| Author | Message | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4440 Registered: 7-2004 |
I stumbled across the wikipedia entry about Jerry Garcia and read this very interesting history of Jerry's famous "Wolf" guitar which is the inspiration for the current "Further" model. I thought it explains the history in far more detail than I've read elsewhere. As many of you know, for years there has been a running controversy on the true origin of the guitar. Accordingly, below is the relevant portion of the wikipedia article, with all accreditation going to wikipedia: Bill, tgo From wikipedia: "In 1972, Garcia used a Fender Stratocaster nicknamed Alligator for its alligator sticker on the pickguard. The guitar was given to him by Graham Nash. This was due in part to damage to his first custom-made guitar, made by Alembic. This guitar, nicknamed Wolf for a memorable sticker Garcia added below the tailpiece, cost $1500 - extremely high for the time.... Wolf was made with an ebony fingerboard and featured numerous embellishments like alternating grain designs in the headstock, ivory inlays, and fret marker dots made of sterling silver. The body was composed of western maple wood which had a core of purpleheart. Garcia later had former Alembic employee Doug Irwin replace the electronics inside the guitar, at which point he added his own logo to the headstock alongside the Alembic logo. The system included two interchangeable plates for configuring pickups: one was made for strictly single coils, while the other accommodated humbuckers. Shortly after receiving the modified instrument, Garcia requested another custom guitar from Irwin with the advice "don't hold back." During the Grateful Dead's European Tour, Wolf was dropped on several occasions, one of which caused a minor crack in the headstock. Garcia returned it to Irwin to fix; during its two-year absence Garcia played predominantly Travis Bean guitars. On September 28, 1977, Irwin delivered the renovated Wolf back to Garcia. The wolf sticker which gave the guitar its name had now been inlaid into the instrument; it also featured an effects loop between the pick-ups and controls (so inline effects would "see" the same signal at all times) which was bypassable. Irwin also put a new face on the headstock with only his logo (he later claimed to have built the guitar himself, though pictures through time clearly show the progression of logos, from Alembic, to Alembic & Irwin, to only Irwin)." | ||
| edwin
Senior Member Username: edwin Post Number: 640 Registered: 5-2002 |
I'm skeptical. I don't think that Wolf in any way preceded the Nash strat. I find that Wikipedia is often wrong. I'd be very surprised to see any pictures of Wolf on the Europe '72 tour. There are lots of pictures of the strat. However, YMMV and my mileage may vary! | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 719 Registered: 10-2006 |
When I'm teaching, and I assign research projects, I always tell my students "Wikipedia is not a source!" This is because anyone can put up anything, and there is no verification. In this case, however, I think we can make an exception, as large parts of that (those contradicting the commonly told built-by-Doug story) are my work. So qoute away, Bill. And if anyone sees errors (the E-72 headstock damage was not my addition, Edwin, but I have heard it elsewhere) please jump in and correct. Peter | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4442 Registered: 7-2004 |
I have heard many times that Wolf's headstock broke after a fall on the Dead's European tour. My understanding was that it was a European tour subsequent to the infamous Europe '72 tour. Peter, what's your source for the part about Irwin swapping out the electronics and adding his "peacock" logo above the Alembic logo at that time? Bill, tgo | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1017 Registered: 5-2009 |
In the time frame from approximately 1975 to 1977 Mr. Irwin did some custom work for me. I had the privilege of having been in his workshop on a few occasions during this time . | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 720 Registered: 10-2006 |
Bill - I put that together from things I've read, things I've learned from folks like you, & pictures from various periods. I've seen pictures from 3 distinct incarnations. First with just the Alembic logo by the nut; while I couldn't see the electronics, I have to assume they started Alembic. Then with the DiMarzios (which all accounts seem to attribute to Irwin) & both logos (I've never seen anything that would suggest these changes were not concurrent), then with the inlaid Wolf & later Irwin logo. Peter | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1019 Registered: 5-2009 |
It is very possible that I saw the pickup ring modification in progress on the instrument in question . | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 1020 Registered: 5-2009 |
The effects loop feature may also have been added at this time . I believe I saw the instrument laying there on a work bench in progress of modification. (Message edited by sonicus on May 30, 2010) | ||
| cuff
New Username: cuff Post Number: 5 Registered: 8-2009 |
Check out Waldo's page: http://wald-electronics.com/wolf.html | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6770 Registered: 6-2000 |
The guitar now known as "Wolf" is Alembic serial number 25. How can that be controversial in any way? | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 724 Registered: 10-2006 |
Thank you, Mica - I, for one, had often wondered what number it was. Would that be '72 or '73? And might I inquire as to the serial number of Phil's bass? Peter (Message edited by cozmik_cowboy on June 01, 2010) | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 2374 Registered: 4-2004 |
 THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE-LOL | ||
| s_wood
Advanced Member Username: s_wood Post Number: 314 Registered: 5-2002 |
FWIW, I was once touring the workshop of a guy named Matt Friedman, who built basses under the Acacia trade name...I really like his stuff. Anyway, on his workbench was what was obviously an Acacia bass, except Matt's headstock logo has been removed and replaced with a logo used by a high-profile luthier and instrument builder (whom I will not name) who had done some repair work on the bass and decided to claim it as his own. Matt, who is a very gracious person, laughed the whole thing off. He is a better person than I. Who knows why a luthier would do something like that - but it happens. |
