Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hi everyone,

I have a custom made guitar ordered and still have alot of time to decide what I really want (waiting list ).

Here's what I've come up with so far:
- Travis Bean TB500 gen1 body shape (like the 3 single coils one Jer used in 77) in natural color (not decided on wood yet).
- Most likely tuneomatic style bridge, EVO gold or SS frets, set neck.
- built in bypassable buffer (most likely CAL redeemer), OBEL.

Next step would be pickups... I would love 3 pickups but only two is not entirely out of the question. I don't mind mismatching stuff, like P90s and a single or HSH for example but I'd like it not to look awful either.
I love both Jerry (60-70s) and Bob's gibson 335 tones.I think I prefer Jerry's single coil and P90 tones than humbuckers but that might be biased by the fact I prefer those year in general for the band.

I've been looking at single coils but don't really want 3 singles cause I love strats and already have one. P90s got my attention a couple weeks ago, H/S/P90 (B/M/N) could be an option...
But today I stumbled upon firebird pickups. Lollar, duncan, klein for examples.
I've listen to some demo videos and I think they sound quite fantastic. 3 of those with a 5-way switch might be really cool. They seem to have a clear and fat single-coilish tone

Any opinions on firebird pickups ? P90s ?
Other ideas ?

Cheers!

Damn almost 400 views and nobody can give me opinions on firebird pickups, the best builders, pickups configs, comments on my guitar idea ... ?

Sorry, can't speak for the rest but I don't recall having seen your post the first time around - must have missed it.

I can't comment on Firebird PUPs as I know nothing about them.

I think a H-S-P90 arrangement could be great. That's essentially what I have on my own modded '99 USA Reverend Avenger (below). The neck PUP is a Dimarzio Super Distortion that I bought new in '76. The middle PUP is a 6.2K Dan Armstrong Strat-type PUP that started out as the stock bridge PUP on my Avenger (very nice Jerry-ish tone). The neck PUP is an overwrapped Fralin Steel Pole 43, clocking in at 9.0K ohms, intended by Lindy as a P-90-ish sounding single coil. This isn't advertised on his site but I had Lindy custom-tap mine at 6.0K so I can switch between P90-ish and true Strat-ish single coil tones on the neck PUP.

These days, I find myself playing my Avenger more even then my Tiger and Wolf guitars because the Avenger is so versatile. I'm playing a wider variety of music these days than ever and the Avenger's HB-SC-P90-ish set up lets me readily cover everything.

The only pickup you really need for Garcia stuff is a single coil Strat style middle pickup. I've had the Klein 69 and thought it sounded great, but there are other options. People seem to love the D Allen Voodoo 69. The Fender Custom Shop 69 sounds great. Just pick one and call it a day.

For the neck pickup, I prefer something "big and clear". For me, that's a Charlie Christian. Firebirds also sound pretty nice for that purpose.

For the bridge, I like something that can bring the grit with a turn of the volume knob. A kinda hot a P90 or a humbucker can do that. As can a Firebird.

I like the visual symmetry of a pair of Firebirds and a strat single coil in the middle.

I like the sound/look of a dog ear P90 bridge, strat middle, charlie christian neck. Kind of a visual hodge podge, but it sounds great.

Thanks guys, yeah middle strat pickup seems pretty mandatory but I'm scared it will clash too much aesthetically with the little and chromed firebirds.

Maybe a lipstick strat middle pickup would be more pleasing to the eye ?

I might also go with only two firebirds to save a bit (this is gonna be a pretty expensive guitar already for me so..)

I would think aesthetics take a back seat when putting together a Jerry guitar. Just take a gander at Alligator - Jerry didn’t seem to care too much about looks.

Bill, tgo

Mount it on a "plate" so u can experiment
I believe thers a couple guys on here make the plates
JG had that for wolf SSS SHH
U can make one urself using plexi, if only for experimenting
T

lbpesq wrote: ↑Thu Sep 10, 2020 3:40 pm I would think aesthetics take a back seat when putting together a Jerry guitar. Just take a gander at Alligator - Jerry didn’t seem to care too much about looks.

Bill, tgo

QFT

What scale will it be?
Maple, rosewood or ebony fretboard?

As far as p90’s, won’t be exactly Jerry but can pull off a early Jer tone vibe. I have 3 p90’s in an Ibanez AS83. Even with a shorter scale and p90, using the middle pickup with a Twin Reverb, still puts me in a Jerry ballpark. Far right field but still ballpark.

See if you can test drive a Reverend guitar with P90s, e.g., the Charger 290 which has a 25.5" scale. In particular, see what you think of Reverend's bass contour control and how close using the control gets you to what you deem a legit SC-ish sound. If it works for you, it could be just the ticket for using the P90s while having access to SC tones.

The other option I've already told you about (a tapped P90-ish PUP like my Fralin Steel Pole 43).

Do you intend to have the pickups mounted in a pick-guard, ala Fender, or in a plate/cover on top of the guitar, or directly to the body?

Bill, tgo

Here's what I've come up with so far:
- Travis Bean TB500 gen1 body shape (like the 3 single coils one Jer used in 77) in natural color (not decided on wood yet).
- Most likely tuneomatic style bridge, EVO gold or SS frets, set neck.
- built in bypassable buffer (most likely CAL redeemer), OBEL.

Where are you going to find a TB500 that isn't an astronomical price?

I am going with a guitar builder who build you whatever you want. He does not order bodies and neck, he makes them. I already told him I wanted a tb500 gen one body shape and he didn't turn my idea down. Might not be a 100% exact replica but I'm hoping it is really similar. Will also most likely be less deep and heavy so that's good. I can also choose any wood species I want (price will obviously vary).

Not decided on the fretboard wood yet but most likely something dark in colorlike rosewood, ebony or wenge

I was thinking about mounting them directly to the body. A mounting plate could be a great idea but correct me if I'm wrong but mixing 3 pickup plates and 2 pickup plates might not work. Or at least might require some more soldering when you switch so the circuit fits the newly installed one ?

I'm most likely going with a 25 -25.5 scale as I love the feel of a strat.

Gotcha. I'd like to see some replica or "tribute" Travis Beans being made/played out there

PLS30820 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 11, 2020 6:00 am Gotcha. I'd like to see some replica or "tribute" Travis Beans being made/played out there

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