The estate of Jimi Hendrix is suing a Tucson guitar shop and owner for a guitar used and abused by the legendary guitar god.
According to the complaint issued earlier this month, the estate claims that Rainbow Guitars Inc. and its owner Harvey Moltz have illegal possession of Hendrix’s aptly named “Black Widow” acoustic guitar.
Experience Hendrix, headed by Hendrix’s sister Janie Hendrix, filed the lawsuit late Friday in Pima County Superior Court, placing the value of the instrument between $750,000 and $1 million, according to Ed McPherson, the company's lawyer. “They got it from someone who stole it and we intend to get it back," he said.
However, money might not be the only deciding factor, said Hendrix’s sister.
“The guitar is priceless to our family,” Janie told The Arizona Star. “It is one of the few guitars that came home after Jimi passed away. We want our guitar returned safely and back where it belongs.”
The guitar belonged to Hendrix until his death in 1970, moving into the hands of his father, along with the rest of the Hendrix estate.
That sounds about right, said Jeff Gold, proprietor of Recordmecca in Los Angeles.
“Any real Hendrix guitar is a big deal,” Gold told the Arizona Star. “Very few authentic Hendrix guitars still exist.”
The Hendrix family first learned the guitar was missing in June 2014, when L.A. firm Julien’s Auctions called to double check the claim of authenticity issued by Brian Patterson, who sold Moltz the guitar last year for $80,000. Patterson bought it previously from former member of Sheldon Reynolds, a former member of Earth, Wind and Fire and ex-husband of Janie Hendrix.
The “Black Widow” was purchased in “good faith from a private seller without knowledge of competing claims of ownership,” Todd Jackson, the lawyer representing Moltz, told the Arizona Star. Jackson said that Moltz is willing to hold onto the guitar while the courts battle it out in California, allowing for additional inspection as need. “Moltz bought the guitar legitimately and has no interest in acquiring or retaining stolen property.”
Moltz at Rainbow Guitars has yet to comment.