Author Topic: Grateful Dead Gear: The Band's Instruments, Sound Systems, and Recording Sessions from 1965 to 1995 (Read 173 times)

echo008 · « **on:** November 29, 2006, 11:26:44 AM »

Grateful Dead Gear: The Band's Instruments, Sound Systems, and Recording Sessions from 1965 to 1995 (Paperback)
by Blair Jackson

I just spent about an hour going through this book at the local Virgin Mega...
There is alot of history there, alot of quotes and info about Early Alembic and People like Rick Turner an Jim Furman it goes into how Modulus came about and the first Graphite necks. I never even knew that Phil played a Fender Jazz before this book, I did know about the G&L though (great basses).
Anyway, it goes deeper than any other book Ive seen out there about Alembic and the DEAD and the other companies that helped to make the whole dead scene what it was.
From McIntosh To Modulus its all in there.
Take a peek when you can.
- Tom

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2006, 06:29:03 PM »

Thanks for the review! Sounds interesting!

paulman · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2006, 12:48:19 PM »

I asked for this book as a Christmas present. I thought I knew most pertinent information, but to hear the deep stories of this old-school technology would be really intriguing.

For didn't someone once say, Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it?

I wish I had the opportunity to make the same mistakes the Dead made hee hee.

jseitang · « **Reply #3 on:** January 01, 2007, 11:18:25 PM »

i just got the book, and i have to say, this book is amazing... the pictures of all their gear, and phil lesh's mission control bass is beautiful!
i can stop reading this book... plus a lot of cool photos of ron wickersham, our head wizard at our beloved place call alembic. simply awesome!

kmh364 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2007, 05:40:30 AM »

There was a review on here a couple of months ago...can't remember the thread or the poster...my apologies.

I got a copy before the holidays. I started browsing as I was retiring for the night and ended-up staying about an hour-and-a-half past my bedtime. As soon as you look at a pic or read a caption, you end-up gettting lost reading the thing. It's a very interesting book...it should have been hardbound large format as it makes a nice coffee table book.

I dare anybody to try and read the thing in order, cover-to-cover. As soon as you start thumbing through, certain pix will catch your eye, you'll start reading snippets, and the next thing you know, you'll have read entire chapters out of order.

Highly Recommended!

FWIW, I got mine pretty cheap at amazon.

Cheers,

Kevin

tom_z · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2007, 07:48:58 AM »

Right on, Kevin. That has been exactly my experience. I've been trying to read it from beginning to end, but I find myself skipping around too. Very absorbing reading for any Dead fan or any gear head, I would guess - and plenty of Alembic info.

Peace
Tom

lbpesq · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2007, 08:33:00 AM »

I just finished the book. WONDERFUL! It very successfully straddles the fine line between having enough depth and substance to satisfy a truly non-repentant gearhead (think we may have a few of those around here?), but not being so overly technical that a non-techie would not enjoy it. The book may focus on the equipment, (equally on the instruments, the P.A., and studio and live recordings), but it is still the history of the Dead, this time told from a different perspective that really does set it apart from the other Dead histories (Dennis McNally, Steve Parrish, Rock Scully, etc - by the way, Jackson's previous book on Garcia is also an excellent read and history of the Dead). Ron and Alembic are MAJOR characters in the book. If you've ever stared longingly at the Wall of Sound, wondered at the sub-sonic seismic sound of Phil's bass, coveted a stack of Mac 2300s, asked howinthehellcouldthey while listening to disco Dancin' in the Streets, spent hours scouring the net to find out why Bobby's Modulus had no neck pickup, or just appreciate the Good Ole Grateful Dead, this book is a must read. Enjoy!

Bill, tgo

jacko · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2007, 05:19:28 AM »

I got this for Christmas from my good lady and I've only really flipped through so far. However, the small amount I've read regarding 'the Wolf' appears to perpetuate the myth that doug Irwin built the whole guitar. Maybe just my misunderstanding as Susan and Ron appear to have had some input.
That said, it looks to be an excellent book and I can't wait to settle down to read it thoroughly.

Graeme

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2007, 07:40:01 AM »

Actually, on page 128, it says that Susan conceived the body design. One possible error is that it says the original Wolf bore Irwin's logo on the peghead. Actually, Wolf originally bore an Alembic logo and something else that I've read Irwin describe as a peacock. here's a couple of pics:

Bill, tgo

David Houck · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2007, 08:03:59 PM »

Hmmm .. I might have to break down and order it.

jacko · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2007, 12:40:53 AM »

Go for it Dave, you won't be disappointed. Oh, there are a couple of cool pics of Ron with dark hair too ;-)

Graeme

hieronymous · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2007, 03:13:58 PM »

Why haven't I heard of this book until now?!!!

Actually, though, it's kind of fun to bump into stuff like this. Recently I ran across a used copy of The Frank Zappa Companion: Four Decades of Commentary, edited by Richard Kostelanetz, which I had never seen before either.

lbpesq · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:36:15 PM »

Harry:

You ask: Why haven't I heard of this book until now?!!!

Probably because it just came out.

Bill, tgo

hieronymous · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:44:21 PM »

I think I saw the from 1965 to 1995 and thought the book was from '95! Oops...