Bob Weir and his Guild F50

mavuser

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Jerry Garcia played a Guild Starfire III from 1965-1967 and this guitar was used by Jerry on the Grateful Dead's first studio album.
 

adorshki

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Jerry Garcia played a Guild Starfire III from 1965-1967 and this guitar was used by Jerry on the Grateful Dead's first studio album.
Uncredited dubs on Surrealistic Pillow, too.
He was only mentioned as "spiritual advisor" 'cause he was contracted to Warner not RCA.
All of a sudden I realize, I bet the harmonics on "Today" are that axe.
 
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What he's playing is one of 5 or perhaps a run of 6 F50-R Special (on label) made in late spring or early summer of 1970. As the story was told to myself and Dan Murphy (who purchased the one I now own) at a music store in Denver in Dec '75, that they were ordered for the Grateful Dead for the 'Festival Express' tour, and another went to John Denver. Until I saw this photo and video today, I though mine was the only one with that rosewood inlay on the Artist Award neck. Images of the F50 Bob Weir was playing during Festival Express show a more traditional inlay. Inside the top of mine is stamped Apr 23 1970, so obviously it was assembled sometime after that. Another difference is that mine has a thin double pickguard, and a two piece Brazilian back (flat). A few years later (I think '77) we were doing a festival at Cal State Long Beach and Jerry Garcia was holding court backstage in the girl's gym (the green room) on banjo, and we asked him about the guitar and he acknowledged the Guilds. Keep in mind it was the '70's so I don't remember much else. The guitar has unbelievable tone and volume and I'll post some photos soon a I get time to figure out how.
 

gilded

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What he's playing is one of 5 or perhaps a run of 6 F50-R Special (on label) made in late spring or early summer of 1970. As the story was told to myself and Dan Murphy (who purchased the one I now own) at a music store in Denver in Dec '75, that they were ordered for the Grateful Dead for the 'Festival Express' tour, and another went to John Denver. Until I saw this photo and video today, I though mine was the only one with that rosewood inlay on the Artist Award neck. Images of the F50 Bob Weir was playing during Festival Express show a more traditional inlay. Inside the top of mine is stamped Apr 23 1970, so obviously it was assembled sometime after that. Another difference is that mine has a thin double pickguard, and a two piece Brazilian back (flat). A few years later (I think '77) we were doing a festival at Cal State Long Beach and Jerry Garcia was holding court backstage in the girl's gym (the green room) on banjo, and we asked him about the guitar and he acknowledged the Guilds. Keep in mind it was the '70's so I don't remember much else. The guitar has unbelievable tone and volume and I'll post some photos soon a I get time to figure out how.

It would be great to see the pics! And welcome to the LTG forum.
 

chazmo

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I owned a '67 arched-back Brazilian rosewood "F-50 ROSEWOOD" guitar that I sold to a fellow in Europe who had its "F-412 SPEC" twin. We correspond every year.

That guitar had a replacement soundboard after an "accident" when his girlfriend el-kabong'd the thing... But that's another story. :)
 

idealassets

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Although the Dead's acoustic orientated album, Workingman's Dead was quite a departure from their prior Anthem of The Sun. Weir's F50r and Garcia's Martin D28 created some very original and possibly trend setting sounds. It may have originated from Jerry's very early folk music days, as well as the early days of the Jorma Kaukonan/ Janis Joplin acoustic folk duo.

Soon after that many similar sounding albums appeared from Chris Christoferson, Jim Croce, etc. But it was that psychadelicized pedal steal in the Dead's American Beauty album, and some more nice acoustic creations, that added the frosting to the cake. How did they ever come up with all that?

I usually invested in all the Airplane, Grape, and Fish albums first; as I recall the Dead had mostly that all male PigPen orientated drone in many of their vocals, but not to despair, soon to follow came yet the next incarnation of Keith and Donna- never ceasing to amaze everyone. Much later I began to search where I had heard that Donna voice before, only to finally discover it was the self same Muscle Shoals, AL recorded voice of the backing vocals in Elvis's Suspicious Minds, and Percy Sledge- When A Man Loves A Woman. (I hope I am not going back too far)
 
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Aristera

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. As the story was told to myself and Dan Murphy (who purchased the one I now own) at a music store in Denver in Dec '75,

Welcome to LTG!

I was in Denver from Sept '75 to Feb '76. I remember a nice small music store on Colfax that I bought a modified Ibanez Flying-V from.
 

sailingshoes72

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What he's playing is one of 5 or perhaps a run of 6 F50-R Special (on label) made in late spring or early summer of 1970. As the story was told to myself and Dan Murphy (who purchased the one I now own) at a music store in Denver in Dec '75, that they were ordered for the Grateful Dead for the 'Festival Express' tour, and another went to John Denver. Until I saw this photo and video today, I though mine was the only one with that rosewood inlay on the Artist Award neck. Images of the F50 Bob Weir was playing during Festival Express show a more traditional inlay.

Welcome to the LTG Forum. Like others, I look forward to seeing photos of your F-50R Special. The video clip below, from "Festival Express", appears to show two of the F-50R Special builds... Bob Weir is playing one and there is another one on the seat between Jerry Garcia and Marmaduke. Rick Danko is strumming on an arched maple-back Guild. As a bonus, Janis Joplin sings a bit of "Bobby McGee" while playing Marmaduke's maple F-50 at the 1:05 mark (with commentary from Kris Kristofferson).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smXHC7Pmboc

On closer inspection, the guitar lying on the seat between Garcia and Marmaduke is a D-28. Oops!

sailin'shoes
 
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adorshki

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smXHC7Pmboc

On closer inspection, the guitar lying on the seat between Garcia and Marmaduke is a D-28. Oops!

sailin'shoes

Nonetheless, Jerry'd already had a long acquaintance with F50's:
jg-young-goatee.jpg


Parents were already locking up their daughters before there was ever a Grateful Dead.
"And he seemed like such a nice young man.
He even wore a jacket..."
 
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sailingshoes72

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The Martin guitar in the video is providing a comfortable "armrest" for Marmaduke (@ 00:28), while the Guilds are being played! :congratulatory:

sailin'shoes
 

Kitarkus

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Nonetheless, Jerry'd already had a long acquaintance with F50's:
jg-young-goatee.jpg


Parents were already locking up their daughters before there was ever a Grateful Dead.
"And he seemed like such a nice young man.
He even wore a jacket..."

Wow...that is Jerry? I never in a million years would've recognized him in that photo.
 

adorshki

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Wow...that is Jerry? I never in a million years would've recognized him in that photo.
That IS Jerry, sir, circa '62-'63 when he was in fact playing the folk/bluegrass circuit around Stanford University...(the early folk music days Idealassets mentioned)

WHO do you think the Devil was in "Friend of the Devil"?
:glee:
 
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