My Jerry Garcia Guitar Rig

[@trent.langley]

Great tone and playing!

[@erikotema]

Nice chops man

[@DeadHeadDan]

Thanks man!!

[@whiskersb5296]

Sounds great.

[@scottchristian1463]

Hi 👋🏽 Dan!

[@DeadHeadDan]

Hey man! Haha

[@KeithKemp]

Nailed it!

[@BanjoSkeleton]

Loved the Ruben and Tennessee licks but, what’s the name of the first bluesy song part if it’s not improvised, I swear I’ve heard it before…

[@DeadHeadDan]

“Tore up over you”

[@BanjoSkeleton]

@@DeadHeadDan Thank you!

[@jamesm2534]

closest i've seen anyone to getting 'Jerry's tone'...well done!

[@DeadHeadDan]

Thank you!!!

[@TubeLeftOozeRight]

I have just gotten parts to make a similar build with a different preamp. Do you know what kind of cables are needed to connect the preamp to the McIntosh? Also need the cables to connect the amp to my speaker. Many thanks I love ur content.

[@DeadHeadDan]

@@TubeLeftOozeRight McIntosh uses RCA in. You’ll need 1/4” to RCA from preamp to Mac. Mac out is bare speaker wire or you can get L shaped banana adapters to go on the barrier strip from the Mac. Speaker will be 1/4” jack most likely

[@TubeLeftOozeRight]

@@DeadHeadDan 🙏 thanks!

[@daveprince9693]

Wow. Such a great sounding set up.

[@kevincharles9159]

Nice trim

[@bedroomheadroom8680]

Dog I’ve got the same guitar! Put Duncan 59s in and split the coils, sounds unbelievable… so clear it just breathes man :)

[@DeadHeadDan]

Hell yeah!

[@ThisIsMarkAdams]

Which PRS is this? @DeadHeadDan

[@WilliamSmith-dg5re]

Sounds great, and your playing is super also.

[@shayamaddex996]

That tone is so soothing. You certainly have something going here, man.

[@gregarnold1696]

You know your stuff but maybe a touch of low end not much though

[@stevejewett3650]

You nailed it! That (later) Jerry sound! Nice to see you went all out on the equipment and good work on the guitar modifications. I was able to see the dead a few times during the Wolf guitar years. Thank you for this video.

[@staive70ss]

Holy Shit! That is f-ing dialed!!! I'm a bit jealous of the playing too.

[@ChapterMasterDad]

Thats about some of the COOLEST guitar modding ive ever seen! Great job man! You really went to town on it!

[@DeadHeadDan]

Casey Fritz hey thanks man!

[@WyattZelle]

You did it.

[@markschuth8036]

Great job!!. I have a Parker p-38 with a piezo and MIDI. I did the Dimarzio pickups. Great tone but I'm missing that preamp. I kinda got into fuzz, leslie and univibe, EHX synth 9 C9. so it's not very Jerry in the end but I play more rhythm.

[@DeadHeadDan]

Hey man as long as it’s fun!

[@markschuth8036]

@@DeadHeadDan Thanks bro! I do run in stereo thru bass amps dialed in like a PA. Stereo is nice in small joints.

[@natedued]

man that’s nailed right there

[@joeynice123]

Sick man. That unmistakable tone

[@paulsimmons5726]

You certainly captured the vibe. Your rig really delivered a very "Garcia" tone and great playing never hurts either. Impressive. Great idea to repurpose an inexpensive guitar for the project. Modifying a guitar that cost a few hundred dollars is less taxing on the soul than on one that set you back a couple grand, nice work too.

[@DeadHeadDan]

Paul Simmons thank you for the kind words! Haha yes repurposing a guitar is, 1. More fun! And 2, very much less taxing on the soul. Haha

[@rickyrayjackson2503]

Hot damn you did it.

[@DoobTube71]

Great Garcia TONE! One pedal I recently got as a primary tool to get a great Garcia clean tone is the J. Rockett Archer Clean boost pedal. It makes a guitar sing. I run it after a Keeley Compressor Plus, early in the signal chain to shape a base clean tone. I love my drive and dirt pedals, but the true art of tone imho is to get an amazing clean tone foundation like Jerry & Bobby had in TGD.

[@DeadHeadDan]

DudeAbides! Yep clean!! The goal is to have a buffer in your guitar, have your guitar volume around 2-5 and then use your amp to make the volume as loud as desired.

[@williamdeisler464]

I feel stupid for not being able to remember the name but what is the song you start playing at 2:48?

[@DeadHeadDan]

That’s Reuben and cerise !

[@cosmonaut9942]

Nice. Great later Garcia tone. You obviously decided on later Garcia when he used big solid state McIntosh amps because of the big venues the band started playing. Earlier Dead didn't use solid state amps even though some well known bands at that time, like the Doors, were using them. But more often than not, when he was playing with the JGB or with other artists, he stuck with Fender tube amps. Sometimes a Mesa Boogie. I am certain that if Jer had had his way, he would choose tubes over solid state. When at home he used a small '50s Fender Harvard. Jer's use of solid state was a compromise he made to keep playing bigger and bigger venues to keep the bus going. He ultimately made these compromises, like touring when he was burned out, that led to his demise. Lastly, as far as all of the switching goes, my favorite Garcia tone was when he used his '57 strat and his Travis Bean in '76-'77. Honorable mention to his Les Paul in the late '60s. Did you know that Jerry's Doug Irwin guitars, Wolf and Tiger, each weigh about 15 lbs.? Not for everyone. I know some pro players who have played Wolf and Tiger and almost all of them say it was a struggle and definitely not for everyone.

[@BizarreIoveTriangle]

Great video! You've really got that Gacia-esque sound on point, especially on the bluegrass stuff. Keep it up!

[@DeadHeadDan]

BizarreIoveTriangle thank you!

[@SeaLeigh]

Tell me truly true!

[@Cavemanfbs1]

Thats it!

[@jerrysmiddlefinger930]

All I can say is hell yes! Well and maybe that my prs is currently going through the same modifications. Great tone and playing brother

[@DeadHeadDan]

Steven Cuda thanks man!

[@1minrecording]

great playing and tone

[@ITheFight]

Yes!

[@jljonesar]

Oh my god man. This is the best DIY Jerry time I’ve heard.

[@DeadHeadDan]

J.L. Jones Wow thanks! It’s going to be even better in a few weeks once I get my SMS preamp modded by Mike Wald.

[@jljonesar]

Dan Jamison what is the preamp doing verses your McIntosh amp?

[@DeadHeadDan]

J.L. Jones the Mcintosh strictly makes the signal loud enough to power the speakers. What’s nice about the Mcintosh is that they’re super flat and don’t change the sound of the input.. The preamp is where the EQ and tone is.

[@lukeholroyd2239]

@@DeadHeadDan would you say the Mcintosh is pretty crucial? What alternatives would you suggest, that is cheaper?

[@DeadHeadDan]

Luke Holroyd there are other brands. Some people use quilter, or mos valve

[@Kmc9]

Badass.

[@collerdgreens]

Right on

[@jameskreiter]

Great sound. Thanks for sharing. What model PRS are you playing?

[@DeadHeadDan]

It was a custom 22 that I modified.

[@vedantus]

I have the same setup... are you by any chance in California? Is always fun to network...

[@DeadHeadDan]

Clif Edwards hey man I’m in central Pennsylvania!

[@vedantus]

@@DeadHeadDan 0Ahhh well, quite far away...

[@mercharris5266]

Beautiful. ✌🏻

[@Snagman67]

Beautiful! Great tone! Love it

[@lukeholroyd2239]

What do you think about JBL E120's?

[@DeadHeadDan]

I have K, D, and E... they’re all slightly different. I have a video where I played through each one and compared them.

[@michaelchrist5356]

Hi I hope you can see this post someday and get back to me. I'm extremely curious about your your speaker bin. i have an original Bin for the 12inchers that's been certified by one of the people that sit at the board for every show cant remember his name it wasnt David. its the guy who is a club i belonged to , california historical; radio society. he used toset up a jbl system for our rearly estate auction at the Berlkeley clubhous. because it had been painted( which itsel couldnt be a complete disqualification) that bin that I have although maybe not a part of the wall of sound was a prototype for the wall of sound and was owned by one of the members of the Dead probably you know jerry your boby. It was given to me as haven been out of the wall of sound and I have it working in my room and I believe the dimensions are correct that it looks exactly like it .it is an antique of course. So I'm curious where you're getting your dimensions and who has this other one to measiure from not that you're would be far off enough just to try to build oit. who knows if mine was only a prototype, it may vary from actuall bins in the wall. i love it,its not for sale. i have no beef , just curious and would enjoy just talking about it. love your vid by the way. i am michael christ ,certifiably speaker nut.

[@DeadHeadDan]

Hello! I built my own single 12 cab, but I designed it off of a 2x12 cabinet made by Hard Truckers.. hard truckers was the builders (as far as I know) Of the wall of sound.. it even has Steve Parish’s name on it.. he was one of the road guys for the dead.

[@johnpipper1642]

Was adding the speaker cabinet what did the trick with regard to getting Jerry's hollow'ee woody sound?

[@DeadHeadDan]

John Pipper the JBL k/d/e 120 speakers make a huge difference, the cabinet is an extra percentage of impact on top of the speakers.. Of course the fingers/pickups/preamp is the most important part.

[@johnpipper1642]

I just checked out your amp settings and tried it on my Peavey. Reverb was one of my missing ingredients. Thanks for the follow up!

[@jamin_pakk]

Nice PRS man, that is sweet.

[@johnpipper6257]

Where did you get the volume and tone knobs?

[@DeadHeadDan]

Leo from Scarlet Fire Guitar’s

[@Jeff-S]

Please tell me how to run an SMS to the MC-250 and then from there to an 8 ohm Hard Ttuckers 2x12 cabinet. I just ordered a Jerry Modded SMS preamp and I'm looking into the MC 250. From pictures of the MC 250, I can't figure out how it would be done. Thanks.

[@DeadHeadDan]

Jeff S the SMS has a 1/4" output. So buy a 1/4 male to rca male cable. Mono. You can split the signal if you want depending how you want to power the cabinet. The mc output barrier strip is bare speaker wire. So you'll need a 1/4 jack installed on one end of speaker wire to plug into the cabinet

[@DeadHeadDan]

Jeff S the cabinet is 8 ohms if wired parallel.. That means the speakers must be 16ohms each. (Make sure the speakers say 16). You can run the speaker wire to 1/4 cable straight to the cabinet... OR.. Run the mc in stereo mode (split the signal from the SMS) and have control over each speaker seperately by running bare speaker wire directly to each speaker instead of using the jack on the cabinet. Then you'll be using 16ohm output instead of 8 on the MC

[@Jeff-S]

Thanks.

[@Jeff-S]

Thank you.

[@Jeff-S]

I have a Jerry modded SMS and a Mcintosh MC250 on the way! Already have the cables. Oh yeah And the Tiger and Hard truckers 2x12 cab w/ JBL E120s of course. All I can do until the amp and preamp arrive is watch videos like this and dream of things to come. Really nice playing BTW! Thanks for all your help. The MC 250 already has spade banana plugs on the 8 ohm barriers so I bought a 1/4 jack to hot and ground (com) banana plugs. My cab is 8 ohm (2x16). Got one extra cable along with 1/4 inch to a Y (2 mono) RCA just in case I want to run a second cab. Can't wait. Yay!!

[@Luminous-iLLusions]

How much did it cost to upgrade the PRS. I have an SE Santana and want to add and OBEL as well but didnt know if it was worth it until I saw this lol

[@DeadHeadDan]

THEGhostfacekillaaa I don't remember how much the OBEL buffer was.. Probably 50 bucks or so.. The pickups were the most expensive but overall it was pretty cheap for what the results are

[@daultonyatesmusic6840]

What model pickups? Assuming the humbuckers are super 2's but how about the single coil? Great tone man

[@DeadHeadDan]

DJ Yatess those are for sure Super II's. The single coil is Dimarzio SDS-1

[@discodawgsy4674]

sounds great. do you know of any recordings of archtop guitars played though this type of rig by chance?

[@DeadHeadDan]

Disco Dawgsy I have not seen any that I recall. It's a pretty niche rig, but it is super clean so I'm sure if you're guitar has good pickups, you're golden. I just bought a d120 speaker (mine in this video are k120 - different magnet) I notice a difference in the speakers, but I am using one of each now. They're blended from two seperate channels on the amplifier. Adds different color, but would still probably sound good with an arch top

[@christopheriannotti8462]

nice rig, nice tone. I have a hard truckers cab on the way .. can I ask you about the speaker grill covers ? where did you buy them ? are they just 12" diameter to cover a 12" speaker?

[@DeadHeadDan]

Christopher Iannotti hey man thanks! Yeah I think I got them from Parts Express for 5-10 bucks, they're metal and rubberized so it won't scratch.

[@oliverchapman51177]

All good stuff. Maybe a small tripod for stability

[@Jeff-S]

LOL! Right? All that gear and no tripod for the camera. It's all about the guitar gear screw the video accessories.

[@michaelchrist5356]

Hi ,thanx for responding and want to compare notes, Can I say I have a gmail account.I'm not sure how else how to reply

[@HuggyBearHikes]

Did you have to do any special rewiring of the input jack on the amp to accept the line output from the sms pre-amp?

[@DeadHeadDan]

Mark Brown no the Mcintosh has rca inputs so I just use 1/4 to rca cables.

[@decampp]

What are the specs on your strat? Love that tone too

[@DeadHeadDan]

Thanks! This guitar is a PRS, but my strat is a 50th anniversary model from 2004 I believe. Noiseless pickups and an s1 switch.. Normally I keep it on the middle pickup. I also installed a Stratoblaster which gives sparkling highs! :)

[@dudemandudebro938]

Such a great sound! I have never used anything like this, but considering the set up could you get great tones at a Low volume? since a solid state power amp

[@DeadHeadDan]

Dudeman DudeBro oh yes. Great tones for sure! I barely push the amp and it sounds great!

[@randyhospodar8864]

I need Dramamine to watch this video

[@DeadHeadDan]

Randy Hospodar I don't understand your comment

[@randyhospodar8864]

Dan Jamison .......the camera was moving around erratically in the beginning. Just a joke. Great setup and sound though.

[@jamesm2534]

Amazing how John Mayer still hasn't figured out how to get the Garcia tone. It's counter-intuitive in a way. It requires the low end or bass to go way down, like around 2 - 3.

[@DeadHeadDan]

James M I don’t think anyone in dead and co are going for the tones that the original members had. They already have their own styles and tone. I love what John and oteil and Jeff are doing

[@phishphan5732]

Agreed that JM needs to keep some of his personality in his tone. I thought he sounded best during the 2015-2017 run with the PRS J-Mod prototypes and Dumble SSS. I liked his heavier, blues tone especially when he got to cut loose and drive the gain up. Recent tours with the smaller Deluxe Reverbs sounded too thin and him headed towards a truer Garcia tone.

[@WilliamSmith-dg5re]

Hes his own guitarist not copying jerry or anyone else

[@phishphan5732]

@@WilliamSmith-dg5re thank god, as Jerry was sloppy and his tone, horrendous.

[@WilliamSmith-dg5re]

@@phishphan5732 yes it was, kind of like Trays

[@54tristin]

Very very impressive. Now develop your own style

[@seanearnest]

Why do you have to come on here and tell this guy what to do? Just be grateful, you fuck

[@recklessvolk]

Nailed it!