Did David Gilmour or Jimi Hendrix Have the More Iconic Stratocaster

The Fender Stratocaster may be the defining guitar of the rock ‘n’ roll era. Introduced in 1954, the Strat didn’t sell in droves until much later, when it was picked up by the likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Eric Clapton and others. Today, those strummed by the greats can sell for millions. Among the priciest? A black Strat that belonged to Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and a white model played by Jimi Hendrix. Both were originally purchased from Manny’s Music in New York City. Now, decades after aiding star-making solos, they’re collector catnip. Here’s how the two six-strings compare.

David Gilmour’s Black Stratocaster	Jimi Hendrix’s White Stratocaster
MADE IN 1969	MADE IN 1968
A.K.A. The Black Strat	A.K.A. Izabella
LAST HURRAH “Rattle That Lock” tour in 2015 and 2016	LAST HURRAH The Open Air Love + Peace Festival in 1970
FAMOUS SOLO “Comfortably Numb” from The Wall	FAMOUS SOLO “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock
POP-CULTURE CAMEO Marvel’s Doctor Strange features the Pink Floyd song “Interstellar Overdrive,” so Gilmour invited star Benedict Cumberbatch onstage in London to sing “Comfortably Numb” while he played the Black Strat.	POP-CULTURE CAMEO An episode of The Simpsons features a Woodstock flashback of Hendrix playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” on his white Stratocaster.
SOLD FOR $4 million	SOLD FOR $1.8 million
BUYER In 2019, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.	BUYER In 1993, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen.
ALBUMS FEATURED ON The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall	ALBUMS FEATURED ON Live at Woodstock
BUY A REPLICA $5,400	BUY A REPLICA $6,900
MODIFICATIONS Gilmour replaced the tuners, the bridge pickup, the bridge and the whammy bar.	MODIFICATIONS Hendrix was a lefty, so he flipped the right-handed guitar over and reversed the strings.
OTHER RARITIES IN THE OWNER’S COLLECTION The original manuscript of On the Road by Jack Kerouac and an early draft of Alcoholics Anonymous by Bill Wilson.	OTHER RARITIES IN THE OWNER’S COLLECTION More than 30 vintage aircraft.
WHERE IS IT NOW It’s likely in the Pink Floyd flight case that Irsay bought at the same auction for $175,000.	WHERE IS IT NOW The Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, which Allen founded in 2000.

David Gilmour’s Black Stratocaster

Jimi Hendrix’s White Stratocaster

MADE IN

1969

MADE IN

1968

jimi hendrix white strat

A.K.A.

The Black Strat

A.K.A.

Izabella

LAST HURRAH

“Rattle That Lock” tour in 2015 and 2016

LAST HURRAH

The Open Air Love + Peace Festival in 1970

FAMOUS SOLO

“Comfortably Numb” from The Wall

FAMOUS SOLO

“The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock

POP-CULTURE CAMEO

Marvel’s Doctor Strange features the Pink Floyd song “Interstellar Overdrive,” so Gilmour invited star
Benedict Cumberbatch onstage in London to sing
“Comfortably Numb” while he played the Black Strat.

POP-CULTURE CAMEO

An episode of The Simpsons features a Woodstock flashback of Hendrix playing
“The Star-Spangled
Banner” on his white Stratocaster.

SOLD FOR

$4 million

SOLD FOR

$1.8 million

BUYER

In 2019, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.

jim irsay