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Jerry Garcia’s ‘Alligator’ guitar is going up for sale

The Grateful Dead co-founder’s Strat could fetch over $250,000.

Jerry Garcia's Alligator Stratocaster.

Image: Bonhams

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Jerry Garcia’s iconic ‘Alligator’ Stratocaster is going up for auction.

The Fender Stratocaster was built in 1955, and gifted to Garcia by Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1970. It features a natural finish, a two-piece pickguard and the original stickers Garcia put on it, including the eponymous alligator.

Some modifications to the guitar have also been carried out, including replacement Schaller tuners, the brass plate for the controls, and a brass sustain block.

Giles Moon of Bonham said of the guitar, “this iconic Fender Stratocaster was Jerry Garcia’s guitar of choice from early 1971 until the fall of 1973. It was clearly a favourite, as it was the first of only a handful of Garcia’s guitars that were ever named. Garcia played this guitar in numerous live performances, notably on the Grateful Dead’s 1972 European tour.”

The guitar will be sold at A San Francisco Rock Star’s Guitars, Art & More on 10 December 2019, alongside some other guitars, paintings and sales awards for Grateful Dead Albums. It’s expected to fetch between $250,000 and $400,000.

The sale comes after the announcement of Ready or Not, a live album final studio album from the Grateful Dead compiled from recordings of the band’s later performances.

Find out more at bonhams.com. For more music news, click here.

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