Description
Jimi Hendrix 1963 Fender Stratocaster
About the Guitar
As with all my guitar sculptures, I start by transferring my scale drawing onto a wood base. I make sure to accurately mark out all the features of the guitar; pickups, volume & tone knobs, jack plugs, bridges, fret position, headstock features etc.
From there, I lay out the outline of the body shape using an appropriate material that best fits the guitar characteristics.
Furthermore, I have used a common technique of super heating metal and then quenching with motor oil. This results in the rainbow/purple effect on the fret boards and pickups.
Most noteworthy, I have tried to capture the famous Fender Stratocaster that he burned on stage at the Monterey Pop Festival. I have used the Japanese technique of preserving wood called Shou Sugi Ban. The process involves charring wood, cooling it, cleaning it and finishing it with natural oil.
The guitar sculpture also comes with its own unique guitar stand. This is specifically tailored to the needs of the guitar with respects to its look, balance and body shape.
About the Artist
Johnny Allen Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970)
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes Jimi Hendrix as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music”.
Jimi started playing the guitar at the age of 15. He played with bands such as The Isley Brothers and later in 1965 with Little Richard.
Jimi moved to England in 1966 where he gigged relentlessly to earn himself the title as a guitar prodigy. No one had ever seen the guitar played the way he did, and he soon gained respect and praise from his peers such as Eric Clapton (Cream), Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds) and Pete Townshend (The Who).
In 1967, Jimi Hendrix performed at the Monterey Pop Festival. It was his breakthrough into the American music industry, and it launched him as one of the highest paid performers of his generation. On the bill for that festival was The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding.
Not to be upstaged by The Who, who were infamous for smashing their equipment on stage, Jimi set light to his guitar during his last song “Wild Thing”.
Having set light to the guitar he then proceeded to smash it about the stage and throw the remains into the audience. This performance put Hendrix on the map and generated an enormous amount of music press and newspaper column inches.
Equipment Used
Jimi Hendrix played a variety of guitars including the Gibson Flying V, but he predominately played a right-handed Fender Stratocaster, upside down and restrung for left-handed playing.
Other guitarists that made the Fender Stratocaster their guitar of choice include:
David Gilmour – Pink Floyd
Jeff Beck – The Yardbirds
Richie Blackmore – Deep Purple
Eddie Van Halen – Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Double Trouble
