[natebernstein]

One of the great things about being a Deadhead is there's so much to keep listening to and learning about the group and their music. For example, conventional wisdom and much empirical evidence has it that the key to Garcia's guitar tone is the middle pickup of a Stratocaster through a cranked Fender Twin Reverb (obviously with various tweaks as time and gear evolved for him, of course). Imagine my surprise, then, upon re-watching the video of the iconic Birdsong from 8/27/72 and seeing Jerry toggle between middle (at the beginning of the song), neck and bridge positions (during solos) throughout the performance. He's also playing a sunburst Strat, not Alligator, which appears to have two cables leading from it to the rest of his rig, so perhaps an early version of the OBEL? But that's an aside. Watching and listening at the same time, the switching makes perfect sense, as he's conjuring different tones from the instrument. But I'd not really considered previously, when listening to the Strat/early Wolf era, that he didn't just stay parked on the middle position all the time. Casts his approach and tone in a different light for me. Perhaps y'all are well familiar with this but figured I'd share just in case.

[tdcrjeff]

He's also playing a sunburst Strat, not Alligator, which appears to have two cables leading from it to the rest of his rig, so perhaps an early version of the OBEL?

You are mistaking a white-tipped whammy bar for a second cable. He played the sunburst Strat August through the end of September, though also played Alligator in September as well.

[Jon S.]

13 pages and going at The Gear Page on, "Why is the middle position so hated/useless?"



https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index ... s.2438404/

[Darkstar860]

I know the show you speak of, im not a fan of his tone on that version of Bird Song or certain songs from this period. The bridge pickup is too bright and the neck pickup seems to hide Jerrys technique that i love. The middle is where i can clearly hear Jerry and the technique he put into each individual note or run of notes. But thats just me.

But i stick to middle pickup except for a few songs, Deal being one of them. For the first guitar solo i use position 4 (Neck and Middle) and for the ending solo i use position 5 (Neck). I play around with all my pickups but i always end up finding myself back at the middle pickup and this was even before i played much Dead. I always liked the tone of the middle as i can hear the dynamics in the attack, kinda happy medium. Go listen to some of the early Dead and his on the LP and SG etc. Some folks love that tone, im not such a fan for the reason i stated above. But tone is subjective. What i like, you may not etc. But thats what makes playing music so exciting is ya never know

If im doing Knopfler stuff I use 2nd position and middle and 4th. But i primarily stick to 2 (bridge and middle). Also when im doing that material im using a G&L which has a treble and bass instead of tone pots. This to me is what is missing from a Fender strat, having control over the bass and treble on the guitar covers a lot more ground for me.

I guess it comes down to what era of the Dead ya like the most. Ive found a happy medium of 74-89 in my tone and playing. But recently ive been getting into getting that clean clean tone he had from 93 ish on. Maybe its my ears are shot, but theres an aspect of Jerrys playing in his dynamics and attack as i said above that i love and need to hear.

One last thing too is the effects he was using at any given time. Pickup choice is key to certain effects reacting certain ways. Are you after the 72 tone of GSET ? Or do you like when he used the Mu-Tron over the Wah in later years ? Im more of a post Wah Jerry fan myself, i love the Mu-Tron and that effect to my ears reacts best thru the middle pickup. I have coiling splitting so i can get get that twang if needed, but that oomph when needed that on a Strat or G&L I cant always get. I feel very limited with a Strat at times. I use to be the opposite, but i like humbuckers more these days and the sound of a split humbucker over a standard single coil (Yes they do sound different).

Ive had a conversation with one of my friends for years about his love of a Deluxe Reverb and strat to get Jerry tone. In his hands, it sounds good. In my hands, not so much. My dynamics in my picking is different (as is everybody's to an extent). I need a mid pot, without it or a mod to a deluxe's tone stack I am constantly having to turn around and adjust my amps settings. With a Twin I set and forget.

Thanks for starting this thread because to me its more than just the pickup selection, its the effects, the era, the guitars etc. So much interesting stuff going on, I love that the Dead had all these different eras. I love discussing this stuff with folks. As i said above, tone is subjective and thats what is interesting to me about music. What moves me may not move your etc and thats the individual coming thru. Love it !

[bzbz]

Bird Song's return in the 80s through the end also saw a good deal of use of neck pickup - it's not that the middle pickup was exclusive, its just that was the most used by a wide margin, that's all

[lbpesq]

I tend to use the neck pickup most of the time for rhythm, and the middle for lead or country rhythm. I hardly ever use the bridge or the in-between positions.

Bill, tgo

[natebernstein]

He's also playing a sunburst Strat, not Alligator, which appears to have two cables leading from it to the rest of his rig, so perhaps an early version of the OBEL?

You are mistaking a white-tipped whammy bar for a second cable. He played the sunburst Strat August through the end of September, though also played Alligator in September as well.

Thanks! I thought that was weird!

[natebernstein]

13 pages and going at The Gear Page on, "Why is the middle position so hated/useless?"



https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index ... s.2438404/

Yeah, that’s actually what prompted me to watch the video. I was going to post it in that thread.

[Slewfoot2000]

To my ears, it sounds like on most of the spacey stuff in the early 70's (Dark Stars, Other Ones) Jerry mostly used the neck pickup. Imagine he was going for a softer sound to blend in with things. He certainly switched it up at times throughout the songs, but I mostly get neck for those songs.

The specific guitars used at times would certainly play a role as well. The Irwin guitars all sound much more middle pickup focused from Jerry. It was the Gibsons and Fenders that seemed to have more switching between the pickups. But I'm sure I'm wrong on that. :^)

[Cumtax]

The Birdsong video from Sunshine Daydream is why I say "nope" to everyone who says Garcia IS mid pickup... no he was not. He played with tones all the time, playing more towards the neck, playing more toward the bridge, mixing the two things in a single lick flurry, changing pickups and stuff. He was always searching for sounds

[bzbz]

The Birdsong video from Sunshine Daydream is why I say "nope" to everyone who says Garcia IS mid pickup... no he was not. He played with tones all the time, playing more towards the neck, playing more toward the bridge, mixing the two things in a single lick flurry, changing pickups and stuff. He was always searching for sounds

Yes - but with an asterisk

Yes, in that he mixed pickup selection up more than many realize - look at 80s and 90s vids of Estimated, Eyes, Birdsong, even Sugar Mag -

The asterisk is that his use of single coil middle pickup, even given the above, was dominant and most typical

[Slewfoot2000]

I find that with great guitarists I've watched closely over the years (Jerry and Trey especially), their tone doesn't change all *that* much as they move through the pickups on the recordings. Have a feeling it does more for them on stage being right next to their amps.

When I change pickups at home I notice big differences right away. Granted, I'm also just messing around solo where that's the only music coming through much of the time so any changes are more noticeable.

Essentially, the greats still sound like themselves and they are so on point with their picking technique that the dynamics only change so much especially with a full band blasting away on a recording.

[Cumtax]

A few months ago, I had a debate on Reddit about Jerry's pickup habits when using Envelope Filter. I heard he always did split his humbuckers and 90% of the time he played with the bridge pickup. The guy I was "arguing" with stated that 90% of the time he played mid-humbucker. What do you guys know about the topic?

[bzbz]

A few months ago, I had a debate on Reddit about Jerry's pickup habits when using Envelope Filter. I heard he always did split his humbuckers and 90% of the time he played with the bridge pickup. The guy I was "arguing" with stated that 90% of the time he played mid-humbucker. What do you guys know about the topic?

Single coil middle man

[Darkstar860]

When I use my filter I go back and forth with Middle split and full humbucker. With my Bean i stick to the bridge pickup with the tone at 5 and volume at 7-10 depending on which song and part etc.