Travis Bean TB1000A Custom Built For Jerry Garcia 1979 Sunburst over flamed Koa

Travis Bean TB1000A Custom for Jerry Garcia #1779

Travis Bean Inc was famous for not taking custom orders, even custom finishes, there were few exceptions made for certain customers. A few examples are the 3 pickup 500 models built for Jerry Garcia, the 5 string 1000S models as well as the short scale TB2000 basses made for the Rolling Stones and custom color for Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

Until about a year ago these where all well know and no more where thought to exist outside a few prototype and employee models. Marc McElwee had saved a special guitar being built for Jerry Garcia. It was never assembled due to the closing of the shop, but it is a very rare bird alone, much less it was intended for Jerry Garcia. This guitar is a custom in every way, only factory full German carve, only factory sunburst, hollow bodied with flamed Koa top, coil tapped humbuckers, dot inlays on an Artist neck, full black out on rear including the only Imron coated rear plate. Inside the neck written in the neck reciever under the clear Imron etching primer is a very pronounced "J.G.", this is how they generally
denoted special instruments.

This guitar was stored in pieces so there are a few nicks and dings but nothing more from years of storage. The only two things unknown is how they were going to do the coil taps as JGs people usually wired his guitars and why the 2 holes are drilled above the bridge pickup, Marc thinks this was for a special pickup to be installed later by his people. There is a light pencil sketch and layout of where it looks like a Unity Gain Buffer was to be installed(correct size and in and out locations).

The assembly of all the factory pieces was done by Electrical Guitar Company/Travis Bean Designs. All the original parts were used. The only thing that was an option was the coil taps as stated, so instead of modifying the body, we used 500K CTS push pull pots. Everything else is 100% original and intended for this instrument.

This guitar is an incredible piece of TB and Garcia history. This guitar for all of its custom features, is truley one of a kind. It has some wear from storage, but it plays fantastic and looks even cooler. I tried to capture the rear markings in different light so you could see that they are visible indirectly. The neck and fretboard are perfect with no blemishes. The frets have no wear on them. The humbuckers show minor scuffs do to the masking tape covering them for 40 years being removed. This is a special guitar, she needs a good home.

Shipping worldwide is available. The guitar will ship in an SKB flight case but will have the OHSC as well. The guitar comes with a letter from Marc McElwee about the guitar. Buyer is responsible for all shipping and associated costs.