What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

[Stratcat]

Does anyone know what gauge strings Hendrix used on his Strats? Thanks for any info.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I've heard many stories but nothing concrete ...

The two brands of string I heard he used were Fender and something called "Black Diamond" ...

9's were what I read and from what I remember from the vids of him playing at the Isle of Wight he was pulling some amazing bends (then again so did SRV w/ 13's) ...

Don't think this helps much though

 

[italic zero]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I heard he used 13s, except with the flipped headstock there was a bit less tension on the higher strings.

 

[Nathan]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I remember reading in a magazine that he once said he replaced one of his higher strings with a different string, like instead of using a B for a B string he would get a G and put it where the B should be. something like that, probably with different strings though, i really dont remember. I think though that he was changing string gauges pretty often and experimenting since he was having trouble finding something that would stay in tune with his right-handed strat turned left-handed.

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I heard he used 13s, except with the flipped headstock there was a bit less tension on the higher strings.

That makes no sense. Tension would have to be the same since the scale and gauge is the same. If the length of the string past the nut is shorter, then bends are harder.

 

[beandip]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

To clear everything up, he used Fender Rock-n-Roll strings, gauged 10-38. If you dont believe me, Google it or ask at the FDP.

 

[beandip]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

Oh, by the way, he used hair grease as a nut and saddle lube so that he wouldnt go out of tune. He'd also stretch the string out a tiny tiny bit at a time, Miles said that Jimi would spend somewhere around an hour, just trestringing and tuning up.

 

[Dills]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I agree with beandip, why all the fuss about what jimi hendrix's string gauge is, is it going to make you play better and make your axe turn into a lightning bolt that shoots in lots of directions?

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I thought he used a custom set- some heavy, some light, and a Hawaiian G.:wall:

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I heard the same as bean

 

[Simon_F]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

Oh, by the way, he used hair grease as a nut and saddle lube so that he wouldnt go out of tune.

That didn't work then. :smack: :lmao:

Just kidding beandip - I was thinking of the few Hendrix live albums I have. He seems to be constantly going out of tune, retuning between songs etc....

Thanks for the info. Cool stuff.

 

[beandip]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

That didn't work then. :smack: :lmao:

Just kidding beandip - I was thinking of the few Hendrix live albums I have. He seems to be constantly going out of tune, retuning between songs etc....

Thanks for the info. Cool stuff.

Yeah, I think he started to lose his magic towards the end. I'm not saying that he started to suck or anything, but maybe he just switched brands? That's one of the problems with pulling those strats straight out the box, they didnt have a proper setup, and wernt accomidated for the thinner bass strings and thicker treble strings.

 

[Curly]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

oh, uh ... I think Hendrix knew what he was doing

have you seen what he did with that trem??? vintage style trems just don't hold tune with that kind of "artistic use" (abuse!) of the wang bar!

also, on that particular show, he could have had any number of problems (like brand new strings, etc...) - we've all been there!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I think Hendrix did use Fender Rock N Roll strings because they were the first super light gauge strings to hit the market. Period. Before Fender came out with them there were no other strings with an unwound G and .010 E string.

Guys had to buy a regular set of Gibson Sonomatics, throw away the low E, move the whole set down so that the A string became the low E string and then substitute a .010 or .011 BANJO string for the high E.

Honest! That's what players like James Burton did before the Fender Rock N Roll strings hit the market.

I remember the first time I tried a set when they first came out about 1966...I hated them! I felt like I was playing on thread. After playing all those flat wound strings with a wound G from Gibson and Gretch, I felt like I could pull those Fender Rock N Roll strings right around to the back of the neck!

But I got used to them after a while and discovered that was the only way to get the bends my heroes were doing.

Clapton also used the Fender Rock N Roll strings. Then Guild came out with a similar set. Then GHS and Ernie Ball and all the others. But Fender was the first.


Lew

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I think Hendrix did use Fender Rock N Roll strings because they were the first super light gauge strings to hit the market. Period. Before Fender came out with them there were no other strings with an unwound G and .010 E string.

Guys had to buy a regular set of Gibson Sonomatics, throw away the low E, move the whole set down so that the A string became the low E string and then substitute a .010 or .011 BANJO string for the high E.

Honest! That's what players like James Burton did before the Fender Rock N Roll strings hit the market.

I remember the first time I tried a set when they first came out about 1966...I hated them! I felt like I was playing on thread. After playing all those flat wound strings with a wound G from Gibson and Gretch, I felt like I could pull those Fender Rock N Roll strings right around to the back of the neck!

But I got used to them after a while and discovered that was the only way to get the bends my heroes were doing.

Clapton also used the Fender Rock N Roll strings. Then Guild came out with a similar set. Then GHS and Ernie Ball and all the others. But Fender was the first.


Lew

Cool info Lew....I Knew about early blues players using a banjo string for their unwound 3rd from readings....I knew Clapton had been with EB and the "Slinkys" but it makes more sense to me that fender would be the first to cater to musicians,as they did with all of their early products...You have a few years on me buddy,so what you say is the gospel then...

Regarding Hendrix....Jeff Beck has said that Hendrix used to rag on him for only using .008s,so I'd think Hendrix would have used at least .009s,possibly even .010s? Don't forget also,that Jimi tuned down to E flat and this makes bending strings easier and it's easier on your voice..

John

 

[elciscokid]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

I think Hendrix did use Fender Rock N Roll strings because they were the first super light gauge strings to hit the market. Period. Before Fender came out with them there were no other strings with an unwound G and .010 E string.

Guys had to buy a regular set of Gibson Sonomatics, throw away the low E, move the whole set down so that the A string became the low E string and then substitute a .010 or .011 BANJO string for the high E.

Honest! That's what players like James Burton did before the Fender Rock N Roll strings hit the market.

I remember the first time I tried a set when they first came out about 1966...I hated them! I felt like I was playing on thread. After playing all those flat wound strings with a wound G from Gibson and Gretch, I felt like I could pull those Fender Rock N Roll strings right around to the back of the neck!

But I got used to them after a while and discovered that was the only way to get the bends my heroes were doing.

Clapton also used the Fender Rock N Roll strings. Then Guild came out with a similar set. Then GHS and Ernie Ball and all the others. But Fender was the first.


Lew

You should check out Ernie Ball background history (Ernie was not his first name I believe it was Sterling). There was an article written about Ernie Ball a few issues of Guitar Player magazine back on how he got started.
ERNIE BALL WAS THE FIRST STRING COMPANY TO MAKE LIGHT GAUGE STRINGS BECAUSE FENDER AND GIBSON DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ERNIE BALL'S SUGGESTION OF THEM MAKING LIGHTER GAUGE ELECTRIC STRINGS.
So Ernie Ball started to make them he went out of the music strore business into the string business.
One store owner in the San Fernando Valley (Valley Music - I think) was asked to invest in the string business and said No.
He wished he would have because Ernie Ball make a lot of money.
Fender did not want lighter strings because of the setup style of the pickups and so on. They were designed with the current strings at the time flatwounds or heavier roundwound electric strings. They had no idea light gauge would take off like it did that includes Gibson. Ernie Ball kept hearing requests for lighter gauge electric strings from his guitar customers but the big guitar makers would not listen including Fender and Gibson.
So opportunity strikes $$$$$$ for Ernie Ball because Fender & Gibson was so complacent and ignorant.
That's the real story do a Google search or check Guitar Player Magazine with the Ernie Ball story. (They are into guitar making too plus other things).

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

You should check out Ernie Ball background history (Ernie was not his first name I believe it was Sterling). There was an article written about Ernie Ball a few issues of Guitar Player magazine back on how he got started.
ERNIE BALL WAS THE FIRST STRING COMPANY TO MAKE LIGHT GAUGE STRINGS BECAUSE FENDER AND GIBSON DID NOT WANT TO HEAR ERNIE BALL'S SUGGESTION OF THEM MAKING LIGHTER GAUGE ELECTRIC STRINGS.
So Ernie Ball started to make them he went out of the music strore business into the string business.
One store owner in the San Fernando Valley (Valley Music - I think) was asked to invest in the string business and said No.
He wished he would have because Ernie Ball make a lot of money.
Fender did not want lighter strings because of the setup style of the pickups and so on. They were designed with the current strings at the time flatwounds or heavier roundwound electric strings. They had no idea light gauge would take off like it did that includes Gibson. Ernie Ball kept hearing requests for lighter gauge electric strings from his guitar customers but the big guitar makers would not listen including Fender and Gibson.
So opportunity strikes $$$$$$ for Ernie Ball because Fender & Gibson was so complacent and ignorant.
That's the real story do a Google search or check Guitar Player Magazine with the Ernie Ball story. (They are into guitar making too plus other things).

Wow...Re-newed post from 2004! :eyecrazy:

 

[uOpt]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

Would be an interesting project to measure this is you have a close enough video.

If you can see a bend clearly enough you note the position on the fretboard and the pitch he reached (and hope the video isn't out of sync with it's audio) and you can then either compute or determine the string gauge experimentally.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

Wow...Re-newed post from 2004! :eyecrazy:

Wow...

According to Roger Mayer, it was a custom set up.

Mayer says an important part of Hendrix's sound was due to his use of carefully selected string gauges, which evened out the guitar's response from string to string.

"First of all, we weren't using a flat-radius fretboard," Mayer says. "We were using the normal one, not the very high radius but definitely curvy. The actual strings we used were not what people would expect. The string gauges would run .010, .013, .015, .026, .032 and .038.

 

[blueman335]

Re: What gauge strings did Jimi Hendrix use?

To clear everything up, he used Fender Rock-n-Roll strings, gauged 10-38. If you dont believe me, Google it or ask at the FDP.

A 'classic thread'! For the latter part of his career, he was tuning down a half step, so 10's would have felt like 9's, or even looser.