Initial DEPOSIT For A Limited Production Certified Irwin/Asher Dire Wolf 6-String Bass (Original owned by Oteil Burbridge)

 The Dire Wolf bass is not merely a tribute—it’s a living extension of a legendary instrument. Designed to capture the essence of Jerry Garcia’s tone and Doug Irwin’s craftsmanship, it’s now in the hands of one of the most expressive bassists of today. Expect to hear it further as renowned bassist Oteil Burbridge takes it on the road through performances that honor, reinterpret, and expand the sonic legacy of the Grateful Dead. We can create your very own Dire Wolf Bass that can be customized with a special back inlay design or you can have inlay replicating the symbolic ankh like on Oteils instrument. These will be made in limited production.

   This custom six-string bass built in the style of Jerry Garcia’s iconic “Wolf” guitar—doubling the design two octaves lower - is the first-ever Doug Irwin–certified Wolf‑style bass, hand‑built by Bill Asher in collaboration with original creator Doug Irwin.

    The Dire Wolf bass was presented as a gift to Oteil by the Grateful Guitars Foundation at its debut performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater on July 6 2025 at a Jerry Garcia tribute concert.  The bass was accompanied by a $5,000 donation to Can’dAid to support music education in the local area.

     The first piece of wood used came from the Doug Irwin’s decades-old private collection and he personally cut the wood in a filmed moment that moved Oteil to tears.

Construction & Features

Built to Oteil’s six-string preference, with electronics and tone woods reflecting the original Wolf guitar’s sonic signature. Cost for your own bass (NOT OTEILS BASS) is $35,000 with a $1200 deposit.

·      Scale: 34”

·      Strings: 6

·      Body Wood : Laminate body of purpleheart and quilted maple with partial hollowing to reduce weight

·      Neck Wood: A five‑layer neck laminate of purpleheart and curly maple

·      Neck Shape: Wide “C" carve (.82 1^st fret - .92 7^th fret - .98 12^th fret)

·      Fretboard: 14” radius ebony with “Wolf” decorative faux ivory inlay

·      Nut Width: 2” – 3” at the 24^th fret

·      Frets: Jescar medium jumbo  .047 x .104

·      Tuners: Hipshot USA

·      Pickups: custom Dimarzio Bass 6 Dual Sounds & SDSI

·      Knobs: Machined aluminum replica by Scarlet Fire

·      Switches: Series/parallel for middle and bridge humbuckers

·      Extra Switches: Effects loop with Waldo buffer

·      Bridge: U-channel machined brass, nickel plate

·      Tailpiece: Irwin Wolf tailpiece design, nickel plated brass

·      Inlay Front: Dire Wolf Medallion of mother of pearl, ebony, purple heart, brass and stone*

·      Inlay Back: Ankh of mother of pearl, abalone and stone**

·      Weight: 9.25lbs

·      Finish: Glasurit light amber gloss

·      Case: Gator TSA hardshell

      *Dire Wolf medallion design by Jenny Shuman and Jessica Asher, inlay by Jessica Asher

**Ankh design by Jenny Shuman, inlay by Jessica Asher

Photo Credit: Jay Blakesberg, Jessica Burbridge

Debut & Performances

• Debuted July 6, 2025, at the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, performed alongside the Colorado Symphony with Melvin Seals, Jacklyn LaBranch, Tom Hamilton, Duane Trucks, and Lady Chi. The bass made an immediate impression on stage.
• In addition to orchestral pieces, Oteil performed a two-bass collaboration with Phish’s Mike Gordon, trading licks on “Lay Down Sally,” “Tangled Up in Blue,” and “Deal.” The dramatic pairing highlighted the power and articulation of the Dire Wolf bass.
• Oteil continued touring with the Dire Wolf, including performances at the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary shows in Golden Gate Park with Dead & Company.

Significance

• Bridges Jerry Garcia’s legacy into bass form—melding iconic tone, look, and spirit with deep bottom-end power.
• Demonstrates the continued influence and reverence of Doug Irwin’s craftsmanship, recreated in a bold new way by Bill Asher.
• Symbol of the collaborative effort to pass the Grateful Dead ethos forward through modern players and instruments.

Press

·  “Oteil Burbridge Shows Off New ‘Dire Wolf’ Bass Modeled After Jerry Garcia’s ‘Wolf’” — Live For Live Music (July 2, 2025): Covers the debut of the Doug Irwin–certified bass, built by Bill Asher from the same wood as the original Wolf, and set for its premiere at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Instagram+13L4LM+13Relix Media+13.

·  “Grateful Guitars Foundation to Gift Oteil Burbridge First Ever Wolf‑Style Bass at Red Rocks for Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration on July 6” — GratefulWeb (June 9, 2025): Announces the presentation of the first-ever Wolf-style bass to Oteil at Red Rocks, detailing the instrument's pedigree and the associated $5,000 donation to Can’dAid Relix Media+3The Grateful Web+3The Grateful Web+3.

·  “Oteil Burbridge: The Same Ethos If Not The Same History” — Relix (July 2, 2025): A broader feature on Oteil that spotlights the arrival of the Dire Wolf bass, its construction, and certification, along with his reflections on using it live Relix Media.

·  “Dire Wolf Howls at Red Rocks” — The Grateful Web (July 10, 2025): A concert review of the Red Rocks performance, highlighting how the Dire Wolf resonated on stage and even led to a bass-duet with Phish’s Mike Gordon L4LM+7The Grateful Web+7Facebook+7.

·  “Oteil Burbridge’s new ‘Dire Wolf’ bass was built to mirror Jerry Garcia’s guitar” — TalkBass.com (last week): Notes that the prototype bass uses the same wood and electronics as Garcia’s Wolf Instagram+12TalkBass+12Reddit+12.

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