NEWS: Gibson releases Jimi Hendrix signature gear
Check out Music Radar’s thoughts on the matter here: http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/blog-when-is-a-strat-not-a-strat-220867?cpn=RSS&source=MRNEWS
So how do I feel about this? Um… well… um…
I think it’s great that the various packages are reasonably priced, but I just find it a strange fit. I just don’t want to see Gibson making this type of guitar. But it’s not Gibson’s involvement that bothers me – I think they have every right to do something like this, and if a similar package was offered by Gibson based on Jimi’s Flying V I’d be ecstatic. But ditto for Fender if they were offering such a package with a Strat. No, my beef is with the Hendrix estate. Guys, this isn’t the way to pay tribute to Jimi’s legacy. Just as a guitar purist, it bugs me is that the shape isn’t right (although it’s cool in its own way and I like the headstock), and while the guitar may be designed to capture the spirit of Jimi, the Stratocaster already did that quite fine. When you design a posthumous signature guitar that the artist never played, you walk a very fine line with fans. If this is just the tip of the iceberg as stated in the press release, then I hope the next release is that Flying V, which would truly be ‘authentic Hendrix.’
Here’s the press release:
Authentic Hendrix LLC, a Jimi Hendrix Family Company, announced today the introduction of three branded Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Packages as part of an exclusive agreement between the Gibson Guitar Corp. and Authentic Hendrix properties.
Specifically chosen for its innovation, quality and global impact, Authentic Hendrix LLC began conversations with the Gibson Guitar Corp. in 2008 to develop guitar packages that would serve as a tribute to the musician who many have called the world’s greatest guitarist of all time. The effort is also part of preserving his legacy so that generations to come could develop and appreciate his techniques and musicianship. Each guitar will have the Jimi Hendrix signature and logo on it and will come with special added value components only offered with the specific package.
Gibson Guitar and Authentic Hendrix LLC announced the launch of three exclusive Jimi Hendrix electric guitar packages.
The Jimi Hendrix “Experience” Electric Guitar Package is the ultimate tribute to the greatest guitarist who ever lived. The company has combed over historical details and taken the best from more than 100 years of guitar making so that every guitarist – from the beginner to the seasoned player – can find his or her inner Hendrix with this package. The “Experience” package will come with an official “Jimi Hendrix signature electric guitar” and all the necessary accessories and some fun extras including a Jimi Hendrix Signature “Voodoo Child” amplifier, a Foxey Fuzz pedal, a deluxe padded gig bag, an instructional DVD, an electronic tuner, two guitar cables, a Hendrix inspired strap, three picks and a USB drive containing exclusive Hendrix media content. In addition consumers will receive a Hendrix inspired tie-dyed tee-shirt and bandana. True to its name, this guitar package will give the music enthusiast the ultimate Hendrix experience. MSRP $449.99 USD.
Jimi Hendrix “Signature” Electric Guitar Package: It’s been almost 40 years since Jimi Hendrix’s death but he has continued to assert his tremendous legacy with the six strings of his guitar. In recordings and film footage, his mesmerizing showmanship lives on. In a fitting tribute to the man who famously played right-handed guitars upside down, Gibson and Authentic Hendrix have announced the Jimi Hendrix Signature Electric Guitar Package.
Designed in close collaboration with Janie Hendrix and Gibson engineers. The package inherited the best features from Jimi’s original equipment so that Hendrix fans the world over can enjoy a deluxe guitar package the way Jimi would have liked it. This package comes with a “Jimi Hendrix signature electric guitar and all the necessary accessories, a Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Child amplifier, a deluxe padded gig bag, an instructional DVD, an electronic tuner, a guitar cable, a Hendrix inspired strap, three picks and a USB drive. MSRP $332.99 USD.
he third offering from this exclusive partnership is the Jimi by Jimi Hendrix “Little Wing” Electric Guitar Package which Gibson engineers and Authentic Hendrix LLC designed with one question in mind: “What if the world’s greatest guitarist was still alive today, what guitar would he want to play?” Combining the historical authenticity and more than 100 years of precision guitar making the launch of the Jimi “Little Wing” electric guitar package has been launched.
This “Jimi” guitar package is equipped with three Voodoo Child Inspired by Jimi Hendrix pickups and comes with the new 10-watt “Max Feedback” amplifier so that the musician is all set to recreate Hendrix’s unearthly playing style. The package also comes with an instructional DVD, which includes detailed lessons and a walk through of the components of the entire guitar package. In addition consumers will receive a deluxe padded gig bag, a 10 foot guitar cable, a nylong strap with the Authentic Hendrix logo on it and three Authentic Hendrix guitar picks. MSRP $249.99 USD.
“Creating this new guitar is continuing Jimi’s practice of giving back to people. He would go to Manny’s Music store in New York to make himself available to young musicians and invite them to his studio to watch him record. He also gave away guitars or bought them for young players,” said Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister and CEO of Authentic Hendrix.
“It was our own idea to approach Gibson in the beginning after the positive experiences we’d had with the Flying V’s that they made based on Jimi’s guitar some years back. Our excitement inspired their excitement, and here we are, creating these new branded musical instruments. This is just the tip of the iceberg.”
20 Responses to NEWS: Gibson releases Jimi Hendrix signature gear
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Hi! I'm Peter Hodgson. I write for Gibson.com, Australian Guitar, Australian Musician, Mixdown Magazine (including my instructional column, 'Unleash Your Inner Rock God,' which has been running since 2007), guitarworld.com, Tone Deaf, Beat (including their weekly hard rock/metal column Crunch) and The Brag. And I'm Assistant Social Coordinator with Seymour Duncan.
I've been playing guitar since I was 8 years old, and I've been writing for magazines since I was 18. I've also worked as a guitar teacher (up to 50 students a week), a setup tech, a newspaper editor, and I've also dabbled in radio a little bit. I live in Melbourne, Australia, and my hobbies include drinking way too much coffee, and eating way too much Mexican food.
You can check out my guitar playing at Reverbnation or on YouTube, and feel free to email me at iheartguitarblog@gmail.com
This just makes me angry, they are turning Jimi into a cheap children's brand it is so wrong.
This is a travesty and exposes Gibson for what they really are, a greed-oriented corporate bloodsucker. Everybody knows that Hendrix played strats made by Fender. This is business pure and simple. Bullshit.
Jason Harmon
Yeah, not thrilled about this. I'm surprised there isn't a "will be exclusively sold through Wal-Mart" tie in.
Well, I guess they just wouldn't be happy with the Pearly Gates Les Paul, the Bonamasa LP, The Jeff Beck LP, The Michael Bloomfield LP, The Gary Moore LP, The Mick Jones LP, The Steve Jones LP, The Warren Haynes LP, The Slash LP, the Iommi SG, The Robby Krieger SG, The Angus Young SG and on and on. They already have tons of briliant players that play their great origianl instruments, why this? Most everyone who is inspired by Hendrix already has a Strat anyways. The Hendrix estate and Gibson are shamming it up big time.
And I think it's more than indicitive of the type of company Gibson are to have gone through such a joke of a lawsuit with PRS over "copying" a guitar and then put somethig liek this out. I hope Fender takes the high road and just issue a stateent liek this: "We respect Gibson as a company, and we respect Jimi Hendrix as one of the greatest guitarists of all time and we recognaize that his legacy is forever linked with the Stratocaster and we are happy to be part of that."
So what's the deal, you buy one of these and you get an afro wig, a head band and a big ol bag of weed as well?
Seriosuly the hendrix trust must be struggling for coin if they need to resort to this.
I'm, ummm. Well, dunno. I guess… jeez. Do I believe that Fender would have said, "Yes, but no." to producing a Hendrix sig? Nope, not for a second. Oddly the original Gibson press release cropped the Strat from every image of Jimi – I assumed it would be a Vee. But you now what they say about assumption, yes?
It kinda looks like one of those Hannah Montana guitars you buy at K-Mart. Which I think is a little sad.
WTF??
It'd be alright if it wasnt a Hendrix sig…
just!
Some seriously LAME guitars…if you can call them that. More like toys. Jimi is rolling in his grave.
And no, he never would have played something like this. He might have started playing Gibson guitars more often, he might have gone custom…but this wouldn't be the evolution of his instrument choice.
Excuse me for being vulgar but this is a fucking ABOMINATION.
I'm not in bed with FMIC, but this is just bad mojo.
If you have just bought a guitar and are simply dying to play it, pick some of the easiest songs to play on guitar. Mastering the art of even playing one or two simple songs will make life thrilling and you will be eager to learn more. Before you start to learn songs make sure that you know the fundamentals. You should be able to hold the guitar properly and strum the strings.
Bro, people are down-right pissed off about this. I share your feelings! I made a post that was a bit harsh towards Gibson, but I think it was justified. Check it out: Gibson Hendrix Strat – The People Are Pissed!
It wasn't long ago when there was controversy for the Gibson "Eye" guitar. Why didn't Authentic Hendrix LLC collaborate with Fender to make the guitar? All points I touch on in my post. Mike is also going to be writing a piece on this for Gear-Vault too, it's a touchy subject with us…
I dug when the Hendrix family recovered the rights to everything and started releasing materials. Alan Douglas was a scum. I also look forward to all the new material coming out. As for this Gibson-Strat thing, I just think that Janie doesn’t understand the guitar culture demographic out there well enough. But Gibson does…
Lots of companies and boutique guitar builders mimic the Strat platform. But involving Gibson in this context obviously strikes a sensitive nerve out there. It’s like the McQueen family consorting with GM to build Bullitt Mustangs in the Corvette plant. That sort of thing really pushes people’s buttons.
A cool thing for Janie to have done would have been to establish a licensed by FMIC production project involved with training underprivileged youth to build these guitars. What a sweet PR scenario that could have been!
Gibson just plain knows better. They have no excuse.
"…after the positive experiences we'd had with the Flying V's that they made…" we decided to sh*t on his legacy, taint all that is holy in this world and cheapen a classic design.
I agree completely with everyone, there's not much more that can be said…except bleeeeeech.
hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
terrible
This has gotta be a PR nightmare for Gibson. I think we should all chip in for a muffin basket for their PR team. Public reaction to this seems pretty dang negative and it can't be easy for them!
hey petie did you notice that if you now go to http://www.gibson.com/press they have taken down the press release announcing this?
btw i think this article just about sums up how lame this is http://hardrockguitarist.tumblr.com/post/198101744/gibson-hendrix-strat-wtf
Did they cancel it?:
http://www.iheartguitarblog.com/2009/09/news-gibson-releases-jimi-hendrix.html
This is hard to believe.
So Janie Hendrix teamed up with gibson to make a signature guitar.
well so technically it's a Janie Hendrix Signature guitar. not a Jimi Hendrix Signature guitar.