Fender Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster a $20k recreation!
Grateful Dead fans may need deep pockets for this one
3,1 / 5,0 | 
This Fender Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster is the latest Custom Shop Dream Factory release. It will be a limited edition and each one will be built by Master Builder Austin Macnutt. They are not cheap with a suggested retail of $20k each!
Fender Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster
The Fender Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster is a faithful recreation of Jerry’s favourite Strat. A guitar was thought to have been a 1958 model when gifted to him by his friend Graham Nash. However, it turns out that when Fender’s Master Builder Austin Macnutt got his hands on it for this recreation that it is in fact a 1955 model.
Alligator Stratocaster · Source: Fender
Custom Mismatch
This Masterbuilt Strat recreation features some unique features including a set of Schaller tuners, with an added string retainer, a hammered brass pickguard, a set of Jerry’s stickers and a soft “V” shaped neck. Apparently, the tuners had to be adjusted to fit, as they aren’t a perfect match. Plus, they were taller than the original vintage tuners, so Jerry had to also add the string retainer.
Then factor in the oddball bridge setup that matches a brass ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge and a custom tailpiece. The original guitar is a real mismatch of parts. It also has taller frets that a regular vintage Strat from 1955. Interestingly, the original still has the original pickups. The recreation uses hand-wired ’55 Strat single-coil pickups, a set of replica hat control knobs, and an on-board post-volume blaster boost circuit hidden inside.
Of course, Fender’s Custom Shop has also tried to emulate all the original wear and tear of Jerry’s guitar and so it looks very similar to his original. The body is made using a one-piece of select ash and the neck is made using one-piece rift-sawn maple. The neck has a soft V 1955 profile and comes with 21 medium vintage frets, plus a brass nut.
With matching Alligator case · Source: Fender
Who is this aimed at?
My guess is that this limited run is aimed at Deadheads with a lot of spare change. As the Dead have a huge following, especially in the USA. I think that it will probably be an investment piece for many collectors as well. It is not exactly a good-looking guitar, but it is certainly a very recognisable one for fans of the band.
Big Steve Parish with Jerry’s original guitars: Alligator, Martin and. Wolf · Source: INSTAGRAM/Big Steve Parish
If you would like to know more about the Alligator, then be sure to watch the official video below. The story is pretty interesting and is told by Steve Parish who was Jerry’s guitar tech.
MSRP – USD 20000 / 20998 Euro*
More Information
Video
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3 responses to “Fender Jerry Garcia Alligator Stratocaster a $20k recreation!”
The Dream Factory must be having a good old laugh at those top tier professionals who buy this nonsense.
Indeed
Shameful….. 20k for a 1k guitar? I’m calling BULLSHIT…..