GRATEFUL GUITARS
● The Blue Lightning Bolt, born from a conversation between Bob Weir and luthier Rich Hoeg at Modulus Guitars in Novato, where Hoeg blended the G3 body with a carved Ibanez George Benson top and replaced traditional f-holes with lightning bolts. Weir’ s only comment on the idea:“ Sounds good.”
● The Travis Bean Designs TB1000S, a semi-hollow six-string with a 25.5-inch scale, 12-inch fretboard radius, and a neck, headstock, and rear body machined from a single billet of 7075-T651 aluminum.
Orchestra, who now stewards two Hoeg builds. The most recent is a singular model dubbed the“ Blueknife”— a hybrid design that marries the aggressive performance of the Blackknife with
the iconic aesthetics of Bob Weir’ s legendary“ Blue Lightning Bolt.”
Kevin Burkett ■ Travis Bean Designs, Electrical Guitar Company
www. travisbeandesigns. com In a partnership with Travis Bean’ s widow, Rita, Kevin Burkett launched Travis Bean Designs( TBD) to keep the legendary aluminum-neck tradition alive. Burkett has since crafted several Jerry-style TB500s for Grateful Guitars Foundation( GGF) artists— instruments that honor the unique 1970s era when Garcia famously pivoted to the sustain and clarity of metal. This lineage reached a new milestone in early 2026, when the Foundation placed Burkett’ s
Tiger replica at Garcia’ s at the Capitol Theatre, displayed alongside Bob Fishman’ s“ Rosebud.” Between the historical reissues of TBD and the modern refinements of Burkett’ s Electrical Guitar Company( EGC), the aluminum-neck legacy has found a permanent home for a new generation of players.
John Reuter ■ John Reuter Guitars www. roberto-venn. com As a lead instructor at the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery, John Reuter has mentored a generation of master builders, including Scott Walker, Brian Michael, and Zachary Jones. His own technical precision is best exemplified by the“ Dark
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