Tiger (guitar)

Tiger
Jerry Garcia playing Tiger, 1987
ManufacturerDoug Irwin
Period1979
Construction
Body typeSolid
Neck jointSet-Neck
Woods
BodyCocobolo, maple, padauk[1]
NeckMaple, padauk, with brass binding and inlay.
FretboardEbony with pearl inlay and brass bindings; 25" scale
Hardware
BridgeBrass Schaller tune-o-matic style
Pickup(s)One Dimarzio SDS-1 single coil (neck); two DiMarzio Super II humbuckers (mid and bridge)
Colors available
Natural

Tiger is a custom-built guitar owned by Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Garcia commissioned luthier Doug Irwin to design and build the guitar in 1973 following delivery of Wolf, his first major Irwin-built guitar. Upon commissioning the instrument, Garcia asked Irwin to "make it the way he thought was best, and don't hold back."[2] Tiger served as Garcia's main guitar from 1979 to 1989. It was the last guitar Garcia played publicly with the Grateful Dead at a Soldier Field performance on July 9, 1995.[3]

  1. ^ "Tiger". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  2. ^ "Guitars". jerrygarcia.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. ^ ""TIGER" - 1973". Irwin Guitars. Retrieved March 22, 2024.