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This question is related to this question. Seeing as Jimi often played his strat upside down. What effect would that have on his bridge pickup and his sound in general?

That is to say this... JIMI

Instead of the more traditional this... STRAT

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Neil Meyer
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    I think the second answer to the question you link to gives a bit of info: "switching the angle will make the top strings a little warmer and allow the bass strings a bit more top end. By playing a right-handed Strat left-handed, Jimi Hendrix had this setup." – Bob Broadley Sep 04 '15 at 12:00
  • One other effect this has is that his upside down guitar looks extremely cool in a very distinctive way :-) – user2808054 Sep 04 '15 at 13:51

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The normal bridge pickup angle captures more higher harmonics from the higher strings than from the lower ones, and also gets more of the fundamental from the lower strings. In Jimi's case, the angle, and therefore the effects, are reversed. It should make his higher strings sound more mellow compared to a non-modified Strat, and his bass strings brighter, but possibly a little lacking in low-end.

I doubt the effect is dramatic, but I'm sure experienced guitarists could hear and/or feel the difference.

See also: Dick Dale

Todd Wilcox
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  • Can you buy strats with things the other way round or is that considered blasphemy? – Neil Meyer Sep 04 '15 at 12:52
  • I think both cases the Strats were bought stock and then the nut was changed and the strings were put on the other way around. I believe there was/is a signature model Strat somewhere out there where it comes from the factory with the strings reversed. – Todd Wilcox Sep 04 '15 at 13:23
  • @NeilMeyer the reason hendrix played like that was just because you couldn't get left handed guitars so easily back then. It wouldn't be hard to make a strat scratch plate which mounts the bridge pickup angled the other way - tha's all you'd need. Or maybe someone makes one . maybe mr google will step up to the mark there .. – user2808054 Sep 04 '15 at 13:49
  • If you look at Dick Dale's setup, he is playing a lefty Strat. So yes you can buy left handed Strats easily. Maybe I mis-interpreted what Neil meant by "the other way around". – Todd Wilcox Sep 04 '15 at 13:53
  • I mean that bridge pick up. Is there righty strats that have that pick up the other way round. Like it is when it is played upside down. – Neil Meyer Sep 04 '15 at 15:28
  • Ok, that's what I was talking about with the signature model I dimly recall. If you went through all the Fender USA and Custom shop models from the last 10 - 20 years I expect you would find at least one model shipped like that from the factory. – Todd Wilcox Sep 04 '15 at 15:35