Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, reportedly (though never confirmed), paid over £2 million for the Stratocaster Jimi used at Woodstock.
The renowned (and now exceedingly valuable) guitar is showcased at the Museum of Pop Culture (previously known as the Experience Music Project Museum) in Jimi’s hometown of Seattle.
Jimi Hendrix is an iconic guitarist who unquestionably requires no introduction. He has a multitude of admirers and detractors, yet it’s undeniable that people still draw inspiration from his music, even more than 40 years after his untimely passing.
His musical brilliance transcended his era. The flamboyance, bravado, and extravagant nature of his live performances were unparalleled during his time.
As proof of his talent and impact, Rolling Stone magazine bestowed upon him the #1 position in their roster of the Top 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003. Hendrix was also posthumously inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
But let’s shift the focus away from Jimi and delve into his Woodstock Strat!
As anticipated of a guitarist of his stature, Hendrix owned several guitars. Among his most famous ones was widely known as the Woodstock Strat. Another equally renowned guitar was his favourite, Black Beauty, a black Fender Stratocaster.
This iconic guitar is a 1968 Olympic White Fender Stratocaster, bearing the serial number #240981, which he purchased from a music store in New York. Its body was crafted from alder and features a maple neck and fretboard.
Hendrix played the Strat at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, notably during his iconic rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He acquired the guitar in 1968 and showcased it at numerous concerts, including the Newport Pop Festival and his final performance at the Isle of Fehmarn in September 1970.
Eden, Janine and Jim from New York City, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It was acquired by Paul Allen in the 90s and is now housed in one of the rooms of the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle. Since then, it has been a permanent part of the museum’s collections in Seattle.
The Woodstock Strat was recently played by Kenny Wayne Shepherd during a live performance on the Jimmy Fallon Show in November 2010.