What is this?

[fronobulax]

From Facebook. Someone may have answered there and I missed it.

Bob Weir

I know Weir had a custom acoustic. Was this a custom electric my search-fu can't find? Body shape seems like a ST-302 but the PUs don't match Grot's and controls aren't laid out as I expect.

 

[ClaytonS15]

That’s got to be a custom Guild for Bob Weir. It looks like a deeper body than a studio series, fancy X-500 style fingerboard and headstock, maybe HB-1 pickups and oddly placed knobs. Very interesting! Cool photo. What’s up with the cowboy hats and the pistol?

 

[Jeff Haddad]

Cool photo. What’s up with the cowboy hats and the pistol?

Maybe that's David Crosby?

 

[GGJaguar]

 

[walrus]

I agree that has to be a custom of some sort - at least the electronics.

And that doesn't look like Crosby to me, although it is the kind of hat he wore in the '60's!

walrus

 

[Jeff Haddad]

I was thinking more because of the gun!

 

[fronobulax]

So what we have so far is a custom based on mixing and matching some existing parts/designs?

 

[matsickma]

The ST304 was a deep body guitar so an upgrade from that model. Curious to see if it has 3 pickups. Can't really tell from the pictures.
M

 

[matsickma]

My mistake. The first picture does show that it is a double pickup model.
M

 

[Guildedagain]

Looks like Guild was enamored with the Barney Kessel body shape, also seen on the Trini Lopez Jazz model, but never a thinline like this, cool guitar.

 

[SFIV1967]

Early Alembic modified (?) ST-402 SP...Or maybe it was still called ST-305 SP (which became the ST-402 in 1969).
We had discussed the guitar a few times before but without final conclusion what it really was.
Ralf

 

[musicofanatic]

I agree that has to be a custom of some sort - at least the electronics.

And that doesn't look like Crosby to me, although it is the kind of hat he wore in the '60's!

walrus

It is John Perry Barlow, Weir's lyricist for many years. "What’s up with the cowboy hats and the pistol?". Playing cowboy is fun sometimes...
I have seen this photo for years and always wondered about the guitar, originally and incorrectly presuming it was a Gibson Kessel/Lopez. If it is truly "Alembic modified", did it originally have no top mounted controls in the usual two vol/two tone array? If it did, how were any evidence of them made "invisible"? Was a new top fabricated for the guitar? I lie awake at night wondering sometimes...

 

[chazmo]

I like the early Alembic thought. Very interesting guitar.

 

[hoosier_buddy]

Maybe that's David Crosby?

Hahahahahahahahaha

 

[musicofanatic]

Hmmm, just googled "Weir Woodstock" images and there are a bunch with this guitar. Looks to have a (EI) rosewood back and sides with a flame maple neck. Being full depth, one may presume it is completely hollow...so Alembic sprinkled some feedback suppression fairy dust on it??

 

[SFIV1967]

...how were any evidence of them made "invisible"? Was a new top fabricated for the guitar?

A lot of things seem to be different on that guitar compared to other ST models. The neck to body connection is at the 18th fret vs. the 16th fret on the earlier models, hence the pickup locations moved toward the neck. No idea about the top.
Ralf

 

[chazmo]

Early Alembic modified ST-402 SP...Or maybe it was still called ST-305 SP (which became the ST-402 in 1969).
We had discussed the guitar a few times before but without final conclusion.
Ralf

I did a search on Alembic and only came up with bass threads. So, Ralf, you remember talking about this guitar before? I certainly defer to your encyclopedic memory, but I don't remember seeing it.

 

[SFIV1967]

...you remember talking about this guitar before?

From Wikipedia: "The company was founded by Owsley Stanley as a workshop in the rehearsal room of the Greatful Dead in Novato, California, near San Francisco, to help improve the entire sound chain for the band's live recordings, from instruments to PA. Soon the group was active in sound recording, modifying and repairing guitars and basses, and PA systems."
"During 1969 we developed the Alembic electronics and pickups. We first installed them in David Crosby's 12-string Guild guitar (which he still uses to this day) and then into Phil Lesh's SG bass that had been hand painted by Bob Thomas in his trademark renaissance/psychedelic style. After several more experimental designs, both Phil Lesh's and Jack Casady's hollow-bodied Guild basses were renovated with new low-impedance pickups and new active electronics. Bobby Weir's and Jerry Garcia's guitars were done as well."

Regarding the first picture above, there is a second one of Bob Weir and John Barlow:

Ralf

 

[chazmo]

Awesome, Ralf!!

 

[SFIV1967]

And a few close up shots of the guitar from Woodstock 1969, as good as it allows:

Source: "https://credo.library.umass.edu/view/full/muph084-b001-f046-sl005-i012"

Source: "https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/4209095/"

Source: "https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/4209101/"

Looks all done very well, like a Rosewood body (!) with Spruce top. Bound f-holes. Fancy 3 piece tiger striped maple neck. Neck to body connection at 18th fret. There is no access visible on the back. So I wonder how all the pots were mounted? Also normally those ST-402 models came with a maple body and mahogaby neck. All very interesting...definitely points to a custom order guitar.

Ralf