The backward wound low E string...

[J.Lucas]

I'm sure numerous people have come across that comment in books and mags about Hendrix wound his low E backwards to supposedly prevent slippage....
maybe this pic Zombywoof posted from Winterland is where that rumor started.
Whether Hendrix himself or his roadie wound it this way is unknown...but it's the only pic I've seen where the low E is clearly backwound(I think that's the term for it)..
all pics I've seen with the headstock clearly visible show the low E wound normal.
Just thought it was an odd thing to notice in this pic.
The original larger one is in Zombywoof gallery images.
J.L.
Attachment 14680

Attachment 14681

another one in the closing credits of 'A Film About Jimi Hendrix'

Attachment 15450

[weavzy]

Mitch looks like Jimi just informed him that he has numerous sexual encounters with Mitch's mother.

[Ezy Rider]

I could imagine that the distance to the pin and the bridge is too far (compared to a wound on the normal place), and that the E string might slip off the pin or the bridge, but if you say that in other cases the wound is normal, I really don't know either. New roadie?

[Sharpstat]

Probably a different roadie or someone got lazy? Ask Eric Barrett,LOL I have never seen that setup on any of his concert footage, from Monterey to Clark University, Atlanta, Maui, IOW. Never heard a roadie mention it either which would have been mentioned one of them by now in 40 plus years.

[firstrays]

I believe Jimi used this re-string for a few years, see 'Electric Gypsy' book (thank you Caesar) - it's on page 628 of my hardback version (Jimi's guitars - 1966-1970).
A good picture of the early days is in Eye Witness (thank you Ben) 1966-1967 - Page 39 Star Club March 1967. Jimi in his the red suit, and it shows clearly the 're-stringing'.
To me it seemed to cease during 1970 for some reason?
Mick

Edit - I have now been told by a 'lefty' guitarist with right hand guitar - it is all to do with tightening the lower 'E' whilst playing. Easier to use a clockwise motion with the hand to tighten the string whilst playing??

[Cherokee Mist]

I know a Guitar Maker who has worked on some famous guitars in his time- I will ask him if it is significant to the sound.

[J.Lucas]

Probably a different roadie or someone got lazy? Ask Eric Barrett,LOL I have never seen that setup on any of his concert footage, from Monterey to Clark University, Atlanta, Maui, IOW. Never heard a roadie mention it either which would have been mentioned one of them by now in 40 plus years.

I've seen/read it in a few mags/books....this web site has the same example;
http://www.jimihendrix.dk/index.php?lang=en&page=gear
'Hendrix bought right-handed Strats because he preferred to have the controls on top. He'd reverse the nut, and wind his low-E string the opposite direction around the farthest tuner in order to keep it from jumping out of the nut slot.
He originally tuned to standard pitch, but he eventually tuned down a half-step to ease the strain on his voice.'

...I always doubted it.....until I saw that pic. which sure looks backwound to me....I just saw another one today in Chris Welch's Hendrix Bio('78)...Bag o' Nails image shows the low E backwound also...I guess there are plenty of pics. of it...I just never noticed them before.
Doesn't really matter....I just thought when reading that statement that it was BS....because the high E string tree(upside down right handed strat)) would hold the low E in anyway...I would think.
J.L.
PS: I never thought about the wound string friction with the string trees...
and the tightening and loosening of the string feel....that one got past me
http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic....35242&start=15

[guest]

the Isle of Wight footage shows clearly Hendrix turning the peg counter clockwise (at the end of Machine Gun)

[Sharpstat]

the Isle of Wight footage shows clearly Hendrix turning the peg counter clockwise (at the end of Machine Gun)

To tune it the low E down possibly? LOL

[Sharpstat]

I know a Guitar Maker who has worked on some famous guitars in his time- I will ask him if it is significant to the sound.

I play a right handed Strat left handed and restrung correctly for left handers and have never noticed a difference. Never slips if I carefully start with the string in the middle of the hole bend it and then wrap the string around fully until tight being careful to not cross the string over unto itself while winding. The majority of the photos I have show it being strung the "normal" way over the top.

[guest]

To tune it the low E down possibly? LOL

the pitch was going up.

[Sharpstat]

Thank you for the clarification, down or up does it really matter? He was not very happy it seems watching the performance with the tuning of his guitar at the Isle of Wight.

[Lord Summerisle]

Much ado about nothing.

[Cherokee Mist]

not so much un-happy with the tuning but the security walkie-talkies and opera bleeding through the amps I'd say. Still a Killer version though { first 7 mins are incredible!}