“I was at a soundcheck. I plugged it in, cranked it up, and said, ‘This is it. This is what I’m looking for’”: D’Angelico unveils its third Bobby Weir signature model – and the Grateful Dead legend has been playing it at the Sphere
D’Angelico has rekindled its relationship with Grateful Dead legend Bobby Weir for a new signature guitar that has been dubbed the pair’s finest collaborative creation yet.
Officially named the Deluxe Bobby Weir 3, the supremely classy electric guitar is the direct result of years of development and rigorous road-testing, having already seen action onstage during Dead & Company’s ongoing Sphere residency.
The semi-hollow stunner has also been tested in various iterations throughout the years, with Weir putting D’Angelico’s creations through their paces on various tours with Wolf Brothers.
Now, the fruits of their labor has been released, with the Deluxe Weir 3 serving as D’Angelico’s “best work yet”.
Available in Satin Trans Wine and Matte Stone, the single-cut sports a laminated maple body with five-ply binding, and a C-shape maple/walnut/maple neck that’s topped with a 16”-radius ebony fingerboard.
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(Image credit: D'Angelico)
(Image credit: D'Angelico)
There are a pair of TV Jones DA-Tron pickups which, thanks to four push-pull pots, can produce a huge array of sounds. Among them is “Weir’s notoriously slinky tones”.
These four pots – two volume and two tone knobs – are joined by a three-way selector switch and a master volume control located on the upper bout.
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“I’ve been on an endless quest to find a tone that makes me really sit up and beg,” Weir says of his newest D’Angelico. “I don’t remember where it was, but I was on stage at a soundcheck. I plugged it in, cranked it up, and said ‘This is it –this is what I’m looking for.’ I knew it.”
Weir’s new signature guitar also looks as good as it apparently sounds. The thing is dripping in gold hardware, flashing a D’Angelico Shield tremolo, locking Grover Super Rotomatic tuners and a Skyscraper truss rod cover.
There’s also a Graph Tech Tusq nut, Mother of Pearl Split Block inlays, 22 Jescar frets and a five-ply Tortoise Scalini five-ply pickguard.
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(Image credit: D'Angelico)
(Image credit: D'Angelico)
“Bobby is forever driven to go deeper and deeper into the mystery that is great guitar tone,” says Ryan Kershaw, EVP of Product Development. “Over the years, we’ve been incredibly fortunate to join him on his never-ending journey.
“I’m thrilled with the results that we got this time around. There’s no doubt that this is our best work yet – I hope it’s an inspiration to many players.”
A limited run of 10 hand-signed models will be launched to celebrate the release. Furthermore, two examples will be auctioned for Headcount – a nonpartisan organization that promotes democratic participation through music.
The D’Angelico Deluxe Bobby Weir 3 is available now for $2,199.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
