David Gilmour's 1969 Fender Stratocaster
Musician
David Gilmour
(English, born 1945)
Maker
Fender
(American, founded 1946)
Date1969
ClassificationsMusic
DescriptionDavid Gilmour's 1969 Fender Stratocaster, known as "The Black Strat." The guitar features a later 1983 neck and later serial number stamped on neckplate: 38979. With hardshell case inscribed "Fender Stratocaster "The" Black #38979." The Black Strat has been fitted with various pickups, switches, inputs, pickguards, tailpieces and tuners and undergone no less than six different neck changes. All these alterations were performed in an endeavor to achieve the dynamics in tonal quality and playability required by David Gilmour at the time. The extensively modified guitar has become a legend in its own right.
This guitar appeared on every Pink Floyd album from 1970 to 1983, and all four of Gilmour’s solo albums to 2019. It's distinctive tone can be heard on the band's seminal album The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973), as well as follow-up albums Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979), forming the four cornerstones of the classic-era Pink Floyd. Gilmour first played it live during Pink Floyd’s 1970 Bath Festival performance.
The guitar is accompanied by an original sales invoice from Seymour Duncan MFG. to David "Gilmore" [sic] for three custom pickups, dated 27th June 1979, an original sales invoice from Charvel Manufacturing to Pink Floyd for seven birdseye maple 22 fret Strat necks, dated 25th January 1982, a letter from Dave Storey of American Precision Metal Works regarding the Kahler tremolo, dated 27th June 1983, a facsimile copy of a letter from Steve Routhier at the Hard Rock Cafe regarding the loan of the guitar, dated 5th August 1986, and two facsimile transmissions on David Gilmour Music Limited headed stationery regarding the return of the guitar from the Hard Rock Cafe, dated 6th May and 7th June 1997.
David Gilmour (b. 1946) rose to fame as Pink Floyd’s guitarist and vocalist, joining the band shortly before the departure of original frontman Syd Barrett in 1967.
Gilmour’s distinctive playing style features large textures, timely solos, and ambient richness that propelled Pink Floyd into one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Pink Floyd were pioneers of the 1960s British psychedelia movement before transitioning to a more progressive rock sound in the 1970s. They became known for their sophisticated live shows and experimental sounds.
Their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon is one of the best-selling albums of all time. It has sold more than 45 million copies and spent a total of 962 weeks on the Billboard top album chart.
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