Charlie Burchill

Simple Minds guitarist Charlie Burchill has been the only constant alongside vocalist Jim Kerr since the band’s inception in 1977. Early experimental albums saw Burchill play violin, keys and sax, but by 1981’s breakthrough single Love Song Burchill had found himself a classy white Gibson 335. Soon afterwards, he graduated to his trademark 1962 Gretsch White Falcon. Even now on the latest album, Big Music, the Falcon is to the fore, as is his trademark echo-soaked sound. ‘I love effects,’ Burchill confirms. ‘I’m old school. I love Space Echoes, the Roland CE-1 chorus and the Echoplex.

In this pic, Burchill is seen playing what it seems to be a LP traditional with a Bigsby bridge.

"It's called the 'Charlie Burchill'," he beamed, "It is perfect for me. I was a Strat fan for years and I even bought a 1964 Strat today, but Ibanez make their guitars a million times better. They're really innovative and technically they are great guitars, like the intonation is perfect. This company has got a lot of clout, and a lot of freedom to do things. They can get out in the market and they can do it really cheap too. They're always much cheaper than Gibsons and Fenders."

"Here's a shot of Charlie Burchill's (of Simple Minds) studio rig... recording currently in the UK. Note the plethora of Fulltone pedals... an OCD, Supa-Trem, Tube Tape Echo, DéjaVibe2 and a Clyde wah."

"Here's a shot of Charlie Burchill's (of Simple Minds) studio rig... recording currently in the UK. Note the plethora of Fulltone pedals... an OCD, Supa-Trem, Tube Tape Echo, DéjaVibe2 and a Clyde wah."

"Here's a shot of Charlie Burchill's (of Simple Minds) studio rig... recording currently in the UK. Note the plethora of Fulltone pedals... an OCD, Supa-Trem, Tube Tape Echo, DéjaVibe2 and a Clyde wah."

"Here's a shot of Charlie Burchill's (of Simple Minds) studio rig... recording currently in the UK. Note the plethora of Fulltone pedals... an OCD, Supa-Trem, Tube Tape Echo, DéjaVibe2 and a Clyde wah."

According to Fulltone's pedalboard photo, Burchill's rig contained the white Boss TU-12H tuner.

According to Fulltone's website, Burchill's studio rig contained the Morley ABY footswitch.

According to Fulltone's website, Burchill used the Electro-Harmonix Green Big Muff Pi.

According to Fulltone's website, Burchill's studio rig contained TC Electronic G-System.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the TC Electronic Alter Ego X4.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Strymon TimeLine.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Analogman Bi-Chorus.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the TC Electronic Polytune.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Fulltone OF-2 Octafuzz pedal.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Origin Cali76 Compact Deluxe.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Boss CE-2 chorus pedal.

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the things that can be seen is the Gig Rig G2 switching system.

Charlie Burchill's (Simple Minds) pedalboard, built by Jake at The Gig Rig, containing a Boss Vibrato, seen in the background behind the Alter Ego.

"Here's a shot of Charlie Burchill's (of Simple Minds) studio rig... recording currently in the UK. Note the plethora of Fulltone pedals... an OCD, Supa-Trem, Tube Tape Echo, DéjaVibe2 and a Clyde wah."

In this photo of his new "GigRig" pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Kingsley Page Tube Booster.