Jimi Hendrix’s 1957 Supro Ozark 1560s
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.
The Guitar
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.
Although details about the guitar are limited, there are resources for those interested in learning more. For example, a YouTube video by Daniel McNeil showcases a restoration of a guitar nearly identical to Jimi’s.
Spanish Castle Magic, the Guitars’ Fate
While Jimi owned the Supro, he frequented a venue called The Spanish Castle, a ballroom in Seattle that was a popular gathering place for young musicians in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Years later, in 1967, Jimi immortalized the venue in his song Spanish Castle Magic. By that time, however, the ballroom had been closed for several years and was demolished in April 1968. The memories and experiences Jimi had at The Spanish Castle clearly left a lasting impression, inspiring one of his most iconic tracks.
Unfortunately, the Supro was reportedly stolen from the bandstand at The Birdland Club in 1960, so both the guitar and the legendary Spanish Castle now exist only in stories.
Once you know the legend of the Wailers at the Castle and the facts of Jimi’s attendance there, the lyrics of his ‘Spanish Castle Magic’ seem haunted by homesick nostalgia. ‘It’s very far away, it takes about half a day/to get there by my ah…dragonfly,’ he sings, in the voice of a kid stranded a couple of continents from home
Louie Louie: The History And Mythology Of The World’s Most Famous Rock ‘n’ Roll Song
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However, there is no known reference to Jimi Hendrix ever actually gigging at the Spanish Castle….Jerry Miller, who did gig there a lot (with the Dynamics–a legendary NW Rock band in the late 50s and early 60s). tells a story about Hendrix, hanging around the stage, asking to jam between their sets!…and the late, great NW DJ Pat-O’Day, also mentions Jimi hanging around the Castle…but no, he never was allowed to jam as part of any group, onstage there.