Pink Floyd – The Wall

This has been David’s main guitar for many years now. He bought it at Manny’s guitar store in New York, in May 1970 during Pink Floyd’s North American tour, because he needed a new guitar after his old one was stolen along with the rest of Pink Floyd’s rig just couple of weeks earlier. This guitar has gone through many modifications. At this moment it is fitted with the Fender 1983 C shape maple neck, 1971 Fender pickups in the neck and middle, and a SSL-1C (SSL-5 Prototype) in the bridge. Original white pickguard has been replaced with a black one, and the body which is from 1969 has been repainted black (originally sunburst). The 3-way pickup switch has been replace with 5-way switch. Here’s a short interview with David Gilmour featuring his Black Strat (www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVjFJFEQ_OU). In the mid '80s David replaced all his strats with Fender 1957 reissue models. He donated this particular guitar to Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas where it was on display until 1997 when David requested it back. It was refitted by his technician Charlie Chandler, and David used it ever since it has been played for the first time upon repair at Pink Floyd reunion in 2005. Pink Floyd’s technician Phil Taylor wrote a book about David’s iconic Black Stratocaster. You can check it here (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423492706/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1423492706&linkCode=as2&tag=ground09-20).

https://www.gilmourish.com/?page_id=66

This ’55 Esquire was used on the recording of David’s first solo album, and on the “The Wall” recording sessions. It has a custom fitted neck pickup which was installed by Seymour Duncan – who sold this guitar to David in the first place. David nicknamed this guitar “The Workmate” because of its worn color.

Mentioned by guitar tech Phil Taylor in this September 1994 Guitar World interview (one of a trio from the same issue).

GW: How many guitars does he use during the course of a performance?

PT: About seven. In addition to his Strats, he uses a Telecaster tuned to a drop-D for "Run Like Hell," two mid-Eighties Gibson J-200 acoustics -- one tuned to standard pitch and the other tuned to D,A,D,G,A,D for "Poles Apart" -- a Chet Atkins electric-acoustic and two lap steels.

In 2019, Gilmour's 6120 was auctioned off for $100,000 as part of Christie's The David Gilmour Guitar Collection auction with the following item description:

THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, 1960/61 A HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, CHET ATKINS 6120 Inlaid at the headstock Gretsch and labeled internally THE FRED. / GRETSCH / MFG.Co. / 60 Broadway / Brooklyn (11), N.Y. / Model no. 6120, Serial No. 39884 / MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS SINCE 1883, Gretsch and applied at the pickguard, along with Chet Atkins, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH 6120 #39884 and SERIAL NO. DG1066; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the sales invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour, dated 15th December 1979 Length of back 20 5/8 in. (52.5 cm.)

David Gilmour purchased this 6120 from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar, Ventura, California, in December 1979, during a brief interlude between completing final recording and mixing sessions for the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall at Producer's Workshop in Los Angeles in November 1979 and beginning rehearsals for the upcoming The Wall Tour in January 1980. Gilmour kept this guitar for studio use.

David has been using this since 1978 when he was recording for The Wall. Even to this day, you can spot the Yamaha in his rig to add the Doppler Effect to his sound.

David Gilmour's connection with GHS Boomers series goes back to 1979, when he started using them on Pink Floyd's "The Wall" project. He uses gauges 010-012-016-028-038-048 on his Fender Stratocaster and gauges 010 1/2-013-017-030-040-050 on his Gibson Les Paul . Decide for yourself which is right for you!

From 1964 to now, the GHS Boomers series has been the flagship set of GHS Strings. Used by musicians in every genre, the Boomers have shown to stand up to any playing style. Now known as "The Power String", GHS Boomers continue to make their mark on music across the world. The roundwound guitar set is made with Nickel-Plated steel wrapped tightly around a round core wire. The combination provides the string with its bright characteristic and long-lasting tone.

Introducing our brand new NitroPack singles! Each single string is sealed in a nitrogen environment, eliminating all oxygen, in a tear-resistant package. Whether you use one string or the whole set, the NitroPack guarantees straight from the factory freshness!

ABOUT GHS STRINGS

GHS Strings are manufactured in a state-of-the-art, climate controlled facility using precision equipment and only the purest of materials. The air-tight Fresh Pack locks in factory freshness that endures the test of time and locks out corrosion. When you buy GHS strings you get quality, consistency, lasting intonation and superbly harmonious sound!

GHS Strings - The String Specialists since 1964.

GB-DGG Set (Red): 010 1/2-013-017-DY30-DY40-DY50

David Gilmour used the Pete Cornish Board V3, known as "The Wall Board," during the recording sessions for "The Wall," as detailed on Gilmourish.

David Gilmour replaced his Uni-Vibe in 1974 and used it up until 1976 when he later switched to the Yamaha rotary and electric mistress in 1977. He would use it later on in live shows whenever he played shine on you crazy diamond

From the source article: "A MXR Phase 90 was also connected with send/returns during summer 1974."

The black Strat as it looked in 1976 following Gilmour’s substitution of the black DiMarzio FS-1 pickup. He added the neck with rosewood fretboard in June 1972, replacing the original maple neck.

According to this article, Richard Wright and other members of Pink Floyd used a Yamaha CP70 Electric Grand Piano in The Wall live shows.

Full article here.

The Quadra is mentioned on the synth notes for The Wall.

Roger's rig for the Wall recording sessions at Britannia Row (1979) included Fender Bassman 50 amp with a matching 2x15" speaker cabinet (while for the Los Angeles sessions he used an early '60s Ampeg B18N blue Portaflex with 18" bass driver). [...] The Bassman 50 model with silverface piggyback head that Roger Waters had during the Wall sessions in London, was manufactured by Fender between 1972 - 1977. It featured 50-watt RMS power with 110-watt peak music power, dual channels with separate control on each, "deep" switch in bass channel and "bright" switch in normal channel.