Marshall has announced a limited-edition range of hardware to mark the 60th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix plugging into a Marshall amp for the very first time.
The products are all designed with a purple “cosmic oil on water aesthetic” and features a new Acton III Bluetooth speaker, alongside a JMH Half Stack amp and Fuzz Face distortion pedal.
The iconic music brand say: “Marshall built the amps, Hendrix made them scream. From the moment Hendrix plugged into a Marshall guitar amplifier in 1966, they became an unstoppable creative force. Now, both paths are aligning once again, this time to celebrate the 60 year anniversary and lasting impact of Marshall and Hendrix.”
The Acton III Bluetooth speaker is said to be influenced by Hendrix’s love of velvet, silver jewellery and science fiction and is coated in crushed velvet with a silver control panel with purple controls and matching lights.
The 1959 JMH Half Stack cabinet has been hand-crafted in the Bletchley Marshall factory in the UK and is presented with a black and purple cosmic swirl effect and features a purple LED indicator and silver detailing. It’s said to deliver “tight low-end frequencies, a mid-range punch and stunning highs” thanks to the 1960 AJMH 4x12 handwired angled cabinet which combines with a 1959 handwired head.
The Dunlop Fuzz Face distortion pedal, meanwhile, is available exclusively with the stack and features the same oil on water design seen on the speaker and cab.
Marshall Group’s senior industrial designer Emma Rydahl says: “From his fashion to his lyrics and of course, his music, there are so many differen stories we could tell when it comes to Hendrix.
“We started with materials and pattern exploration, looking at different fabrics and running test prints with a psychedelic track in mind. We spent a lot of time adjusting the final design to get it just right across the whole collection.”
Marshall Amplification co-founder Terry Marshall concludes: “Jimi was a formidable musician, a real force of nature. He took everything to a new level and carried everybody with him.
“When he played, it was an emotional time for everybody because everyone was thinking: ‘If he can do it, I could maybe do it.’ And: ‘He's using Marshall, therefore we want Marshall.’ It was a really special time for us all and there’s no doubt that we grew with him and his fame, it was a natural tie-up. The rest is history, as they say.”
The Marshall Acton III x Hendrix 60th anniversary edition is available to order through the official Marshall website for $299.99/£259.99, while the Half Stack and Fuzz Face combo is priced at $4999.99/£3799.99. The speaker is available right now, while the cab and pedal will begin shipping from June 1.
