Marshall Puts a Psychedelic Spin on Its Classic Amps With Jimi Hendrix Collab

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Look at any photo of Jimi Hendrix performing, and you’re sure to see a stack of Marshall amplifiers behind him. It’s a relationship that’s central to the history of rock & roll, and one that began nearly by accident. James Marshall Hendrix shared a similar name to Jim Marshall, the founder of the iconic British amp manufacturer. It’s that coincidence that, in part, sparked Hendrix’s interest, and kicked off a partnership in 1966 that spanned the entirety of his tragically short career.

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Now, to mark 60 years since Hendrix first plugged into a Marshall amp, the brand is releasing a limited-edition half stack and pedal, inspired by Hendrix’s “iconic sound and cosmic aesthetic,” per Marshall. The half stack features a swirling purple and black design. The set also includes a Fuzz Face pedal for maximum distortion. In addition to the professional gear, Marshall is dropping a Hendrix-edition of its Acton III Bluetooth speaker, swapping the faux-leather outer for purple crushed velvet.

For the amp and speaker, Marshall also replaced its signature brass accents with silver, based on Hendrix’s love of silver and turquoise jewelry. The inspiration extends beyond the aesthetics — the Bluetooth speaker uses snippets from Hendrix songs as audio cues, like when you turn the speaker on or connect to a device.

When Hendrix first met Jim Marshall in 1966, he paid full price for his amps, asking only that Marshall service them should anything break. And while Hendrix was effusive about his love of Marshall amps, the brand benefited, too. “Marshall went international because of Jimi Hendrix,” says Joel Manan, Artist Liaison Manager at Marshall. “Everybody in the U.K., like your Claptons and your Townshends, knew about Marshall. But when Jimi started playing the amps, playing them loud, playing them with a full stack? That’s when it went international.”

The collection took years to come together, according to Manan. The team worked directly with Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s sister and the CEO of Authentic Hendrix, to find a design that suited Hendrix. “We’ve really been back and forth,” says Manan. “Janie’s given us so much really good input with it as well. Like, what would Jimi like? What would he go for, and what makes sense for Marshall?”

“I think it was a good partnership because the Marshall amp sounds better the louder you play,” says Janie. Hendrix daisy-chained multiple stacks to get as loud as possible, something he learned from Pete Townshend. “A full stack is exactly what you need,” explains Manan. “And he used three full stacks. I couldn’t think of another brand that could do that and actually just make his music sound better. And I feel like that’s what a Marshall does.”

“Of course, people play loud just to be loud,” adds Janie. “Whereas his was real music. And so his music, his playing with the Marshall amp, was a perfect match.”

Both the amplifier bundle is available to preorder, while the Bluetooth speaker is available today. You can shop them here. They cost $5,000 and $300, respectively, and the brand teased more 60th-anniversary Marshall x Hendrix releases coming soon.