Grateful Dead Music Forum

Bobby changed instruments more often than anyone else; this I knew. But I just learned of 2 more that I have previously neither seen pictured nor heard rumor of.
One of my Winter Solstice gifts from The Lovely & Charming Mrs. Cowboy was a new book by Amelia Davis & David Gans, The Grateful Dead By Jim Marshall: Photos And Stories From The Formative Years, 1966-1977.
There are several pix of Bob during the final week at Fillmore West in '71, playing a 2-humbucker Les Paul Custom; looks to be black (B&W photos, so I can't be sure - but it is a safe bet) with a decal south of the tailpiece that looks to be a side view of spread wings with a hand sticking out the front holding a staff with a banner on it.
Also, there a couple of him at Woodstock playing a Gibson Barney Kessel Custom.
So, you can add those to your spreadsheets.

While I keep no spreadsheet on any guitarist's gear, I must share my appreciation for Mrs. Cowboy's lovingkindness and generosity!

Upon looking closer, I see that the decal is an eagle in flight, holding the banner in a talon.

Hey Cowboy, good to see you hanging around these parts! Another Bobby guitar often overlooked is the Casio PG-380 Midi guitar with a Modulus graphite neck.

Bill, tgo

Cozmik Cowboy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 22, 2026 8:26 pm Bobby changed instruments more often than anyone else; this I knew. But I just learned of 2 more that I have previously neither seen pictured nor heard rumor of.
One of my Winter Solstice gifts from The Lovely & Charming Mrs. Cowboy was a new book by Amelia Davis & David Gans, The Grateful Dead By Jim Marshall: Photos And Stories From The Formative Years, 1966-1977.
There are several pix of Bob during the final week at Fillmore West in '71, playing a 2-humbucker Les Paul Custom; looks to be black (B&W photos, so I can't be sure - but it is a safe bet) with a decal south of the tailpiece that looks to be a side view of spread wings with a hand sticking out the front holding a staff with a banner on it.

It would be cool if somebody made a webpage with all his guitar history, like we have for Jerry and Phil.


There are also photos of him playing the black Les Paul 8/7/71 San Diego when Jerry was playing the TV yellow LP Special.


Yale 7/31/71:

Also, there a couple of him at Woodstock playing a Gibson Barney Kessel Custom.
So, you can add those to your spreadsheets.

That's a Guild. It appears to be a very customized model, with the knobs following the lower body edge curve.

"That's a Guild. It appears to be a very customized model, with the knobs following the lower body edge curve."

So it is! Those are closer shots than the Marshall ones, & I'd never seen that body type - full-depth with 2 Florentine cut-aways - on anything except 3 Gibsons. The 2 Barney Kessels, and 1 of the Trini Lopez models used it.

But that, combined with the control lay-out & the G-shield inlay on the headstock (used only on acoustics except, AFAIK, on this one & Bobby's Starfire V) lead me to think it's more likely custom than customized; he was working closely with them then, and they built several Weir-designed axes, both electric & acoustic.

Thanks for the correction.