Author Topic: Which strat set.. (Read 2700 times)

horsehead · « **on:** August 24, 2007, 01:06:51 PM »

sounds most like David gilmours strat. Please.

Elliot · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2007, 03:39:36 PM »

Which one?

horsehead · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2007, 10:18:44 AM »

Shine on you crazy diamond

6stringgrind · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2007, 05:02:45 PM »

Your best bet would likely be the Apache set.

Elliot · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2007, 10:03:50 PM »

It was his 1970 black strat, right?

In which case its going to be Mother's Milks or Irish Tours to cover the sound - from what I can tell from various guitar mag articles late 60s/early 70s strat pickups were made with plain enamel wire, alnico 5 magnets and had an output of about 6k-7k - which fits the Mother's Milks perfectly.

Of course, i'm only guessing and i'm sure other's know better.

Watsonica · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2007, 05:52:41 AM »

With Gilmour you have to be a bit careful because on some of his recordings he used a Les Paul with P90's that was often mistaken for a Strat...if memory serves me right "the Wall" (lead-another brick-part2) was done with that guitar although I'm sure he uses the Strat in concerts (it's at his own wim I spose) that have been video'd.

I'd have to agree with Elliot concerning the Strat pups tho.

His guitar tech for 20 years (over 30 now) was interviewed a while back:

Quote

GW: What does Dave use in the studio to achieve his sound?
PT: For amplification he uses a pair of Seventies 50-watt Hiwatt combos, a pair of '59 re-issue Fender Bassmans, and a Maestro Rover revolving speaker. Every once in a while he'll experiment with different guitars, but his primary instrument for the last 10 years has been his red 1984 '57 reissue Fender Stratocaster, which he also uses on the road.
GW: Is the Strat customized in any way?
PT: Yes. It's fitted with EMG-SA active single-coil pickups, an EMG-SPC midrange controller and an EMG-EXG expander which boosts treble and bass. Additionally, the guitar features a cut-down tremolo arm.

If that helps any. The full interview is here> http://www.pink-floyd.org/artint/dagear.htm

If that isn't confusing enough here's another one> http://www.gilmourish.com/

I'd even gamble that the Trilogy set might be a viable option.

horsehead · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2007, 08:52:13 AM »

watsonica, that gilmourish site is brilliant, thanks for posting

38thBeatle · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2007, 12:20:05 PM »

I am staying out of this as I can't make any suggestions except for the fact that Shine On was recorded in a studio with all the facilities that were available and recreating that live with the sort of gear available to the average player is not easy. It is more than just a guitar in other words-stating the obvious I know.

Elliot · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:04:53 PM »

Cheers for that - he wouldn't be using EMGs that far back would he? I didn't think they existed then?

I also have a feeling the EMGs aren't in the original Black 1970 strat (which is what according to an old interview was used on Shine On) - he uses them in the red strat - originally for playing live under Pink Floyd's vast light show, but he took to them, so that's the modern Gilmour tone - if that's the tone you want I would agree that Trilogies are probably nearer.

Watsonica · « **Reply #9 on:** August 27, 2007, 03:24:06 PM »

Quote from: Elliot

Cheers for that - he wouldn't be using EMGs that far back would he? I didn't think they existed then?
I also have a feeling the EMGs aren't in the original Black 1970 strat (which is what according to an old interview was used on Shine On) - he uses them in the red strat - originally for playing live under Pink Floyd's vast light show, but he took to them, so that's the modern Gilmour tone - if that's the tone you want I would agree that Trilogies are probably nearer.

You are correct of course..the song was recorded in 1975. However..

I or no one else said or implied that they were used on "shine on", truth is it's pretty hard to pinpoint as the documentation is very sketchy and it was a long time ago. I have a hard time remembering exactly what I used on some recordings that I did 5 years ago let alone 20...it's quite probable I suppose that he could have used stock pups but as I've stated there's no real documentation that I've found either way, guess someone would have to ask Gilmour directly (lol)..good luck.

EMG's definitely existed then (not on "shine on" period-that interview was 1985), I bought a set of them myself in 1982 (1st year they came out-25 years ago) , didn't much care for them tho, didn't like having a battery in my guitar for one thing..just seemed so..un-natural?..I dunno...went back to passives, my memory isn't good enough to keep up with batteries, esp at my age (lol)..

Gilmour has always been in the habit of modding his guitars and equipment, I think you'll find that much of it doesn't stay "stock" very long.

Still think the Trilogys would do it though, and then some.

Kilby · « **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2007, 07:04:21 PM »

Gilmours only really used the emgs during the late 80s to early 90s, to stop issues with interferance during live shows (apparently).

During the "about face" tour (83 or 84) they where definately passives (I was about 5 feet from him). In late 90 (or early 91) he was using regular pickups in a gig he played in the Hackney Empire.

On the Division Bell and Momentary lapse albums he seemed to go for a thicker tone, which may have come from using steinbergers during the recording process.

For the 'on an island' tour was using his (original) old duncan rewound fenders, in the black strat again. He was quoted as saying that the improved screening of stage equipment allowed him to go back to them.

As for which pickups I would tend to say Mothers Milks (or Apaches), there are several other discussions on this subject, but the MMs seem to be the most common reccomendation.

Rob...

I notice here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gilmour#Guitars that he has a switch to combine the neck & bridge pickups.