Jerry Garcia, best known for his work in 'The Grateful Dead', was working with Graham Nash as a session musician for Graham's debut solo album, "Songs for Beginners", in 1971. So pleased with Jerry's work, Graham gifted Jerry a 1955 Strat bought from a Phoenix pawn shop for $250.
The Grateful Dead is famous not only for their timeless songs, but for altering their equipment through their own offshoot gear company, Alembic. The modifications done to Jerry's guitar quickly became a Dead-Head staple. Nicknamed the Alligator for the grinning cartoon Jerry placed on the pickguard in 1972.
Today, Fender Custom Shop is proud to introduce, "The Alligator," as one of its Austin MacNutt Masterbuilt guitars! Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, the Jerry Garcia Alligator Strat has been meticulously recreated as an exact replica of the 1955 Strat Jerry is known for. From the one piece Ash body, to the hammered brass control plate, replica pickguard and body stickers, and custom replica “Blaster” clean-boost output jack assembly.
All 3 single coil pickups are Josefina hand-wound 55-style Strat pickups, with 5-way switching and standard vintage Strat wiring. Premium features also include a Relic lacquer finish, one-piece rift-sawn maple neck with a profile scanned and replicated directly from the original guitar, 7.25” fingerboard radius and 1.625” brass nut width, 21 Medium Vintage frets, custom brass bridge and tailpiece with rosewood base plate, Schaller M6 tuners, disc string tree with custom retainer bar, and custom birdseye maple back plate, as well as a custom hardshell case.
Experience the past and explore the future with this amazing treasure!
