Hendrix's debut single is a slower burn than the pyrotechnics that followed. Hey Joe is about feel — a warm, rounded Strat tone that sits back in the verses and opens up for the solo, all taste and restraint.
What makes the tone. This is a cleaner, warmer Hendrix than Voodoo Child. The Strat runs into an amp at moderate volume, breaking up gently when he digs in. The chordal comping is round and full — often the neck pickup — while the solo pushes into a smoother overdrive. There's little to no fuzz here; it's the natural sound of a good guitar and amp working together.
The analogue recipe. Strat on the neck pickup for the verses, into a Fender or Marshall-style amp set just below breakup. Pick softly for the clean parts and dig in for the lead to summon the drive naturally. A touch of spring reverb suits the mid-60s feel. Rolling the tone knob back slightly rounds it off nicely.
On a Boss GT-100 / GT-1000 / GX-100. A clean-to-edge-of-breakup Fender or Marshall model, neck pickup, and let your picking dynamics do the work. A light overdrive block you can kick in for the solo, plus spring reverb. Keep gain low — this tone is about warmth, not aggression.
On a Kemper. An edge-of-breakup blackface or Plexi profile with spring reverb. A single-coil guitar and dynamic right hand get you most of the way. Add a transparent overdrive for the lead and keep everything warm and unhurried.
Skip the guesswork. The Soulster Tonebook for fans of Jimi Hendrix → lays out the settings and chains behind Hendrix's cleaner, warmer side as well as his famous fuzz tones.
Put it on the wall. The "Hey Joe" Paperback print → and the "Hey Joe" Seattle poster → are a nod to the single that launched it all.
Voodoo Child Guitar Tone: Hendrix Wah & Fuzz
In Bloom Guitar Tone: Nirvana's Thick Distortion