| Author | Message | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1498 Registered: 7-2004 |
I found this guitar at the World Guitar Show yesterday. The seller said he was told when he obtained it a couple of months ago that it was likely a Doug Irwin guitar. The seller was reluctant to claim that to me, telling me that he thought it might be an Irwin neck as the initials "D.I." are written in the neck joint. I took it apart last night and the D.I. initials do in fact appear on the butt of the neck and on an insert in the neck pocket. The neck appears to be purpleheart and has a very unusual design inlaid on the back. The pickups are EMGs with a wood veener on top. I don't think the seller was trying to con me as he was almost apologetic about even suggesting it was an Irwin, and gave me two weeks to return it for a full refund. He also pointed out to me that the workmanship on the body doesn't measure up to that on the neck. He also said he had heard that some of Irwin's workmanship is spotty. Any ideas or info about this guitar would be greatly appreciated. Bill, tgo         | ||
| fc_spoiler
Advanced Member Username: fc_spoiler Post Number: 206 Registered: 5-2006 |
That is a beauty! Sorry I have no knowledge of Doug Irwin guitars at all... but can tell you it's beautiful! If it plays and sounds good and you've payed a fair price I don't see a reason to return it, even if it turns out to be a 'fake' Congrats! F.C. | ||
| grateful
Intermediate Member Username: grateful Post Number: 157 Registered: 12-2004 |
Sure is another pretty guitar Bill: how many guitars do you have or is that classified? Regarding whether or not it's a Doug Irwin.... I assume the truss rod is adjustable at the head as it appears to have a truss rod cover there: that's not Irwin's style. Also the scratch plate is not typical and there's no eagle logo. I would guess it isn't (emphasis on guess!). Mark | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1499 Registered: 7-2004 |
Mark: As for number of guitars, I'm not really sure. Do I count my lone bass? A pedal steel? My lap steels? Counting these I think it's somewhere around 45 or so. What do you mean by "scratch plate"? As for Irwin's "style", I'm somewhat at a loss to determine if he even has/had a style. I've looked all over the internet and, other than Jerry's guitars and a tele modified by Irwin for Arthur Lee, I've never found another "Irwin" guitar. Mica had a few photos on the site when this discussion came up a few months ago, but they seem to have disappeared. I agree this certainly isn't in the style of Garcia's guitars. The truss rod is, indeed, adjustable from the head. The way this guitar is constructed, however, if it wasn't accessible from the head, it would require removing the neck to make an adjustment. Not very practical. The design and lines on this guitar are almost Dali-esque. Everything is a just a little out of kilter, but it seems as if this is intended. Also, I've read that Irwin had some mental problems as a result of his accident. This could be reflected in the design/execution of this instrument. I had strong doubts when I first saw this guitar, but after going through it and playing it (it does play very nicely and has tremendous volume and sustain when played acoustically), I'm beginning to think it just might be an Irwin, or at least an Irwin neck on a non-Irwin body that has been modified by Irwin. The workmanship in adding the purpleheart insert to the neck pocket is quite good. And whoever did the neck also did the insert as they are the same wood and both bare the "D.I." initials. The seller certainly wasn't pushing the Irwin connection and, in fact, seemed to shy away from it. (He also wasn't quite clear on who Doug Irwin is ... just knew he had something to do with the Grateful Dead). If someone were trying to do a fake Irwin, I'd think it would have a logo and they would charge a lot more $. Also, I don't even know if the Eagle is Irwin's regular logo or just his logo at the time of the Garcia instruments. After all, Wolf originally had both an Alembic logo and some indechiperable thing that Irwin claimed to be his peacock logo. The last I heard regarding Irwin's work is that he was living in a trailer making wooden neck-ties, so who knows what he might be turning out these days? I'd love to contact Irwin and ask him. Does anyone know where he is? Bill, tgo | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 598 Registered: 2-2006 |
This is a cool looking axe Bill. 45?!!! I need to let my wife read this post so she'll stop complaining about my little collection of basses/guitars. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1500 Registered: 7-2004 |
Olie: Believe me, my wife isn't too happy about it, either. I've been moving some out of the house and down to the studio. I'm giving her the spare bedroom closet back for her birthday in 2 weeks! LOL Bill, tgo | ||
| hb3
Intermediate Member Username: hb3 Post Number: 131 Registered: 2-2005 |
Scratch plate=pick guard | ||
| grateful
Intermediate Member Username: grateful Post Number: 158 Registered: 12-2004 |
Bill: I too have only seen three Doug Irwin instruments: Tiger, Rosebud and the Phil Lesh Tiger-like bass of 1980-81 (I consider the Wolf to be an Alembic). These three, and the Wolf after the 76/77 repair all feature the Eagle logo. Also, the picture Mica posted of a fourth Doug Irwin did have an Eagle logo too. The lams on the neck are very Alembic like, however: and Doug certainly learned his craft at the Mother ship. I repeat, I am only guessing here, and I'm certainly not saying "it's not an Irwin". Mark | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4167 Registered: 5-2002 |
"A closet! On my birthday! Just what I always wanted!" Does it come with coat hangers? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1504 Registered: 7-2004 |
Dave: Huh? Bill, tgo | ||
| tom_z
Senior Member Username: tom_z Post Number: 433 Registered: 7-2004 |
Wow - I'm not even going to mention bikes or beer - that thread derailment just can't be topped.  TZ | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4172 Registered: 5-2002 |
"I'm giving her the spare bedroom closet back for her birthday in 2 weeks!" I was guessing at her reaction to receiving such an unusual gift. <g> | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1201 Registered: 4-2004 |
hey bill you tell me you dont like the batwing tribute bouts and you bought a guitar with pick your nose bouts? :-p | ||
| byoung
Advanced Member Username: byoung Post Number: 322 Registered: 12-2004 |
No accounting for taste, I guess.  | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1204 Registered: 4-2004 |
its just my way of showin some love and of course being the facetious ex new yorker,. btw facetious is the only word in the dictionary where the vowels are in order class dismissed...... :-) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4181 Registered: 5-2002 |
I suppose it depends on the dictionary in use. <g> caesious Of the color of lavender; pale blue with a slight mixture of gray. arsenious Of or containing arsenic, especially with valence 3. abstemious 1. Eating and drinking in moderation. 2. a. Sparingly used or consumed: abstemious meals. b. Restricted to bare necessities: an abstemious way of life. abstentious self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink; "not totally abstinent but abstemious" | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1514 Registered: 7-2004 |
Dave: You came up with all those in under 15 minutes? WOW! I'm impressed! Bill, tgo | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 4183 Registered: 5-2002 |
Well it wasn't like I was sitting here thinking them up off the top of my head. <g> The computer did all the work. I've never used or even heard any of those words before. | ||
| flaxattack
Senior Member Username: flaxattack Post Number: 1205 Registered: 4-2004 |
everyone's a critic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 ok so shoot the teacher who told me iilii | ||
| zappahead
Intermediate Member Username: zappahead Post Number: 133 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ive seen 5 or 6 Irwins (in pics) and all of them did have the eagle on the headstock. The neck does look like something he would do though and the rest of the guitar is pretty dang interesting. Cant say whether or not its and Irwin, but its a really interesting piece either way. I like it. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 1533 Registered: 7-2004 |
I brought the guitar in to my luthier, Gary Brawer, yesterday. As many of you know, Gary worked on Jerry Garcia's guitars, including the Irwins. He checked it out and thought it was very possibly an Irwin as the construction and decoration was consistent with Irwin's work. He also agreed that, even if it isn't an Irwin, it is a very cool guitar that is easily worth the $ I paid. So anyone out there have Irwin's phone number? Bill, tgo | ||
| phylo
Junior Username: phylo Post Number: 27 Registered: 10-2005 |
Bill, The image of your guitar is stuck in my head, therefore it must be an Irwin. Congratulations | ||
| elwoodblue
Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 64 Registered: 6-2002 |
phylo, ...like a good contact high from an old guitar, holding vibrations from past playing, or maybe the neck is soaked in Dmso , and other illicit LetterS . . . Some mojo. congrats bill | ||
| hcs
New Username: hcs Post Number: 1 Registered: 9-2006 |
Bill, Acme guitars in St Louis had an Irwin for several years in the early 90's. I played it several times. It had similar appointments as the guitar in your photo. Also, it did not have an eagle inlay. As I remember, the price was about $3000. My guess is that the guitar in your photo is a Irwin That is an amazing looking guitar. |
