ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – Few bands have shaped the world of rock and roll and inspired generations like the Grateful Dead. To celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary, Alvarez Guitars is honored to release a commemorative, limited edition, signature guitar series, utilizing iconic Grateful Dead artwork to capture their vintage aesthetic.
“We’ve been really blessed by our partnership with the band over the years,” Says Chris Meikle, Head of Alvarez Development and Senior Vice President of St. Louis Music. “Creating a guitar worthy of the Grateful Dead’s 50th anniversary was very important to us. We wanted to create something that was, of course, very playable with great sound, but was also fully ‘tattooed’ with Grateful Dead artwork, which presents a lot of challenges.”
Meikle and his team learned how to silk and screen print the tops of the guitars using a combination of traditional and modern techniques, innovating a process where the guitar top actually becomes a part of the artwork itself, the grain coming through the paint. Since each top is unique natural wood pattern, every Grateful Dead series guitar becomes a true, one of a kind collector’s piece.
The Alvarez Grateful Dead Series come in two models, the AFGD65 Flag and Montage. Each model features a solid A grade western red cedar top, screen printed under a flawless satin finish. Other appointments include custom mother of pearl inlays, a rosewood fingerboard and bi- level bridge and 12th fret lightning bolt inlay. Both models are constructed using the Alvarez FST2M hand finished, forward shifted, scalloped bracing system for optimal performance and response. MSRP: $499
Simply stunning and unique, just like the band themselves. For more information please contact your Alvarez Representative or call St. Louis Music at 314-727-4512, or visit the following website www.GratefulDeadGuitars.com
{Pictured: AF65GD/F and AF65GD/M}
St. Louis Music/U.S. Band & Orchestra is one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America. SLM is the owner of Austin Guitars, Knilling String Instruments, Zonda Brasswinds and Reeds & Sigma Guitars. The company is also the exclusive global manager and licensee of Alvarez & Alvarez-Yairi and the exclusive USA distributor of Dixon Drums and Hardware, P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwinds and Suzuki Violins. SLM also distributes over 150 brands of accessories to music stores across the USA.
