Tiger (guitar)

Tiger
Jerry Garcia playing Tiger, 1987
ManufacturerDoug Irwin
Period1979
Construction
Body typeSolid
Neck jointSet-Neck
Woods
BodyCocobolo, maple, padauk
NeckMaple, padauk, with brass binding and inlay.
FretboardEbony with pearl inlay and brass bindings; 25" scale
Hardware
BridgeBrass Schaller tune-o-matic style
Pickup(s)One Dimarzio SDS-1 single coil (neck); two DiMarzio Super II humbuckers (mid and bridge)
Colors available
Natural

Tiger is a custom-built guitar owned by Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Garcia commissioned luthier Doug Irwin to design and build the guitar in 1973 following delivery of Wolf, his first major Irwin-built guitar. Upon commissioning the instrument, Garcia asked Irwin to "make it the way he thought was best, and don't hold back." Tiger served as Garcia's main guitar from 1979 to 1989. It was the last guitar Garcia played publicly with the Grateful Dead at a Soldier Field performance on July 9, 1995.