that distinctive 74 tone

[strumminsix]

Something interesting to consider when thinking of Aligator's "sound"...

Throughout time (ya I know like some 40 odd years) strats have sounded higher pitched while humbuckers have had a lower tone.

However, JG seemed to strive for a more balanced tone with rich and deep low complimented by bright and chimey high end.

That is one aspsect of JG that I've take with me!

[waldo041]

hey I just heard about Jack of Roses hadn't checked 'em out yet... I've been wondering how I was going to do the fx-loop jack on my Schecter, and this gives me some ideas.

i have some brass parts for the guitar i am working on for brian @ jack of roses and they are nice. he sell's all kind's of Jerry Esque parts and has done his research. i have an fx loop on my strat and love it. it does take some getting used to, and scares off a lot of player's from playin it.

Very cool clone! Only Alligator replica I've seen. How did he know how high to make (or to shim) the bridge & tail? That top view pic seems to be the only really close look anyone has had at it in 30 years, and it doesn't show elevation very well...

how much of an angle is relative to how tall the bridge is. also the angle of the neck is not that noticeable as the angle's are not that extreme. you will however notice it in your hand's.

So did it also have the angled neck in it's Alligator-less Europe '72 incarnation? Because the block of wood (never realized what that was before!) doesn't seem to be there.

the natural finish strat in Europe 72' photo does look to be PRE- alembic bridge and tailpiece, but i am unsure if he had it this way as the photo is not that clear. could you point me to a better one?

I wonder if the Dan Erlwine Strat also had an angle, or the '57 'burst... nah, not the Burst!!

well if it has either a strat type hard tail or tremelo bridge it probably doesn't. if it is like a les paul bridge and tailpiece, then it most definatley is, to compensate for the height of the bridge.

God, look at the sorry state gator is in today... corroded, missing a vol pot, and wires sticking out under the scratchplate...

i would think that jerry had the volume pot removed and straight pickup signal sent to the volume pedal from the 5 way selector. i play a strat and i summise that something like this may have been done, as the volume knob can get in the way and be turned down if aggressively playing the guitar. all his other guitar's (beside's strats) had a different placement of the volume knob. the pedal would replace the knob. that is strictly my opinion. i highly doubt someone scavenged jerry's guitar for a volume pot. there is reasoning behind it. i do agree that they could have polished her up.


peace,
waldo

[tigerstrat]

I have already had the UGB, loop and Super II in my Strat for a couple of years, (went with a novel approach to my loop jack placement. I'll post a pic tonight maybe.) It does take getting used to, but once you do, you can't go back! That's why I can't really play my newer Schecter until I "tigerize" it. I did play it with it's "normal" wiring for about 6 months and maybe a dozen gigs, but then I recovered my Strat...

Every pic I have seen of Jerry playing the Alligator has had all the controls intact. I am pretty sure the vol would have been removed later... who knows why. Who owns it? One of the crew maybe... I seem to recall a rumor but not the name.

And which E72 pic are you referring to?

[Laytonco]

To all,
This is really cool seeing the Alembic references. Anyone interested in the Dead and their instruments needs to go to Alembic.com and read the history. Along with designing the instruments, the Wall Of Sound, and mastering a couple albums, guess who lived upstairs in the studio? Robert Thomas who designed several of the Dead's album covers. He also designed the Alembic logo. I am particularly interested because last year I bought an Alembic Tribute which is basically "Rosebud" but with new electronics. The guitar is amazing!

[tigerstrat]

I have already had the UGB, loop and Super II in my Strat for a couple of years, (went with a novel approach to my loop jack placement. I'll post a pic tonight maybe.) It does take getting used to, but once you do, you can't go back!

This guitar was stolen from me last summer, then six months (of keeping close tabs on Craigslist)later, the thieves posted trying to sell it and lucky for me were foolish enough to post a photo of it, enabling me to get the assistance of police in recovering it. A RECOVERED stolen guitar!!


Notice the loop jack? The big black knob where the front Tone used to be is now my Vol, and the rear Tone control is universal for all settings

[waldo041]

that's a nice axe. i love how you placed the jack. is that a seymour duncan single coil size humbucker? i have been interested in them for a while. how does it sound?

i would die if my axe got ripped off. it's good to hear that you got yours back.

oh yeah, the europe 72 photo i refered to is here;
http://www.nii.net/~obie1/deadcd/garcia_guitars.htm

peace
waldo

[tigerstrat]

Thanks and yeah it's a JB Jr. in the neck. Pretty sweet medium-output p/u, actually a relic of the guitar's previous version. It's really nice to move the Vol control the hell away from the strings: I used to always accidentally turn myself down brushing against the knob, and the right-angle cable end actually serves as an additional bumper-guard to pretty much prevent that from happening.

Here's one I think from Dec 71 Felt Forum that shows the area in question pretty well.



and this one is just so awesome... nice to get a glimpse of the pyramid of '68 SF Twins too.