch band Shocking Blue in 1969.

Is the single version different from the one on Bleach?

Yes. The single has a short sound-collage intro, and the song was remixed for Bleach.

More Nirvana on vinyl

Read our guides to Bleach, Nevermind and In Utero on vinyl, or browse Nirvana vinyl at Heathen Records. To hear "Love Buzz" on vinyl without the collector price, it's on Bleach, which we stock.