Did Jimi Hendrix Use A Guitar Pick?

When it comes to discussing the topic of rock and roll, there are certain names that always come up in conversation – such as Kurt Kobain, Janis Joplin and, of course, Jimi Hendrix.

Born in 1942, Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle, Washington and began playing the guitar at the tender age of 15.

Although his musical talent was clear from the start, Hendrix did not record any music until 1964, when we worked with various artists on their respective albums and singles. 

After a brief period of uncertainty, Hendrix would eventually form The Jimi Hendrix Experience, a small rock band that quickly became a global phenomenon.

Known for songs such as ‘Hey Joe’, ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ – the band has since gone on to become one of the most influential acts in the history of rock and roll, with Jimi Hendrix even being inducted into the hall of fame. 

Considered one of the greatest guitar players to ever live, Hendrix changed the landscape of music for a whole generation and is now emulated by musicians and artists across the world.

So if you are a hardcore Hendrix fan, chances are you want to learn the guitar to follow in the footsteps of your musical hero. And if that is the case, then you probably want to know exactly what type of guitar and equipment Hendrix used. 

For the purposes of this article, we are going to take a look at whether Jimi Hendrix used a guitar pick during his career and what kind of pick he used to create his signature style.

So if you are the kind of person who wishes to embrace your inner rock and roll legend, then everything you need to know can be found in the article below. 

Did Jimi Hendrix Use A Pick?

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, Jimi Hendrix used a guitar pick.

In fact, it is widely believed that Hendrix used a pick for the majority of his performances and recordings, as this is often the common practice among rock musicians who specialize in the playing of the electric guitar. 

However, this does not mean that Hendrix was incapable of fingerpicking, as he was not only a talented musician but also a professional guitarist.

Although some people may question Hendrix’s skill due to his over-reliance on a pick, there is photographic evidence that shows Hendrix fingerpicking during certain performances. 

But it seems this particular practice was only utilized when Hendrix played his acoustic guitar, as all uncovered evidence points to this instrument as the artist’s favorite for hands-on strumming.

In the end, it is clear that Hendrix greatly utilized guitar picks during his career, as various recordings depict the artist using the common tool. 

Although Hendrix was also capable of fingerpicking, it seems that he preferred to use guitar picks during performances, with the small piece of plastic becoming a pivotal part in the creation of Hendrix’s signature style. 

What Pick Did Jimi Hendrix Use? 

Now that we have established that Jimi Hendrix regularly used guitar picks during his career, you are probably wondering what type of pick he used.

Well, what we could learn from our extensive research is that there are two types of pick heavily associated with Hendrix and his discography. 

However, we must first preface our discussion by stating that Hendrix did not seem to favor a particular brand of pick, with the famous musician owning a large number of different guitar picks during his short life.

So if you wanted to know the size of the pick that Hendrix used, the common speculation suggests that he preferred medium to heavy picks when playing his electric guitar. 

But as we previously mentioned, there are two specific types of guitar picks associated with Jimi Hendrix and his successful career.

Arguably the most famous of the two picks is the medium celluloid by Fender, which is widely considered to be the pick that Hendrix used the most during his lifetime. 

Although this preference can be summed up as the result of personal taste and experience, there is some interesting context surrounding this particular pick.

For example, Fender celluloid picks were actually a common tool used by artists during the 1960s and Hendrix’s penchant for them may have stemmed from professional recommendations or from the artist trying to emulate his own musical heroes. 

Beyond this, Hendrix was also an avid fan of Fender products, with the musician owning over 30 Fender guitars during his life.

So this preference for Fender guitar picks may have stemmed from the same brand loyalty, although he was also known to use a variety of picks during performances. 

Currently, Fender celluloid picks can be purchased on online platforms such as Amazon and are now favored by guitarists and musicians who prefer vintage instruments.

The other most prominent guitar pick in Hendrix’s collection was a medium music pick by Manny’s. 

Because of this particular pick, it is safe to assume that Hendrix preferred guitar picks of a medium thickness, but didn’t seem to have any strong connections to a certain brand or manufacturer.

Unfortunately, it seems this particular brand is no longer in circulation, with Hendrix’s original pick recently appearing for sale on the platform Reverb.com. 

Many people believe that Hendrix used this particular guitar pick during his time at Woodstock, but photos and recordings suggest otherwise.

If you were to look at pictures of Hendrix during his Woodstock performance, you would see that he was actually using a red pick, which could have been the Fender celluloid we previously discussed. 

What Pick Should You Get?

If you are still interested in emulating Hendrix’s style, then the safest option for a guitar pick would be any pick of medium thickness.

As we previously discussed, Hendrix had no specific loyalty to a particular brand, but he did primarily use medium picks when recording albums and performing at live events. 

However, if you are hoping to truly embrace your inner Hendrix, then you can still purchase Fender celluloid picks from various online platforms.

Although these particular picks are more suited for vintage instruments and may not work as well with modern guitars. 

We personally would recommend purchasing a medium Dunlop’s Herco pick, as these are more common to find and are perfectly suitable for your needs.