Grateful Dead Music Forum

Most of the Dead guitars that are replicated (or paid tribute) are Jerry's guitars. Besides those of you all that have deep enough pockets for a 2681, Cowboy Fancy, or Blackknife, I don't think I have seen anybody's tributes with lesser models. I was considering my next project to be a such a thing. Maybe an Ibanez RG or RT body (similar to the Modulus). And while it would be improbable to do a Graphite neck, it wouldn't be too difficult to replicate the BK headstock from a Strat-type blank. It certainly would not be a Modulus, but might be a fun replica project. Thoughts or anyone with Weir guitar ideas?

Moses Graphite will make you a BW pointy modulus (copy) headstock for around 450. They use their Baritone 24 neck. You could get a Casio PG380 and use this neck and have a very similar guitar for the late 80s-90s. Otherwise find an Ibanez Artist or Musician and do the mods for a 70s Weir guitar. Ive had both and you can come really close with out spending so much for the more expensive guitars. Its the same with the Jerry guitars. Yes the custom built ones look alot more like his guitars but for me its whats inside and the few electronic mods that have been extensivly covered in other threads.

Moses Graphite, huh? I wasn't aware. I will definitely check them out. I do search the 'bay all the time for Casios. I see one come up from time to time. I have never pulled the trigger on one though. Thanks for the 411.

Check out ggould.com he's back making guitars and i'm sure they have that bob flavor your after. Not sure on the cost though.

brutusbuck45 wrote:Moses Graphite, huh? I wasn't aware. I will definitely check them out. I do search the 'bay all the time for Casios. I see one come up from time to time. I have never pulled the trigger on one though. Thanks for the 411.

Just remember that Moses although makes a great product, it is really not in the same ballpark as Modulus was. It merely is a modern day comparable product. I have had Moses and Modys and they are both high end peices. 2cents

While not a replica at all it sure has Weir flavor. I can't help but think half Bobby and half trey on some of these. They are really nice. He resides in good ol' Maine.

http://www.aoguitars.com/index.php?modu ... =1&meid=-1

I like how he uses the top carve to expose the sandwich layer(s)... that is very cool. Thanks for sharing. I have just finished reading Blair Jackson's Gear Book. I might also use his research work to go farther back in the Weir guitar collection. There is always the ES335, as a possibility. I have been eyeballing a few of the Epiphone models. I have always played solid bodies, so I am not sure about making that leap. The hunt is part of the fun, I suppose.

JD - how can you say the Moses neck isn't of the same quality as Modulus?


FTR - I tried working with with Geoff and got nowhere fast... Didn't seem to want my business.

well the old KLD Modulus necks are really one of a kind. Truely. They were the first to do anything like that and then the other companys copied what they were doing. Im not talking about the newer Genensis models. Moses is a great neck. I have had both, but it is not a Modulus. Modys use different injection molding techniques and different tone woods for their necks. Which Geoff did you work with strum? or try? Gould doesnt work for them anymore.

jdsmodulus wrote:well the old KLD Modulus necks are really one of a kind. Truely. They were the first to do anything like that and then the other companys copied what they were doing. Im not talking about the newer Genensis models. Moses is a great neck. I have had both, but it is not a Modulus. Modys use different injection molding techniques and different tone woods for their necks. Which Geoff did you work with strum? or try? Gould doesnt work for them anymore.

Modulus has wood in their necks?

Yes they are different but not necessarily better, IMO.

Gould - I contacted him directly at his company to buy one of his guitars...

Some necks have wood fretboards, some are phelonic. Geoff is a cool guy Im sure he was just distracted or something, He only had that prototype a few months ago, hopefully he will build more.

jdsmodulus wrote:Some necks have wood fretboards, some are phelonic. Geoff is a cool guy Im sure he was just distracted or something, He only had that prototype a few months ago, hopefully he will build more.

What is "phelonic". You may like him but he ignored a series of emails from me and a couple calls.

Not the type of responsiveness I'd expect from somebody who was ready to give them a few thousands of dollars....

If $3000 is enough to snap you away from your distraction, I'd love to see pics of her....

"phelonic" is a type of resin used it the graphite necks. It just means the fingerboards had a resin finish. Some of the early ones had this. It later became known as Ebonic, Steinberger used Ebonol and I believe they had a problem with trademarks. There are some Modulus guitars with rosewood or ebony fretboards but they are rare. Bobby uses a molded neck now like the kind they licensed to Ibanez and Alvarez. This neck would be similar to a Moses. The old ones had a completly different pattern like a lot of small boxes its kind of hard to explain, then they came out with the KLD necks which have a triangular pattern and its more random looking. (to me these are their best) think Blacknife. Early "knifes" had the first pattern. Im sorry you couldnt get a G Gould guitar, I really almost bought that cocobolo prototype. Again Im not rich by any means and I just couldnt see spending 3000. Im not even in a band.

Just reading through this post as I'm modding a Casio PG-380 w/ a Modulus KLD Strat Neck (KLD= Thousand Lady's Dancing)
"They use their Baritone 24 neck. You could get a Casio PG380 and use this neck and have a very similar guitar for the late 80s-90s." Wouldn't the intonation be all fucked up by putting a 24 fret neck on this guitar, all the Casios come w/ 22 fret neck? Weirs Casio's all had 22 frets, even the arrowhead neck (which had 24 on BW6 Blackknife)?

I'm splitting hairs here, but it's phenolic not phelonic.

Scott that is funny that I spelled it wrong I realized later that I did that and I didnt want to change each post. I talked with Moses and they seem to think that any strat body guitar would be fine. I am not a luthier so someone here might want to chime in about intonation.