Does Fender's Hendrix range of Strats annoy anyone else?

[pipthepilot]

Sorry for a little random rant but I was looking on the Fender Website this morning and saw this Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster® | Electric Guitars (fender.com)

I really don't understand why Fender sticks a left handed neck on their Hendrix strats, for some reason this really annoys me .

I get it that Jimi used right handed strats, turned upside down and restrung. So why does't fender just sell Lefty strats, strung as right handed? Even a right-handed version with right handed neck would be more accurate, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Does it make sense to anyone, let me know?

OK, rant over and back to playing my Tele

 

[G.Rotten]

I agree. Marketing teams hard at work. I once bought a lefty MIJ 68 reissue which I string righty so I could have the "Jimmy Hendrix Experience".

It sucked but it gave me another level of appreciation for what he was able to accomplish.

The reverse headstock is a half assed attempt to reach fans. Functionally I can't stand the tuners on the bottom of the headstock.

 

[arlum]

The Monterey version doesn't flip the head stock.

Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster | Fender Guitars

The limited-edition Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strat, is an homage to the hand-painted original Hendrix performed and sacrificed at the Monterey Pop Festival.

www.fender.com

 

[FuncleManson]

Sorry for a little random rant but I was looking on the Fender Website this morning and saw this Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster® | Electric Guitars (fender.com)

I really don't understand why Fender sticks a left handed neck on their Hendrix strats, for some reason this really annoys me .

I get it that Jimi used right handed strats, turned upside down and restrung. So why does't fender just sell Lefty strats, strung as right handed? Even a right-handed version with right handed neck would be more accurate, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Does it make sense to anyone, let me know?

OK, rant over and back to playing my Tele

Yeah, I don't get it either, but my reaction isn't quite as visceral as yours . To each, his/her own.

 

[smoothrecluse]

They did sell a lefty strung right Jimi Hendrix Tribute strat, back in 1997.

 

[pipthepilot]

I agree. Marketing teams hard at work. I once bought a lefty MIJ 68 reissue which I string righty so I could have the "Jimmy Hendrix Experience".

It sucked but it gave me another level of appreciation for what he was able to accomplish.

The reverse headstock is a half assed attempt to reach fans. Functionally I can't stand the tuners on the bottom of the headstock.

An often overlooked part of replicating Hendrix guitar tone is the fact that with an updside down Bridge pickup, the harmonics are different. Whereas a normal angled Bridge PU will emphasise the high frequencies of the treble strings, when upside down, it adds highs to the bass strings.

 

[fenderchamp]

Sorry for a little random rant but I was looking on the Fender Website this morning and saw this Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster® | Electric Guitars (fender.com)

I really don't understand why Fender sticks a left handed neck on their Hendrix strats, for some reason this really annoys me .

I get it that Jimi used right handed strats, turned upside down and restrung. So why does't fender just sell Lefty strats, strung as right handed? Even a right-handed version with right handed neck would be more accurate, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Does it make sense to anyone, let me know?

OK, rant over and back to playing my Tele

the whole idea is that a reverse string path, i.e. a LH RH Strat strung upside down, where the longest string is a Low E, and the shortest the High E, and the reverse slant of the bridge pickup and the staggers of the pickups being reversed, sounds different than a rightside up strung Strat. Consider that nobody really wants the inconvenience of flipping a guitar because of the cutway shapes.

 

[mexicanyella]

Some might prefer the reversed bridge pickup slant (me), and the different string length arrangement. I could see some not minding the upside down headstock. But to actually live with having the controls on top, Hendrix style...that would be hard to sell. I think Fender’s approach was more pragmatic, in terms of what they could actually sell, than half-assed.

 

[bcorig]

That’s alright I still got MY guitar. Look out now.

 

[Vocalion]

Wouldn't any old lefty Strat be a Hendrix Strat if you just replace the nut?

 

[Killing Floor]

Think of it from Fender’s perspective for product management and marketing.

1 - Jimi Hendrix is an influential guitar hero and let’s be honest, a big part of why YOU even want a Strat.

So it makes full sense to replicate the appearance of his instruments.

2 - Actually flipping a righty electric guitar upside down and stringing it backwards is uncomfortable and awkward to play and nose divey.

So the question for you, “how would you design a Jimi Hendrix Strat if your salary was linked to how well it sells”?

 

[G.Rotten]

An often overlooked part of replicating Hendrix guitar tone is the fact that with an updside down Bridge pickup, the harmonics are different. Whereas a normal angled Bridge PU will emphasise the high frequencies of the treble strings, when upside down, it adds highs to the bass strings.

I understand the mechanics of it. Both the elongated Bass strings and the reversed pickup.

What I'm saying is I went full on with a complete reversed guitar and there wasn't enough of a difference to be bothered with it.

Each to their own of course. The most overused phrase is "The Tone is in the hands" but IMO it's still a fairly accurate statement. You can buy all the identical gear but if you don't master the technique then it's for nothing. If you do have the technique then any gear even close will work.

I own this guitar and this amp. Watch any of BB King's later live videos and he's running that guitar straight into that amp. The biggest difference between me and him is he was a World Class musician and I'm a hack.

 

[G.Rotten]

Wouldn't any old lefty Strat be a Hendrix Strat if you just replace the nut?

100%

 

[John C]

Sorry for a little random rant but I was looking on the Fender Website this morning and saw this Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster® | Electric Guitars (fender.com)

I really don't understand why Fender sticks a left handed neck on their Hendrix strats, for some reason this really annoys me .

I get it that Jimi used right handed strats, turned upside down and restrung. So why does't fender just sell Lefty strats, strung as right handed? Even a right-handed version with right handed neck would be more accurate, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Does it make sense to anyone, let me know?

OK, rant over and back to playing my Tele

Why? Because it gives the right-handed player an approximation of how Jimi flipped a flipped-over guitar without having to deal with the controls and jack plate being on the top side of the Strat instead of the bottom side of the Strat.

Back in the late 1990s Fender had that tribute model that @smoothrecluse posted and they had the "Voodoo" model that only had the lefty neck and reversed bridge pickup. So the current MIM is just the current version of the old Voodoo model.

 

[schmee]

As JohnC stated, it provides the controls more useable for right handers. If someone wants an accurate Hendrix Strat then just flip one over, no special model from Fender needed.

More importantly, shouldn't those guitars come with a can of lighter fluid?

 

[Boreas]

I never saw the appeal of owning a copy of an idol's guitar. I would much rather take SRV's approach - simply take Hendrix tunes and techniques to another level entirely with a guitar you already own. But alas, I suck...

 

[G.Rotten]

I never saw the appeal of owning a copy of an idol's guitar. I would much rather take SRV's approach - simply take Hendrix tunes and techniques to another level entirely with a guitar you already own. But alas, I suck...

I agree with this. I do have that Lucille shown earlier and am a fan BB King fan but I bought it because it checks all my personal boxes for appearance and functionality. I like the Blues but don't actually play any. I actually find some of my other guitars get me better blues tones. With the 490s this guitar is awesome for general Rock and has better upper fret access than a Les Paul.

 

[Peegoo]

As annoying as having to stand in line at the grocery checkout and listen to Mariah "Jim" Carrey doing her signature vocal histrionics on a simple tune like Jingle Bells. I've never vomited in a grocery store, but damn I came close yesterday.


News Flash: Jimi didn't play a signature model.


I H8 signature models! I'd rather play a Les Paul anyway.








heh heh

 

[fender4life]

Probably because not many people would want the controls up top, and even if they did all the have to do to for total hendix features is but any strat thats left handed or if they;re a lefty a right handed one. The upside down neck is where the difference in sound and feel is due to the opposite string lengths behind the nut, so you can get that with a hendrix strat w/o having the controls in a place where i would think 99.9% of players would NOT want them.

 

[Willie Johnson]

My Squier Super Sonic has a flipped headstock, and it makes tuning a little wonky. Skipping string trees helps.