serial number 7310 to plate on the back of the body at the base of the neck indicating a build date of 1955, swamp ash body, maple neck, two control knobs, volume knob missing, applied with several stickers including a caricature of a dancing alligator holding a knife and fork and "Harley Davidson" and "Policeman Helper" stickers to the body, in red plush-lined hard case containing one "Manny's / Heavy" guitar pick and worn "Good Ol' Grateful Dead" sticker to the outside. The guitar has numerous external and internal modifications largely carried out by Frank Fuller and Rick Turner of Alembic, a company founded by the Grateful Dead in 1969 composed of a small group of instrument and hi-fi specialists who were closely involved in achieving the Dead's signature sound of the 1970s and 1980s. Modifications to this guitar include: replacement Schaller tuners, customized brass control plate and a brass sustainer block mounted on wood riser. The guitar was originally fitted with a custom-made blaster preamp which is no longer present. Some of the wiring has also been altered since Alembic's 1970s work on the guitar. All of the subsequent modifications were made to the guitar while in Garcia's possession.

This Fender Stratocaster, nicknamed Alligator after the dancing alligator sticker on the pickguard was Jerry Garcia's guitar of choice from early 1971 until the fall of 1973. It was clearly a favorite, as it was the first of only a handful of Garcia's guitars that were ever named. Garcia played this guitar in numerous live performances, notably on the Grateful Dead's 1972 European tour. Highlights from that tour were released on the live triple album Europe 72. The Grateful Dead also released some of their finest studio albums during this period, including Working Man's Dead and American Beauty.

Alligator is believed to have been gifted to Jerry Garcia in 1970 by Graham Nash (ex-Hollies; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) in appreciation of Garcia's guitar work on Nash's solo album Songs For Beginners. Nash supposedly bought the guitar in 1970 for $250 at a pawn shop in Phoenix, TX.