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.
Keith Richard’s Guitar?
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.
In the quote below, Linda recalls attending a Jimi Hendrix gig during which he smashed another white Stratocaster. It is believed that this guitar was the one Jimi received from his girlfriend Carol earlier in 1966:
It was the night he smashed up a white guitar, I was beside myself. I’d lent him a guitar belonging to my boyfriend and there he was smashing one up on stage! I was absolutely livid with Jimi because to me that’s the most un-cool thing to do.
How I helped to make Jimi Hendrix a rock’n’roll star – The Observer, September 2014
Kathy Etchingham’s Story
Kathy Etchingham, who became Jimi’s girlfriend after his arrival in London, shared an anecdote about this guitar in her book Through Gypsy Eyes. Her story provides additional context and adds to the mystery surrounding the guitar.
According to Kathy, one night while she and Jimi were staying at a hotel, Linda walked into their room, grabbed the white Stratocaster, and left. Fortunately, Jimi smoothed things over with Linda the next day and managed to get the guitar back. Jimi also told Kathy that Linda had purchased the guitar for him, although rumors persisted that it belonged to Keith Richards:
There were rumors that it was one of Keith’s guitars which she passed on to him, but Jimi said she had bought the guitar in New York just before he came to London. Now I guess we’ll never know.
Through Gypsy Eyes, Kathy Etchingham
Interestingly, even Keith Richards himself mentioned this story in his autobiography, though he admitted much of his recollection came from Linda. In the excerpt below, Keith recounts Linda’s enthusiastic gesture:
In her enthusiasm, during a long evening with Jimi, as she tells it, she gave him a Fender Stratocaster of mine that was in my hotel room. And then, so Linda says, she also picked up a copy of a demo I had of Tim Rose singing a song called “Hey Joe.” And took that round to Roberta Goldstein’s, where Jimi was, and played it to him. This is rock-and-roll history.
Keith Richards, James Fox; Life
London and Are You Experienced Studio Sessions
It’s highly probable that this Stratocaster was Jimi’s sole instrument during his early gigs and temporary stints with other bands in London. This was also evident during the short French Tour from October 13 to October 18, 1966, where he was seen using it. Although photos of the tour are unavailable due to copyright, they can be found online with some research.
On October 23rd, Hendrix and his newly formed band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, recorded their rendition of “Hey Joe” at London’s DeLane Lea Studios, where it’s believed that he used the same guitar.
In subsequent gigs at the Big Apple Club in Germany in early November, the Bag O’ Nails pub in London later that same month, and the band’s TV appearances in December 1966, the same guitar was visible. It’s worth noting that after recording a tape for the Ready Steady Go TV show on the 13th, Hendrix recorded “Foxy Lady”, “Can You See Me”, “Love Or Confusion”, “3rd Stone From The Sun”, and “Red House” in quick succession, likely using the same white Stratocaster.
As a result, this guitar holds immense significance in the history of music and is undoubtedly one of the most important instruments in Hendrix’s collection.
Vanishing of the white Strat
By March 1967, Jimi had switched to a sunburst early ’60s Stratocaster, and the white guitar he had brought with him from the U.S. was no longer seen. The last known appearance of the white Stratocaster was on February 22, 1967, during a gig at The Roundhouse in London. While Jimi primarily played the sunburst Strat during the concert, the white Strat can be spotted in the background of some photos available on the Roundhouse website.
According to the Roundhouse website, one of Jimi’s guitars was stolen after the concert. It’s plausible that the white Stratocaster was the guitar that went missing, as Jimi continued to use the sunburst Strat exclusively afterward, and the white Stratocaster was never seen again.
If this is true, it would mean that Jimi’s only guitar during his initial move to London—the white Fender Stratocaster—was stolen in February 1967 and has never resurfaced. The loss of such a significant instrument remains a poignant moment in the history of music and the legacy of Jimi Hendrix.
Another note… black & white photos wouldn’t distinguish between mint green or white pickguards & clay or pearloid dots on these transition period 64,& 65 Stratocasters
Just saw a post on Instagram today claiming that John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers now owns this guitar, though it could be another white Strat that Jimi once owned? It’s the same guitar that was loaned to Roses and Cigarettes for their music video “Fast as You Can”.
Do you still have a link to that Instagram post?
Instagram post about Strat
Alright, thanks, I’ll try to figure out whether this is Linda or not. But I think I can already see that the logo isn’t quite right.
When it was mentioned on a post somewhere last night that it was Linda,someone had replied saying the relic side of it didnt match.
Yeah, I’m seeing now that the jfgear Instagram page posted a disclaimer that it’s not Linda after all. Still, I’m curious about the “actual” Linda, but it’s hard to find any photos of it, especially of the headstock.
Just found this
That’s funny, I guess everyone wants to own THE Linda. But, from my understanding of which guitar is actually Linda, neither one of these two matches it.
Ok,just thought it was interesting that that it seems to be the same guitar in both photos judging by the relic.
Yeah yeah, I get what you meant. I’m just saying that this is now the second alleged Linda, the first one being the one that jfgear Instagram page posted a couple of days back, from Guitar EXP.
Anyways, I’ll try to find whether the Frusciante Strat matches any of Jimi’s other guitars.
Yeah would be interested to know if it is a Hendrix strat. Its interesting Angela Petrilli loaned it a couole of years ago and now Frusciante playing it.
Guitar-exp.com claim to own the Linda Strat. Here is a statement from their Instagram.
Interesting, i’ll try and get in touch with them.
Sixty Sixty Sounds in Denmark Street posted an interview with the collector on their YouTube channel today. Mostly about his Steve Jones Les Paul but he mentioned others. There is a contact on his website.
Also, Sixty Sixty had the Monterey black Strat in for repair recently. If you look up their repairer @andygibsonguitars on Instagram there are pics.
Added a section on the Monterey Strat page with the photos posted by Andy.
I also sent an email to Armand Serra/Guitar EXP. Will update the page if I get any new details.
First Clapton’s Beano Les Paul, and then Hendrix’s white Are You Experienced white Strat stolen…. somewhere there are people who have very famous instruments under lock and key…