Perhaps the biggest influence Jimi Hendrix would make in the world of rock guitar was not via the guitarist's choice of notes or licks, but in his sound, one which many post-Hendrix guitarists strive to achieve. The Guitar Geek web site offers visitors insight into Jimi Hendrix's gear set-up and choice of effects. Simply matching Hendrix's set-up won't necessarily give you that classic Jimi Hendrix sound you're looking for, however. Much speculation has been made about the singularity of Hendrix's sound being due to his decision to restring right-handed guitars upside down to facilitate his left handedness. Douglas Noble examines this concept in his article "Lefty Matters." For those interested in trying to replicate Hendrix's guitar sound, Fender has issued the Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Stratocaster, made for right-handed guitarists, with a reverse headstock, reverse staggered pickups and reverse angled bridge pickups.
The events surrounding the death of Jimi Hendrix are (as seems to be the case in the death of any celebrity) shrouded in rumour and controversy. The Tony Brown book "The Final Days of Jimi Hendrix" attempts to dispel some of the myths, and shed some light on the guitarist's demise.
It is unclear exactly the direction the guitarist's music would have taken had he lived. Some speculate he would have returned to his strong blues roots, an area the guitarist always explored extensively in his live performances. Others suggest his associations with Miles Davis would have prompted a foray into jazz music. Indeed, his usage of voicings like the dominant7#9 chord (often referred to in rock circles as the "Jimi Hendrix chord") implied an interest in sounds not normally associated with rock music. Of course, no one knows for sure the direction Hendrix would have taken. All we can do as guitarists is to appreciate, and learn from the music that Jimi Hendrix left us.
