Winger guitarist Reb Beach shared an amusing anecdote from a past magazine interview during a conversation with Become A Guitarist Today.
Beach recalled the question posed during a photo shoot with Nuno Bettencourt and Richie Kotzen: “If we could bring Jimi Hendrix back in a séance, what’s the one thing you’d say to him?” His immediate response was simple: “Tune your guitar, buddy.”
Beach then elaborated on his answer. “No, seriously, I’d probably give him a Floyd Rose and say, ‘Here, Jimi — you’ll be in tune for the rest of your life.'”
Almost immediately after the magazine hit the stands, Beach found himself at the center of unexpected controversy. “I started getting bags of hate mail from Hendrix fans,” he recalled. “People thought I was disrespecting one of the greatest guitarists of all time. But it was just a joke — completely taken out of context.”
Letters poured in, accusing him of arrogance and blasphemy, with some even questioning his place in the rock world.
Beach admits the reaction caught him off guard. “I grew up idolizing Hendrix,” he explained. “To see people so angry over one playful comment was surreal. If they’d printed the full quote, I think most people would’ve laughed along with us. Instead, I spent months explaining that I wasn’t trying to insult a legend — just having fun with a silly question.”
Beach’s controversial comment sheds light on Hendrix’s experimental approach to guitar playing and his enduring influence on modern musicians.
Research published by Musiclipse revealed that Hendrix’s impact reached numerous contemporary guitarists. Eddie Van Halen specifically credited Hendrix as a major inspiration for his groundbreaking guitar techniques.
A study from Bykerwin highlighted John Frusciante’s perspective on Hendrix’s legacy. Frusciante emphasized how Hendrix transformed the guitar into an instrument with its own distinct personality.
