Guitar tone · rock, blues

Jimi Hendrix guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 20 Jimi Hendrix songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1968 Fender Stratocaster into Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Plexi).

Guitars Jimi Hendrix used

1968 Fender Stratocaster4 songs
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968-69, maple neck, Olympic White or Black finish)1 song
1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung left-handed)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968 Olympic White, maple neck, stock single coils)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (mid-1960s, likely 1965-1968, maple neck, stock single coils)1 song
1967 Gibson Flying V1 song
1968 Fender Stratocaster (right-handed, played left-handed, maple neck, stock single coils)1 song
1968/69 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung lefty)1 song

Amps Jimi Hendrix used

Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Plexi)1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100-watt (model 1959) into Marshall 4x12 cabinets1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 1960s, with 4x12 cabs, Celestion speakers)1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, late 1960s, 100-watt head)1 song
Marshall JTM45/100 (plexi, 100-watt, studio use)1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 Watt (model 1959, late 1960s spec)1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, 100-watt head) with Marshall 4x12 cabinets1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (Model 1959) with Marshall 4x12 cabinets1 song

26 Jimi Hendrix tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Machine Gun (Live At Filmore East, 1970 / 50th Anniversary) · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100 Watt (model 1959, late 1960s spec)	6
All Along the Watchtower · solo	Solo · distorted	1967 Gibson Flying V	Marshall JTM45/100 (plexi, 100-watt, studio use)	6
All Along the Watchtower · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall JTM45/100 (studio recording, Electric Ladyland sessions)	5.5
Angel · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung lefty)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 1960s, 100-watt head) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	5
Born Under a Bad Sign · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968-69, maple neck, Olympic White or Black finish)	Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Plexi)	5
Born Under a Bad Sign · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Flying V (likely 1967 model, hand-painted, as used by Hendrix in late 1960s)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 1960s, likely 1959 model)	5.5
Foxey Lady (Live at the Fillmore East, NY - 1/1/70 - 1st Set) · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (late 1960s, likely 1968-69, right-handed, strung lefty, maple neck, white finish)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, 100-watt, with Marshall 4x12 cabinets, likely loaded with Celestion G12M Greenbacks)	7
Foxey Lady (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (right-handed, strung upside down for left-handed playing)	Marshall Super Lead 100 watt head with 2 x 4x12 cabinets	4.5
Hey Joe (Live) · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender 1960s Stratocaster (right-handed, strung lefty, maple neck, single-coil pickups)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, 100-watt, with 4x12 Marshall cabinets, likely Celestion speakers)	5.5
Hey Joe (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (mid-60s, likely 1965-66, Olympic White or Sunburst, maple neck)	Marshall JTM45 (early model, 1960s, with matching 4x12 cabinet)	5.5
Jungle · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (mid-1960s, likely 1965-1968, maple neck, stock single coils)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, late 1960s, 100-watt head)	5.5
Machine Gun (Live At Filmore East, 1970 / 50th Anniversary) · solo	Solo · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung lefty, stock single coils)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Model 1959, 100-watt, late 60s Plexi, with 4x12 Marshall cabs, likely loaded with Celestion G12H speakers)	6.5
Power to Love (Live At Filmore East, 1970 / 50th Anniversary) · riff	Riff · clean	1968 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 60s/early 70s spec)	3.5
Purple Haze · riff	Riff · distorted	1965 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100-watt head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet (Celestion speakers)	6
Red House · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1965-1967, maple neck, stock single coils)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, 100W, 4x12 cabinet, likely Celestion speakers)	5.5
Red House · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1963 or 1965, sunburst, rosewood fretboard)	Marshall Plexi (likely JTM45/100 or Super Lead 100, 1966-67 era)	4.5
Somewhere · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968 Olympic White, maple neck, stock single coils)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 1960s, with 4x12 cabs, Celestion speakers)	6
Star Spangled Banner (Live At Woodstock) · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, nicknamed 'Izabella')	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Model 1959) full stack	6.5
Sunshine of Your Love · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (right-handed, strung upside down, likely late '60s model)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (plexi, late 1960s, likely modified tone stack)	6.5
Sweet Angel · riff	Riff · clean	1965-1968 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, plexi, late 1960s)	3
Sweet Angel · riff	Riff · distorted	1965-68 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, late 1960s)	5
Sweet Angel (Angel) · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster (right-handed, played left-handed, maple neck, stock single coils)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, 100-watt head) with Marshall 4x12 cabinets	5.5
The Star Spangled Banner (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung left-handed)	Marshall Super Lead 100-watt (model 1959) into Marshall 4x12 cabinets	8
Valleys of Neptune · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely late 1960s, Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed strung lefty as per Hendrix's typical studio use in 1969-1970)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Model 1959, Plexi, 100-watt head, typical Hendrix studio amp in 1969-1970)	5
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) [Live] · riff	Riff · distorted	1968 Fender Stratocaster	Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 60s Plexi)	5.5
Who Knows (Live At Filmore East, 1970 / 50th Anniversary) · riff	Riff · distorted	1968/69 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung lefty)	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Model 1959) with Marshall 4x12 cabinets	6

Jimi Hendrix songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

Voodoo Child (Slight Return) [Live] on Marshall DSL40CR

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Jimi Hendrix use?

Across 20 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Plexi) (1 song), Marshall Super Lead 100-watt (model 1959) into Marshall 4x12 cabinets (1 song), Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, late 1960s, with 4x12 cabs, Celestion speakers) (1 song), Marshall Super Lead 100 (model 1959, Plexi, late 1960s, 100-watt head) (1 song).

What guitar did Jimi Hendrix use?

Most often: 1968 Fender Stratocaster (4 songs), Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968-69, maple neck, Olympic White or Black finish) (1 song), 1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, maple neck, right-handed, strung left-handed) (1 song), Fender Stratocaster (likely 1968 Olympic White, maple neck, stock single coils) (1 song).

How do I get Jimi Hendrix's tone on my amp?

Open any Jimi Hendrix song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.