Tough Job Touring With Jimi Hendrix

[wileypickett]

He’s obviously playing upside down, but is it restrung? Did he have the ability to play with strings reversed?

A number of people have confirmed that Hendrix was able to take a guitar strung for right-handed players, flip it over and play it with some facility. (In the above photo the heavier gauge strings do appear to be at the bottom, ie. its a right-handed guitar turned upside-down.)

I have to think that he was even more facile with the guitar restrung for lefty playing, since that's what he did given a choice!

 

[wileypickett]

The first time I saw Jimi live, was the night after MLK was assassinated. He was very somber, and pretty much just stood there the whole time, until the end of the show, when he threw his Strat into the amp stacks.

Was that the Newark, NJ, show?

 

[adorshki]

A number of people have confirmed that Hendrix was able to take a guitar strung for right-handed players, flip it over and play it with some facility. (In the above photo the heavier gauge strings do appear to be at the bottom, ie. its a right-handed guitar turned upside-down.)

I have to think that he was even more facile with the guitar restrung for lefty playing, since that's what he did given a choice!

It's Nesmith's White Falcon.

 

[DrumBob]

Was that the Newark, NJ, show?

Yes, Newark Symphony Hall. The room as half empty, because people thought there would be riots. I have a few photos I took that night that have been reproduced in magazines. I guess that was a pretty famous concert.

 

[wileypickett]

Yes, Newark Symphony Hall. The room as half empty, because people thought there would be riots. I have a few photos I took that night that have been reproduced in magazines. I guess that was a pretty famous concert.

Wow! It's been talked about in reverent terms as one of Hendrix's more profound shows. With tapes of so many of Hendrix's concerts in circulation, it's sad no tapes of this show seem to exist.

Were your photos reproduced in Roto-Vibes? I seem to recall seeing seeing photos from this show somewhere.

Where in NW Jersey are you? I grew up in Waldwick -- still have family in the state.

 

[DrumBob]

I'm in Vernon, Sussex County. My photos appeared in Hendrix magazine, which was short lived, and they might have appeared elsewhere without my knowledge. As far as I know, there was only one other photographer in the audience that night. His photos have been published also. I took the photos with a cheap Kodak brownie camera.

It was a profound show, given the circumstances, and Jimi was very restrained throughout. I was just at the right place at the right time.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Sadly, Jimi was a little before my time... Some of these stage antics just seem weird to me. Grinding a stack of amp cabinets just doesn't really compute for me. But then again, neither does smashing guitars and drummers spontaneously combusting.

As usual, John Hiatt said it best:

 

[walrus]

A number of people have confirmed that Hendrix was able to take a guitar strung for right-handed players, flip it over and play it with some facility. (In the above photo the heavier gauge strings do appear to be at the bottom, ie. its a right-handed guitar turned upside-down.)

I have to think that he was even more facile with the guitar restrung for lefty playing, since that's what he did given a choice!

Random FYI, a weird coincidence is that another well known artist that could play a right handedly strung guitar flipped over was Paul McCartney, who recommended a little known (in the USA) Hendrix on the bill at Montery Pop.

How Paul McCartney Helped Jimi Hendrix Break Through in America

In 1967, Jimi Hendrix was a star in England but remained unknown in America. A tip from Paul McCartney helped change that.

www.cheatsheet.com

walrus

 

[adorshki]

I had this same model Gretsch for a couple years, left in my care by my deceased bosses wife til she got the probate worked out to keep it out of the hands of wayward kids and wind up as trade material for drugs. Her grandson got it in the end, as intended and all was well.
It was a 1964 Gretsch 75th Double Anniversary 6118T in Smoke Green, 6124 Single Anniversary was a single pickup. Lightest electric hollow body I’ve ever held. Came out in ‘58 but the anniversary model kept going through the 60’s. There are a huge selection of this anniversary model reissue for sale now online.
I wonder if this is his or borrowed it. He’s obviously playing upside down, but is it restrung? Did he have the ability to play with strings reversed?

It's Mike Nesmith's White Falcon (I thought), obviously borrowed for some quick fun, and Jimi didn't need to restring a guitar just to try it or play casually. Reversing the strings requires a new nut and bridge saddle locations, why bother for some strictly casual picking?