Jimi Hendrix's Guitars, Amps & Gear List

According to some sources, Jimi’s first electric guitar was a Supro, purchased by his father at Myers Music Shop in Seattle in 1959 for $89 [Hendrix Gear by Michael Heatley]. However, other accounts suggest this story actually pertains to Jimi’s second electric guitar, a Danelectro [Becoming Jimi Hendrix by Steven Roby].

Despite the confusion, it is widely believed that Jimi played the Supro with his band, The Rocking Kings, around 1959. This predates the photos of him with the Danelectro, so that should bring this topic to a close.

Jimi Hendrix’s Supro was a Valco-made instrument. Valco was a company that produced guitars sold under various brand names, including Airline, Oahu, and National. Jimi’s specific model was a simple design, featuring a white finish and a single pickup positioned at the bridge.

Following the theft of his Supro, with support from his father, Jimi Hendrix acquired a 1960s Danelectro Bronze Standard guitar, marking it as his second electric guitar in chronological order.

Interestingly, Hendrix himself later claimed that the Danelectro was his very first guitar, raising the possibility that the Supro may have been a borrowed instrument. This theory is further supported by the fact that Hendrix was only documented playing the Supro on a single occasion.

When I was seventeen, I formed this group with some other guys, but they drowned me out. I didn’t know why at first, but after about three months I realized I’d have to get an electric guitar. My first was a Danelectro, which my dad bought for me. Must have busted him for a long time.

Starting At Zero: His Own Story by Jimi Hendrix

In the early 1960s, Jimi Hendrix began to carve his path in the world of music. It was during this period, specifically in 1962, that he started to make his mark as part of the King Casuals band, performing at the Club Del Morocco.

Among the guitars that Hendrix was known to have played during this period, the 1961 Epiphone Wilshire stands out as one of the most unusual ones, and although not as famous as some of his later instruments, it played a significant role in his formative years.

Hendrix transitioned from Clarksville to Nashville around late 1962, following Billy Cox’s discharge from the army. In Nashville, the band they formed secured a regular gig at Club Del Morocco. This opportunity marked Hendrix’s first steady job as a musician, and it is likely that he primarily used the Epiphone during this period.

As evidenced by photographs, Jimi Hendrix performed with a 1960s Ibanez Jet King guitar at least twice. One confirmed appearance was at the Pink Poodle Club in Clarksville, Tennessee, in mid-1962. Details regarding where the second photo was taken are unknown at this moment, but we will update this information once more precise dates become available.

The history of this guitar is anything but straightforward. Some sources date a photograph of Jimi with the Ibanez to June 1962, just a month before his discharge from the Army.

Adding to the mystery, when Jimi left Fort Campbell in July 1962, he claimed he didn’t own a guitar. He mentioned needing to borrow his old Danelectro from the person he sold it to, but there was no mention of the Ibanez.

Before his nine-month gig with The Isley Brothers in 1964, Jimi, then known as Jimmy James, acquired his first Fender guitar. According to Jimi Hendrix Gear (p. 48), this guitar was a gift from O’Kelly Isley, likely given to Jimi shortly after his audition for the band in February 1964.

Unfortunately, Jimi’s time with this Fender Duo-Sonic was short-lived. It is said that the guitar was stolen just a couple of months after he received it.

Jimi’s Duo-Sonic was likely an early to mid-’60s model, as significant design changes were introduced to the Duo-Sonic line in late 1964. The guitar featured a 22.5-inch short-scale rosewood neck, two single-coil pickups, a fixed bridge, and a white pickguard.

During the latter part of the Isley Brothers’ tour in late 1964 and the tour with Little Richard in early to mid-1965, Jimi was seen playing a sunburst Fender Jazzmaster. This guitar also made an appearance during one of Jimi’s earliest TV performances in May 1965.

Based on the guitar’s features, its manufacturing year can be narrowed down to between 1959 and 1964. The pickguard seen on Jimi’s Jazzmaster was introduced in 1959, and both the small headstock and logo design are consistent with pre-1964 models. Additionally, the guitar appears to have a veneer fretboard, which would limit the production range to between 1959 and 1962. Unfortunately, no photos provide a clear enough angle of the fretboard to make a definitive determination. If you happen to find a photo of Jimi playing the Jazzmaster with a better view of the fretboard, please share it in the comments.

Jimi was seen with this Jazzmaster in a photo taken at the Hejaz Grotto Hall in July 1965 during his second stint with the Isley Brothers, after leaving Little Richard. While we can’t display the photo here due to copyright, it can be easily found with a quick Google search.

Jimi was seen playing this Fender Duo-Sonic during a few gigs with Curtis Knight in late 1965 and early 1966. Interestingly, according to Michael Heatley’s book Jimi Hendrix Gear (p. 48), this guitar was apparently a gift from Knight.

Unfortunately, little is known about the Duo-Sonic after Jimi’s time with Knight. It’s likely that Jimi pawned the guitar before leaving for London in late 1966, as the only instrument he brought with him to the UK was a white Stratocaster.

If you have any information about this guitar, feel free to share it in the comments below.

From the available photographs and testimonies of those who were present, it seems Jimi Hendrix only brought a single guitar with him on his flight to the UK in September 1966. Since he hadn’t obtained a work permit in advance, it’s believed that someone else—possibly Chas Chandler—brought the guitar on his behalf.

The guitar in question was reportedly a 1964 Fender Stratocaster with an Olympic White finish. Some sources speculate it may have originally belonged to another guitar legend – Keith Richards.

According to Linda Keith, Richards’ girlfriend at the time, she borrowed this guitar from Keith Richards and gave it to Jimi. However, she doesn’t clarify whether the guitar was ever returned to Keith. She only mentioned that she “lent” the guitar, implying she expected it to be returned.

This is likely one of the first, if not the first, Stratocasters that Hendrix ever owned. However, the history surrounding this guitar is far from established.

According to the book Jimi Hendrix Gear [p.62], Jimi acquired this guitar at Manny’s Music shop in New York, with his girlfriend at the time, Carol Shiroky, reportedly purchasing it for him. In Steven Roby’s book Becoming Jimi Hendrix [p.170], it’s mentioned that Jimi broke the guitar after breaking up with Carol.

Both accounts are second-hand and remain unproven. It’s believed that this guitar was used only briefly in New York and was not the one Jimi carried with him to the UK in late 1966.

Jimi was seen playing this Fender Jazzmaster during a gig with King Curtis & the Kingpins in May 1966. Given that this is the only time he was ever seen with the guitar, it was likely borrowed. Supporting this idea is the fact that the strap button was not relocated to the bottom, as it typically would be if the Jazzmaster had been permanently converted for left-handed use.

From the available photos, a few details about the guitar can be observed. It was likely manufactured before mid-1965, as Fender began adding white binding around the neck on models produced in late 1965. Additionally, the guitar features the (at that time) new-style knobs, which were introduced on Jazzmasters around mid-1965 [GuitarHQ – The Fender Jazzmaster].

While it’s unclear if Jimi actually owned this guitar, it’s evident that he was drawn to the Jazzmaster model during these early years. Whether borrowed or owned, this instrument represents another fascinating chapter in Jimi Hendrix’s guitar legacy, one that continues to inspire musicians and fans alike.

This Stratocaster was given to Frank Zappa by Hendrix’s roadie, Howard Parker, at the 1968 Miami Pop Festival. However, the history of the guitar is far from clear, and some even doubt its legitimacy, as there has only been verified proof of Jimi burning two guitars during his lifetime—both of which are accounted for.

Well, there was this guy named Howard Parker – they called him ‘H’ – who was Hendrix’s roadie, gofer and general assistant. He stayed at our house for a couple of months in the late ’60s, and he had this guitar which Hendrix had given to him – I thought it was from the Miami concert.

The Famous Zappa/Hendrix Burnt Guitar – FeelNumb

The guitar now belongs to Frank’s son, Dweezil Zappa, who shared some of its history in an interview with Norman’s Rare Guitars.

This 1963/64 Fender Stratocaster was first seen in use around March 1967, likely during The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s appearance on Top of the Pops on March 30th. Although the photos from that day are in black and white, making it difficult to determine the exact color, it’s believed the guitar had a solid red finish. This theory is supported by later images of Jimi playing a red Strat around the same period.

Interestingly, this is the only red Stratocaster with a rosewood fretboard that Jimi is known to have used. Its specs also closely align with those of the iconic Monterey Strat, making it almost certain that this was the guitar Jimi famously set on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 18, 1967.

At this stage, however, the guitar had not yet received its legendary custom paint job.

The earliest known photo of Jimi Hendrix playing this 1967 Gibson Flying V on stage dates back to July 1967. This was during the beginning of The Monkees tour, possibly taken at a show in Miami Beach on July 8, 1967.

Given this timeline, it’s likely that Jimi purchased the guitar in the U.S., perhaps earlier that same month. At the time, he was staying in New York, and Manny’s Music Shop – a favorite spot among rock stars – was a go-to for musicians like Jimi, so it’s possible he picked it up there.

After returning to the UK in late August 1967, the Gibson Flying V became one of Jimi’s main guitars. It often appeared either in use or on stage beside him while he played his iconic white Stratocaster. Photos from the band’s European tour in early September 1967, including performances in Germany and Sweden, document the guitar’s presence.

If one were to rank guitars in order of their usage during some of the most iconic performances of Jimi’s, this black Stratocaster would probably be way up there, at least in the top three.

Hendrix likely used it for the first time at the Monterey Pop Festival on June 18, 1967. During this gig, Hendrix played the guitar on Killing Floor, Foxy Lady, Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone, Rock Me Baby, Hey Joe, Can You See Me, and The Wind Cries Mary. At the end of the concert, he switched to a red Stratocaster painted by himself and then set that guitar on fire after playing a cover of The Troggs’ Wild Thing.

Please note that the section that was previously here – which was about some of the weird details on the guitar, like the placement of the logo – is now removed. The reason for this is that the section was completely based on the alleged Stratocaster that appeared at auction recently and was proven to be a fake. Thanks, Daze, in the comments for clearing up the whole thing regarding this.

This unusual Strat was used around late 1967. It was first seen at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on August 18, 1967, and less than ten days later, it appeared again at the Saville Theater in London.

From that point, it was played on a few more occasions, but not as often as Jimi’s main white Strat with a white pickguard. This guitar seemed to be one Jimi used primarily at the end of his sets for his signature routine of smashing it against a Marshall stack. One such instance occurred at the Blackpool Opera House on November 25, 1967, which is also likely the last time this guitar was seen on stage.

What’s unusual about this guitar is the combination of its specs. While there were a good number of white Stratocasters produced in the early ’60s, very few were shipped with a tortoiseshell pickguard. Today, guitars with this combination are extremely rare. Even without considering the unique pickguard, 1964, when Jimi’s guitar was likely made, is widely regarded as one of the best years for Stratocasters. According to Reverb’s price guide, a regular Olympic White 1964 Stratocaster is valued between $14,000 and $19,000. Of course, Jimi paid only a fraction of that when he purchased the guitar, presumably in 1967.

Hendrix began using this sunburst Fender Stratocaster in late February 1967. Based on available photos and research into his other guitars, it’s likely that Jimi purchased this guitar upon returning to London after a brief tour in the North East, during which a couple of his guitars went missing.

One of the first gigs where Jimi used the sunburst Strat was in Chelmsford on February 25. Fortunately, a video recording of this performance still exists, though the footage is of fairly low quality.

In the photo above, you might notice another sunburst Stratocaster sitting on the stage. It’s suspected that this second guitar is the same one Jimi later burned at The Astoria on March 31, 1967.

This is the second of two red Fender Stratocasters Jimi used around May 1967. Based on available photos, it was likely first played at the Saville Theatre on May 7th (not the performance where he smashed a guitar), though it’s possible it was used earlier.

This red Strat was primarily played during the short European tour in May 1967. By the end of the tour, it developed a crack across the body after Hendrix smashed it during a performance in Copenhagen on May 21st.

I was playing in Copenhagen, and I got pulled off stage. Everything was going great. I threw my guitar back onto the stage and jumped back after it. When I picked it up there was a great crack down the middle. I just lost my temper and smashed the damn thing to pieces.

Starting at Zero: His Own Story – Jimi Hendrix

This is the guitar Jimi allegedly set on fire during his performance at The Astoria in London, England, on March 31, 1967. The show marked the opening night of the Walker Brothers tour, which also featured Cat Stevens and Engelbert Humperdinck.

Unfortunately, not much is known about the guitar’s history. As discussed in the article about Jimi’s 1963 Fender Stratocaster (Sunburst), Jimi owned at least two sunburst Stratocasters in mid-March 1967. The first was the 1963 Strat, while the second seemed to serve as a backup or disposable guitar, which Jimi often used for stunts at the end of his sets.

Based on available photos (discussed further below), the alleged Astoria Strat appears to be neither of these guitars. To our knowledge, no one has successfully located a photograph of Jimi actually playing it. This lack of visual evidence is concerning, especially since the guitar was sold in 2008 and labeled as the Astoria Stratocaster—the first guitar Jimi ever set on fire.

Jimi started using this guitar upon returning to the US in July 1967. It was seen on July 2nd at Whisky A Go-Go, and a few days later on the 5th at the Rheingold Central Park Music Festival. From then on, it was used on nearly all (probably all of them at least to some extent, but no way to tell for sure) of the US gigs up until Jimi’s return to the UK on August 20th.

Back in the UK, Hendrix continued using this Strat as his main go-to guitar. Among others, it was seen at the Hollywood Bowl, on Aug 18th, at the Olympic Studios in October 1967 [Jimi Hendrix and Noel Redding in a London recording studio, October 1967], and at the Vitus TV Studios, Bussum for the recording of the television show “Hoepla” on November 10th.

By mid-November 1967, Jimi seemed to have acquired a couple of more white Strats. Both can be seen at the Blackpool Opera House on November 25th. In the photo below, Hendrix is seen playing a different white Strat with what appears to be a dark-colored pickguard. Two additional white Strats (one of them being the one he switched from or the main one) can be sitting in the background.

Stories of stolen guitars belonging to Jimi Hendrix are a common theme, and unfortunately, it’s not always easy to determine whether they are true or not. According to some sources, Hendrix played a black Fender Stratocaster on February 2, 1967, at the Imperial Hotel in Darlington, County Durham, which was reportedly stolen right after the gig.

An article in The Northern Echo claimed the guitar was later sold to a musician named Tony Carrington for £20. Carrington, finding the guitar unplayable, eventually sold it to someone else [‘I Bought Missing Jimi Hendrix Guitar for £20’ – The Northern Echo].

Although there are mentions of several guitars being stolen that night, someone quoted in the article stated that only a black Stratocaster went missing. Interestingly, it was also noted that Jimi didn’t seem particularly concerned about the black Strat, as he was more worried about a white one.

Jimi was seen playing this modified (more on this later) 1960s Fender Stratocaster on only a few occasions. The most notable appearances were during rehearsals at The Saville Theatre in London on October 8, 1967, at L’Olympia in Paris on October 9, 1967, and in Gothenburg on January 4, 1968.

This guitar stands out as the only heavily modified Stratocaster Jimi was ever seen playing. If we assume that Jimi himself requested the modifications—or had someone do them for a specific reason, such as addressing something he didn’t like about a standard Strat—it would seem logical for him to continue using the guitar. Yet, for some reason, he chose not to.

It’s also possible that someone wired a separate pickguard, handed it to Jimi to try out, and after experimenting with it, he simply didn’t like it and moved on.

This guitar was displayed at the EMP (now MoPOP) museum in Seattle during a special Hendrix event. According to the museum, Jimi purchased it at Manny’s Music shop in New York and used it during the recording of “Spanish Castle Magic” from the Axis: Bold as Love (1967) album.

The guitar features two necks—one with six strings and the other with twelve. Its pickups, if original, are single-coils with an output of up to 13K, which is significantly higher than Fender pickups from the early 1960s, typically measuring around 6 K.

From the available photos, much of the guitar’s hardware is now missing, including the original Mosrite Moseley tremolo and the Tune-o-Matic-style bridge on the 12-string neck. The reason for this is unknown.

According to Tappy Wright, Jimi Hendrix’s roadie, this 1965 Fender Jaguar (Serial Number: L65163) was given to Jimi by Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones just before the Monterey gig on June 8, 1967.

When I flew across from London to Monterey to bring Jimi over, Brian Jones came with us, as did one of the Animals. As we got there, Jones had the guitar with him and then gave Jimi that Jaguar guitar. […] It’s still in good condition. After Jimi left the guitar with me, I kept the guitar in the main office, so I had it re-strung. It was almost mandatory that you had a guitar lying around the office for the Rock n-Roll junkies. They automatically would pick up the guitar and start playing it. Hilton Valentine, Soft Machine, and other Rock Stars strummed this Fender.

From Tappy Wright’s letter of authenticity

Based on Tappy’s account, Jimi couldn’t use the guitar immediately because it was strung for a right-handed player. After returning to London, Tappy had it re-strung for left-handed play, and Jimi later used it at Olympic Studios in Barnes, England, sometime in October 1967, to record “Experiencing the Blues” and “Hound Dog.”

There are a few photos of Jimi playing a Fender Jaguar (see comments) in what appears to be either a dark blue or black finish. All of the photos seem to have been taken on the same day. August 24, 1967, at Lime Grove Studios for the Top of the Pops TV show.

The most intriguing detail about the guitar is that it was strung for a right-handed player, suggesting that it likely didn’t belong to Jimi and was borrowed just for that occasion. Beyond this, the guitar remains a mystery. If you happen to find any mentions of it by Jimi or someone close to him, feel free to leave a comment.

This 1960s Fender Stratocaster was first spotted in a photograph taken on February 10, 1967, at Bristol Locarno. Unfortunately, none of the available photos show the headstock, making it impossible to determine the exact year of manufacture (an update on this is available in the comments section below).

Interestingly, Hendrix played a different white Stratocaster on stage that night, suggesting that the newly discovered guitar might have been a backup or a replacement for a lost or stolen instrument. In fact, rumors suggest that Hendrix’s black Stratocaster was stolen on February 2, so this guitar may have been brought in as a replacement.

However, by March 1967, Hendrix had switched to using two sunburst Stratocasters, and this white guitar was no longer seen. There are two possible explanations: the guitar may have been kept safe at Hendrix’s home and only brought out for specific performances, or it may have been stolen or lost between mid-February and early March.

This is likely Jimi’s most famous guitar, used at the Woodstock Festival on August 18, 1969. However, its history before Woodstock is a bit unclear. It appears that Jimi started using this guitar around the same time as his black Strat, in October 1968, but it may have been replaced sometime in 1969 by another white Strat that looked almost identical (update: this theory has now been all but disproven).

The Woodstock Strat was used probably from late October or early November 1968. Based on the photos available, the Bakersfield Civic Auditorium on October 26th was played on a black Strat and one of the older white Strats with a rosewood fretboard, while the next concert on November 1st at the Municipal Auditorium Arena in Kansas featured a white Strat with a maple neck.

One is inclined to assume that this is the Woodstock Strat, although there’s no actual way to prove it. As is often the case with Jimi’s guitars, the only option is to speculate.

Hendrix started using this 1968 Fender Stratocaster guitar in mid-October 1968, marking a shift from rosewood to maple fretboard Stratocasters. Up until this point, nearly every guitar he played had a rosewood fretboard, which makes sense given that he primarily used early to mid-60s Strats, most of which featured rosewood fretboards until around mid-1965.

This guitar was one of two maple neck Stratocasters that Jimi began using around this time—the other being a nearly identical Strat finished in white. While there is still ongoing research into the possibility of there being two white Strats, it seems likely that there was only one black Stratocaster with a maple neck.

This black Strat was not only used extensively throughout 1969 but also in 1970, up until Jimi’s death. In fact, the very last known photos of Jimi show him holding this exact guitar.

This 1967 Gibson SG Custom is most famous for its appearance on The Dick Cavett Show on September 9, 1969. However, the guitar was first seen in Jimi’s hands in late 1968. More specifically, the Rhode Island Auditorium gig on November 27, 1968, appears to be the first time Jimi used this guitar, based on available photos.

From that point on, the SG made occasional appearances, likely for songs like Red House, which Jimi often played on humbucker-equipped guitars. In late 1968 and early 1969, Jimi also regularly performed Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love, which can be seen in some recordings being played on the SG. This might have been a subtle nod to Eric Clapton, who likely recorded the track using his Gibson SG (read more about this in 1964 Gibson SG Standard “The Fool”).

It’s probable that Jimi appreciated the SG’s lightweight and symmetrical design, which makes it easy for left-handed players to use without major modifications. Compared to the heavier Les Paul Custom Jimi was seen using in mid-1968, the SG’s lighter body and easy access to the highest frets may have been significant factors in its appeal.

Jimi started using this guitar around April 1968. The earliest photos date to April 5, 1968 [Newark (Symphony Hall): April 5, 1968], suggesting that Jimi may have acquired it from Manny’s Music shop, which is only a 30-minute drive from the Symphony Hall. At the time, the guitar seemed to have been used exclusively for Red House.

The Les Paul was most famously used at Bill Graham’s Fillmore East venue in New York on May 10, 1968, as well as at the Miami Pop Festival on May 18. Beyond these two notable appearances, Jimi didn’t seem to use the guitar extensively, as it was only spotted at a handful of gigs during this period.

The guitar is currently owned by Hard Rock Café International and is displayed at their restaurant in Chicago on 63 West Ontario Street.. According to information on their website, the guitar was produced in 1956. At this time, we’ve reached out to their memorabilia staff for more details but have not yet received a response.

This 1967/68 Fender Stratocaster may not hold the same level of significance as some of Jimi’s other instruments, but it’s still one of the more intriguing ones. Jimi used it for a very brief period, likely no longer than a few weeks.

It was first seen in Zurich, Switzerland, at the Monsterkonzert on May 31, 1968 [see comments below, thanks Chad], and later appeared, broken, at the Lagoon Opera House in Salt Lake City on August 30, 1968.

Interestingly, Jimi (or someone close to him) reassembled the guitar, and he continued using it with half a headstock (the functional half). It was spotted in this state in Seattle on September 4, 1968 [thanks Scott].

This is the guitar Jimi switched to after his first 1967 Strat. The new Strat made its stage debut on February 2, 1968, in San Francisco, US. Essentially, the two guitars were identical, aside from the wear on the original one, which by early 1968 had become quite noticeable, especially around the upper horn of the body. However, this new guitar already had a small cigarette burn on the headstock, indicating it had likely been used before February.

Jimi played this white Strat for most of 1968, possibly all the way up to the TTG Studio sessions in mid-October that year. Although photos from the period are somewhat limited, it seems the guitar appeared at nearly all gigs between February and October, assuming it was the same guitar throughout and not a series of identical ones. The last known photos of Hendrix using this particular Strat seem to date to late October 1968.

It’s possible that this is the guitar that Jimi gave to Harvey Gerst, a representative from Acoustic Control Corporation, in exchange for the Acoustic/Bartell “The Black Widow”. The dates of when this Strat disappeared and the Bartell appeared match almost exactly.

This 1967 Guild Starfire V was used only once by Jimi Hendrix, on May 19, 1968, at the Wreck Bar within the Castaways Hotel in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, after the Miami Pop Festival.

The Miami Pop Festival was originally planned as a two-day event, but the second day was canceled due to a thunderstorm. This led the performers to gather at the Castaways Hotel, where they took refuge from the rain and started a jam session.

There is only one known photograph of Jimi using this guitar that night. It’s unclear whether Jimi had the guitar prior to this or if he acquired it that evening. The story behind the stickers covering the front of the guitar also remains a mystery.

Based on photographic evidence, this guitar was used by Jimi Hendrix at only a handful of gigs in March and April 1968. It was first seen at the University of Toledo Fieldhouse on March 30 and last spotted on April 5 at the Symphony Hall in Newark.

The guitar was also possibly present at the Miami Pop Festival on May 18, as it can be seen in a photo sitting behind Jimi, alongside a sunburst Strat (thanks to Kumanovce in the comments).

This Jazzmaster is reportedly now owned by actor Steven Seagal. In an interview with Vintage Guitar Magazine in January 2006, Seagal stated that he acquired the guitar from Tappy Wright, who worked as Hendrix’s roadie.

Jimi was seen using this guitar on two occasions, one on May 31, 1968, at the Hallenstadion, Zurich, and the other during the studio sessions for South Saturn Delta. Based on the photos, the guitar is a mid-50s Les Paul Special with two pickups, finished in what’s commonly known as TV yellow.

If you happen to know anything else about the guitar, please be sure to leave a comment below.

Jimi Hendrix acquired this Acoustic/Bartell “Black Widow” guitar in October 1968. According to the story, Harvey Gerst, a representative from Acoustic Control Corporation, was sent to assist Jimi at TTG Studios in Los Angeles with four Acoustic amps he had purchased.

I got a call on Saturday morning from steve Marks, the president of Acoustic, saying, “go down to TGG right now!” Why? “Jimi Hendrix just bought four of our amps and he’s having trouble with some of the controls.

Harvey Gerst – Tape Op Magazine

Harvey brought the guitar to TTG Studios when he went to assist Jimi Hendrix with the amplifiers. Gerst recounted that during a meeting, Hendrix expressed a strong interest in the guitar. After playing it, Hendrix humorously insisted it was now his, leading Gerst to trade the “Black Widow” for one of Hendrix’s white Fender Stratocasters (alleged story, sources needed).

Jimi was seen using this red Fender Stratocaster at the Masonic Temple in Detroit on February 13, 1968. By that time, the guitar already had a broken headstock, indicating it had been used prior to this performance.

However, no other photos of Jimi with this guitar exist, so it’s unclear exactly when the headstock was damaged. He played four shows at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on February 22 and 23, so it’s possible the damage occurred during one of those performances.

From the photos taken at the Masonic Temple, the guitar appears to be a Stratocaster with a rosewood fretboard and a dark red finish. The color seems darker than Fiesta Red, suggesting it might have been Dakota Red.

Jimi Hendrix was photographed playing a 1967 Fender Stratocaster at TTG Studios in October 1968. While most photos from these sessions show him with his black 1968 Stratocaster, at least one image features him using a large-headstock sunburst Stratocaster.

A guitar dubbed “the TTG Stratocaster” began appearing in online auctions around 2021. It was even listed on Reverb.com by an account called “Neil’s Gear Bazaar,” which has been linked to numerous Jimi Hendrix memorabilia sales. These include another 1965 Stratocaster, a Jazzmaster, his Flying V, and a few amps.

Many of these sales were low-profile, often appearing on platforms like eBay and Reverb without much publicity. This lack of exposure, especially for the TTG Strat, might indicate caution from major publishers in endorsing its authenticity.

Jimi was photographed playing a 1967/68 Fender Stratocaster in Hawaii on October 6 and 7, 1968. From the available footage and photos, it seems Jimi didn’t use this guitar during the Honolulu International Center concert but only during the photos taken the day after the event.

The guitar appears to have a large headstock, suggesting it was manufactured in 1967 or 1968.

Interestingly, Jimi was not seen playing this guitar at any concerts after returning from Hawaii. This has led to speculation that he either left the guitar in Hawaii or gave it to someone. While it’s also possible that the guitar wasn’t his to begin with, this seems less likely.

Jimi used this guitar only twice, both at the Newport Pop Festival in June 1969. Based on the available photos and footage, the guitar was played on both June 20th and June 22nd.

This guitar is unusual in that it was clearly assembled using parts from at least two different guitars. The neck is from a late-1960s Telecaster, while the body is from a Stratocaster. The question is whether any of the parts came from Jimi’s older guitars or if they were sourced from a guitar store or repair shop. There’s a good chance that at least the body came from one of Jimi’s white Strats.

The body of the Newport Strat likely belonged to one of Jimi’s older guitars. Before the Newport gig, Jimi was often seen playing either the black maple-neck Strat or the white maple-neck Strat. He also used at least one white rosewood Strat in mid-1969.

According to Larry Lee, this guitar was purchased by him and Jimi Hendrix in 1963 while they were playing in a band called Bob Fisher and the Bonnevilles. When Larry joined Gypsy Sun and the Rainbows in 1969, a week prior to Woodstock, Hendrix allegedly gave him the guitar, as Larry didn’t own an instrument at the time, having recently been discharged from the army.

This information comes from the EMP Museum (now the Museum of Pop Culture) in Seattle, the current owners of the guitar. It is assumed that the details were originally provided to the museum by Larry Lee, who sold the guitar through Sotheby’s in 1991.

This 1955 Les Paul Custom is notable for having a Bigsby tailpiece and a replaced neck pickup. The original neck pickup on a ’55 Les Paul Custom, the Alnico V, features staple pole pieces. However, the pickup on Jimi’s (or Larry’s) guitar appears to be a P90, which was the same type of pickup fitted in the bridge position on these models. For photos, visit the thread on MyLesPaul forums: Jimi Hendrix’s 1955 Les Paul Custom

This is chronologically the second Gibson Flying V that Jimi played during his career. Of the three Flying Vs he publicly used, this one is probably the least known and certainly the least photographed, which makes it much more challenging to research properly.

While some sources suggest that Jimi started using the tobacco-burst Flying V as early as January 1969, the first confirmed photo of him with the guitar appears to date to May 18, 1969, taken backstage at Madison Square Garden [The not-so-slight return of Jimi Hendrix, by Todd Leopold, CNN]. It’s possible that Jimi used the Flying V before this date, but given that it was likely used only for one or two songs per set, it may not have been photographed or filmed.

Another photo of Jimi with the guitar appears on the cover of Lonnie Youngblood’s album Two Great Experiences Together. The photo was taken sometime in 1969, though the exact date remains unknown (if you have more information, feel free to leave a comment).

Jimi Hendrix purchased a left-handed black 1968 Fender Stratocaster with a maple neck at Manny’s Music in New York City and later gave it as a gift to Richard “Deering” Howe. Howe was a friend of Jimi’s in the late 1960s, and the two reportedly traveled to Morocco together during the summer of 1969.

The guitar remained with Howe until 1988, when he decided to sell it through Sotheby’s auction house. Unfortunately, no details about the auction, including the sale price or the guitar’s current owner, are available online. If you have any information about this guitar, please share it in the comments below.

Jimi mainly used restrung right-handed guitars, but he did own a black, maple neck 1968 left-handed Stratocaster. This instrument was sold at Sotheby’s in 1988.

Douglas J Noble, Music Director of UniVibes, the international Jimi Hendrix magazine

Although Jimi Hendrix was no stranger to Flying Vs, this particular guitar was the only one custom-made specifically for him to be played left-handed.

The guitar was first seen on April 25, 1970, at the Los Angeles Forum, and later on May 8, 1970, at the University of Oklahoma Field House in Norman [Norman (Field House, University Of Oklahoma): May 8, 1970 [Premier concert]]. From then on, it was used a number of times until Jimi’s death, most famously at The Isle of Wight Festival on August 30, 1970.

Jimi’s left-handed Flying V was finished in plain black with a white pickguard, gold-plated hardware, and a Vibrola tremolo. The guitar also had unique features, such as a fully bound neck with split diamond inlays instead of the dot inlays standard on most models from this period. It also had a plain black truss rod cover reading “Custom,” similar to the truss rod covers on Les Paul Customs.

It seems that this 1960s Gibson SG Custom guitar was used only once, during a gig at Ungano’s club in New York in January 1970. If you happen to come across any other photos of Hendrix with this guitar, please let us know.

The guitar was allegedly a gift from the club owners, as Jimi was a frequent visitor and often jammed with other musicians there, including Peter Green, B.B. King, and Jimmy Creed. This claim comes from a comment on a blog about The Grateful Dead written by someone who once worked at the club.

Jimi jammed so many other times. We wound up buying him the left-handed white SG that is in some photos out there…Jimi was a regular and he loved the club.

February 12, 1970 Ungano’s, New York, NY 210 West 70th Street The Grateful Dead – LOST LIVE DEAD

This 1970 Fender Stratocaster was purchased by Jimi Hendrix on July 14, 1970, at Manny’s Music in New York. Around that time, Jimi was spending a lot of time at Electric Lady Studios, which was still under construction. When the studio officially opened on August 26, an opening party was held. According to Noel Redding, Jimi played this guitar during the event, though no photos of the performance exist (refer to the auction page for source).

The following day, on August 27, Jimi flew to London. It’s believed that he left the guitar at Electric Lady Studios, as it wasn’t seen at any of the shows he played between August 27 and his passing on September 18, 1970.

What happened to the guitar afterward is unclear. At some point, Noel Redding signed the guitar, possibly when it was first sold.

In late 1969 or early 1970, Jimi Hendrix ordered two left-handed Stratocasters from Manny’s Music in New York. Unfortunately, after his untimely death, the guitars remained at the store and were never picked up. One Strat was black, and the other was white; both featured rosewood fretboards.

In early 1970, the guitars were purchased by Steve Miller, a close friend of Manny’s owner, Henry Goldrich. Tragically, the black Strat was later stolen from Steve and never recovered.

I’ve known Henry since I was 20 years old and bought lots of guitars from Manny’s. He had two guitars that Hendrix ordered but never picked up. He said, “You can have them.” One was black, one was white.

So I took them, had them set up with the strings flipped, and recorded a lot with the white one, which I still have. It’s an amazing guitar, with a rosewood fretboard. I may have recorded “Fly Like An Eagle” with that guitar.

Steve Miller – Some People Call Him Rock Icon

Hendrix ordered two left-handed Stratocasters from Manny’s Music in New York City sometime in late 1969 or early 1970 but never picked them up. One was black, the other white, both featuring rosewood fretboards.

The guitars remained at the store until the early 1970s, when Steve Miller purchased them through Henry Goldrich, the owner of Manny’s. The black Strat, which is featured on the front cover of the Fly Like an Eagle album, was later stolen and never recovered.

I’ve known Henry since I was 20 years old and bought lots of guitars from Manny’s. He had two guitars that Hendrix ordered but never picked up. He said, “You can have them.” One was black, one was white.

So I took them, had them set up with the strings flipped, and recorded a lot with the white one, which I still have. It’s an amazing guitar, with a rosewood fretboard. I may have recorded “Fly Like An Eagle” with that guitar.

Steve Miller – Some People Call Him Rock Icon

One of the rare professional video recordings of Jimi Hendrix with an acoustic guitar shows him playing an unplugged version of Hear My Train A’ Comin’ on a twelve-string guitar. This short footage is part of the film See My Music Talking, recorded on December 19, 1967, at Bruce Fleming’s studio in London.

The guitar featured in the video was made by luthier Antanus Casimere (Tony) Zemaitis, based in London, England. All vintage Zemaitis guitars were handcrafted by Tony himself, and many iconic guitarists of the era were seen playing them, including Eric Clapton, Donovan, Ronnie Wood, and Keith Richards. After Tony’s death in 2002, production of Zemaitis guitars was moved to Japan.

Unfortunately, there is no information on what happened to this particular guitar after Jimi’s death. However, it appears to still exist, as photos of it were once available on a website by David Brewis, though the site is now offline.

This Epiphone (serial number 62262) was purchased by Jimi in 1967 sometime during the JHE US tour, which was the band’s first away from Europe. According to Noel Redding, the guitar was bought second-hand in New York for about $25 and was brought back to England.

According to the information on Bonhams’ auction page, Jimi used the Epiphone extensively in London, composing and arranging many of his songs on it. Kathy Etchingham noted that Jimi primarily played acoustic guitars when practicing or writing music at home.

Jimi used it for almost everything he composed in this country, as he didn’t use an amp until the move to Brook Street, and in any case Chas would never have allowed it in case we disturbed the neighbors because we’d upset them in Montague Square and Chas didn’t want to be chucked out of a second flat. Jimi would pick up and then play the acoustic, then pick up a Strat and play that unplugged, listening to it without an amp. He constantly played it to work out riffs and song arrangements including his own version of Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower”.

Kathy Etchingham – Bonhams: Jimi Hendrix: An Epiphone FT 79 acoustic guitar, 1951

All that is known about this Thornward parlor guitar is that it is currently owned by Hard Rock Cafe International and is displayed at their restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands. According to the Hard Rock Cafe’s information, the guitar was donated by Mitch Mitchell and was allegedly used during the recording of All Along the Watchtower in 1968. However, since Jimi was never photographed during those sessions, there’s no way to confirm this claim.

In terms of identifying the guitar, the paper label inside suggests it is likely a Washburn model made by Lyon & Healy in Chicago around the turn of the 20th century. Interestingly, the headstock label reads “Thornward,” which could indicate a different branding. (Thanks to Stephen from Vintage Parlor Guitars for this insight.)

Jimi Hendrix purchased a 1968 Martin D-45 guitar in 1969 from Manny’s Music shop in New York. After Hendrix’s death, the guitar was passed on to Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell, who kept it until 1992, when it was sold at auction.

It was purchased by Jimi in 1968 and kept at home to compose with. He wrote many things on it, including the “Black Guld Suite”. It did get taken to and used in studios in New York and can be heard on The Cry of Love album as well as other sessions.

Mitch Mitchell – letter from the 1992 auction – original source needed

There is no direct evidence to confirm this statement, as Jimi was never photographed with the guitar, nor did he mention it publicly. However, given Mitch Mitchell’s close association with Hendrix, the claim is likely credible. The idea of Jimi picking up an acoustic guitar to compose during his time in the U.S. makes sense, as it aligns with his use of the Epiphone acoustic during his time in the UK.

Jimi appeared to have used a Silvertone Twin Twelve combo amp around late 1962 or early 1963, as seen in a photo of him performing with the King Kasuals. At the time, he was playing what is likely a 1961 Epiphone Wilshire.

According to the book Starting at Zero: His Own Story, the amp was a gift from the owner of a club where the band was performing during this period:

In Clarksville we worked for a setup called W & W. Man, they paid us so little that we decided the two W’s stood for “Wicked and Wrong.” […] Then we got in with a club owner who seemed to like us a lot. He bought us some new gear. I had a Silvertone amp, and the others got Fender Bandmasters.

Starting at Zero: His Own Story

Allegedly, Jimi Hendrix first encountered a Marshall amp while sitting in with Brian Auger’s band, Trinity, likely on September 28, 1966. According to Brian Auger, Jimi cranked the amp all the way to 10 and instructed the band to follow him as he played “Hey Joe,” leaving everyone in the room, including Eric Clapton, completely stunned. [11-12-13 Brian Auger Talks of Jimi Hendrix, Marshall amps].

Following this experience—and Jimi’s dissatisfaction with the Burns amps the band had been using in rehearsals—Jimi and Mitch Mitchell met Jim Marshall, the founder of Marshall Amplifiers, on October 11, 1966. Jim, a drummer himself, already knew Mitch, who had been one of his drum students and had worked in his shop.

On a Saturday afternoon in the autumn of ‘66, a tall, lanky American walked in with Johnny Mitchell—or “Mitch,” as most people knew him. Mitch used to work in my shop as a “Saturday boy,” and he was also one of my top drum students. The fellow who came in with him that day was James Marshall Hendrix, and he quickly became the greatest ambassador Marshall Amplifiers ever had.

I must admit, when Mitch introduced me to Jimi, I immediately thought, “Christ, here we go again—another American wanting something for nothing.” Thankfully, I was dead wrong. The very first thing Jimi said to me was, “I’ve got to use your stuff, but I don’t want anything given to me. I want to pay the full asking price.” That impressed me greatly, but then he added, “I am going to need service wherever I am in the world, though.” My initial reaction was, “Blimey, he’s going to expect me to put an engineer on a plane every time a valve needs replacing. It’s going to cost me a bloody fortune!” Instead, I suggested our staff teach Hendrix’s tech, Gerry Stickells, basic amp servicing skills, such as changing and biasing the valves. He must have been a very good learner, because we were never called on to sort out any problems.

Jim Marshall – original source needed

Jimi Hendrix was seen using a Fender Twin Reverb amp during his pre-Experience days. Specifically, photos from his time with Curtis Knight and the Squires (late 1965 to most of 1966) consistently show Jimi playing through a Twin Reverb combo amp.

Since Jimi played his last gig with Curtis in August 1966 and left for the UK in September, it’s likely the amp was either sold before his departure or wasn’t his personal equipment to begin with. Given that other Twin Reverb amps were seen on stage alongside his, it’s reasonable to assume the amps were owned by the band, and Jimi simply used one while performing with them.

The Supro S6420 Thunderbolt amp is often claimed to have been used by Jimi Hendrix during his early days with Curtis Knight, around 1966. However, while some argue that an amp resembling a Supro Thunderbolt appears on stage behind Jimi in at least one photo, the credibility of this claim is highly questionable. The theory seems to have originated from someone’s statement, which led others to retrospectively search for evidence in photos of Jimi.

The primary issue with this theory lies in the physical details of the amp in question. The amp on the left edge of the photo below, which some claim is a Supro Thunderbolt and appears to be the one Jimi’s guitar was plugged into, has metal corner guards and controls on the front. By contrast, the Supro Thunderbolt is a much simpler-looking amp with no metal guards and controls located at the top. This makes it far more likely that the amp in the photo is a Fender combo rather than a Supro.

According to Roger Mayer (as shared by one of our visitors in the comments below), Jimi extensively used a 1967 Sound City 100 Master Volume amp during the recording of the Axis: Bold as Love album.

Jimi briefly used a single Sound City One Hundred amp—likely the same one from the Axis sessions—during the latter part of his 1968 North American tour, around mid-March to April or May (see Miami Pop photo below). This amp was paired with one of Jimi’s older Marshall JTM 45/100s.

He adopted this setup after a short run with Fender Dual Showman amps, which broke down after just a few gigs at the beginning of the tour. Following that, Jimi entered into an endorsement deal with Sunn amps, though he reportedly disliked them so much that he requested his old Marshall be shipped over from the UK.

According to Phil Brown, the audio engineer for the session, all of the overdubs on All Along the Watchtower were recorded using a Vox AC30.

The setup for Hendrix’s electric guitar overdubs was achieved simply by placing a VOX AC30 amplifier in the studio, close to the control room window. We then placed Neumann U67s both close and distant, with an AKG C 12 A close to the amp. (Jimi) was hunched over the amp with his back to the control room window, his head bent low. We tried out numerous guitar ideas and sounds, desk distortion, fuzz box, wah-wah, Leslie cabinet, harmonizing, ADT, phasing, Pultec filtering, repeat echos and backwards effects.

Are We Still Rolling?, Phil Brown

According to Dave Weyer, Jimi Hendrix used this Guild Thunderbass amp during his early days with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and possibly later as a preamp (Jimi Hendrix’s Wah-wah Pedal and Amp in J. Levine’s New Year’s Day Auction). To what extent the amp was actually used in Jimi’s sound remains unclear, but it’s likely it didn’t play a significant role in shaping his tone.

The discovery of the amp comes with an intriguing story. A user named “tubezarmy” posted on the LetsTalkGuild.com forums about purchasing a Thunderbass amp at a pawn shop, where he noticed “J H EXP” stenciled on the bottom. The amp was later sent to Dave Weyer, a technician known for working on Jimi’s gear, who confirmed that this was the same amp he had modified for Jimi in the late 1960s.

Sometime in early 1968, Jimi Hendrix signed an endorsement deal with Sunn amps. Allegedly, this idea was proposed by Buck Munger (Sunn Amplification PR) sometime after the Monterey Pop Festival.

I went backstage (Monterey Pop Festival), and by the end of the night, I knew what record label he was on. Someone invited me, I think it was Chas Chandler, to a gig in Los Angeles to come and see Jimi and talk about equipment. So I showed up at this gig, it was in Santa Barbara, and had a very quick conversation with Jimi wherein I said “I work for this small company in Oregon, and we make high quality stuff; we use JB Lansing speakers and Dynakit transformers: I had all my little buzz phrases, and I was a musician. He just said, “Hey man, set me up for this gig. It’s down here, this is the date, have all the stuff there and we’ll see what happens.”

Buck Munger, Straight Ahead Magazine 1996

Looking at the tour dates, Jimi played a gig at Robertson Gym in Santa Barbara on February 11, 1968. Interestingly, he was already using Sunn amps at this show, with Buck Munger seen in the background monitoring the performance. It seems likely that Buck and Jimi struck a deal sometime before the gig, marking this as the first time Jimi used a Sunn amp live.

It seems that for a short period in early 1968, Jimi Hendrix used a few Fender Dual Showman amps for his live performances. These amps were spotted at the Fillmore East on February 1, 1968, the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco on February 2, and the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim on February 9, 1968. According to some sources, Fender supplied these amps for Jimi to use during the 1968 U.S. tour.

However, during the Anaheim show on February 9, 1968, a Marshall amp was seen on stage below a Fender Dual Showman, apparently because the two Fenders broke, and the band was unable to finish the set. After this gig, Jimi struck a deal with Buck Munger of Sunn Amplification and likely stopped using the Fenders.

The amplifiers broke down during the first show, resulting in only four numbers being played during the second show. After the show Chas and Jimi were approached by Buck Munger representative for Sunn Amplification who replaced their Fender gear (provided at the start of the tour, but not powerful enough for Jimi’s tastes) with brand new Sunn equipment.

1968-02-09 Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California USA

Hendrix allegedly used this amp during his endorsement deal with Sunn around 1968. One of these amps recently appeared at auction on Reverb.com, paired with 2×15 cabinets loaded with JBL D140 speakers. The asking price was approximately $150,000.

Unfortunately, the listing has since been removed, and no additional information is available. In our research, we haven’t found any photos of Jimi using these amps. He primarily seemed to use Sunn Spectrum II and/or 100S models during his brief association with the brand.

To learn more about how Hendrix came to use Sunn amps and how long he used them, refer to the Jimi Hendrix’s Sunn 100S page.

Jimi Hendrix was seen using a Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone pedal during his time with the Squiers. The pedal appears in a photo taken at the Cheetah Club in New York City sometime in mid-1966, positioned behind Jimi.

It’s unclear whether Jimi used the pedal beyond this one occasion.

The Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone is one of the earliest fuzz pedals to achieve widespread popularity. Introduced in 1962, it was designed by recording engineer Glenn Snoddy and WSM-TV engineer Revis V. Hobbs and manufactured by Gibson. However, its popularity soared a few years later when Keith Richards famously used it on “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” The rest, as they say, is history.

The Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face is arguably the most important piece of gear in Jimi Hendrix’s signal chain. While harmonic distortion was once viewed by audio engineers as a technical failure to be avoided, Hendrix’s use of the Fuzz Face transformed the electric guitar into a sustaining, highly expressive lead instrument.

Before discovering the Fuzz Face, Hendrix’s earliest documented experience with fuzz was in May 1966 while playing the “Chitlin’ Circuit” in New York. Unable to afford his own gear, he borrowed a Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone for two weeks. While his traditionalist bandmates hated the feedback, it laid the foundation for the massive tones he would soon pioneer.

When Hendrix relocated to London in September 1966, he immediately purchased Marshall amplifiers to build his stage volume. At the time, the American Maestro fuzz pedal cost a prohibitively expensive £30 in the UK. However, Ivor Arbiter had just released a domestic alternative: the Fuzz Face, housed in a heavy, sand-cast microphone stand base, priced at an accessible £6. Hendrix purchased one shortly after arriving.

A receipt from Sound City music store in London, dated January 1967, shows that Jimi Hendrix purchased a Marshall Supa Fuzz. [The Jimi Hendrix Experience, a collection of original Sound City receipts 1966 – 1967] This receipt was recently auctioned, alongside another receipt for a Fender Telecaster Bass purchased for Noel Redding.

Although the receipt refers to the pedal as a Marshall “Super” Fuzz rather than “Supa,” it’s likely this was simply an error by the person who wrote it. While there was a Univox Super Fuzz pedal sold around the same time, it’s far more plausible that the name was misspelled. Supporting this theory, Jimi was photographed with the Marshall Supa Fuzz (although at this occasion it wasn’t even plugged) just four days after purchasing it, on January 24, 1967, at The Marquee Club.

From the photo, it’s clear that Jimi’s Supa Fuzz was a 1966 version (MKI), identifiable by the closer spacing of the control knobs compared to the MKII model. This MKI model was based on the Tone Bender MKI circuit but featured a modified tone section that gave the Marshall version its distinct sound. Interestingly, the fuzz level on this model was fixed at maximum internally.

Jimi began using the Octavia pedal around January 1967 after meeting Roger Mayer, an acoustic engineer working for the British Admiralty who designed and built effect pedals for guitars as a hobby—at a time when such devices were still virtually unknown.

For those unfamiliar, the Octavia pedal, in Roger’s own words, “produces a sound that is an octave higher than the note you are presently playing.” The effect is somewhat subtle, but with a few YouTube videos, you can pick it out. A good starting point is this ProGuitarShop demo.

Roger Mayer recalls meeting Jimi at the Bag O’ Nails club in central London, likely in January 1967. This timing is important because Jimi had already released “Hey Joe” and was about to release “Purple Haze” and “Fire.” While these tracks were mostly finished, Jimi was so intrigued by the Octavia that he decided to overdub the solos.

Jimi Hendrix most famously used the Shin-ei/Univox Uni-Vibe during his performance at Woodstock on August 18, 1969. On recordings, the pedal is most notably featured on “Machine Gun” from the 1970 live album Band of Gypsys, but Jimi used it extensively on other songs as well. In the studio, it was used during sessions at Electric Lady Studios and The Record Plant between late 1969 and July 1970, on tracks like those found on Rainbow Bridge, Cry of Love, and various other songs released posthumously or through bootlegs from that period.

The origins of the Uni-Vibe pedal aren’t entirely clear, as different sources offer varying accounts.

The most commonly accepted version credits Japanese audio engineer Fumio Mieda with designing the pedal in the mid-1960s. It was intended to emulate the sound of a rotating Leslie speaker, originally for use with organs, as Mieda primarily worked with keyboard instruments. Notably, in 1967, Fumio was approached by Tsutomu Katoh, the founder of KORG, to build the company’s first programmable organ.

Throughout his career, Jimi Hendrix used several different wah pedals. However, identifying the specific model he used at a given time can often be difficult due to the low-quality footage of many of his concerts.

Fortunately, when it comes to Woodstock in 1969—a performance of immense historical significance—the type of wah pedal Jimi used is relatively well-established.

According to Dave Weyer, who worked on Jimi’s equipment at the time, the wah pedal used at Woodstock was a modified Vox V846, manufactured in the Sepulveda factory in California.

According to Roger Mayer, Jimi Hendrix used the standard Fender 150 set with gauges of .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, and .038.

We were using the normal one, not the very high radius but definitely curvy. The actual strings we used were not what people would expect. The string gauges would run .010, .013, .015, .026, .032 and .038.

The Secrets of Jimi Hendrix’s Guitar Setup: Interview with Roger Mayer

The Fender 150 set referred to a complete set sold during the late sixties and early seventies. According to Fender catalogs from 1953 to 1979 (including 1968), this set was branded as “Spanish Guitar Light Gauge Rock ‘N’ Roll” and included the following strings:

During his iconic Woodstock Festival performance on August 18, 1969, Jimi Hendrix used a guitar strap with a distinctive pattern that caught the attention of many. The strap was made by Ace, a company known at the time for producing a variety of guitar straps with unique designs.

Jimi’s Woodstock strap was auctioned in 2008 for an undisclosed price. (If you come across any information about the strap’s whereabouts post-auction, feel free to share it in the comments below.)

This patterned Ace guitar strap was used by Hendrix at Woodstock, as well as the Hollywood Bowl in 1967 and other performances. The strap originally came from David Vega, lead guitarist of the San Francisco funk band Graham Central Station. Vega had been given the guitar strap from a sound technician who worked at Woodstock.

Original Source Needed

This seems to be the pick Jimi used most often. In photos, you can usually spot him holding a red and black pick in his hand. It was likely a Fender 351-shaped celluloid pick, though it’s possible he occasionally used picks from Manny’s Music.

These picks were widely used by guitarists in the late 1960s and remain popular today among those who favor vintage equipment. If you’re interested in learning more about guitar picks, the materials used over the years, and how they affect tone, check out our guide on guitar picks.

Hendrix was most notably seen using this Ace guitar strap in late October 1968 at TTG Studios in Los Angeles. If you’re looking to buy one, Dunlop offers a well-made replica named after the studio: Dunlop Jimi Hendrix TTG Studios Guitar Strap (JH08).

The Ace Stained Glass strap was part of a series produced by the Ace Strap Company, a small California-based manufacturer that became a staple of the 1960s and 1970s music scene. Known for their vibrant, intricate designs and reliable construction, Ace straps were a favorite among many musicians of the era. The company primarily produced their straps using jacquard fabric, which allowed for detailed patterns like the stained-glass motif.

Although Jimi likely used a variety of picks throughout his career, a few have surfaced in recent years at auctions and museums. These examples suggest that Jimi generally preferred medium-thickness picks but didn’t show strong preferences for a specific brand or model.

One notable pick, handed down to Larry Lee along with Jimi’s Les Paul Custom, recently appeared on Reverb.com. While the listing implies the pick was used during Woodstock, this is unlikely. Photos from Jimi’s Woodstock performance clearly show him using red and black picks, not this one.

This was one of several Ace guitar straps that Jimi used during his career, the most famous being the one he wore during his legendary Woodstock performance.

This particular strap (or possibly one of multiple identical models Jimi may have owned) was recently sold at auction for an undisclosed price. It was previously in the possession of a man named Darrel Stroot, who reportedly acquired it in 1970 at the Roberts Municipal Stadium.

On June 10, 1970 I went to Evansville, IN to attend a concert. I was located near the stage during the performance. It was a good show. During the show, Jimi’s guitar strap broke. A stage-hand came out to replace it while he was playing; he tossed it onto the stage and the show went on. When the concert ended I went to the stage and asked a stage-hand for the strap; he acknowledged and the strap was mine. The strap has been in my possession since June 1970.

132: 132 – Hendrix owned Guitar strap with floral