Description
The Guitar
There will never be, and shouldn’t be, an exact replica of Jerry’s guitars. Although my firsthand experience and intimate knowledge of the original process allows for a perfect copy of the Tiger, I’ve chosen to augment the classic with a customization that builds on the legacy of the original. Those original instruments were designed and created for Jerry. My instruments pay tribute and offer respect to both Jerry Garcia and my mentor Doug Irwin. That’s why I’ve inlaid a mother of pearl plate that reads Lieber D.I.G. (Lieber D Irwin Garcia) at the end of each guitar’s fingerboard to signify a culmination of over 50 years of all our work.
The Garcia features a ¼” thick cocobolo back for more comfort and playability with less weight than its predecessor. I carefully select wood for the hand-carved ½” cocobolo top and ¼” back, which are perfectly bookmatched to one another. For the neck and body core, I’ve chosen the highest quality figured Northeastern Soft Maple to contrast and complement the cocobolo. The electronics housed within only differ from the original Tiger in the use of a concentric potentiometer for the middle and bridge pickup tone control.
I’ve ornamented The Garcia with a Globe/Eagle deluxe inlaid headstock logo first used for Pete Sears’ “Dragon Bass” (serial #33), and green abalone heart is used for the logo’s land mass rather than flat-cut abalone. The bridge and tailpiece are gold-plated solid brass, with the solid brass pickup mounting ring also having been redesigned to allow for body cutaway clearance. The Garcia is constructed with a single centered vertical seam, eliminating the brass line inlays on the original’s front to fit its three-piece body construction.
The result is a perfectly-balanced museum quality instrument that pays homage to Jerry’s original Tiger while streamlining both design and playability. The Garcia merges the dedication and consistency of everyone who has been a part of Jerry’s legacy into a unique, hand-crafted piece of functional art that bridges the Summer of Love with the 50 years to come.
This is a re-envisioning of a legendary guitar by one of its original creators. Lieber’s Garcia brings with it a large slice of history as well as a lifetime of seasoned craftsmanship.
An iconic guitar made famous by its celebrated owner. The Garcia is known worldwide for its elegant body design, beautiful inlays and unmistakable sound.
Tom Wipf- Hell or High Water Band –
Tom created The Garcia #001 for me back in 2001. It was then and is now a work of art. It quickly became my go-to for every gig….it is versatile, and when you hit a note..there is always someone in the crowd spins around looking for where that Jerry sound came from. Tom is an artist, The Garcia has a tone that blows my mind to this day and I am deeply grateful that Tom was able to “dust off those rusty strings” for ne all those years ago. 5 Shining Stars…..and more!