| To most people the truth about when Jimi Hendrix got | | | | reason the Fender Stratocaster is the most important |
| his first guitar and what types of guitars he played | | | | guitar in the history of guitars and music. |
| throughout his career is somewhat of a mystery. | | | | From then on he played Fender Stratocasters with |
| Although, he was unarguably the greatest guitar player | | | | large headstocks. One of his many unusual playing |
| ever, and with his fertile musical mind, perhaps the | | | | techniques was to play a right handed guitar |
| greatest composer of our generation or ever for that | | | | backwards, or in the left handed position, obviously |
| matter. No disrespect intended, putting Jimi in company | | | | because Jimi was left handed. In order to do that one |
| with Bach, Beethoven and the likes. True Genius. | | | | must reverse the strings and (bone) nut so the low E |
| The path that will be described here is what I would | | | | was still on the top. My understanding was that he |
| consider the most accurate, after a lot of research | | | | preferred the controls on the top of the guitar. |
| and a little voodoo-magic. Realistically though, boiling | | | | Apparently he could work his magic easier with the |
| down the mixture may leave some people to disagree | | | | voluminous amount of tricks he performed, partly by |
| with me, and I welcome the input. | | | | messing with the volume control knob. Jimi was not |
| The evidence and consistencies suggest that his first | | | | much on tone controls or guitar setup. Mostly Jimi |
| guitar was a cheap acoustic his dad gave to him, as | | | | spent the bulk of time modifying his tremolo to do |
| early as eleven years old. The story goes as such, | | | | things like lower the pitch more than usual and create |
| that even at a young age of six years, his school | | | | trem sounds otherwise unheard of. |
| teacher mentioned to his dad, Jimi obsesses over | | | | Naturally Jim Hendrix had purchased and played a |
| having a guitar so much that it may be contributing to | | | | tremendous assortment of guitars in his lifetime. During |
| some mental health issues. Not to discount todays | | | | my fact finding mission, this is the list of the other |
| teachers, but that was a very perceptive statement at | | | | guitars Jimi most likely owned and played; a Gibson |
| that time. | | | | ES-330, a Gibson Firebird, a Mosrite electric resonator |
| His first electric guitar was bought from Myers Music in | | | | guitar, a Guild 12 string acoustic, a Black Widow Spider |
| Seattle in 1959. Professed to be a white, single pickup | | | | acoustic, several Rickenbacker's including a bass Rick, |
| Supro Ozark. The next axe that Hendrix played was a | | | | a double neck Mosrite, a Hagstrom 8 string bass(it |
| red Danelectro single pickup Silvertone, nicknamed | | | | was the on played on Spanish Castle Magic from the |
| Betty Jean. In'62, while doing some gigs with the King | | | | Axis Bold As Love album', a '67 Gibson Flying V, a '67 |
| Casuals in Tennessee, he traded his Danelectro for an | | | | Gretsch Corvette, a lefty Guild Starfire Deluxe, a |
| Epiphone Wilshire, which had dual pickups and a glued | | | | Hofner electric, a '55 Gibson Les Paul, a Gibson Dove |
| on mahogany neck with a solid mahogany body, as | | | | acoustic, a Martin acoustic, a '68 Gibson SG Custom |
| opposed to the bolt on Fender Stratocaster guitar | | | | and a black lefty Flying V. Wow! |
| necks. | | | | It is not surprising that Jimi owned so many guitars. The |
| In 1964, Jimi would play rhythm guitar for the Isley | | | | depth of knowledge and pure unadulterated playing |
| Brothers. During this nine month gig, he finally got his | | | | style was not limited to just electric guitars and |
| first Fender guitar, a blond'59 Duo-Sonic. He next | | | | Stratocasters. His unique abilities allowed him to play |
| played with Little Richard in '65, and briefly played a | | | | any guitar with the deep soul jarring vibes that were all |
| Fender Jazzmaster. However, he switched back to a | | | | his. It would be unrealistic to think he was limited to one |
| Dou-Sonic when he played with Curtis Knight and the | | | | style of guitar. Or for that matter, one type of music. |
| Squires. Even though Jimi later returned to the | | | | Jimi's interest in music extended to the world of |
| Jazzmaster. | | | | classical music as well. |
| A point of interest is that none of the gigs he had with | | | | Lost to many, is the fact that Jimi was one of the best |
| the bands mentioned above lasted very long, because | | | | rhythm guitarists ever, most folk know him for his lead |
| Jimi's guitar work stole the show. His unbelievable guitar | | | | and solo guitar work, he was also an adept bass |
| abilities were noticed by all immediately, which took the | | | | player too. And last, he was a master at the acoustic |
| focus away from the musical-icons he worked for. | | | | guitar, using chords in a manner unknown to mankind |
| Jimi purchased his first Strat from Manny's Music in | | | | at that time. This combo of skills and abilities produced |
| New York in '66 in the summer. Early on he would use | | | | the man who will be forever the patron saint of rock |
| a variety of CBS Strats with rosewood fretboards. | | | | guitar. |
| While he was staying in Greenwich Village in late '66 | | | | A long article to read indeed. A true joy putting the info |
| and '67 he narrowed down his choices to a '60's era | | | | together. It turned out to be a long path to find the truth. |
| Reverse Fender Stratocasterblack or white Fender | | | | Enjoy it. |
| Strats using maple fretboards. Which, most likely is the | | | | |