Jimi Hendrix’s Sound City One Hundred
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.
On Tour
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.
In fact, a lot of things kept going and finally, Hendrix sent for Sound City and Marshall amps from London, his favorite ones and ended up with all the odd gear anyway.
Hugh Hopper, 1968-02-09 Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California USA, Crosstown Traffic
Jimi’s Sound City Amp Today
There have been several claims from individuals stating they own Jimi’s Sound City amp. However, none of these amps have been definitively traced back to Hendrix.
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I know he also used Fender twins some . I have a white covered 68 sound city that “can” sound similar to hendrix clean sounds, but so can my 65 twin. I can play parts of his songs decently but cant sound like him much, . however. Folks miss he was such a funk/ soul player, with great timing and rhythm, few white guys can cop. I saw the experience 4-11-69, with fat mattress as opening band, one of their last shows . .
The sound city 100 was the amp used by both Pete Townshend and John Entwistle, later by Jimi, and also more or less the same design followed over to the Hiwatt CP103. 4 volumes, treble / bass and a master volume.
As was told to me by Roger Mayer who was at ALL the UK recordings. Jimi used the early proto-type 67′ Sound City 100 Master Volume with the clear plexi badge logo and gold font. Not the L100 Mark 1-2-3 versions . He used these amps on the Axis album. It was NOT the Marshalls on Little Wing, Castles Made of Sand or any of the rhythm tracks as everyone thinks. It was the Sound City 100 Master volume proto-type. Jimi used the Marshalls for the solos only.