Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar Fragment Smashed by Jimi Hendrix at the Royal Albert Hall, London, England, February 24, 1969

This is a fragment of a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar that Jimi Hendrix smashed on February 24, 1969 at the end of his concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London.  

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who gained mainstream prominence in the late 1960s with hits such as “Hey Joe,” “Purple Haze,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Fire,” and is now celebrated as one of the most influential electric guitarists of all time. 

The Experience had previously played the London venue just a week before, on February 18, 1969, but technical problems at the rehearsals left them unprepared, resulting in a lackluster performance. Returning on the 24th, the band was back in form, performing excellent versions of “Little Wing,” "Voodoo Chile,” “Foxy Lady” and “Fire.” Percussionist Rocki Dzidzornu (1935-1993), along with Dave Mason (b.1946) and Chris Wood (1944-1983) from the group Traffic, joined the Experience on stage for the finale, a new song titled “Room Full of Mirrors.”  Hendrix then encored with “Purple Haze” and “Wild Thing” before ramming his guitar neck into the amplifier speakers, smashing the guitar and scattering pieces into the audience.