ARTIST SIGNATURE SPECS: JIMI HENDRIX STRATOCASTER

Possessed with otherworldly skills and known for his wildly innovative playing, Jimi Hendrix is generally considered one of the greatest guitarists to ever pick up the instrument. Over the course of his lamentably short career, he graced the world with iconic singles like “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Purple Haze” and “Fire,” as well as brilliant re-imaginings of songs like “Hey Joe,” “All Along the Watchtower” and “The Star Spangled Banner.”

And more frequently than not, Hendrix’s guitar of choice was the Stratocaster, so when we sat down to create a model to celebrate this game-changing, literally pyrotechnic legend, we were committed to designing something that captured Hendrix’s singular style and tone. The result is a sleek, exceptionally playable Strat worthy of the Voodoo Child himself. Let’s take a closer look at the specs!

BODY:

Featuring the Strat shape that so many associate with Hendrix, this guitar is constructed out of alder and available in classic 3-Color Sunburst or elegant Olympic White. It also includes one of its most compelling details – a reverse ’70s-style headstock. Hendrix was a lefty, but his first Strat was right-handed, so he decided to re-string it in order to play it and we kept that “flipped-over” alteration intact on his signature model. It’s remarkably eye-catching and also changes the relative length of the strings, which provides a unique playing feel while giving the treble more snap.

NECK:

The Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster features a 9.5”-radius “C”-shaped maple neck and fingerboard with 21 medium jumbo frets. The 9.5” radius is slightly flatter than a vintage-style radius, offering enough arc to provide a naturally comfortable fret-hand feel while making it easier to bend notes.

ELECTRONICS:

To achieve the pure electric tone that is the hallmark of Jimi’s extraordinary playing, we’ve equipped his signature model with three reverse-mounted American Vintage ‘65 single-coil Stratocaster pickups. This reverses the pole piece stagger, subtly changing the string-to-string volume balance for authentic Hendrix-style tone. Additionally, the bridge pickup is mounted with a reverse slant, generating warm sound with enhanced upper harmonics and definition on the bass strings while adding girth to the treble strings.

HARDWARE:

Loaded with classic appointments, this signature Strat comes with a 6-saddle vintage-style synchronized tremolo, aged white plastic control knobs, chrome hardware and vintage-style tuning machines.

OTHER FEATURES:

To further commemorate the man’s incredible legacy, this Strat’s reverse headstock includes Hendrix’s signature on the back to inspire you every time you sit down to play. It also has a special engraved neck plate that features a shoulders-up silhouette of the artist and the words “Authentic Hendrix” inscribed on it. Finally, it comes with a deluxe gig bag to protect your guitar whether you’re out on the road or storing it at home.

Ready for the experience? Learn more about the Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster (and grab your own) here.