(x) 72-13 One of the first?

[thanwarin]

@sonicus, we were moving along, the airplane coming into the airport then BAM, hijacked.
 
So back to the topic thats prominently displayed in the title of your browser.
 
What we know;
 
Alembic Serial number 72-13  
Owned by Jerry Garcia (do not know if it was it made for Jerry or did he just purchased it off the shelf in the Alembic shop?)
Stayed in Bob Weirs studio from around 1971'ish? until 1998
Bob Weir in a signed letter states this guitar was used on Jerry's first solo album
 
 
This guitar will be auctioned off and all proceeds will go to Amicus Foundation to help Burmese refugees living in Thailand. Bob Weir is on the board of Amicus. http://www.amicusfoundation.com
 
 
Any insight on this guitar, like who helped make it, was it custom made for Jerry or was it purchased stock off the show room floor, who worked on the electronics, did Rick Turner or Doug Irwin work on it or modify the electronics at a later date. etc.  
 
Thanks for any info or direction anyone can provide any info or leads

[sonicus]

@thanwarin  ;                        As it may appear that I might have been hijacking this thread, this was a positive motive that was a constructive part of the process to ascertain  leads to help your search for information during the time period of the creation of 72-13. I have been hanging around the Bay Area music scene  for several decades and have experienced a large part of it over the years.    
 
           There was a Female Guitarist  named Debbie Hutchins who's teacher was Jerry Garcia. She ALSO worked at a shop called Stars Guitars   . She also played  music with the female Bassist Mouse in some ensembles.    Read all the info on the link that I am providing and it may help you on your search for knowledge and may provide some leads!
http://www.myspace.com/goodmedicinemusic
 
                                               Sonic Regards ______

[thanwarin]

@Sonicus, OK, thanks, I'll dig into it.

[sonicus]

thanwarin __   I remember quite a bit from her  live performances , from  Stars Guitars & Alembic and from when Debbie came in to  Golden State Recorders  to do some recording In 1976, I was in the control  room  behind the glass with  my teacher Leo De Gar Kulka .

[thanwarin]

@Sonicus, I don't understand how this would be related to 72-13. Can you explain please?

[pace]

Does the offset shape of these pickups (#10 as well) house an emitter/follower circuit right off the winding, incased in epoxy???  
 
Just speculation.... I don't expect you to know, Thanwarin...

[sonicus]

@Thanwarin  , It is relative to 72-13  because it is within a close chronological time frame about a person  who worked with and knew other individuals who might be able to help you  with your questions.  
       
    I  some had work done back in  the 1970's by Mr. Doug Irwin
on a couple of my Guild Starfire Bass's  . I got to meet him as well.
 
      Let me offer you some friendly advice and wisdom ; don't keep  biting the hand of   those who might be able to help you get  the information that your are asking for .  I wish you well .
     Sonic Regards _____
 
(Message edited by sonicus on November 21, 2010)

[darkstar01]

i don't really think there were any ill feelings meant in that question, sonicus. that wasn't a particularly relevant story for someone looking for information directly pertaining to their instrument. relax, man.
 
(not trying to hijack, so calm down mods)

[sonicus]

No offense , All is cool . I was trying to help this person as well and have had contact with several individuals in the past that could help in the very benevolent efforts  that are clearly intended.  
 
        The process of going back over three decades in my memory in order to assist bring along other related experiences as well. Sorry about that _____
               I really have good intentions for the common good here. It is unfortunate however that there was less tolerance for my graphic recollections along the way.    
 
      I will refrain from further disruptions.

[thanwarin]

@Pace I really don't know. Maybe this will shed some light. The following is copied from a an email Rick Turner recently sent to me (he said it was OK to share with the Alembic Forum) I asked him about the rectangular orange epoxy blocks in the body cavity:
 
 
 
 
I'd just have to know if the electronics work.  Those are a very early prototype of the low pass filters, I think.  That would be Ron Wickersham's work, and this would pre-date the filter/active  humcancelling electronics that we used a few instruments later and Alembic kept using for many years.  I wouldn't mess with the electronics if everything does work.  
 
RT
 
 
 
(Message edited by Thanwarin on November 22, 2010)

[thanwarin]

@Sonicus, I am sorry you felt that I was biting the hand. My intentions are far from that. I am just to get down to the facts but very difficult considering how much  time has elapsed. Lets bury this and get on with the 72-13 fact finding mission or something close to it.  
 
Cozmik_Cowboy shared a great quote with me the other day by Bill Ayers in the intro to his memior Fugitive Days, memory can be a mother@$#%er. ROFLOL when I read that.

[thanwarin]

@ Pace, I also want to include this info from Rick Turner:
 
The orange blocks are dummy hum cancelling coils wired in series with the pickups.  Their orientation is critical to cancel hum...one way up and they cancel...the other way up and they double the hum.    
 
Also, the output is probably stereo, that is neck pickup on one channel, bridge pickup on the other.  You'll need a stereo Y cord to run it off of batteries.   The 5 pin connector is for running on an external power supply with a special cable.

[mica]

Since time is of the essence for the charity auction - I'm answering this out of order, so I hope nobody is too upset.  
 
Here's what is in the scant file:
-----------------------------------------------
13-72 Garcia
Dub Guitar
top: Walnut
back: Walnut
body: Mahogany
neck: Mahogany and Walnut
Prototype monofilter
-----------------------------------------------
 
The file is a 3x5 card with details written on it, now stapled in a file jacket. There are no additional notes in the file.
 
I interpret the Dub Guitar as Double Cutaway Guitar but I have no other reference to back that up.  
 
My dad looked at the pictures of the electronics with me. It seems like there were things done in 2 stages, based on the connections themselves, and the drilling pattern. Here's a roadmap of what we're thinking the controls are based on the photos you supplied:
 

 
We think the original controls did not include the filter frequency and damping (and probably the master). Originally, the filter and Q controls were probably where the volume controls were, and where the volume control are now is likely where the tone controls were originally.  
 
When time came to install the filter and Q, some new drilling took place. I can't say if the installation was done here or not, as there is no records, but it wasn't like we kept a journal. By the looks of the circuit, the filter has a pretty narrow range, and a Superfilter box was probably used to determine the range values.  
 
So while we installed Superfilters in instruments predating this guitar, this is the earliest one I can find that has the filters wired to be on all the time, like we use now. The records may show something else later, but that's what I can say from what's before me at this time.  
 
There's no indication if the guitar was made for Garcia or he bought it. Many of the instruments made for the Dead were ordered by them, but not with a strict spec sheet like is more common today.  
 
Hope that helps!

[David Houck]

Nice graphic Mica!

[thanwarin]

Thanks for the prompt reply Ron and Mica. Our apologies to all the others in line.