Eddie Kramer, Jimi's engineer at Olympic and Electric Lady Studios, was an essential part of the Hendrix sound. Who better to recreate these timeless tones than the man who placed the original microphones and ran the recording console, adding his own magic? Since the first time the world experienced Jimi Hendrix, things have never been the same. DigiTech® has had the honor of being chosen by the Hendrix family to distill Jimi's prophetic musical vision into a tool built on its new Production Modeling technology.
The pedal was created using the original masters from Electric Lady Studios in partnership with Eddie Kramer, the original recording engineer. The Jimi Hendrix Experience pedal recreates the subtleties of Jimi's sound so faithfully that it takes two AudioDN DSP chips! This unit recreates every facet of the guitarist's sound, from the guitar effects and amplifiers to the vintage output processors.
Thanks to Eddie and the Hendrix family, DigiTech was able to use the original tapes as a reference source for its modeling technology, with frankly impressive results.
Unboxing
As usual, we start with our impressions on opening the box. The package shows photos of the great Jimi in fuchsia and yellow tones that suit him perfectly. We open the box and find a velvety pouch in the same fuchsia, with the guitarist's signature in yellow. The pouch is terrific. These are small details that are partly about marketing, but they're undeniably appealing and add visual and aesthetic charm to the pedal. We also appreciate the pick (in the same color) included in the box.
To wrap up this section, I'd say the presentation is excellent. It's a pleasure.
Plugging In
The metal unit is perfectly finished. It's built as an expression pedal because it includes a wah, as you'd expect from a Hendrix signature model. We have four ¼" jack sockets:
Output 2, line (Out Mixer)
Output 1, amp (Out Amp)
Guitar input (input)
Footswitch. Pedalboard connection (optional)
9V socket for power. Power adapter included in the box
The efficiency and good quality of the line output deserve a mention. I've said it in other tests, but I'll stress again how convenient it is to work with the pedal in the studio without having to fire up the amp, and still get very satisfying results. The versatility of the two outputs makes the effects unit a perfectly valid tool for both situations: amp and line. That means that with your guitar, a couple of ¼" cables and your pedal in its pouch, you can plug into anything that amplifies and sound great right away.
Sound Controls
There are four knobs (controls), but three of them are split in two. So we really have seven controls shaping the sound:
1. Gain. Gain and fuzz control.
2. Level. Signal level
3. High. Treble. Boost/cut
4. Low. Bass. Boost/cut
5. Reverb/delay
6. Control. Amount of the wave and modulation effects. Mids, Rotary Speed and Univibe depth.
7. Models. Selection among the seven types of presets.
"Model" Control Settings
1.1. Purple Haze
1.2. Wind Cries Mary
1.3. Foxey Lady
1.4. Little Wing
1.5. All Along the Watchtower
1.6. Voodoo Child
1.7. Star Spangled Banner (live)
The Sound in Testing
I really loved it. It's been a while since I tried such an interesting pedal. I may have found an affinity with the sounds that especially catch my attention, but regardless of my personal taste, it's clear the simulations are good when you play direct. The current popularity of vintage tones makes this multi-effects unit, full of old-school, traditional sounds, a tool loaded with effects that are completely on trend.
The range of sounds it covers (whether or not you're a Hendrix fan) is very wide. In terms of overdrive, it spans clean and semi-clean guitars, warm gain and fierce, gnarly tones. It also offers reverb (adjustable), chorus and wah. Once you've gone through its possibilities, you'll realize that the Jimi Hendrix Experience gives you almost everything you need in effects (especially if you're into traditional, old-school territory).
Honestly, I think the choice of sounds is very faithful to those of the great Hendrix (a total revolutionary in his day, to the point that he's back in the spotlight today), and both the modeling and the sound options are outstanding. What I liked most about the pedal, in this order, are the thick saturated tones, totally dense and powerful sounds, followed by the modulations and the semi-ragged tones with wah and chorus.
Conclusions
This isn't a cheap pedal, but remember that it offers more resources than four or five pedals put together, expression pedal included. If you do the math (with mid-priced pedals), you'll see you come out ahead with this one financially. I think that to click with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, you need to be clear about the kind of sound you like, because although you can edit its effects with some precision, it leans vintage and, as you'd expect, all-out Hendrix. Still, don't think it will only let you sound like this guitarist; with a little imagination and the personality of your own guitars, you can make it your own. I liked the pedal a lot, for its finish and attention to detail and, most important, for the excellent sound quality considering the price.
