The Builders and the Lineage
GRATEFUL GUITARS
Foundation board member Nate Bidner owns more than 50 replica instruments and a pair of Bob Weir guitars, which he also loans into circulation. David Meerman Scott, another board member and the author of a book about the Dead’ s marketing genius, used to own Weir’ s“ No Fun” guitar and loaned it out, as well. Logan himself has four Weir guitars, among them two Modulus Blackknife instruments: a Koa throughneck model Weir first played at New Year’ s 1983, and a walnut Blackknife from 1988, Logan’ s first shows, that became, improbably, the band’ s guest guitar, played by Mick Taylor, Bob Dylan, and Brian Stoltz of the Neville Brothers across a single extraordinary year.
Beyond the guitars, Logan stewards an impressive array of Grateful Dead history: Brent Mydland’ s stage-used keyboards, Phil Lesh’ s“ Wall of Sound” cabinet, and Bob Weir’ s 8x10 cabinet. The
● Bob Weir’ s 8x10 cabinet.
collection also includes Jerry Garcia’ s McIntosh MC3500 amp from the Alligator era, a Wall of Sound MC2300, and his 4x12 cabinet famously used during the Spring 1990 tour. Also under his care are two legendary Fender Twin Reverbs: the one used by Bob Dylan during the Dylan and the Dead tour, and another used by Garcia from the late 1960s through Europe’ 72. Each piece has been meticulously restored to the stage, ensuring they are played live, just as their makers intended.
The Builders and the Lineage
Doug Irwin is indeed the foundational figure in the world Grateful Guitars inhabits. He built Garcia’ s most iconic instruments, Wolf, Tiger, and Rosebud, from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s and was the key influencer for Steve Cripe and all who build today. Garcia’ s pursuit of innovation was a col-
“ HOW MANY LUTHIERS ARE MAKING A LIVING YEAR-ROUND IN THIS COUNTRY BUILDING COPIES OF GUITARS THAT JERRY PLAYED, THAT BOBBY PLAYED? WHAT BAND HAS ALL THESE COTTAGE INDUSTRIES?”
54 | SUMMER 2026