Tone Profile

This legendary tone is raw, powerful, and drenched in wah, characterized by a Fender Stratocaster driving a cranked Marshall amp. It's the quintessential sound of psychedelic blues-rock, full of aggression, sustain, and Hendrix's unique expressive touch.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Recorded on May 3, 1968, at The Record Plant, New York City, for the album *Electric Ladyland*.
• Engineered by Eddie Kramer and Gary Kellgren.
• The track famously begins with Hendrix saying, "Okay, hit it..." and has a very live, improvisational feel.
• The wah-wah pedal is a dominant feature, used rhythmically and expressively throughout the song.
• Significant amplifier volume was used to achieve the desired sustain and feedback characteristics.

Recreation Tips

• Use a Fender Stratocaster, preferably the bridge or neck pickup.
• A Marshall Plexi-style amplifier is crucial; turn it up loud to get power tube saturation. An attenuator may be necessary for manageable volume levels.
• A vintage-style wah pedal (e.g., Vox V846 or Dunlop Cry Baby) is essential. Practice expressive, rhythmic sweeps in time with your playing.
• Incorporate a Germanium Fuzz Face pedal, typically placed before the wah in the signal chain, for authentic grit and sustain.
• Tune your guitar down a half-step to Eb (Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb).
• Utilize your guitar's volume knob to control gain and clean up the tone dynamically.
• Emphasize aggressive picking, string bends, and vibrato to capture Hendrix's expressive playing style.
• Experiment with mic placement if miking an amp; close miking near the edge of the speaker cone can capture a balanced tone.

Recommended Gear

• Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster(Guitar)
• Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead Plexi Reissue(Amp)
• Vox V846-HW Hand-Wired Wah Wah Pedal(Pedal)
• Dunlop JDF2 Fuzz Face Distortion (Germanium)(Pedal)
• Shure SM57(Microphone)
• Neumann U67 Reissue(Microphone)