Gilmour, Guitars & Gear
Guest Session Work 1978-89
In this column, I'll be examining Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's gear and playing techniques from a musician's point of view. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions and ideas for future articles if you feel you have an idea that readers of Spare Bricks might find of interest. Past articles are now posted at http://web.tampabay.rr.com/richm/sbarchive.htm
In this issue, I will elaborate on some of David Gilmour's guest session work from 1978 to 1989 with a listing of all known equipment for each recording session or appearance as a guest musician.
In sessions on October 3, 1978, for Paul McCartney's 1979 release Back to the Egg, Gilmour used his 1955 Fender Esquire on the track "Rockestra Theme". Gilmour also appears on the track "So Glad To See You Here", where he used his #0001 serial number 1954 Fender Stratocaster.
In a live appearance with the "Guitar Greats," on November 30, 1984, Gilmour played an unusual red Stratocaster, with a rosewood fretboard, that included various knobs and switches.
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During Live Aid, on July 13, 1985, Gilmour appeared with Bryan Ferry's band. He used a sunburst Strat during the first song but experienced a power failure. When the power returned, in the middle of the song, Gilmour was playing a candy apple red 1957 re-issue Strat with EMG-SA pickups and EXG and SPC tone controls. A Fender amplifier was also used during this performance.
As a guest artist with Pete Townshend's Deep End, Gilmour used his candy apple red 1957 re-issue Stratocaster with Fender amplifiers in 1985 band rehearsals and on a television appearance on Channel 4 TV in the U.K. on October 11, 1985.
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In a performance to benefit the Columbian Volcano Relief Fund, on February 9, 1986, Gilmour used a blonde 1957 re-issue Stratocaster during the first song, "Run Like Hell". Gilmour played a Yamaha synthesizer to simulate the sound of a piano for the song, "Out of the Blue." Gilmour's set concluded with "Comfortably Numb." This song was played with a Charvel Stratocaster style guitar. The guitar included a single EMG white humbucking pickup.
In a concert staged at the Palladium in New York on March 28, 1987, to benefit Amnesty International, Gilmour appeared with Kate Bush to perform the song "Running Up That Hill". For this appearance, Gilmour played a white Steinberger guitar, with the standard square body shape and three single coil pickups.
During a break in Pink Floyd's tour for A Momentary Lapse of Reason, Gilmour appeared on Saturday Night Live in New York City and performed the song "Ah, Robertson, It's You!" with G.E. Smith and the Saturday Night Live band. Gilmour used a black stratocaster shaped Steinberger guitar with three single coil pickups. A pair of Seymour Duncan amplifiers were used for this performance.
In a tribute to Les Paul, Gilmour appeared at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in the Majestic Theater on August 18, 1988. Gilmour used his 1957 re-issue candy apple red Strat during a blues jam with Les Paul and during the next to last song, "Blue Suede Shoes".
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A camera operator from MTV Europe was allowed into the studio as Gilmour recorded guitar overdubs for his appearance on Paul Young's song "Heaven Can Wait" in April 1989. Gilmour played a Dakota blue Fender Stratocaster with a 22-fret maple neck. The guitar also included the EMG pickup setup. Gilmour's Hiwatt SA-212 combo amp (50 watts with two 12-inch speakers) can be seen in the background behind him.