A lot of my readers are going, why do you have a picture of Jimi with Sunn amps instead of his signature Marshall stacks. Most of those pictures everyone uses. There are great pictures out there of Hendrix, you just have to look, including one I have of him working on his Tremelo.
Thank you once again to Dee Curtis our resident guru
who is a literal encyclopedia on music and gear. He's been instrumental in helping us here on Canadian Guitar Player. Dee knew certain aspects of Jimi's gear a lot of fans of his and musicians wouldn't know. Dee is also a canadian based bluesman, who's helped a lot of musicians through the years, and has developed his own signature blues style most musicians with loads of experience can't even comprehend or comp.
We all love Jimi, but he's not so much known for his independent material, but what he did when he first started in New York and backed a lot of well known bands including The Isley's. But his gear is what
he's known for, at least with working musicians. But please don't go and think you can use exactly the same
guitar and rig as Jimi and play like him. Not gonna happen lads.
Thanks again to Dee Curtis. I just took what he said and put it in my own words. This is a repost and I know Google will not love me for it. But musicians will. So take a few notes and at least go fourth and develop your own original tone, and grab some ideas from this short article.
This is a great article guys!
By Mark Grove
This article's about Jimi's live equipment in 1970. I've never been a huge fan of Hendrix but most of the musicians and fans of blues love the man. Yeah, I know I'm a prick when it comes to Hendrix. A lot of fans would like me to write this so I guess I have to. The only Hendrix material I liked was when he played with Little Richard and when The Experience backed up Blues acts was when they really shined. That's the Blues that really tickles my musical funny bone. Well here it goes...
Jimi's live on stage gear: We don't start off with Jimi's guitar, we start from the sound hole folks. Where it all comes out and mesmerizes us. That being... Amp Rig: Marshall heads and Celestion 4 x 12 cabinets Heads: Marshall 100 watters.
I know Jimi used other heads as well, but I'm not sure which kind. Maybe different combos of cabinets and heads made for a more interpretive and live feel. Where as a total Marshall amp package may have been better for the studio. There are many recording variables. The Marshall heads then went into a cabinet I wasn't sure about, so I asked Dee Curtis what it was. Low and behold he knew it was a rotating speaker made by Univibe, possibly a Leslie, and used as a fantastic effects box. At most Sessions and concerts after 69' Jimi used it. As well a Univibe pedal was directly connected to the Univibe Box for added effects. Next on our backwards list is The Custom Octavia. Earlier known in 67' as the "Octavio" was invented and made by effects man Roger Mayer in 67'. The Octavio was used as well on lesser known Hendrix recordings such as "One Rainy Wish" and yes I hate to say it "Purple Haze". Next on our trick bag of Hendrix live stage effects is the Arbiter Fuzz Face which originally Hendrix ran into his guitar, then into a wah pedal and out to an amp. The "Fuzz Face" originally had two transistors which gave it a warm tube like sound and essentially put too much pressure on the "wah" it's self. As well, because of the differences in sound requirements on stage the Fuzz Face had to be run first or the effects would literally be non existent.
I get the feeling that Jimi, believe or not, was a minimalist in regards to effects and relied on his chord and interpretive styles, which in effect blended in well with the Octavio and Fuzz Face especially. Next on our list is the well known "Vox CryBaby Wah" which Hendrix used in his earlier gigs as the last piece of effects equipment before the Amp. Last, but surely not least, is Jimi's 1970 Fender Stratocaster. Jimi used Sunburst Strats mainly in the studio and used Black and white ones for live shows. I will have the specifics on his guitars in a future article, so be watching out for it. As well, Michael FairChild who wrote the book "Are you Experienced?" You can find a number of articles he has done on the gear of Jimmy Hendrix in Back issues of (Guitar Shop) magazine.
Mark Grove---
http://www.fender.com/
Thanks to Dee Curtis for his knowledge and know how from that era where Hendrix reigned
supreme.
deecurtis@rock.com
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