Hendrix’s home turned into guitars

VANCOUVER — There’s a saying, if these walls could talk. Walls certainly can’t talk, but music can touch the heart, especially the songs that evoke memories.

A guitar-maker from Seattle has made a series of special guitars using wood salvaged from the walls of the childhood house of Jimi Hendrix, one of the most influential guitarists in the history of popular music.

Reuben Forsland on Saturday displayed two of his unique guitars at the inaugural Vancouver International Guitar Festival, a three-day event that kicked off on Friday.

Forsland, the owner of the Joi guitar company, was able to strike a deal with Hendrix’s estate to get a hold of wood saved from the house that Hendrix lived in from 19531956 in central Seattle.

“It was the home where he was introduced to blues music, which became his passion,” Forsland said, explaining that he used old baseboards and flooring from the bedroom and living room of the house, which was demolished and stored by the estate.

“I was able to pick through all the pieces, and chose woods from his bedroom or the living room,” he said. “His bedroom, because that’s where he spent a lot of time, and the living room because that’s where the record player was.”

The pair are part of 11 guitars called the Harmonic Hendrix Home Guitars. The asking price for the guitars will start at $25,000, with one of the instruments going directly to the Hendrix estate.

Forsland said a portion of the proceeds from the sales will go back to the Jimi Hendrix Foundation.

In addition to the wood, old nails from the house were re-coated in silver and used as the fret markers. Copper wiring was also used in the instruments.

The back and sides of the guitars are made from African blackwood, Forsland explained as a potential customer stopped and strummed one of the guitars. “It’s a nod to his favorite guitar, Black Beauty.”

Forsland started the Hendrix project back in 2014. He said he is happy with how the first two instruments sound and play.

“The tone is great. Lots of bass and lots of projection. Really good harmonics,” he said, adding that “it has its own flavor for sure. I’m really happy with it.”

The guitars are on display at Vancouver’s Chinese Cultural Centre, among about 60 other exhibits of high-end, handcrafted guitars by makers from around the world.

Among the makers at the show was Michael Greenfield, whose guitars are played by rock legend Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and other high-profile artists.

“We have the opportunity to work with each individual piece of wood and tailor it and dimension it to get the maximum out of that piece of wood, and match it with the corresponding elements of the instrument,” Greenfield said, “it’s like building race cars.”

I was able to pick through all the pieces, and chose woods from his bedroom or the living room.” Reuben Forsland, maker of the instruments and owner of the Joi guitar company