Jimi Hendrix - Guitar Setup & Tunings
Quick Facts
- Primary Tuning
- Half Step Down
- String Gauge
- .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038 (Heavy-high, light-low setup)
- String Brand
- Fender Rock 'n' Roll 150 (Custom gauges built by Roger Mayer)
- Genre
- Classic Rock
About Jimi Hendrix's Sound
James Marshall Hendrix (1942-1970) revolutionized electric guitar playing in ways that still influence musicians today. A left-handed player who played right-handed guitars flipped upside down, Hendrix pioneered the use of feedback, distortion, and wah-wah pedals as musical elements. His innovative approach to the Stratocaster, combined with Marshall amplifiers, created tones never heard before. Despite a career spanning only four years before his death at 27, Hendrix recorded three landmark studio albums and became the highest-paid performer at Woodstock 1969. His influence extends beyond rock into funk, metal, and experimental music.
Tunings Used
E Standard - 4 songs
- Purple HazeTry this tuning →
- Hey JoeTry this tuning →
- Foxy LadyTry this tuning →
- The Wind Cries MaryTry this tuning →
Eb Standard - 4 songs
- Voodoo Child (Slight Return)Try this tuning →
- Little WingTry this tuning →
- Red HouseTry this tuning →
- All Along the WatchtowerTry this tuning →
String Setup
Primary Strings
Fender Rock 'n' Roll 150 (Custom gauges built by Roger Mayer)
.010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038 (Heavy-high, light-low setup)
Why Jimi Hendrix uses these
Hendrix tuned down a half-step to Eb for easier bending and to better match his vocal range. His unusual string setup (heavy high strings, light low strings) was the opposite of conventional wisdom, allowing for thick rhythm tones while maintaining easy lead bending. He famously played right-handed Stratocasters flipped upside down, which affected the string break angle over the nut and bridge, contributing to his unique tone. Roger Mayer, his effects guru, custom-built string sets for him.