• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Garcia with a DCTV Special.

JJ Blair

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
3,462
In 1971, somewhere between the SG Standard and the Stratocaster that would become his main guitar for a couple years, Jerry donned this nice Special. So funny to go from that to a Strat, but they were getting more country, so I see how that makes sense. Based on the neck pickup location, I'm guessing '59?

1971-Grateful-Dead-Yale-Bowl-B-W-Negative-1.jpg

il_570xN.724212030_ounm.jpg

10686016_f520.jpg
 

JJ Blair

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
3,462
Looks like the Special and the SG were back and forth for the beginning of the year. He was searching for something that year that he couldn't find, I guess. This made a brief appearance, and so did some other custom guitar with a LP Custom neck.

08-14-1971.png
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Looks like the Special and the SG were back and forth for the beginning of the year. He was searching for something that year that he couldn't find, I guess. This made a brief appearance, and so did some other custom guitar with a LP Custom neck.

08-14-1971.png

A photo that raised my eyebrows (in a good way of course !!! )
 

jchristo

New member
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4
JJ,

Fellow vintage strap, Tele Firebird neck pickup, and Dead enthusiast here. Curious about your thoughts on Herb Kaslow’s 8/6/71 audience tapes (Sony ECM22P). I find it to be an astounding amateur field recording and I am convinced that Garcia is on the LP Special — gnarly tone!!!

From what I gather, the first two photos in this thread are from 7/31/71, while the last is from the BCT shows a couple of weeks later (reported as a Deluxe with mini-humbuckers). I have no clue about the other one. Maybe you have a guess as to whether we are hearing P-90s or minis (or something else) on 8/6/71? Cheers . . .

 

EXPLRGAB

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
Looks like the Special and the SG were back and forth for the beginning of the year. He was searching for something that year that he couldn't find, I guess. This made a brief appearance, and so did some other custom guitar with a LP Custom neck.

08-14-1971.png
THIS is the first and only reference i have seen that speaks to...."some other custom guitar with a LP Custom neck." I saw Jerry play a Gibson with a LP custom neck at FILLMORE EAST......the body of the guitar was in the shape of a violin body, like the Paul Mccartny bass, in a walnut color...i had a LP custom at the time....and was enamoured with his playing and tone on that guitar...VERY RICH SOUNDING.......later found out in the Village Voice i believe...that that guitar was stolen. Later, I did see him play an SG at a MSG, FELT FORUM concert. I loved his and Eric Clapton's Gibson tone....
 

jchristo

New member
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4
Explrgab,

Jerry played that axe, known as “The Peanut,” at the April 1971 Fillmore East shows. Good soundboards are readily available and much of that run has been officially released.

It’s a rich sounding tone indeed, as we would all expect from a set of early 60s PAFs. You are very lucky to have been there — thanks for sharing!

More about “The Peanut” here:

 

EXPLRGAB

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
Explrgab,

Jerry played that axe, known as “The Peanut,” at the April 1971 Fillmore East shows. Good soundboards are readily available and much of that run has been officially released.

It’s a rich sounding tone indeed, as we would all expect from a set of early 60s PAFs. You are very lucky to have been there — thanks for sharing!

More about “The Peanut” here:

WELL, that lifted the veil on a long held mystery. I Clearly remember, i was in the 1st row balcony..Jerry was stage right..I was impressed with the sound of the guitar.....brings me back.....I can still hear him roll with Johnnny B GOODE..that guitar sounded great.....FORTUNATE INDEED......Fillmore EAST in those days was a readily available resource to see so many Bands..I missed the Hendrix Band of Gypsies ..BUT, saw BB King, The Who perform Tommy, Sly and the Family Stone..Jack Bruce and Friends, Mountain, and many others.
 

jchristo

New member
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4
Nice Black Crowes/CRB vibe goin’ on there and a lovely SG to boot (is that an original?)

Funny that it’s an SG Special because the most compelling evidence to me that 8/6/71 features the LP Special are the Townshend P-90 Leeds-esque range of tones from 1:00 to 1:30 here:


That’s just a gorgeous sound. One thing I can say for sure is that while Garcia and Townshend’s tone profiles may have found brief similarity, their stage demeanors never did. Or did they?


Timestamped to a Garcia windmill — cocaine’s a hell of a drug
 

EXPLRGAB

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
OH YEAH,,,,SLY SHOWED UP LATE...THEN ASSURED THE CROWD THEY WERE GONNA THROW DOWN HARD...LORD CYNTHIA BLOW THAT HORN...SMOKIN CONCERT
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Nice Black Crowes/CRB vibe goin’ on there and a lovely SG to boot (is that an original?)

Funny that it’s an SG Special because the most compelling evidence to me that 8/6/71 features the LP Special are the Townshend P-90 Leeds-esque range of tones from 1:00 to 1:30 here:


That’s just a gorgeous sound. One thing I can say for sure is that while Garcia and Townshend’s tone profiles may have found brief similarity, their stage demeanors never did. Or did they?


Timestamped to a Garcia windmill — cocaine’s a hell of a drug
What is intresting to me is that Captain Trips is using a custom designed Doug Irwin ( Alambic ) design guitar on the US Blues clip you posted and it is a very rich sound and just plain sounds awesome . Also Jerry is really having fun and really rocking out and makes me miss him so much . So many great memories . Thanks for posting
 

Drayve85

Active member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
195
There’s a video on YT about the closing week of the Filmore West, and the Dead played and I believe I saw Jerry playing the DCTV special. Imma have to watch it again to make sure. I’ll post the link for it later on. Good “documentary” nonetheless. Bill graham sure seem like an awesome dude. Wish I was alive around that time. I’m very envious of you people that got to experience that era!!!
 

Drayve85

Active member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
195
Here’s the Filmore West closing video. The Grateful Dead play all the way towards the end. Last band, I think.

 

EXPLRGAB

Active member
Joined
Jul 4, 2020
Messages
108
Very cool....takes me back to that array of tye-dyed amps..and ..."AN EVENING WITH THE NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE AND THE GRATEFUL DEAD".
 
Top