What guitar did Jimi Hendrix use on All Along the Watchtower?

Hendrix used a Fender Stratocaster on this recording. He was known for playing right-handed Stratocasters flipped upside down and restrung for left-handed playing, which contributed to his unique tone and string tension.

How to get Jimi Hendrix All Along the Watchtower tone?

The key elements are a Stratocaster-style guitar, Fuzz Face distortion, wah pedal, and a cranked Marshall amp. Start with the fuzz engaged for thick sustain, use the wah expressively throughout, and push the amp hard for natural overdrive and compression.

What amp did Hendrix use on Electric Ladyland album?

Hendrix primarily used Marshall JTM45 and early JMP amplifiers during the Electric Ladyland sessions. These were the classic 'plexi' Marshalls that became synonymous with his overdriven sound when pushed to high volumes.

What fuzz pedal did Jimi Hendrix use?

Hendrix used an Arbiter Fuzz Face, typically with germanium transistors. This pedal provided the thick, singing sustain and smooth saturation that became central to his signature sound, especially when stacked with his wah pedal.

Who produced All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix?

Eddie Kramer produced and engineered the track at Olympic Studios in London. Kramer was Hendrix's longtime collaborator and was instrumental in capturing and shaping the guitar tones on most of his classic recordings.

lead guitar from "all along the watchtower" by jimi hendrix

all along the watchtower

jimi hendrix

lead guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A searing, overdriven guitar tone with a blend of fuzz and wah, creating a psychedelic and expressive sound.

Shop This Rig

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Fender Stratocaster(instrument)
Marshall JTM45(amp)
Neumann U67(microphone)
Arbiter Fuzz Face(processing)
Vox Wah(processing)

The Story

Hendrix recorded this iconic track at Olympic Studios in London with producer/engineer Eddie Kramer. The core tone came from his Fender Stratocaster running through an Arbiter Fuzz Face and Vox Wah into a cranked Marshall JTM45 amp. The guitar was captured with a Neumann U67 microphone, with careful placement being crucial to capture the raw dynamics and sustain of the heavily overdriven signal.

Production Credits

Producer: Eddie Kramer

Engineer: Eddie Kramer

Recorded at: Olympic Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb

Amp: Marshall JTM45Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Neumann U67Shop on Reverb

Processing: Arbiter Fuzz FaceShop on Reverb, Vox WahShop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Stratocaster-style guitar and a Marshall-style amp.
Use a Fuzz Face pedal to get the thick, saturated fuzz tone.
Experiment with a Wah pedal to add expressive, vocal-like qualities to your playing.
Adjust the amp's gain and EQ to dial in the desired amount of overdrive and brightness.
Fine-tune the fuzz and wah settings to match the original recording.

Original Gear

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Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb(guitar)
Marshall JTM45Shop on Reverb(amp)
Arbiter Fuzz FaceShop on Reverb(pedal)
Vox WahShop on Reverb(pedal)
Neumann U67Shop on Reverb(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini HendrixShop on Reverb$120-$140

Alternative to: Arbiter Fuzz Face

Specifically voiced to recreate Hendrix's germanium Fuzz Face tones with the thick, singing sustain heard on this track

Dunlop Cry Baby Hendrix WahShop on Reverb$130-$150

Alternative to: Vox Wah

Designed to match the vocal-like sweep and frequency response of the original Vox wahs Hendrix used

Marshall Origin 50HShop on Reverb$600-$700

Alternative to: Marshall JTM45

Captures the plexi-style overdrive and midrange character of the JTM45 when pushed hard

Neural DSP Archetype Plini PluginPlugin Boutique$90-$110

Alternative to: Marshall JTM45

Includes accurate Marshall-style amp models that can deliver the cranked plexi tones with proper EQ and saturation

Squier Classic Vibe 60s StratocasterShop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Provides authentic single-coil pickup response and tonal characteristics essential for Hendrix-style tones at a budget price

Sources

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lead guitar from “all along the watchtower” by jimi hendrix | ToneDB