Grateful Dead Music Forum

98 strat hardtail, not a 57, but getting close. I'm going to get the brass control plate from jackofroses next:

Looks great! I'm surprised more people don't build Alligators... I sure would if I weren't a bass player. It was such a cool period in the Dead's history, and a fairly easy guitar to replicate in a practical way.

looks nice. are those lace sensor pickups? which colors?

Thanks and yes - blue in the bridge, gold in middle and neck

I've got an 00 exactly like that. Hmmmm......

Pretty unit. I'd like to get a gator decal like that.

Rusty the Scoob wrote:Looks great! I'm surprised more people don't build Alligators... I sure would if I weren't a bass player. It was such a cool period in the Dead's history, and a fairly easy guitar to replicate in a practical way.

I'm with you, but even a bit more surprised that the people that build Wolf replicas almost inerringly build them w/ the SHH pickup config as per '78-on. I've don't know if I've ever seen them done up as the earlier SSS version, either w/ the fx loop ('77-'78) or w/o ('73-'75). Not to jack the thread...

Very nice Gator!

Nice job!
and welcome to the message board...

How does yours sound in the even positions? I'm not a strat guy but I can never get tone I like in 2 or 4. But other people do!

strumminsix wrote:How does yours sound in the even positions? I'm not a strat guy but I can never get tone I like in 2 or 4. But other people do!

Is your middle pickup wired out of phase with the other two? I believe that's the key to the "Quack" positions.

Shuxter wrote:Pretty unit. I'd like to get a gator decal like that.

They're easy to get - http://www.jackofroses.com/Stickers_1.html

I've even thought about putting a Gator on my J-bass... just kind of as a nod even though it's got nothing in common with Alligator besides being a Maple-necked Fenderish instrument.

Tell me about these Lace pickups. Obviously, I am out of the know.

stratstang wrote:98 strat hardtail, not a 57, but getting close. I'm going to get the brass control plate from jackofroses next:

Pretty!

What kind of bridge its that and how do you like it?

Looks like a stock 98ish Fender hardtail bridge to me. You don't see hardtail strats too often but I know a few came out during the 70's revival in the late 90's.

To answer your questions - stock fender hardtail bridge - I saw a brass bridge on ebay but not sure of the quality...

The lace pickups are fantastic - noiseless, so you don't have that strat hum in 1-3-5, and the blue one in the bridge position is really hot.

As far as the sound in the even positions, that's where i play it most - 2 for rhythm, 4 for leads and it sounds great to me, but I've been playing less than a year, actually have my first lesson today, and I pretty much suck, so if it doesn't sound like a dying cat, I consider it an accomplishment