Fender Releases Jerry Garcia Alligator Replica Guitar

Fender Custom Shop introduced the Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster, a faithful recreation of one of Jerry Garcia‘s most famous guitars. Luthier Austin MacNutt built 100 highly-detailed replicas with input from longtime Grateful Dead crew member Steve Parish that Fender will sell in honor of Garcia’s 80th birthday.

Jerry received the original 1955 swamp ash Stratocaster guitar as a gift from Graham Nash after Garcia contributed to Nash’s debut solo album, 1971’s Songs For Beginners. Garcia began using the Strat as his primary axe in May 1971 and both he and Parish made many modifications to the guitar, including the addition of the iconic Alligator sticker. Steve Parish helped save the instrument in November 1971, when the guitar’s pickguard cracked open leading its electronics to spill out just as a concert was starting. Parish emerged with a roll of gaffer’s tape and Garcia was able to play the instrument for the rest of the show following Steve’s patch job.

MacNutt created the replica based on Jerry’s specs and incorporated such details as its stickers and cigarette burns. Andy Logan purchased the original at an auction in 2019 and has since lent the instrument to a number of musicians including Tedeschi Trucks Band's Susan Tedeschi and Los Lobos' David Hidalgo this past Saturday in Berkeley, California.

“Having the opportunity to replicate an iconic guitar from such a legendary artist is a Masterbuilders’ dream,” explained Mike Lewis, VP of Product Development for Fender Custom Shop. “Recounting how each scratch was made, the stories behind each sticker and every modification made on the guitar felt almost like we were there with Jerry Garcia rocking on stage in the 70s. We are so grateful to Steve, Andy Logan/Grateful Guitars Foundation, and the Jerry Garcia Family for their trust in us. Now 100 others will have the opportunity to carry on the Garcia Alligator Strat legacy.”

“There’s a lot I can tell you about this guitar,” added Parish. “I’m very lucky because I got to work with Jerry to take care of his guitars… Jerry played a lot of guitars and a lot of Strats but he never had a favorite. Fender, Fender, Fender everything. He played Fender Twin Reverb because he loved it, and we collected every Fender we could buy. But this guitar quickly became his favorite.”

Watch a Fender Dream Factory video featuring Daniel Donato playing the Alligator recreation and Austin MacNutt sitting down with Steve Parish to discuss the guitar below: