RS Recommends

New Bobblehead Release Commemorates Day Jimi Hendrix Set His Guitar on Fire

The limited-edition keepsake captures the moment the singer's Fender Stratocaster went up in flames at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival

By Tim Chan

Tim Chan

Contact Tim Chan on X Contact Tim Chan by Email

View all posts by Tim Chan

September 2, 2021

Add us as a Google Preferred Source

American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix performing with The Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Monterey Pop Festival, California, USA, June 18, 1967. (Bruce Fleming/AP Images)

American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix performing with The Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Monterey Pop Festival, California, USA, June 18, 1967. AP

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

It’s been more than 54 years since Jimi Hendrix memorably set his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival, and now, merch and collectibles brand, Kollectico is marking the occasion with the release of a new Jimi Hendrix bobblehead.

The limited-edition Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey bobblehead captures the moment the singer’s Fender Stratocaster went up in flames, after he had doused it in lighter fluid just seconds earlier. The 5.5-inch figurine captures realistic details too, with the bobblehead sporting a ruffled yellow shirt, black vest and bright red pants, exactly as Hendrix sported that day. The singer’s signature red headband completes the look.

jimi hendrix guitar burning bobblehead

Buy Jimi Hendrix Monterey Bobblehead $49.95

The 1967 Monterey Music Festival was actually the second time Hendrix had pulled off the guitar-burning stunt. The singer had done it months earlier at the Astoria Theatre in London, during his European Tour run with The Jimi Hendrix Experience. As he finished off his performance of “Fire,” Hendrix doused his 1965 Fender Stratocaster in lighter fluid and set it on fire. The burned guitar would later sell for more than $380,000 at an auction.

The Monterey Festival performance though, remains one the most iconic moments in Hendrix’s career — and in rock history; the photograph of Hendrix and his burning guitar even ended up on the cover of Rolling Stone (copies of that issue are still available on eBay). And countless artists have offered their interpretation of that event, as seen in the numerous “Hendrix Guitar on Fire” prints and paintings available online.

The new Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey bobblehead is available for purchase now on Etsy. The figurine is entirely hand-sculpted and hand-painted, and each one is individually numbered. Everything is packaged in a collectible box.

This is an officially-licensed partnership between Kolletico and Experience Hendrix LLC., the artist’s official licensing arm. Only 1,967 pieces were released worldwide — in tribute to the year the Monterey Festival took place.

jimi hendrix guitar burning bobblehead

Buy Jimi Hendrix Monterey Bobblehead $49.95

“We want those who are devoted to Jimi to have something delightful to add life to the spaces where they live and work,” says Janie Hendrix, the singer’s sister and President and CEO of Experience Hendrix. “Kollectico has created a beautifully artistic and endearing line that we can all enjoy. Jimi was fun-loving. This is a lighthearted way to appreciate him”

“We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership,” adds Andrew S. Hazen, Founder and CEO of Kollectico. “Jimi Hendrix has always been a huge source of inspiration for me these past 48 years. With such extraordinary imagery in his portfolio, this is an opportunity for us to use our creativity to honor Jimi Hendrix with exceptional limited-edition collectibles for Hendrix fans around the globe.”

The Jimi Hendrix guitar burning bobblehead retails for $49.99 and is available to shop now on Etsy.com.

In this article:

More News

Read more

Top stories newsletter

A Cultural Force That Transcends Generations

Enter your Email

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.