Best guitar for a Grateful Dead - Friend of the Devil type Sound?

[drive-south]

Reckoning (later titled For the Faithfull) was recorded live and Jerry played a Takamine throughout the show.

[pickitPaul]

The reason for playing Tacs was that Jerry didn't have to worry as much with feedback issues playing live, which would happen more often with D28 / D18's.

[Fatpicker]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

To me the quintessential acoustic tone on Workingman's Dead is the dry, fundamental vintage Martin 18 series tone (for the record, I know the FOTD isn't on that album, but when I think of acoustic Dead tone, I think Workingman's)

If you really want to go big, Schoenberg is actually selling one of his old guitars, a 1936 000-18s (possibly the one in the above video). http://www.om28.com/ProductDetail?product=P140325002

I read recently that Jerry played a 1940 D-18 on Workingman's dead.

[ajay]

I'd agree that D-18 or D-28 would capture the sound. A good Gibson Advanced Jumbo would hit the sweet spot too.

[BadLiver]

Originally Posted by Landru

After you get that D-28, raise the action really high - a Jerry specialty. Grab a listen to Dead Reckoning, an acoustic release by the Dead. Probably used medium strings or heavier, as well -

I was in SF and a friend of mine was friends with a collector who owned one of the old JG Travis Bean electrics. I mean the action was literally about 3/16". This is no exaggeration. But look how Jerry played -- he came right down vertically on the strings and as such there's no problem. Plus of course if you can play like that, it makes for absolutely killer tone. I believe it's a key part of his sound.

[Bronzeback]

Originally Posted by drive-south

Reckoning (later titled For the Faithfull) was recorded live and Jerry played a Takamine throughout the show.

I can't exactly make it out in this video...but sure looks Martiny to me:



And yea I'm pretty sure it was a D18 on Working Man's Dead and American Beauty.

[BadLiver]

Originally Posted by Bronzeback

I can't exactly make it out in this video...but sure looks Martiny to me:



And yea I'm pretty sure it was a D18 on Working Man's Dead and American Beauty.

That one in the vid looks like a D-35.

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by Bronzeback

I can't exactly make it out in this video...but sure looks Martiny to me:



And yea I'm pretty sure it was a D18 on Working Man's Dead and American Beauty.

Looks like a late 1970s Takamine F360s, which was essentially a D-28 clone with fretboard binding.

[Bronzeback]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

Looks like a late 1970s Takamine F360s, which was essentially a D-28 clone with fretboard binding.

I stand corrected...This site lists a Tak as well: http://dozin.com/jers/guitar/history.htm

[sbeirnes]

Those Tak F360's are great guitars.

I actually like them better than most Martins. You can find used ones for less than $750 all day long too, which is pretty great.

[Gypsyblue]

IMO, if you can play that tune right then it'll sound better using any guitar, even a cheap plywood guitar, than that tune played poorly on the correct guitar.

I believe the correct guitar tho would be a Martin dread. Probably a D-28.

But again: the correct guitar is less important than being able to play that song correctly and with the right feel.

[Tony Burns]

Does it honestly matter - play it well and it will sound great -
make it your own with the guitar you like - most of those guys
played what ever was in front of them , or what some guitar manufacturer gave them -Last week it was gibson, this week Guild -next week Martin .
I keep hearing that John Denver mostly played Taylors - But he played pretty much everything with strings -Guilds , Grevens ,Gibson ,Taylor -on and on .
Dont get hung up on a brand name ---

[ajay]

My vote is for a Gibson Advanced Jumbo with quartersawn East Indian Rosewood with medium Elixers. Of course I'm prejudiced due to "Friend Of The Devil" being the first song that I played on my brand new Advanced Jumbo 13-1/2 years ago!

[GratefulDad]

Originally Posted by ajay

My vote is for a Gibson Advanced Jumbo with quartersawn East Indian Rosewood with medium Elixers. Of course I'm prejudiced due to "Friend Of The Devil" being the first song that I played on my brand new Advanced Jumbo 13-1/2 years ago!

^ love it!
Using that incredibly sound (pun intended) reasoning, my vote would be for the Breedlove D25/SRe!
After transcribing his solo for the "Loser" into acoustic off the Cornell '77 show!

[ajay]

GratefulDad, I've been playing "Loser" a lot lately. I just love that "last gasp at the Poker Table" theme, and "Know the Queen of Diamonds, By The Way She Shines". "Come To Daddy, On An Inside Straight".

I have a gold dollar from 1856, and I'm having that inlayed on a wood Pickguard for my new Alvarez Grateful Dead "Flag Edition". I want to do it in memory of Jerry, who I miss every day. I just bought one of those Jerry Garcia figurines today. It's the one where He's playing his "Jerry Garcia Model" Alvarez acoustic.
My wife thinks that I'm losing my mind, but I will smile every time I spin Dead vinyl, and Jerry will be standing next to my turntable. Maybe I am crazy, but if it puts a smile on my face I say that it's a good thing.