Trucks on Tiger
PostPosted:Wed Mar 18, 2026 11:52 am
"Derek Trucks reveals what it’s like to play Jerry Garcia’s record-breaking $11.56mn Tiger guitar
Trucks had the opportunity to play it during Tedeschi Trucks Band’s shows at the Beacon Theatre last week.
Trucks normal go-to stage guitar is a Dickey Betts Gibson SG gifted to him by Duane Allman’s daughter, Galadrielle, is a real featherweight.
Some guitars are a special case – such as the Jerry Garcia’s Tiger guitar, the custom-made Doug Irwin six-string that was six whole years in the making.
It was officially the most expensive instrument to be associated with the late Grateful Dead frontman, and for many Deadheads – for Garcia himself – the Tiger was the ultimate Grateful Dead guitar.
And constructed of cocobolo and vermillion, with decorative brass strips binding the body, it’s a total lunker, reportedly tipping the scales at 13.5lbs.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Trucks says it is not only a weight on the shoulder (thick padded guitar strap essential), it’s like the Fender Twin of electric guitars in that it has a voice that punishes sloppy playing.
“It’s a really heavy guitar, but it’s really articulate when you play it,” says Trucks. “So there’s no hiding anywhere. You’re going to hear all of it, every note. It almost speaks like a piano in some ways, where everything’s clean and even. It’s not for the faint of heart. You need to know what you’re doing to play that guitar.”
The man who parted with the best part of 12 million bucks for it is the co-founder of Family Guitars, Bobby Tseitlin.
Family Guitars collects these guitars to save them from being bought by overseas collectors and entombed behind museum glass. Tseitlin assures Deadheads and fans of extravagantly constructed, culturally iconic guitars that Tiger won’t be caged for all time. It’ll be let out for others to play as Trucks has, as his old pal and collaborator Warren Haynes has.
Trucks says just seeing the Tiger in the flesh was a “holy s**t” moment – for him and the audience – and he returned it to Tseitlin in the same condition he received it."
Trucks had the opportunity to play it during Tedeschi Trucks Band’s shows at the Beacon Theatre last week.
Trucks normal go-to stage guitar is a Dickey Betts Gibson SG gifted to him by Duane Allman’s daughter, Galadrielle, is a real featherweight.
Some guitars are a special case – such as the Jerry Garcia’s Tiger guitar, the custom-made Doug Irwin six-string that was six whole years in the making.
It was officially the most expensive instrument to be associated with the late Grateful Dead frontman, and for many Deadheads – for Garcia himself – the Tiger was the ultimate Grateful Dead guitar.
And constructed of cocobolo and vermillion, with decorative brass strips binding the body, it’s a total lunker, reportedly tipping the scales at 13.5lbs.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Trucks says it is not only a weight on the shoulder (thick padded guitar strap essential), it’s like the Fender Twin of electric guitars in that it has a voice that punishes sloppy playing.
“It’s a really heavy guitar, but it’s really articulate when you play it,” says Trucks. “So there’s no hiding anywhere. You’re going to hear all of it, every note. It almost speaks like a piano in some ways, where everything’s clean and even. It’s not for the faint of heart. You need to know what you’re doing to play that guitar.”
The man who parted with the best part of 12 million bucks for it is the co-founder of Family Guitars, Bobby Tseitlin.
Family Guitars collects these guitars to save them from being bought by overseas collectors and entombed behind museum glass. Tseitlin assures Deadheads and fans of extravagantly constructed, culturally iconic guitars that Tiger won’t be caged for all time. It’ll be let out for others to play as Trucks has, as his old pal and collaborator Warren Haynes has.
Trucks says just seeing the Tiger in the flesh was a “holy s**t” moment – for him and the audience – and he returned it to Tseitlin in the same condition he received it."