Mdou Moctar

Specified in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview.

What were the main guitars used on Afrique Victime? How would you describe their sound and character?

“It’s hard for me to answer this question. I don't really know [the terminology]. I definitely can say that I have a white Standard Stratocaster for the electric parts. And then I have this other acoustic guitar, which I bought in New York, but I can't for the life of me remember it because it's got very weird name! And that's the one I use for Layla. For the song, Layla and Tala Tannam.”

[At this point we hit the limit of our combined abilities in communicating the terminology across the language barrier and agree to get an email update on his gear list, which you can check out on the right]

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Specified in this May 19, 2021 Music Radar interview. Moctar's first time playing it is documented in this November 7, 2019 video by Chicago Music Exchange.

What were the main guitars used on Afrique Victime? How would you describe their sound and character?

“It’s hard for me to answer this question. I don't really know [the terminology]. I definitely can say that I have a white Standard Stratocaster for the electric parts. And then I have this other acoustic guitar, which I bought in New York, but I can't for the life of me remember it because it's got very weird name! And that's the one I use for Layla. For the song, Layla and Tala Tannam.”

[At this point we hit the limit of our combined abilities in communicating the terminology across the language barrier and agree to get an email update on his gear list, which you can check out on the right]

Guitars: (white) left-handed Fender American Strat, (black) left-handed Fender American Strat, CME (Blue) left-handed Fender Jaguar

Amps: 2x Roland JC-120s (a Boss DD-6 is used for a slight ping delay between the two)

Pedals: D'Addario CT-20, TC Electronic Polytune 2, Boss PH-3, Earthquaker Devices Acapulco Gold, Rocktar Fuzz Pedal, Boss DD-6

Used on Funeral for Justice, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview. An image of Moctar with the guitar at Coachella 2024, taken by Frazer Harrison, is included.

What can you tell us about the guitars Mdou used on Funeral For Justice?

“Mdou used his American Professional series left-handed white Strat. We got this in 2018. It’s a newer American-made Strat with Lollar pickups and a Sustainiac pickup at the neck. He uses D’Addario NYXL 10s and doesn’t like the sound of new strings. I think the ones that were on the guitar for Funeral For Justice were two years old.”