Jimi Hendrix’s 1970s Fender Stratocaster (white, left-handed)

Hendrix ordered two left-handed Stratocasters at Manny’s in NYC sometime in late 1969/early 1970 but failed to pick them up. One was black, the other one was white, and they both had rosewood fretboards.

The guitars were left at the store until Steve Miller bought them in the early 1970s through Henry Goldrich – the owner of Manny’s. The black Strat, which can be seen on the front picture on the record sleeve of the Fly Like an Eagle album, was at some point stolen from him.

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