Jerry Garcia was one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th Century. The Grateful Dead were something much bigger than just a band; they started a counter-culture movement that altered the trajectory of American society and music, and Jerry Garcia was front and center.
Like other guitarists who pushed the boundaries of music, Jerry wasn't satisfied with the factory-made, standard guitar models available. While others signed deals to produce signature models, Jerry was content playing his own custom-made guitars. He found new designs that satisfied his needs, and they didn't involve the commercialization and red-tape of endorsement deals. Most of his stage guitars were one-of-a-kind custom builds, and fans typically know them by name: Wolf, Tiger, Rosebud, Lightning Bolt, and Top Hat (and although Alligator was a Strat, it was way beyond standard spec). Because of that, players seeking to emulate Jerry's distinct tone often have to rely on their own custom builds and modifications.
This 1993 Gibson SG is an intriguing interpretation of a guitar Jerry might play. Starting with an SG is an interesting choice because Jerry did play one occasionally in the early days. Its shape shares some similarities with the sharp points of Tiger, Rosebud, Lightning Bolt, and Top Hat. Part of Jerry's preference for the sharp and double-cutaway was to have unfettered access to the upper register, and that's what the SG design is all about.
Beyond the body shape, very few of the details/parts on this SG remain factory original. This SG features three TV Jones Classic pickups. Jerry was a fan of the three-pickup configuration, and while he never used Filtertrons, they give you bright clarity with clean headroom and singing sustain—with the right amp settings, very close to Jerry's sound. Under the hood, this SG is outfitted with an On-Board Effects Loop (OBEL), which was an integral feature of Jerry's rig going back to Wolf in the '70s. The OBEL brings consistency to the way effects sound and behave regardless of the settings on the volume and tone controls. It also eliminates the tone loss from long cable runs, and it gives you an easily-accesisble switch to activate the effects loop. This OBEL also has a switchable active dB boost.
In classic Garcia tribute, all of the hardware is gold. This SG is set up with a Norlin-era oversized Gibson tune-o-matic bridge, just like Wolf, Tiger, and Rosebud. It sports gold-plated Grover Rotomatic tuning machines, and it has a Garcia-appropriate brass nut to maximize sustain and treble content. It even has a fitting custom-made brass switch plate—one of a few touches that make this SG feel just right.
This 1993 Gibson SG includes a modern Gibson hardshell case, and though the combination lock is broken, the case is in great shape. It also includes a Y-cable and a Hub Bub Stage Pro OBEL pedal, which helps you explore the full range of benefits from the on-board effects loop.
Cosmetically, this 1993 SG is in nice condition, and it has been refretted and plays like a brand new guitar. All of the modifications were done with the utmost care and attention ton detail. It's an impressive guitar that helps approximate the instruments used by a guitar icon.