The Guitars of Jimi Hendrix: A Short History

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One of my first, and certainly most profound electric guitar memories was hearing "Are You Experienced" played on my father's Heathkit stereo that had been relegated to my brothers room. This is the same system that would play the first time I heard Van Halen I and Rush's "2112". Played in my brother Brian's room, tucked under the eaves of my family's 1860's farm house, playing through a single 4' tall speaker cabinet my father had also built (when he built the system records were still mono), the sound always floored me.

** So many good comments have mentioned already but this is NOT an encyclopedic listing of every guitar that Jimi ever used. Some were just in a single photo and I couldn't confirm he'd used them on stage or on a recording. So I am glad folks added them here if they were important to their knowledge of Jimi's journey.

And so the journey through the instruments of my guitar heroes continues with this issue. I hope you did it.

All the best,
Keith

[robertm]

Absolutely no coincidence that Hendrix wore a red bandana, white shirt, and blue jeans while playing the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock. He was a veteran.

[budgetguitarist]

As a teenager I was listening to guys like EVH and didn't understand why people loved Hendrix so much. I did like his songs, though. As I got older I got heavy into SRV, which led me to have another look at Jimi as a guitar player. What learned was that a lot of what I liked about SRV came originally from Jimi. IMHO Jimi was the innovator and then SRV built on top of that. A million Strat songs have been inspired by the beginning of Little Wing.

[danharlan]

My dad raised me on healthy helpings of Hendrix. I has born 8 years after his death but he’s still one of the most important musicians I’ve heard. All three Experience albums are masterpieces.

[davbeav]

I'm a 55 year old drummer/guitarist and when non-musicians ask me if Hendrix was really as great as his legend tells; my reply is that I believe he was even greater in subtle ways. Jimi had it all: innovative sounds, searing leads, and propulsive, intricate rhythm. He sounded like two guitarists at once and all while singing beautifully.

Many people believe that rating Hendrix at number one is overrating him but I happen to believe that number one fits him well.

[darrenc]

I can never understand guitarist that dont like Jimi. There's just something so untouchable in his playing and persona. He was truly the Legend he has become. This was great Keith I must have seen all the Hendrix documentary and read all the books but you put this together so thoughtfully you do forget that jimi was just a young guy in a massive Hurricane of a changing world. Always wondered what he'd been doing if he had lived what music he'd have given us.

[chipsterb]

Excellent point about the late career white Strat with the huge CBS headstock. I had no idea that Hendrix painted some guitars himself.

Keith - your conclusion is spot on. For me, the poetry of Hendrix’s lyrics is just as important as his incredible talent playing guitar. What an amazing, lovely mind!

[christwhitewolf]

Just when you think you know a lot about Hendrix, here is your lesson. Thank you Keith. Thank you Five Watt World. All the Best!

[albertwjoell]

Growing up in a musical family, at around ten years old my musical world was turned upside down when my friend's big brother came back from England in '68 with "Are You Experienced?". I kept that album (he loaned me) for almost a year! The best guitar playing years of my life was spent creating feedback (a la Hendrix, I thought) with my SearsRoebuck electric guitar and little lunch box amp! I still have a little chip missing in my front tooth... you know why!! 🙂

[williamjacobs]

Great video, Keith. Can’t wait to see your sequel about Jimi’s amps! I was an impressionable 15 year old when we saw The Jimi Hendrix Experience from the 6th row at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in Feb. ‘68. Axis Bold as Love was already released, so he played songs from his first two albums. “Red House” was the only song we’d never heard. Jimi and Noel each played through 6 Sunn 2x15 JBL cabs with 6 heads. It was a life-changing experience. Soft Machine opened the show.

[dr.buzzvonjellar]

Jimi was from another dimension. He came to Earth to remind us to be kind, peaceful, artistic and of course…. To groove! 🤘🌎❤️

[stevenorcott]

The Strat wasn't the only guitar Jimi played, but it was the one that defined his sound the best. If he played another kind of guitar on a song you might not be familiar with, you might not know, without seeing Jimi, that it was Jimi. But, I wager, you would guess it was him on a Strat, especially through those Marshall stacks. What a sound.

[rkoblues]

This is a real, real good one, Keith. Thanks for your research. Hendrix was a genius. I happened to be at a local night spot in my hometown of Wichita where Mike Finnegan's band, The Serfs, were playing. This was shortly after Electric Ladyland had been recorded in NYC which featured Finnegan on Hammond organ. Hendrix was in town, unannounced, and walked on stage and played with The Serfs for over an hour or more. It was just one of those special nights.

[WhammyBarTV]

Oh Lord Sweet Baby Jesus this episode was overdue 😍🥴so excited !!!

[chrisnash]

Hendrix wrote some of the most beautiful songs ... incorporating magical guitar riffs brought forth from the depths of his gentle soul . He inspired me as a young musician ... and continues to do so whenever I hear his music . I believe we've been blessed to have "experienced" Jimi Hendrix. Thanks again Keith for sharing another great "Short History".

[kkjhn]

Those pictures of Hendrix and Cornell Dupree are not from Curtis Knight and the Squires but from Jimi's time in the King Curtis band. It was from an Atlantic Records party at The Prelude in New York City on Thursday 5 May 1966 for Percy Sledge whose debut single, When a Man Loves a Woman had been released the previous month. King Curtis was the house band backing Esther Phillips, Wilson Pickett and Don Covay (all who had singles coming out in the following weeks) as well as Percy. The band consisted of King Curtis on sax, Jimi and Cornell Dupree on guitar, Ray Lucas on drums and Chuck Rainey on bass. Jimi played with King Curtis from '65 to '66 until as Dupree said he just stopped showing up, something he did with many bands that employed him like the Isley Brothers. He didn't quit bands; he just ghosted them or was fired for being late and missing gigs. He recorded at least one song with King Curtis on a session for Ray Sharpe on a song called Help Me (Get the Feeling) in 1966. The song was later retitled and used as a backing track by other artists, including Aretha Franklin with Jimi mixed out.

[AlienInvasionDefenceSystem]

The closing thought put a tear in my eye.

[ScottfromBaltimore]

He'd be my parents' age, if he were alive. I love Jimi's music. Thanks for memorializing him and for telling me many things I didn't know about the guitars he played!

[SturmAKSU]

The 1964 "Texas Model" olympic white
Stratocaster with tortoise shell pick guard was originally owned by Gary Boyle (guitarist with Brian Auger's Trinity). Hendrix used this guitar on a regular basis
upon his arrival to London in late 1966. Now on display at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver.

The 1965 CAR with maple cap neck is affectionately known as the Stockholm Strat. It was painted and sacrificed which most know it as the Saville Strat.

My favorite which wasn't mentioned was the 1966/67 Ice Blue Metallic Strat that he used for a short time in 68. It was first seen in Zurich, Switzerland at the Monsterkonzert on May 31st of 1968. He broke the headstock to a sharp point at the Lagoon Opera House in Salt Lake City on August 30, 1968. It is last seen backstage on Sept 14, Hollywood Bowl.

Hendrix owned and used at least 2 1967 Oly Wht RW Strats as his main guitars up until Oct 1968 when the 1968 maple neck Strat first appeared at Bakersfield Civic Auditorium on Oct. 26, 1968

[toddmoore]

Jimi is certainly one of the most notable guitarists in history. Thanks, Keith, this was extremely enjoyable.

[truthserum]

As a guitarist since 1966, i was 13 years old when I first heard JH i was floored, immediately I knew what I liked, now so many years later when I do one of his songs I hang my head down and think of him before I start hoping it will be worthy of his music……….