Grateful Dead Music Forum

So why do most folks around here suggest the David Allen Voodoo 69s or CS69 pickups to cop those tones? Late 60s pickups vs pre-cbs pickups which is what should be in Alligator right?

My understanding is that Alligator was a Strat with a '57 body and '63 neck that Nash purchased in '70 at a pawn shop. If someone knows with certainty what pickups were in it in '70 when Nash acquired it, I'd like to know. If not, I don't think we know what pickups were in it when Nash gifted it to Jerry. Hence, people typically recommend not '57 pickups per se but modern pickups that sound like the ones from the Alligator recordings. Hence the recommendations you reference. Makes sense?

P.S. Here's a nice replica that was just down the road from me in Vienna, VA. I'd say must resist but apparently it's already sold! You could, if you want, ask Rusch which PUPs he used and why.

https://reverb.com/item/12229110-fender ... ca-natural

Jon S. wrote: ↑Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:27 pm My understanding is that Alligator was a Strat with a '57 body and '63 neck that Nash purchased in '70 at a pawn shop. If someone knows with certainty what pickups were in it in '70 when Nash acquired it, I'd like to know. If not, I don't think we know what pickups were in it when Nash gifted it to Jerry. Hence, people typically recommend not '57 pickups per se but modern pickups that sound like the ones from the Alligator recordings. Hence the recommendations you reference. Makes sense?

P.S. Here's a nice replica that was just down the road from me in Vienna, VA. I'd say must resist but apparently it's already sold! You could, if you want, ask Rusch which PUPs he used and why.

https://reverb.com/item/12229110-fender ... ca-natural

A 63 strat neck wouldve been rosewood, so I got to think that whatever is on alligator is a 50s neck, as it has the 50s headstock and spaghetti logo.

However Im not really sure natural finishes were available on Strats in the 50s. Definitely had natural in the 70s.

Could it be that Jerry felt no qualms about hacking it up because Alligator was in fact a partscaster? Although back then they didnt cherish “vintage” instruments like we do now.

A 55 perhaps?

https://www.bonhams.com/video/29413/

caspersvapors wrote: ↑Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:10 pmA 63 strat neck wouldve been rosewood, so I got to think that whatever is on alligator is a 50s neck, as it has the 50s headstock and spaghetti logo.

I'm no vintage Strat expert. I just went on what I'd read. I'm happy to defer to your deeper knowledge re: the neck.

The neck isn't relevant to the pickups question, though, so unless you also have specific knowledge on Alligator's pickups through the '70's (in which case, please share that, too!), what exactly they were in the time period '70-around '74, remains, I think, uncertain.

Jon S. wrote: ↑Mon Aug 17, 2020 7:43 am

caspersvapors wrote: ↑Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:10 pmA 63 strat neck wouldve been rosewood, so I got to think that whatever is on alligator is a 50s neck, as it has the 50s headstock and spaghetti logo.

I'm no vintage Strat expert. I just went on what I'd read. I'm happy to defer to your deeper knowledge re: the neck.

The neck isn't relevant to the pickups question, though, so unless you also have specific knowledge on Alligator's pickups through the '70's (in which case, please share that, too!), what exactly they were in the time period '70-around '74, remains, I think, uncertain.

Yea neck isnt totally relevant, but if we want to get to finding out the pickups, the neck and body could help us figure out how much the strat was stock to begin with.

So, more snooping on my part. Neck plate is stamped "7310" - which mean its a 1955 neck plate, probably a 1955 neck. Body is anyones guess

https://imgur.com/J45CFrR

caspersvapors wrote: ↑Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:36 amSo, more snooping on my part. Neck plate is stamped "7310" - which mean its a 1955 neck plate, probably a 1955 neck. Body is anyones guess

https://imgur.com/J45CFrR

FWIW until '99 I owned a Fender Jazz Bass with a '66 neck plate and serial number that, when the buyer partially disassembled the instrument prior to concluding the sale, we found to be constructed almost entirely of parts from '64 and '65. The buyer told me this wasn't uncommon with pre-CBS Fenders - they weren't anal, like we are today, about these things but rather slapped together what they had on hand at the time.

Jon S. wrote: ↑Mon Aug 17, 2020 10:01 am

caspersvapors wrote: ↑Mon Aug 17, 2020 9:36 amSo, more snooping on my part. Neck plate is stamped "7310" - which mean its a 1955 neck plate, probably a 1955 neck. Body is anyones guess

https://imgur.com/J45CFrR

FWIW until '99 I owned a Fender Jazz Bass with a '66 neck plate and serial number that, when the buyer partially disassembled the instrument prior to concluding the sale, we found to be constructed almost entirely of parts from '64 and '65. The buyer told me this wasn't uncommon with pre-CBS Fenders - they weren't anal, like we are today, about these things but rather slapped together what they had on hand at the time.

No doubt! Fender definitely did this. And just to illustrate that point with respect to Alligator, (cork-sniffery ahead)- this is unlikely, but if Alligator was assembled earlier in the year of 1995, its possible the guitar woulve gotten pickups with 1954 specs - meaning Alnico 3 magnets. Quite a different sound to the pickups which used Alnico 5 magnets (every other post-1954 Strat until the end of time)