Grateful Dead Music Forum

Brand new to rukind, and thought I’d run something a little different up the flagpole here…

Curious about what guitarists any of you would cite as someone who gets a fairly Jerry-like tone, in whatever genre? So not so much plays like, but sounds like here.

This is a pretty hyper-clean/hi-fi example, but I feel like there’s at least a thin bit of Venn diagram overlap between Di Meola’s sound on this tune and the fundamental tonality that sort of typifies “Jerry tone” (ymmv of course). Overall, Garcia’s tone(s) have a little more hair by comparison, but there are similarities in that clear, bell-like quality.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ve all got other ones, so bring ‘em on!

https://youtu.be/881MiHdj1qc

Whatup?!

Kenny Withrow is the guitarist for Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. And Forgotten Space.

https://youtu.be/tDl3bdE3YQA

Very excellent player who also found his own voice beyond his inspiration!

Good call! I remember when that came out--wasn't on the bus yet but had heard enough to catch his reference--great solo in any case!

Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

I can see there being some Knopfler tones when Jerry finger plucks…but in general Knopfler seems to prefer the 2nd and 4th positions which have that late 70’s / 80’s Straty sound once they started using the 5 way switch.

Even though Jerry had those positions on his later guitars, I’ve never really heard a concrete example of them from him. Curious if someone can point them out.

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

I hear similarities: clean and clear guitar tone, very intentional notes, melodic playing then abandoning the melody then returning to the melody.

My style is a mix of Knopfler/Garcia/Iommi (sounds weird but its what i do)

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 7:22 am My style is a mix of Knopfler/Garcia/Iommi (sounds weird but its what i do)

All I can tell you is, with that mix of guitarists to emulate, keep all of your fingers.

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

Thankfully I've had the pleasure of seeing Kimock live several times--never disappoints.

I've caught Kimock live with a wide variety of bands and other top shelf artists, the last time being this past February, in SOCAL, with Jazz is Dead. I love how he pays homage to his sources while letting his unique individual style shine.

Slewfoot2000 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:24 am

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

I can see there being some Knopfler tones when Jerry finger plucks…but in general Knopfler seems to prefer the 2nd and 4th positions which have that late 70’s / 80’s Straty sound once they started using the 5 way switch.

Even though Jerry had those positions on his later guitars, I’ve never really heard a concrete example of them from him. Curious if someone can point them out.

I agree re Garcia having a strong tendency to be a "one pickup at a time" type guy...and I echo Slewfoot2000's bid for examples of Strat-style 2nd/4th (pickup selector) position sounds? I would think there should be some fairly identifiable moments when/if he ever utilized the "both"/middle selection on that Guild Starfire, or any of the LP's and the SG he favored over ~'67-'69/'70. Makes me also wonder about if/when he ever did it on the earliest incarnations of Wolf, and/or the 3-pickup TB500 that's all over so many '77 shows...?

I play Pedal Steel Guitar in various local country bands.
Alot of the Tele players I gig with often have a good Jerry tone without even realizing it.
For one example... to my ear they often sound like the intro to CR&S.

sonicvoyager wrote: ↑Wed Aug 02, 2023 1:02 pm

Slewfoot2000 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:24 am

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

I can see there being some Knopfler tones when Jerry finger plucks…but in general Knopfler seems to prefer the 2nd and 4th positions which have that late 70’s / 80’s Straty sound once they started using the 5 way switch.

Even though Jerry had those positions on his later guitars, I’ve never really heard a concrete example of them from him. Curious if someone can point them out.

I agree re Garcia having a strong tendency to be a "one pickup at a time" type guy...and I echo Slewfoot2000's bid for examples of Strat-style 2nd/4th (pickup selector) position sounds? I would think there should be some fairly identifiable moments when/if he ever utilized the "both"/middle selection on that Guild Starfire, or any of the LP's and the SG he favored over ~'67-'69/'70. Makes me also wonder about if/when he ever did it on the earliest incarnations of Wolf, and/or the 3-pickup TB500 that's all over so many '77 shows...?

If you look at photos of Jerry in the 60’s he seems to be on the neck pickup most of the time with the Les Pauls. Sometimes middle and bridge. But those deep spacey vibrato tones of that era sound likely most neck.

Imagine that as they started doing more of the country inspired stuff in late 69 the bridge became a lot more utilized.

Early Wolf (like Alligator) was the 3 way selector switch so always one pickup on. Later Wolf in 78 got the 5 way.

The Travis Bean TB500 Jerry used on 77 was different in that one can select each pickup with its own on/off switch. That seems like it would be trickier to switch between pickups mid-song. Have a feeling the middle pickup was utilized large majority of the time there…the 76 Travis Bean TB1000A had standard humbuckers with 3 way switch.

Am definitely curious about those 2 and 4 positions. I was messing around with my Troy Post Tiger the other night and felt the middle/bridge together were sounds I’ve heard in Tiger-era Minglewood. Who knows though?

I use position-2 for Sampson and Delihla, and also West LA Fadeaway.

sonicvoyager wrote: ↑Wed Aug 02, 2023 1:02 pm

Slewfoot2000 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 6:24 am

Darkstar860 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 31, 2023 4:17 am Some may not hear it, but i hear a lot of Knopfler in Jerry and A lot of Jerry in Knopfler. Listen to Alchemy live album and youll hear what im talking about. Also check out Steve Kimock if you have not, hes unreal.

I can see there being some Knopfler tones when Jerry finger plucks…but in general Knopfler seems to prefer the 2nd and 4th positions which have that late 70’s / 80’s Straty sound once they started using the 5 way switch.

Even though Jerry had those positions on his later guitars, I’ve never really heard a concrete example of them from him. Curious if someone can point them out.

I agree re Garcia having a strong tendency to be a "one pickup at a time" type guy...and I echo Slewfoot2000's bid for examples of Strat-style 2nd/4th (pickup selector) position sounds? I would think there should be some fairly identifiable moments when/if he ever utilized the "both"/middle selection on that Guild Starfire, or any of the LP's and the SG he favored over ~'67-'69/'70. Makes me also wonder about if/when he ever did it on the earliest incarnations of Wolf, and/or the 3-pickup TB500 that's all over so many '77 shows...?

I hear it in the TB era and Wolf after, so 76–79. Minglewood, Samson and Delilah (the clean verse picking), for two. (Was just listening to Red Rocks 78 and hearing it there.) The latter is about the "quackiest" tone that I hear from Jerry, but less quack than many other S-type guitars.