| Author | Message | ||
| pace
Advanced Member Username: pace Post Number: 238 Registered: 4-2004 |
Just thought I'd share this w/ you guys..... Pretty interesting guitar!!! http://www.steelguitarblackbox.com/page12/page17/page17.html | ||
| bigideas
Member Username: bigideas Post Number: 81 Registered: 1-2004 |
I don't think that is an Irwin, that logo looks like Michael Dolans old logo. Mind you, I'd assume this gentleman knows what kind of guitar he has. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1380 Registered: 7-2004 |
That's definitely a Dolan logo. I'm currently looking at one of his in a store in San Rafael that the owner thought was an Alembic. Just out of curiousity, other than Jerry's guitars, has anyone here actually seen another Irwin guitar? I haven't. Bill, tgo | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 454 Registered: 12-2003 |
Bill, I have often wondered the same thing. I have NEVER seen another Iriwn guitar (other than Jerry's) nor have I seen or heard of any other musician who has one. Would love to catch a glimpse of one if it exists...though I suspect there are no more. | ||
| staemius
Member Username: staemius Post Number: 62 Registered: 12-2004 |
I've seen another Irwin electric on another board (but couldn't find the link). Also, interestingly, my bass player swears he witnessed Doug's wife give an Irwin acoustic (!) to his former guitarist (who is currently in jail). | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 673 Registered: 6-2002 |
There was one here in New Orleans a while back. So I know that they are out there. But that one probably floated away with the flood. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1381 Registered: 7-2004 |
I emailed Brad Sarno with links to Michael Dolan's site and a picture of Dolan's logo. Brad just e-mailed me back that he's thought it was an Irwin for 25 years! He was very appreciative and said he'll be contacting Dolan about it. I wonder how many other "Irwin" guitar sightings are also innaccurate? Did this guy ever make another guitar? Heck, those of us around here know there's some question even about the origin of the Jerry guitars, especially the construction of Wolf and the design of Tiger and Rosebud. You'd think with the Garcia connection, an Irwin guitar would be of such value that one would turn up on the market every once in a while. I even seen a Cripe guitar on eBay, and Steve was involved in guitar building for many years less than Duog allegedly was. Bill, tgo | ||
| pace
Advanced Member Username: pace Post Number: 239 Registered: 4-2004 |
oooppps  A friend in Berkeley said he had the chance to buy an Irwin a while back...... but that's the only other account of "another" that I know of. Im not familiar with Dolan~ thanks for clearing that all up Bill!!!! -Mike | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 3367 Registered: 6-2000 |
People send me all sorts of pictures. Here's some of one Irwin guitar: It's pretty! Without a peghead, I'd say it looks very nearly like a 1970's Alembic Small Standard body. There are other pics somewhere, I'll post them when I run across them. I've seen quite a few Irwin instruments, both basses and guitars. I'm pretty sure that Michael Dolan has repaired at least one Irwin bass recently. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 838 Registered: 9-2002 |
Is it just me, or do those frets look huge? J o e y | ||
| dela217
Senior Member Username: dela217 Post Number: 675 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thank you Mica, I just love seeing that sort of stuff. Too bad that is just a lowly guitar. A body style like that should be a bass. Just kidding. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 3975 Registered: 5-2002 |
Joey, they look big to me too! | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 456 Registered: 12-2003 |
My Big Bear has a bound fretboard and the frets look big. I think there's something about that white binding that gives the illusion of larger frets, though these look especially huge! | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1385 Registered: 7-2004 |
Looks like sitar frets to me! I got an email back from Brad Sarno. He spoke with Michael Dolan and we helped him clear up a ten year mystery. The website has already been changed to ID this as a Dolan. This forum has such great Karma! Bill, tgo | ||
| grateful
Intermediate Member Username: grateful Post Number: 141 Registered: 12-2004 |
He get's a mention here for fitting a "Jerry Garcia Effects Loop" to Arthur Lee's Telecaster. http://www.arthurleemusic.com/html/gear2.html Mark | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1391 Registered: 7-2004 |
I don't get it. According to the site, the guitar is a 1955 Tele. The site goes on to describe the "Garcia" effects loop, stating that the effects loop was "built by Doug Irwin with wiring done by Bob Georges". So if Bob Georges did the wiring for the effects loop, what was left to do, drill the hole and mount the second jack? Bill, tgo | ||
| paulman
Junior Username: paulman Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2005 |
In Skeleton Key, a dictionary for Deadheads, there is an entry for "Play Like Jerry". Apparently this guy David Fontaine convinced Doug Irwin to build a second Tiger guitar. Just wanted to throw that in. These guitars are, like the Alembics, works of art. | ||
| zappahead
Intermediate Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 128 Registered: 10-2002 |
Irwin built a guitar for Bob Weir and a bass for Phil. Ive seen pics of both, the bass here and the guitar was actually on ebay a long time ago. The guitar was real nice but far more "usual" than the work he did for Jerry. It was a tame, nicely made quilted maple top guitar that almost looked like a Charvel or something like that. Phil's bass looks like a Tribute. Im sure Doug has built guitars here and there for people, the guy had to eat. You dont see them though so I wonder what happened to them? | ||
| dadabass2001
Senior Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 608 Registered: 6-2002 |
and Mica's photo contributions to this thread from 6-15 have disappeared ... Don't we all love softwear with random bugs? (jk) Mike | ||
| grateful
Intermediate Member Username: grateful Post Number: 142 Registered: 12-2004 |
This company claim to have worked with Doug Irwin on the tiger and Phil's tiger-style bass. He does a good looking replica of the tiger. Mark | ||
| zappahead
Intermediate Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 129 Registered: 10-2002 |
Does anyone have any pics of the headless guitar that Irwin made for Jerry? I recall seeing pics of hit before but I couldnt find any anywhere. I remember thinking that was a cool but bizarre guitar project. I also read somewhere that Jerry had a guitar called Wolf Jr that was stolen, not sure if thats true or not. | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 458 Registered: 12-2003 |
It was actually Stephen Cripe, not Doug Irwin, who made the headless guitar for Jerry. | ||
| paulman
Junior Username: paulman Post Number: 35 Registered: 2-2005 |
Actually Doug did make the Headless guitar for Jerry. I have a Guitar Player from 95 with "Garcia's Guitars" that had some comments on it. Here's a pic to boot.  | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 459 Registered: 12-2003 |
I see, said the blind man. So they both made a headless for Jerry. | ||
| zappahead
Intermediate Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 130 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ah, thanks for the pic. I knew I had seen that before, it must be on display with the other guitars the Dead swiped from Irwin after Jerry died. I think thats actually a cool looking guitar. Irwin does do some incredible work. | ||
| paulman
Junior Username: paulman Post Number: 37 Registered: 2-2005 |
Steve made one too? I would LOVE to see a pic of that. A hunting I go. And the blind man didn't see until he picked up his hammer and saw. Haha. | ||
| jalevinemd
Senior Member Username: jalevinemd Post Number: 461 Registered: 12-2003 |
I thought that Resurrection Guitars had a photo of Stephen Cripe's headless guitar on their old website. Their new site is very stripped down, however. No classic photos to be found. | ||
| zappahead
Intermediate Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 131 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ive seen pics of Cripes, it was a lot different. It had tuners on the bottom of the guitar so it was not made the same way as Irwins. Its hard to tell from that pic but I think Irwin put a Steinberger tremolo on that guitar. Supposedly Jerry did not take to the one Irwin made for him, never heard either way if he had a headless one from Cripe. |
