According to reports first appearing in the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, members of Experience Hendrix LLC which manage the estate of Jimi Hendrix have filed a lawsuit against Harvey Moltz, owner of Rainbow Guitars in Tucson regarding a guitar known as "Black Widow". The estate has cited the instrument as one of the few Jimi-owned guitars to have made its way back to his family, and is calling for its return as well as damages for its absence.
The guitar was purchased from Brian Patterson who acquired it from Sheldon Reynolds, ex-husband of Hendrix’s adopted sister, Janie Hendrix and former member of Earth, Wind and Fire. The sale was apparently accompanied by a letter stating that Reynolds was given the guitar during his marriage to Janie Hendrix, however, this is now being called into question. Members of Experience Hendrix LLC were not made aware of the guitar's absence until they were contacted to help authenticate its originality.
According to representation from the Experience Hendrix LLC, the guitar is valued in the range of $750,000 to $1,000,000. According to Motz's legal representation, “My client purchased the guitar in good faith from a private seller, without knowledge of competing claims of ownership."
The Gear of Jimi Hendrix