It is a pretty popular misconception that Jimi played an upside down guitar. In fact he used a right handed guitar but strung it correctly.

 

I think you took the brown acid. He played a right handed guitar and strung it upside down so that he could play lefty, flipping the guitar upside down. If you'll notice, the short "horn" of the Strat is on top when he played it.

I thought that he played it upside down as well...maybe i was "misconceived?"

Definitive Proof:

There ya go. Right handed strat swung around (upside down) to play it lefty. What you can't see from the picture is that the strings are strung upside down so that low E is still on top.

mystic7:

There ya go. Right handed strat swung around (upside down) to play it lefty. What you can't see from the picture is that the strings are strung upside down so that low E is still on top.

Also, Jimi didn't change the original orientation of the pickups...therefore, the pickup poles that were intended for specific strings are orientated with different strings (EBGDAE vs EADGBE).  There are Fender pickups that are available called "reverse-68s" sold by Musician's Friend for us right-handers that want to get the same string/pickup orientation that Jimi got.

Nice, Mr. Roboto with the proof! Ha ha ha ha, why so many people "fret" over this, I don't know. Just looking at the guitar, everything's upside down (for right-handers) Head-stock, pick guard, wammy bar, control knobs, even the cord jack. I guess you have to know a guitar well to see the differences.

I forgot who mentioned it, but good call on the pick-ups as well. That did help to create the Hendrix sound. That and, not seeing the guitar as just another stringed instrument, but, a goddess in electric form. Electric Ladyland.

I can't see the photo clear enough to tell how it is strung, and unfortunatly I never got to see him live, howeverI can add this one thought.

"He also played left-handed. He learned to play using the borrowed instruments of right-handed musicians and continued using right-strung instruments even when he could afford his own"

 

Instrumental surf-guitar legend *** Dale plays like this, as well (left-handed, strung righty, with the unwound strings on top).  A little awkward for barre chords, I imagine.

If you like *** dale check out the often forgotten Link wray I first heard of him through a John Cippollina site,pretty guitars gotta love it be well Smitty

Perhaps we should refer to him as Richard Dale so that his first name will clear the sensorship routine in the forum software?

Jimi would only play upside-down (that is, high strings up) in a jam situation, never on a gig AFAIK.

In addition to MisirlouDickDale, two great upside-down players are Otis Rush and Albert King.

Oh, that's right. I forgot about Albert King.

Greg Wright, of Greg Wright and Light Years, played a Strat upside down with the strings left as they were. He played it with his teeth and played it behind his back like Jimi, too. To top it off, he LOOKED exactly like Jimi.  He was (and still is, I guess. This was during the 70's) a VERY talented guitarist. Marriage (mine) ended my "Band Fan" days so I'm not sure what has become of Light Years or Greg Wright.