NEW YORK, JUNE 20, 2019

David Gilmour performing at the Royal Albert Hall, London, 23rd

September 2015 for the ‘Rattle That Lock’ solo album tour. Photo
by Rune Hellestad/Corbis/Getty Images

IFC2
1
David Gilmour performing in concert at Circo Massimo, Rome,
Italy, 2nd July 2016 for the ‘Rattle That Lock’ solo album tour.
Photo by Roberto Panucci - Corbis/Getty Images.

2
 THURSDAY 20 JUNE 2019

AUCTION

Thursday 20 June 2019

at 10.00 am (Lots 1-127)

20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020

VIEWING

Friday 14 June 11.00 am - 4.00 pm

Saturday 15 June 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
Sunday 16 June 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm
Monday 17 June 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
Tuesday 18 June 11.00 am - 4.00 pm
Wednesday 19 June 11.00 am - 4.00 pm

AUCTIONEERS

Tash Perrin (#1039052)

Gemma Sudlow (#2016494)

Specified lots (sold and unsold) marked with a filled BIDDING ON BEHALF OF THE SELLER
square (■) not collected from Christie’s by 5.00pm on The auctioneer may, at his or her sole option, bid on behalf of the seller up to but not including the
the day of the sale will, at our option, be removed to
Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red amount of the reserve either by making consecutive bids or by making bids in response to other
Hook, Brooklyn). Christie’s will inform you if the lot bidders. The auctioneer will not identify these as bids made on behalf of the seller and will not
has been sent offsite. make any such bids at or above the reserve.
If the lot is transferred to Christie’s Fine Art Storage AUCTION LICENSE
Services, it will be available for collection after the These auctions feature
third business day following the sale. Christie’s (#1213717)
Please contact Christie’s Post-Sale Service 24 hours Bid live in Christie’s salerooms worldwide
in advance to book a collection time at Christie’s Fine AUCTION CODE AND NUMBER
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Services will be by pre-booked appointment only.
In sending absentee bids or making
enquiries, this sale should be referred
Please be advised that after 50 days from the auction to as GILMOUR–16980 Browse this auction and view
date property may be moved at Christie’s discretion.
Please contact Post-Sale Services to confirm the real-time results on the Christie’s
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Email: [email protected] Notices and Conditions of Sale set forth
View catalogues and leave bids online
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9/10/18

21/02/19

3
4
 CONTENTS

3 Auction Information

7 Specialists and Services for this Auction

16 Property for Sale

168 Conditions of Sale  •  Buying at Christie’s

Symbols used in this Catalog  •  Important Notices and

171
Explanation of Cataloguing Practice
172 Storage and Collection

177 Written Bids Form

SPECIAL NOTICES

Guitars are composite instruments fabricated with multiple

interchangeable parts and components. These include but are not
limited to necks, frets, tuners, pickguards, knobs, switches, pickups,
and potentiometers. The instruments in this sale have been used by
David Gilmour as tools of the trade for a professional musician. They
have often been altered to fit David Gilmour’s needs as an artist. These
alterations may include changes to the original manufactures parts
and finishes. Neither Christie’s nor the Seller warrant that any of the
instruments in this sale exist in their original state and are all sold “as
is.” Please review the back of the catalogue for additional information
about warranties and other Conditions of Sale.

christies.com

5
6
SPECIALISTS AND SERVICES FOR THIS AUCTION

NEW YORK

GEMMA SUDLOW KERRY KEANE ELIZABETH SEIGEL MICHELLE RUSINEK CHARLOTTE SVETKEY
Vice President Musical Instruments Associate Vice President Project Coordinator Coordinator
Head of Private & Iconic Consultant Specialist Private & Iconic Collections Private & Iconic Collections
Collections Private & Iconic Collections

LONDON

JULIA DELVES BROUGHTON FLORA TURNBULL CAITLIN GRAHAM CAITLIN YATES TOBY WEATHERALL
Senior Director Associate Director Pop Culture Associate Specialist Sale Coordinator
UK Chairman’s Office UK Chairman’s Office Consultant Private & Iconic Collections Decorative Arts

Services ABSENTEE AND

TELEPHONE BIDS
INSURANCE
Tel: +1 212 484 4879
POST-SALE
SERVICES
Tel: +1 212 636 2437 Fax: +1 212 636 4957 Victoria Anderson
www.christies.com [email protected] Post-Sale Coordinator
Payment, Shipping and Collection
ENQUIRIES AUCTION RESULTS CATALOGUES ONLINE Tel: +1 212 636 2650
[email protected] www.christies.com Lotfinder ® Fax: +1 212 636 4939
www.christies.com Email: [email protected]

REGIONAL MANAGING
DIRECTOR
Christie’s is indebted to Mr. Phil Taylor
Lots denoted by • will be sold subject to no reserve. Sima Jalili
for his tireless assistance in answering
EMAIL our many inquiries while cataloguing this
HEAD OF SALE MANAGEMENT
First initial followed by last [email protected] collection. The specialists for this sale would
Nina Milbank
(e.g. Michelle Rusinek = [email protected]). also like to thank:
For general enquiries about this auction, emails
Jason Allen, Edward Ball, Dick Boak, Walter
should be addressed to [email protected]. Front cover: David Gilmour playing
Carter, Terry Foster, Richard Friedman,
‘The Black Strat’ for the ‘Live At Abbey
T.C. Furlong, George Gruhn, Grover Jackson, Road’ series, 29th August 2006. Photo:
Martin Kelly, Mike Lewis, Shane Nicholas, Polly Samson
COPYRIGHT NOTICE John Peden, Richard Smith, Fred Stuart,
No part of this catalogue may be reproduced, stored in Paul Warnik, Laurence Wexer. Back cover: David Gilmour playing
a retrieval system or transmitted by any form or by any ‘The Black Strat’ with Pink Floyd live
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or at The Rainbow Theatre, London,
otherwise, without the prior written permission of Christie’s. Christie’s Photographers, Julio Leipnitz Jnr 4 November 1973. Courtesy of Jill
© Copyright, Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd. (2018) and Paul Knight Furmanovsky Archive

7
 David Gilmour playing ‘The Black Strat’ with Pink Floyd
live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 4 November 1973.
Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive
8
In the history of 20th century rock music, few musicians loom as large as David Gilmour.
The frontman of Pink Floyd, Gilmour’s warm singing voice and electrifying guitar solos are instantly
recognizable and have inspired audiences for over fifty years. Despite all of his success and
accolades—from selling hundreds of millions of albums to being named one of the greatest guitarists
of all time by Rolling Stone—Gilmour has only ever been in it for the music. When asked in 2015 who
David Gilmour is, the musician simply replied, “Someone who has spent his life driven more by music
than anything else.”

Grantchester Meadows

David Gilmour was born just outside Cambridge, England in 1946 to Douglas, a zoology lecturer, and
Sylvia Gilmour, who would become a film editor for the BBC. “Cambridge was a great place to grow
up,” Gilmour remembers. “It’s a town dominated by education so you’re surrounded by bright people,
but then it also has this rural heart that spreads practically to the centre.” He grew up with the radio
playing at the family home and got into rock ‘n’ roll at an early age, buying records such as Bill Haley’s
“Rock Around the Clock”, Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love”
in the late 1950s. Gilmour first picked up a guitar in his early teens, when he borrowed an instrument
from a next-door neighbour. He taught himself to play using Pete Seeger’s Guitar Tutor record and
its accompanying instruction manual. “The first lesson was learning to tune the guitar”, Gilmour
recalled, “Those elementary lessons were so useful.”

 In 1962, Gilmour began studying Modern Languages at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts

and Technology. There he met up again with Syd Barrett, a fellow Cantabrigian and soon-to-be
co-founder of Pink Floyd, who was studying art at the Cambridge School of Art which was part of
the same college. Gilmour never finished his A-level exams, but pursued music instead, joining local
groups including the Newcomers and Jokers Wild. “[David] had an old Burns guitar and a crappy
amp,” laughed Ken Waterson, Gilmour’s bandmate in the Newcomers. “But you could see he’d got it
even then; he was bloody good.” In late 1967, Gilmour was approached to join Pink Floyd, replacing
Syd Barrett as the co-founder’s health declined. Gilmour accepted and the band moved into its
second, iconic iteration—a quartet featuring David Gilmour on guitar and vocals, Roger Waters on
bass and vocals, Rick Wright on keyboards and Nick Mason on drums.

 “Astral Wanderings”

 At just 21 years old, Gilmour was catapulted into the London psychedelic scene. He would help
complete Pink Floyd’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, but still felt like a new recruit. “I was a
little on the outside of it all,” he remembered. At the time, Pink Floyd’s intergalactic sound was a far
cry from the blues-driven pop and rock ‘n’ roll that Gilmour was more accustomed to. “It was abstract
music, not so song-oriented,” said Phil Manzanera, the guitarist for Roxy Music and a future Gilmour
collaborator. “You have to remember a lot of people were lying down to listen to this stuff. It was a
chill-out experience.” Pink Floyd would continue to remain singular in their experimentation with
sounds and instruments, wild visual effects during live shows, humour and insularity—the band

9
 David Gilmour on stage during a sound check at Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands, 5th April 1984.
Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns/Getty Images

rarely spoke to the press and were last pictured on an album cover in 1969. Gilmour would play,
compose and sing on all of Pink Floyd’s 60s and 70s albums, including More, Ummagumma, Atom
Heart Mother, Meddle, and Obscured by Clouds, as did Roger Waters, who focused increasingly
on writing lyrics and dreaming up big-picture ideas. This inspired working partnership, which
fused Gilmour’s and Waters’ complementary skills, refined the group’s sense of identity during
these early years. “We were looking for something,” Gilmour recalled. “During that whole period,
through Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother, we were beginning to find it. ‘Echoes’, [on Meddle],
was the point at which we really began to find our focus.” It was during this period, in May 1970,
when Gilmour purchased his signature black Fender Stratocaster, known as ‘The Black Strat’,
an instrument he would modify and play for many years, including on some of Pink Floyd’s most
quintessential albums and live performances such as Money, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, and the
legendary solo on Comfortably Numb.

Superstardom

By late 1972, the members of Pink Floyd were starting on their next album, The Dark Side of the
Moon, an epic treatise on the anxieties of life in the modern world. Roger Waters lyrical concept for
the album helped to propel the group into the realm of global stardom. The Dark Side of the Moon is
perhaps the most successful concept album in rock history, and its prism-and-rainbow cover art by
longtime Pink Floyd design collaborators Hipgnosis remains iconic. “It was such a brilliant concept,”
said Gilmour of the album design. “I remember the first time I saw a display of the covers pinned up in
a record shop window. I thought it looked amazing.”

While Waters came up with the lyrical concept of the album, Gilmour fully came into his own as an
artist on The Dark Side of the Moon, producing searing guitar solos while infusing the music with his
signature warmth. “[Gilmour’s] presence is all over the album,” affirms critic and rock historian Mark
Blake, citing the guitarist’s sunny vocals, virtuosity on the guitar and his inclusion of soul influences,
which are most apparent on the hit track “Money.”

Pink Floyd would continue dominating the charts throughout the 70s on albums such as Wish
You Were Here, Animals and The Wall, all products of the Gilmour-Waters writing partnership. As
well as co-producing all of Pink Floyd’s albums from Atom Heart Mother onward, Gilmour further
demonstrated his masterful instincts on guitar on these releases, creating exhilarating solos,
including those on iconic tracks such as “Money”, “Wish You Were Here” and “Dogs.” “It really is
just [Gilmour’s] fingers, his vibrato, his choice of notes and how he sets his effects,” said Gilmour’s
longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor on the guitarist’s unique sound. “In reality, no matter how
well you duplicate the equipment you will never be able to duplicate the personality and the sound.”

10
Manny’s, the Midtown Landmark on Music Row since 1935,
where David Gilmour purchased ‘The Black Strat’ in May
1970. Photo Credit: Anthony G. Moore/GLOBE Photo
11
 Soundcheck from Pompeii Amphitheatre July 7th 2016.
Photo by Anna Wloch.
12
During this time, Gilmour also released an eponymous solo album and jump- started the career of the
then-unknown teenage singer Kate Bush by facilitating her record contract and producing tracks for
her first album. Despite his monumental professional success, Gilmour was firmly rooted in his love
of the music. “Gilmour had this everyman quality about him,” remembers music journalist Nick Kent.
“Totally unpretentious.”

Pink Floyd’s last album featuring Gilmour and Waters together was 1983’s The Final Cut, but Gilmour
would go on to helm the group’s later albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, The Division Bell and
The Endless River with original band members Nick Mason and Richard Wright. As the members
of Pink Floyd grew older, their fan base expanded as younger fans discovered their music: for their
tours in the 80s and 90s, the band would often play for several generations of families, a testament to
their staying power and multi-generational appeal. In addition to the later Floyd albums, Gilmour has
produced four solo albums and appeared as a guest musician for friends, such as Paul McCartney
and Roy Harper, donating his musicians’ fees to charity. Pink Floyd was inducted into The Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and The UK Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, after a reunion show with
the iconic line-up of Gilmour, Waters, Mason and Wright for Live 8 the same year. The group remains
beloved by generations of fans and critics alike, celebrated as the most inventive, ambitious and
enigmatic band of the 20th century. In 2017, the Victoria & Albert Museum staged the exhibition Pink
Floyd: Their Mortal Remains. The show became the most popular music exhibition in the museum’s
history, garnering a fortnight-long extension in London to meet public demand and continuing to tour
around the world. Fittingly, an inflatable pig was flown over the museum during the exhibition, a witty
addition to the Knightsbridge skyline.

An English Arcadia

David Gilmour now lives with his family in Sussex. He spends time with his children, creating
music in his home studio and collaborating with Polly Samson on song writing. Gilmour seems
most relaxed and inspired in this bucolic setting, away from the public eye. “I’m a country boy at
heart”, he admits. In addition to making music, Gilmour has been quietly committed to a host of
charitable endeavors for a number of years, including initiatives on climate change, human rights,
and homelessness. In 2003, he sold his home in West London’s Little Venice and donated the £3.6
million proceeds to Crisis, a charity supporting the homeless in the UK, for which he serves as vice
president. Furthermore, Gilmour has played numerous benefit concerts, including ones for Amnesty
International, The Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and is a founding patron of
The Liberty Choir, a choral group for isolated individuals in prisons. The choir even performed on the
title track and single from his most recent solo album, Rattle That Lock. “I have visited and seen the
joy the Choir brings to the prisoners,” Gilmour says. “This program means more hope for them and
more hope for society when they come out.”

In 2003, Gilmour was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to music.

Music remains Gilmour’s passion and guiding light. He looks most at ease when playing a guitar,
whether at home with his family or playing to crowds of thousands on tour. “His emotional center
is musical,” affirms Polly Samson. For a man whom Rolling Stone has described as “the missing
link between Hendrix and Van Halen,” Gilmour is—and always has been—easygoing, reserved, and
focused on the music. When asked in 2015 about some of his favorite musical memories, his answer
was, revealingly, a Les Paul tribute concert in New York, where B.B. King asked him, “Hey boy, you
sure you wasn’t born in Mississippi?”

Alexandra Bass

13
 These guitars have been very good to me and many of them
have given me pieces of music over the years. They have paid
for themselves many times over, but it’s now time that they
moved on. Guitars were made to be played and it is my wish
that wherever they end up, they continue to give their owners
the gift of music. By auctioning these guitars I hope that I
can give some help where it is really needed and through my
charitable foundation do some good in this world. It will be a
wrench to see them go and perhaps one day I’ll have to track
one or two of them down and buy them back!

14
 Portrait of David Gilmour, UK, circa 2010.
Photo by Eamonn McCabe/Redferns/Getty

15
16
~■1
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1966 the white Strat was stolen along with Gilmour’s frst black Stratocaster,
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER purchased only weeks before at Manny’s Music in New York. Having already
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH replaced the black Stratocaster in May 1970 on his way home from the US,
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / pat. 2,741,146 3,143,028 / ORIGINAL / Contour Gilmour purchased this guitar, his second white Stratocaster, in a second-
/ Body / patented, the neckplate stamped 237668 and F logo, originally hand shop in England in summer 1970. With a similar rosewood neck to his
white now with a later natural fnish, with later hardshell case bearing a label frst white Strat, the guitar had been hand painted in white over its original
inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER NATURAL (WHITE) ROSEWOOD white fnish.
#237668 '7' STEREO M/U's 60's; accompanied by four facsimile pages of After removing the pickup covers, Gilmour used the guitar for a
instructions for the Dawson Stereophonic pickup and a color photograph by performance with Pink Floyd at the Pop Deux Festival de St. Tropez in the
Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing this guitar at home in January 2012 South of France on 8th August 1970. Gilmour can be seen playing the
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) guitar in footage of both the sound check and full concert, recorded for
French television show Pop Deux. The band’s 50-minute set included the as
$10,000-15,000
yet unreleased Atom Heart Mother and The Embryo, along with Astronomy
LITERATURE: Domine, Cymbaline, Green Is The Colour, Careful With That Axe, Eugene
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun. The majority of the footage
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 26. was included on the CD/DVD/Blu-ray package The Early Years 1970 Devi/
ation, released in March 2017. Photographer Jean Gaumy also captured
Gilmour playing the 1966 Stratocaster during Pink Floyd’s performance
Although David Gilmour’s frst electric guitar was a Fender Telecaster that to an audience of 500,000 people at the Fête de L'Humanité, Bois de
his parents had bought him for his 21st birthday, he had always lusted after Vincennes, Paris, on 12th September 1970 – Pink Floyd’s largest single
the Stratocaster, telling us I loved Fender Stratocasters, I loved Hank Marvin concert attendance to date.
playing the Fender Stratocaster… The Stratocaster was my boyhood dream
At some point in the early 1970s, Gilmour personally stripped the guitar
guitar and sometimes it’s hard to wean yourself of that sort of thing.
back to its natural wood fnish at his fat on London’s Old Brompton Road,
When David Gilmour frst joined Pink Floyd in January 1968, the band after which it was ftted with Dawson Stereophonic pickups in 1976 and
bought him his frst Fender Stratocaster, a late sixties model in white kept for studio use. Gilmour particularly liked the sound of the middle
fnish with a rosewood neck. Towards the end of Pink Floyd’s 1970 US tour, pickup on this guitar.

David Gilmour performing at the Fête de l’Humanité, Paris, September 1970. Photo by Jean Gaumy © Magnum Photos

17
Workman fitting a guitar neck to the body in the C.F. Martin & Co.
workshops circa 1948, credit C.F. Martin & Co. Archives
18
C.F. MARTIN AND COMPANY
The 186 year history of Martin Guitars begins in Markneukirchen, Germany Ditson's demise in 1931, Martin began producing D-series guitars under their
with the birth of Christian Frederick Martin in 1796. Born into a family of own name, in response to musicians' demands for louder instruments. It is
guitar and cabinetmakers Christian Frederick was sent to Vienna at age 15 believed that two experimental D-1s of mahogany and seven D-2’s of rosewood
to apprentice with celebrated luthier Johann Staufer. Upon returning to his were made that year before committing to the formal model designation of the
native Saxon he found himself embroiled in a bitter dispute between two D-18 and D-28 we know today.
competing Guilds. The Cabinet Makers Guild who were the traditional makers
C.F. Martin and Company records show that on 17th September 1931 a Shop
of guitars in Germany were being challenged by the powerful Violinmakers
Order, number 1100, was processed and work began on two guitars - serial
Guild for the right to produce guitars. Though successful in defending his
number 48324, a D-18, and serial number 48325, a D-28. This instrument
right to make guitars, Christian Frederick felt that the restrictive guild system
would be the frst Martin guitar manufactured oficially as a D-28 and the
bridled his opportunities and creative process in Germany.
only one made in 1931. Four would be produced in 1932, twelve in 1933 and
In 1833 he emigrated to the United States and set up his frst workshop on twenty-four in 1934, before the market would favor the 14-fret models. The
Hudson Street in New York’s Lower West Side. Here he plied his trade for Dreadnought became an almost instant success among performing guitarists
fve years before moving his family and business to the pastoral setting of despite some reservations by Frederick and Frank Henry Martin. During the
Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The rolling hills of the Pennsylvania countryside must height of the Depression it would outsell all other models made by The Martin
have suited Martin, for it was here in the 1850s, unfettered by the German Company, except for the budget priced O-17. The fact that a majority of guitar
Guilds, that he was fully able to express his artisanship. The most enduring makers employ a Dreadnought model to this day is a testament to its success
contribution to the luthier’s art came about at this period with his innovation as an outline in acoustic guitar design.
of the “X” bracing pattern for the top of a guitar. This bracing system is
By 1965 C.F. Martin had experienced a 32% increase in production totals in
responsible for the extraordinary tonal quality of Martin instruments. This
just fve years, a growth pattern that would continue over the next eight years.
system proved to be the perfect balance of mass and material allowing the top
Among the model line of guitars produced by Martin, it was the demand
to vibrate to its fullest potential. It later proved to be integral with the use of
from customers and orders for the Dreadnought models that drove this
steel strings on guitars allowing the top to withstand the pressures they exert.
growth. These instruments required rosewood logs wide enough to mill-out
It would be embraced by the majority of guitar makers a century later, making
the traditional two-piece backs used on the big bodied D models. With a
the steel string guitar the choice for musicians of popular song.
diminishing resource of old growth Brazilian Rosewood, Frank Herbert Martin
Through the 150 plus years and seven generations of Martin Family leadership understood the biggest threat would soon be sourcing the materials to fll
this American guitar company produced a range of models and styles that the growing orders. The answer came from a new employee at C.F. Martin,
became the standard for all fat-top guitar design. Their work infuenced a named Bob Johnson. He suggested that Dreadnought guitars could be made
generation of American Post War makers in both design and construction with three narrower billets of rosewood joined to make the width required
techniques. These instruments gave an indelible voice to all genres of music for the back and thus was born the model D-35. The seasoned luthiers in the
including rock and roll. Martin workshop understood that a three-piece back would be stifer than
a two-piece and could adversely afect the tonal quality Martin guitars were
THE MARTIN DREADNOUGHT OR "D" SIZE GUITAR
relished for. Through a considerable amount of experimentation, the luthiers
As early as 1917 the C.F. Martin Company was producing “extra-large” bodied compensated for the stifer back with alterations to thicknesses and bracing;
guitars for the Boston publishing house of Oliver Ditson, which were sold by incorporating the bracing pattern and dimensions for the smaller OOO size
bearing the Ditson name. They came in three styles: the 111, 222, and 333. guitars on the back of the D-35, and yet smaller bracing from an OO for the
Christened the Dreadnought, it got its name from the class of large battleships new model’s top, they solved the potential problem. The result was a distinctly
deployed by the British Navy at the beginning of the 20th Century. These frst new sounding Dreadnought guitar that was quickly embraced by players. The
Dreadnought guitars, constructed by Martin, were made with mahogany back D-35 was so well received that it began to outsell the D-28, which was C.F.
and sides, similar to today's Style 18s, and ftted with a 12-fret neck. After Martin’s most popular model at the time.

CF Martin house: C.F. Martin & Company’s Old North Street factory, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, circa 1933

19
~■2
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 1969 DAVID GILMOUR’S PRIMARY STUDIO ACOUSTIC GUITAR SINCE 1971
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, D-35
Often cited as David Gilmour’s favorite guitar, his Martin D-35 stands out as
Branded internally C.F. MARTIN & Co. / NAZARETH. PA. MADE IN U.S.A. the most signifcant acoustic in the collection and, it could be argued, one
D-35 / 244869, the headstock bearing the logo C.F. Martin & Co / EST. 1833, of the most important guitars in the collection as a whole. Purchased circa
with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed MARTIN D35 SN/244869; 1971 from a musician who was hawking his guitar on the street outside the
accompanied by the original pickguard, a facsimile copy of a receipt for repairs famed Manny’s Music on Manhattan’s West 48th Street, where Gilmour had
carried out by by Chandler Guitars, Kew, Richmond, dated 8th January 2003, a purchased his Black Strat only the year before, the D-35 has served as the
facsimile copy of a repairs invoice from Knight Guitars, Surrey, to Mr. Gilmour, primary studio acoustic for both Pink Floyd and Gilmour’s solo recordings
dated 16th April 2010, two color photographs by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour since late 1971. Asked by Guitar Player magazine in 2003 which of his guitars
playing this guitar at Abbey Road Studios in 1975 and his Astoria houseboat has the most songs attached to it, Gilmour replied I guess it would be my
studio in 1993, and a color screenshot of Gilmour playing the guitar at his Martin D-35. I used it on Wish You Were Here, and I've been using it ever since.
Astoria studio in 2005 [not illustrated]
Length of back 198 in. (50.6 cm.) Although used during writing and pre-production for The Dark Side of
the Moon in London from November 1971, the guitar was frst seen in the
$10,000-20,000 recording studio during sessions for the 1972 soundtrack album Obscured by
Clouds. Following their successful soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder’s More
LITERATURE:
in 1969, Schroeder asked Pink Floyd to compose an atmospheric soundtrack
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender to his new movie La Vallée. Unusually for the band, the music was written
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 68. and recorded over an intensive two-week period at Michel Magne's Chateau

David Gilmour recording for the album Obscured by Clouds, 1972 at Michel Magne’s Chateau d’Hérouville studios near Paris. Image by JD Mahn/Pink Floyd Music Ltd.

20
d’Hérouville studios near Paris between February and March
1972. Numerous studio photographs taken by Jean-Denis Mahn
documented the sessions, many of which were featured on the CD/
DVD/Blu-ray package The Early Years 1972 Obfusc/ation, and clearly
show the Martin D-35 as a key instrument in the development
of the album, with both David Gilmour and Roger Waters writing
and recording on the guitar. On the fnal record, the acoustic can
be heard on the tracks Wot’s… Uh The Deal, Childhood’s End and
Free Four. Although somewhat eclipsed by the soon to be released
The Dark Side of the Moon, Obscured by Clouds has been hailed as
some of Pink Floyd’s best work, and certainly one of their most truly
collaborative eforts.
Gilmour confrms that the guitar was present for writing purposes
during the recording sessions for the band’s 1973 masterpiece
The Dark Side of the Moon at London’s Abbey Road Studios
between May 1972 and January 1973, although no acoustic parts
were recorded for the fnal record. The D-35 has become most
readily identifed with the acoustic title track of Pink Floyd’s next
studio album Wish You Were Here, another concept album, built
around the theme of absence, and a worthy successor to the now
legendary The Dark Side of the Moon. Recorded intermittently
between January and July 1975 at London’s Abbey Road Studios,
the acoustic can be heard on the track Welcome To The Machine,
as well as the timeless Wish You Were Here, hailed by Rolling
Stone as the band’s most enduring composition. After playing the
famous intro and instrumental passages on his twelve string Martin
D12-28 (lot 11), Gilmour performs the song’s acoustic solos on the
D-35 and accompanies himself on lead vocals. Often considered
a tribute to founder member Syd Barrett, Gilmour admitted in the
2012 documentary The Story of Wish You Were Here that he never
plays the song without remembering Barrett. Gilmour’s attachment
to this guitar refects his afection for the song and album on
which it played such a key role –Wish You Were Here is cited as
Gilmour’s favorite Pink Floyd album, and the title track has become
an absolute staple of his live repertoire. In The Story of Wish You
Were Here, Gilmour mused that …because of its resonance and the
emotional weight it carries, it is one of our best songs.
Along with the band’s newly acquired Ovation Custom Legends,
the D-35 remained indispensable during recording sessions for
the 1977 Pink Floyd album Animals at their Britannia Row studio
in North London between October and December 1976. Gilmour
recalled I was still using the D-35 in the studio while we were using
the Ovations… I’m pretty sure I used the D-35 on Dogs on that album.
As such an instrumental studio guitar, Gilmour deemed the D-35
too precious to modify for touring purposes, explaining it was bought
to play on tour, but it hasn’t been out much lately. When we started
and when I frst used this guitar, we would use it on very quiet songs
which didn’t have electric backing so you could actually sit on a stool
and have a microphone on the guitar and a microphone for your voice
and you could achieve that. Of course, as soon as you’ve got the drums
and the bass playing, that gets very, very much harder and you have to
start converting instruments to have pickups of some sort. And some
of these ones, you just don’t want to muck about with them, you don’t
want to start digging away inside them and building pickups into these
guitars. Instead, the band began to rely on Ovations for touring due
to their built-in electronics and sturdiness.
With its originality intact, the D-35 was back in action when Pink
Floyd headed to Super Bear Studios in the South of France in April
1979 for the recording of their eleventh studio album The Wall,
moving to Producer’s Workshop in Los Angeles from September-
November 1979. Gilmour played acoustic parts on the Martin
for the tracks Mother and The Show Must Go On. The guitar was
subsequently used for the majority of the acoustic recordings
on Gilmour’s 1984 solo album About Face, after which the D-35
contributed some acoustic licks to the song Terminal Frost on Pink
Floyd’s 1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Although a
Gibson J-200 Celebrity was also utilized on the band’s 1994 album
The Division Bell, studio footage of Gilmour playing the D-35 on

21
David Gilmour recording for the album Obscured by Clouds, 1972, at Michel Magne’s
Chateau d’Hérouville studios near Paris. Image by JD Mahn/Pink Floyd Music Ltd.
22
board the Astoria in 1993, alongside band mates Nick Mason and Richard during recording of his 2015 solo album, Rattle That Lock, telling Guitar
Wright, afirms that the guitar remained vital to the writing and recording Player magazine in October 2015: I’m still using two diferent Martin guitars
of the album. In 2003, Gilmour recorded an acoustic version of Breathe on for my acoustic stuf, one of which is the same D-35 guitar that I used to
the D-35 at his Astoria houseboat studio for the Eagle Rock documentary record Wish You Were Here. As new guitar parts for the last Pink Floyd
Classic Albums: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon. album The Endless River were recorded simultaneously with Rattle That
Lock from 2013-2014, one could surmise that the D-35 would likely have
When returning to the studio in 2005 to record his frst solo album in 22
been used during these sessions also.
years, Gilmour turned to the Martin D-35 once again. When asked which
acoustic guitars featured on his 2006 album, On An Island, Gilmour told A faithful companion throughout his incredible writing and recording history,
Guitarist magazine: There’s a D-35 I’ve had for a very long time, which I Gilmour’s attachment to the guitar is clear. In April 2003, when asked by Sue
played on Wish You Were Here. That’s the same guitar I’m using on some Lawley on the long running BBC4 Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs what his
of these tracks. It’s great for strumming. Photographs taken by author and luxury ‘desert island’ item would be, Gilmour responded: Well to me it’s not
lyricist Polly Samson captured Gilmour strumming the guitar at Abbey a luxury, it’s an essential. I need to take my guitar with me, my acoustic Martin
Road Studios on 26th March 2005. Gilmour continued to use the D-35 D-35 guitar, because life is impossible without a guitar.

David Gilmour recording ‘On An Island’ in Studio 1, Abbey Road Studios, London, March 26, 2005. Photo by Polly Samson.

23
■3
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, CIRCA 1970
A VEGA 5-STRING BANJO
The headstock bearing the decal Vega and C.F. Martin & Co. / EST. 1833 as
well as internally on the pot, stamped 559, with later soft case; accompanied
by a candid color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this banjo in 2001
Diameter of the rim 11 in. (28 cm.)

$1,000-2,000

David Gilmour acquired this banjo in the early 1970s and kept it at home
for private use. Gilmour can be seen playing the banjo in the 2015 BBC
documentary David Gilmour: Wider Horizons.
Gilmour told us: I’ve always loved the 5-string banjo. I do like to learn a little
bit of everything. When you pick up an instrument that you really have no idea
how to play, it forces your hands to not go to familiar patterns that you’ve done
a thousand times before, so new pieces of writing sometimes come out of lack
of familiarity with the instrument that you’re on. Pieces of music just present
themselves usually.

4 No lot

24
DICK KNIGHT
Trained as a machinist and woodworker specializing in mill-work, Dick
Knight began his guitar-making career at the end of World War II.
Partnering with Joe Van Stratten they launched the short lived Stratten
Guitar company in Surrey that produced arch-top guitars for jazz
musicians. Because of the dificulties in obtaining materials in post
war England the business would cease operation by 1948. Returning to
mill-work, Knight continued to make and repair guitars part time until
1967 when he partnered with another guitar maker Gordon Wells to form
Knight Guitars. Together Wells and Knight would grow Knight Guitars to
be one of the preeminent British workshops specializing in both repairs
and restorations as well as the bespoke building of acoustic and electric
guitars for the English market. Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend and Andy
Fairweather-Low are among the many British guitarists who continue to
be fans of the work executed at Knight Guitars.

~■5
DICK KNIGHT, SURREY, 1969
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Bearing the logo Knight at the headstock, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed KNIGHT CUSTOM ACOUSTIC 1973? #NSN and
SERIAL NO. DG1082
Length of back 20⅜ in. (51.8 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

British luthier Dick Knight built this custom acoustic to David

Gilmour’s specifcations in 1969 for home and studio use. Gilmour
mentioned the guitar in an interview with DJ Bill Minkin for the US
radio show King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1978. When asked whether he
had any acoustic guitars in his collection, Gilmour replied: …a couple of
Martins, three or four Ovations and a custom-made one by Dick Knight.
According to Phil Taylor, Knight had also built Gilmour a custom body
for a double-neck Stratocaster around the same time, so that he
could play both normal guitar and slide on the same instrument. The
double-neck Strat was used on the North American leg of Pink Floyd’s
Dark Side of the Moon Tour in 1972, but later abandoned due to its
cumbersome size and weight.
David Gilmour told us: My friend Rado Klose, who is a couple of years
older than me, was a very early member of Pink Floyd (where he was
known as Bob Klose). When I was about twelve in the late ffties, he had
a Knight guitar which was an archtop F-hole jazz-type acoustic guitar. I
liked his guitar, and after I joined Pink Floyd in about 1969, I tracked down
the guy who built this guitar, Dick Knight. He had been a jazz guitarist of
some standing in his own right, but while he was working [as a machinist
and woodworker], he cut of all the fngers on his left hand, and after that
he couldn’t play anymore, but kept on building guitars. I found him in 1969
and asked him to make me a guitar because I had liked Rado’s one so
much. I travelled down to Addlestone in Surrey to meet him and give him
my specifcations.

25
GIBSON GUITARS
Orville Gibson, who in 1894 worked as a part-time shoe salesman and restaurant clerk in Kalamazoo, Michigan,
possessed a dual passion for music and woodworking. Although Gibson lacked any formal training as a luthier, it
was his creative thinking, at the nexus of these two passions, which convinced him that he had the means to greatly
improve guitar construction.
For over two hundred years, traditional guitar construction was based on a method of fabricating the instrument’s
sound box, commonly referred to as the body, from thin plates of wood for the top and back. These would be braced
internally so as to withstand the pressures exerted by the tension of the strings. Instead of following this formula,
Orville looked to the violin for inspiration. The tops and backs of violins are carved from thick stocks of wood, resulting
in an arched form. This arch is self-sustaining and, like those found in architecture, able to withstand both downward
and inward pressures. Applying this thinking to guitar and mandolin construction, Gibson created what we now know
as the arch-top guitar and carved topped mandolin. These instruments were louder and more durable than comparable
works of the time and were immediately successful with musicians. As such, the demand for Gibson’s instruments quickly
exceeded his ability to produce them. Without the capital to expand, Gibson sold his name and operation to a group of
Kalamazoo businessmen and with this, The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company was born.
Innovations in guitar design did not end with Orville Gibson’s departure in 1903 from the company he founded. When
we examine the history of Gibson as a company, we fnd they were relentless in pursuing new ideas. In 1921, Thaddeus
McHugh, a woodworker at the Kalamazoo factory, invented and put into production both the adjustable truss rod and
adjustable bridge. These advances made it possible to set and maintain the string height to perfectly ft the player’s
needs. A year later in 1922, the musician and Gibson acoustical engineer Lloyd Loar expanded on the original ideas of
Orville Gibson by adding the violin-style “f” holes on the tops of guitars and mandolins. The frst guitar of this design,
named the L-5, would prove itself a superior rhythm instrument when incorporated into the jazz bands of the 1920s. The
Jazz era produced an insatiable desire for guitars that could produce the loudest volume, due to the growing size of both
the performance venues and ensembles that played in them. The pinnacle of arch-top design was reached in 1924 with
Gibson’s introduction of the Super 400. Measuring a full 18 inches in width, it was the largest, loudest and most expensive
guitar Gibson had yet produced. Building on the momentum of these innovations, two years later Gibson achieved the
ultimate solution in maximizing the volume a guitar could produce.
In 1936 Gibson introduced the “Electric Spanish” guitar. The ES-150 was featured in the new 1937 catalogue and cost $150,
which included a matching amplifer. This guitar was essentially a standard Gibson arch-top ftted with a single magnetic
bar pickup. When the young jazz guitar virtuoso Charlie Christian frst “plugged in” with Benny Goodman’s orchestra, this
marked the moment when the guitar moved from the traditional rhythm section to solo and lead instrument. It would be
twenty years before the signifcance of this moment could fulfll its true potential, which burst forth in the form of the rock
and roll guitar.
The post-war years would see an explosion of innovation by Gibson, with much of it under the guidance of CEO Ted
McCarty. Gibson would refne its earlier guitar amplifcation methods with the development of the P-90 signal coil pickup
in 1946. Wound around Alnico magnets on a wider and shorter bobbin, the P-90 produced a warmer “jazzier” sound than
other single-coil pickups. With six adjustable poles positioned under each string, the tone and output could now be
adjusted and balanced for each separate guitar string.
In 1952 McCarty drove the development of Gibson’s frst solid-body electric guitar, the soon to be iconic Les
Paul Model. A year later McCarty designed the stud mounted combination bridge/tailpiece. Dispensing with
a trapeze style tailpiece and mounting the bridge directly into the guitar would increase the tonal sustain
of a solid-body guitar. By 1954 McCarty had perfected his idea for a bridge that allowed the intonation
for each string to be adjusted separately. Called the Tune-O-Matic it was designed to be mountable on
any type of guitar whether an archtop or a solid-body. By incorporating the ideas of Gibson’s Thaddeus
McHugh it allowed the string height to be adjustable and, when coupled with a fxed stud-tailpiece, the
results were phenomenal. This innovative bridge design was quickly incorporated on all upper-priced
Gibson guitars and has become the universal standard for all bridges on electric guitars to this day.

■6
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1973
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL
Inlaid at the headstock, Gibson, the later truss rod engraved STEREO, stamped to the
reverse 627909 MADE IN U.S.A., highly fgured bound maple body with sunburst fnish,
with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON LES PAUL SIGNATURE -
STEREO DUESENBERG TREM UNIT #627909; accompanied by operation and installation
instructions for the Dawson Stereophonic pickup, an order note from Pink Floyd to luthier
Roger Gifin dated 2nd February 1982 to ft the pickups and re-wire as diagram supplied, and
facsimile copies of two hand-drawn wiring diagrams on Astoria headed notepaper
Length of back 17⅛ in. (43.4 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

Purchased by David Gilmour from a guitar dealer on Denmark Street, London’s Tin Pan
Alley, in the mid-seventies, the instrument is one of a very small number of likely custom
ordered guitars made using the existing Les Paul Custom platform but incorporating a
highly fgured all maple body and a control cavity routing on the top rather than back.
This positioning of the cavity was only seen on Gibson’s Les Paul Recording model. Of an
equally rare and custom variant, Gibson had incorporated stereo circuitry on this specifc
instrument. Over the years, the guitar has undergone numerous alterations to accommodate
Gilmour’s changing requirements. These changes included upgraded electronics and
re-wiring to accommodate “full stereo performance” across its entire sonic spectrum.
RICKENBACKER
Founded in Los Angeles as the Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company
in 1925, Adolph Rickenbacher’s only experience with guitar making was
supplying the metal guitar bodies to the National String Instrument
Corporation. In 1931, he teamed up with inventor George Beauchamp to
produce Beauchamp’s design for electric guitars with the company name of
Electro String Instruments Corporation. These instruments were sold under
the brand name Rickenbacker, though the instruments were often labeled with
Adolph’s original German spelling of Rickenbacher.
The primary production prior to World War II was in Hawaiian lap steels, but
also included electric mandolins, string bass, violin and cellos, all employing
Beauchamp’s patented horseshoe magnet pickup.
In 1953 Adolph Rickenbacher sold the company to F.C. Hall of Radio-Tel who
were the exclusive wholesale distributer for Fender. Hall changed direction by
concentrating on the manufacturing of electric guitars and in 1962 renamed
Radio-Tel as Rickenbacker Incorporated.
The brand Rickenbacker was given a considerable lift in the 1960s with The
Beatles’ high profle use of Rickenbacker guitars, followed by the Byrds’ Roger
McGuinn and his exclusive use of Rickenbacker electric 12-string guitars.
From 1964 through to 1969 Rickenbacker produced specifc models for export
to Rose Morris and Company Limited in the UK. This international distribution
widened Rickenbacker’s market appeal with British and European guitarists,
helping to establish its name as a global brand.

■7
RICKENBACKER INCORPORATED, SANTA ANA, 1973
A SEMI-HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, 360-12
Applied with the logo Rickenbacker to the headstock, bearing the serial
number ME / 1898 on the jack plate cover, with original hardshell case bearing
a label inscribed RICKENBACKER 360/12 1970'S F.G. SUNBURST #ME1898
and SERIAL NO. DG1103; accompanied by a candid color snapshot of David
Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
Body length 17¾ in. (45 cm.)

$3,500-5,500

David Gilmour acquired this guitar in the early 1970s and kept it for studio
use. Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor recalls that it was
present in the recording studio for a number of albums, including during
sessions at London’s Abbey Road Studios for the 1975 Pink Floyd album
Wish You Were Here.

27
David Gilmour performing live on ‘The British Winter Tour’,
1974. Photo by Storm Thorgerson/Pink Floyd Music Ltd.

28
■8
JEDSON, JAPAN, 1974 After purchasing a Fender 1000 pedal steel guitar during the US leg of
AN ELECTRIC CONSOLE STEEL GUITAR Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother World Tour, David Gilmour frst used an
Cream fnish, with original case bearing PINK FLOYD. / LONDON. electric steel for the recording of One Of These Days for the band’s 1971
silk-screen stencil and a label inscribed JEDSON STEEL - FENDER and album Meddle. The pedal steel was then used extensively during recording
SERIAL NO. DG1079 of Breathe and The Great Gig In The Sky for the band’s 1973 album The Dark
Overall length 306 in. (78 cm.) Side of the Moon and became a defning element of the Pink Floyd sound.
Gilmour told us: I always loved both the slide guitar - all varieties - and the
$1,000-2,000 pedal steel guitar. And after I got that rather bulky cumbersome thing, which
you obviously couldn’t put a strap on and tie around your waist, I think I never
LITERATURE:
really quite got used to the idea of doing the steel on a normal, regular guitar.
Q Pink Floyd Special Edition, September 2004, illus. p. 74.
So I put all my concentration in that sphere onto a lap or a pedal steel guitar
which I then used on all sorts of things whenever I got the opportunity really.
When guitar technician Phil Taylor frst began working with Pink Floyd in
1974, one of his frst jobs was to source two lap steel guitars for the band’s
1974 British Winter Tour, as there would be diferent tunings required for
performances of The Great Gig In The Sky and One Of These Days, the
latter originally planned as an alternative encore before the band decided on
Echoes. In a May 2006 interview with Alan Di Perna for Guitarist magazine,
Gilmour recalled: When I started doing pedal steel and lap steel at shows, the
frst track I can remember using it on consistently was One Of These Days,
where it's tuned to an open E minor chord. And then when we got to The Dark
Side of the Moon and we were doing The Great Gig In The Sky, I created a
diferent tuning for that because it's hard to know exactly what is the best
tuning on slide. Open tunings are by defnition quite restricting. So I found a
tuning which is kind of an open G6… And that's the tuning I tend to use quite a
bit, the one I originally laid down for The Great Gig In The Sky. By that time, I
needed to have two steel guitars on stage.
Unable to source Fender lap steels in the UK at such short notice, Taylor
purchased two Jedson lap steels - one in cream and one in red fnish - at
Ivor Arbiter’s Sound City on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue that September.
Gilmour told Di Perna I got a red one and a yellow one and eventually I put
Fender pickups in them. That's what I used for a long time: one tuned to the
open E minor and one tuned to open G6. The inferior electronics were also
replaced with new control plates by luthier Roger Gifin. In the end, the red
Jedson was used for The Great Gig In The Sky and this guitar, the cream
Jedson, was used for performances of the as yet unreleased nine part
composition Shine On You Crazy Diamond, tuned to an open G major 6th as
follows: G, B, D, G, B, E. Part VI featured a three minute lap steel solo, with
Gilmour playing each section an octave higher than the last. The Syd Barrett
tribute would eventually bookend the 1975 Pink Floyd album Wish You
Were Here. Photographers Jill Furmanovsky and Robert Ellis both captured
Gilmour playing the cream Jedson during the course of the tour.
Gilmour next used the cream Jedson on stage for performances of The Great
Gig In The Sky on Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, after it
was added to the set list on 2nd March 1988. Pink Floyd’s frst tour since the
departure of Roger Waters, the A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour included
a landmark performance on Venice’s Grand Canal and closed on 18th July
1989 as the highest-grossing tour of the 1980s. The band’s series of shows
at New York’s Nassau Coliseum were recorded for the 1988 live album
Delicate Sound of Thunder. The cream Jedson next appeared at Knebworth
on 30th June 1990, when Pink Floyd played The Great Gig In The Sky as part
of a short set for a historic charity concert in aid of the Nordof-Robbins
Music Therapy Centre. The band topped a bill of legendary Silver Clef
Award Winners including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Elton
John, Genesis, Robert Plant (with guest Jimmy Page) and Status Quo. From
October 1994, the cream Jedson was employed on Pink Floyd’s The Division
Bell Tour for performances of The Great Gig In The Sky until it was replaced
at the Nashville show on 8th May 1994 with a Fender Deluxe 6 lap steel
which had been purchased at Gruhn’s Guitars the day before. Thereafter the
cream Jedson was retained as a spare.
During the mid 1980s Gilmour utilized the guitar for a very diferent purpose
when he found himself locked in his guitar room late one night. The door
handle broke, Gilmour recalled, and I was trapped in there. This is long before
there were mobile phones - there was no way of getting out, so I took the leg of
that guitar and… had to hack my way through the door to get out. The evidence
is still there on the leg of that Jedson. Although the leg was subsequently
straightened out, it remains dented and slightly warped to tell the tale.

29
■9 ■ 10
SMITH GUITARS, HOLLYWOOD, CIRCA 1970 ZB GUITAR COMPANY, KINGSLAND, CIRCA 1977
AN ELECTRIC STEEL GUITAR, MELOBAR A 10-STRING PEDAL STEEL GUITAR, ZB SS10
Nameplate logo applied to the headstock Smith Guitar Melobar, engraved Labeled ZB Custom on the frame and Z.B. Custom Guitars at the end of the
at the bridge MEL-O-BAR Guitar, bearing the serial number stamped at the fngerboard, bearing the serial number stamped to the bottom of the frame
nut MS025, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed SMITH SB003, in original hardstone case bearing a label inscribed ZB PEDAL STEEL
MELOBAR and SERIAL NO. DG1108; accompanied by handwritten tuning and SERIAL NO. DG1120; accompanied by a facsimile repair invoice from
notes on the reverse of a sheet of Astoria headed notepaper Wiggins Electronics to DG Music, dated 30th September 2008, and two emails
Length of back 16 in. (40.7 cm.) from Wiggins Electronics regarding the repairs and retuning
Overall length 34 in. (86.5 cm.)
$1,000-2,000
$1,000-2,000
This guitar was acquired by David Gilmour from a London based Melobar
collector in 1981 as an alternative to his lap steel guitars. In an interview with David Gilmour purchased this guitar from ESE Music in Maidstone, Kent, in
Melody Maker’s Karl Dallas in February 1981, Gilmour explained that the 1979 and kept it for studio use. The guitar was retuned in 2008 to better suit
guitar would allow a pedal steel player to leap around like a rock ‘n’ roller. Gilmour’s approach and style.
Designed by Southern California musician Walter Smith, whose original
mission was to make a steel guitar easier to play, the Melobar was designed
with ten strings, six tuned to a major triad, usually an open G or E, and the
remaining four used for the relative minor 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th or fatted 7th. The
electric models were made in the Mosrite workshops of Walter Mosley and
released in 1967. Production continued into the 1970s.
Designed to be played by a standing performer, the fngerboard and playing
surface was pitched toward the musician for ease of accessing the strings
and to allow the player visual contact. Like a standard guitar, the instrument
was supported by a strap, allowing the player to move around the stage.
Rusty Young of the Country-Rock band Poco gave the Melobar exposure to a
mass audience.
~ ■ 11
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 1971
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, D12-28
Branded internally C.F. MARTIN & Co. / NAZARETH. PA. MADE IN U.S.A. D12-28 / 290452,
the headstock bearing the logo C.F. Martin & Co / EST. 1833, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed MARTIN N D12-28 1971 #290452 and SERIAL NO. DG 1087;
accompanied by a facsimile receipt for repairs carried out by Chandler Guitars, Kew,
Richmond, dated 8th January 2003
Length of back 198 in. (50.6 cm.)

$5,000-10,000

LITERATURE:

Guitarist, February 2015, illus. p. 72.

DAVID GILMOUR’S PRIMARY STUDIO 12-STRING ACOUSTIC, USED TO WRITE AND

RECORD WISH YOU WERE HERE
Purchased from a friend in 1974, this guitar has served as David Gilmour’s chief 12-string
studio acoustic for over forty years. Gilmour told us: It wasn’t my frst 12-string. I had a
12-string when I was a teenager and some of those instruments, you know, what happened
to them is murky. I didn’t have the funds to just buy another one, so they would often just be
sold in order to buy something else, but I did have a 12-string. I always loved the 12-string, I
used to listen to Lead Belly a lot, who was a great 12-string player, and there was another guy
called Erik Darling who played a 12-string and I learnt some of his stuf. He was an American
folk singing guy and he had an album that I was very, very fond of back in those days. He then
joined, or formed, a little trio called the Rooftop Singers and had a big hit called Walk Right In,
featuring a 12-string. So I always wanted to get another 12-string and I knew a guy who had a
Martin 12-string and he wanted to get rid of it. I liked it, I bought it. It gave me Wish You Were
Here, which was very generous of it.
Playing around with his new guitar at London’s Abbey Road Studios during the making
of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album Wish You Were Here between January and July 1975, Gilmour
hit upon the notes that would become the enduring title track to the album. When asked
by Paul Rappaport in September 2011 how he made the music for Wish You Were Here,
Gilmour explained: I had recently bought a Martin 12 string from someone I knew and I was
strumming it in the control room at No.3 at Abbey Road and that just started coming out, that
rif …I started mildly obsessing with this rif that was slowly developing and, again, people’s
ears – Roger’s [Waters] ears – pricked up. Refecting on the fnal recording, Gilmour
continued …every time I listen to the actual original recording I think: God I should have
really done that a little bit better, but the idea was that it was like a guitar playing on
the radio and someone in their room at home …listening to it and joining in, so the
other guitar was kind of supposed to be a kid at home joining in with the guitar he’s
listening to on the radio, and therefore it wasn’t supposed to be too slick… and it wasn’t.
Contributing to a collage of sound built up with the use of synthesizers, the Martin
12-string was also heavily featured on the album’s second track Welcome To The
Machine, a scathing Roger Waters composition refecting the band's disillusionment
with the record industry. After his opening strums, Gilmour continues to accompany
himself on the 12-string as he comes in with high pitched lead vocals, introducing an
ascending acoustic rif in the instrumental section.
The guitar next made an appearance on the band’s 1979 narrative concept album
The Wall, recorded at Super Bear Studios in the South of France from April to July
1979 and Producer’s Workshop in Los Angeles from September to November
1979. Displaying his musical range, Gilmour played no less than fve diferent
types of guitar on Hey You, the opening song of the third act. Along with his
Martin 12-string and Ovation hi-strung (lot 17), he also recorded fretless bass,
six-string acoustic and electric lead and rhythm guitar parts. Gilmour next
played the D12-28 on the melancholy Waters composition Paranoid Eyes
for the band’s 1983 anti-war concept album The Final Cut, which would be
the last Pink Floyd record to feature Roger Waters. It is almost certain that
the Martin 12-string was employed during recording of the subsequent
Gilmour-led Pink Floyd albums A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and
The Division Bell (1994) although there are no specifc records to confrm
its use.
More recently, the 12-string appeared in Guitarist magazine, February
2015, photographed at Gilmour’s East Sussex studio for a feature on the
instruments, amps and efects that the Pink Floyd legend used to summon
up the rich soundscapes of “The Endless River.” Gilmour had used the Martin
12-string to record the track It’s What We Do for the last Pink Floyd album.
Released in November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist Richard Wright, who
had passed away in 2008, the predominantly instrumental album The Endless
River debuted at number one in the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, the
Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, and Canada.
31
 OVATION GUITARS
The development of the Ovation guitar was the brainchild of the rotary blade
aircraft and aerospace designer Charles Kaman. As an amateur guitarist,
he began investigating which modern synthetic materials could be used in
guitar construction. In 1964 he instructed a team of engineers at Kaman
Aircraft to see what new designs could be achieved. The frst prototypes using
synthetics proved disappointing when constructing guitars in the traditional
manner with fat backs and bent sides. Understanding the inherent strengths
of the parabolic arch in physics, the Kaman designers began experimenting
with this shape while working with composite materials. By utilizing a bowl
shaped back for the sound-box of the instrument but retaining the traditional
fat-top of Sitka spruce for the soundboard, they hit upon a combination that
produced an instrument that was louder, lighter in weight and stronger than
traditional wood guitars. Their increased volume, tonal quality and the fact
that they were less prone to feedback when amplifed made them popular
among performing musicians. The incredible strength of these guitars, due to
the materials and construction techniques, predestined them to become the
instrument of choice for a hard-touring musician. Gone were the days when a
guitar would be unpacked only to fnd a cracked back or neck due to the trials
of travel. In 1968 the round backed Ovation Balladeer gained national attention
when the American pop star Glen Campbell performed with one each week
on his televised music variety show on CBS. The list of artists who perform on
Ovation guitars is extensive and has spanned across multiple genres for the
last ffty years.

~ ■ 12
OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1975
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, PACEMAKER, 1615-4
Labeled Ovation MODEL NO. 1615-4 MANUFACTURED IN NEW HARTFORD,
CONN. U.S.A and Ovation / 061224, inlaid logo Ovation at the headstock, with
original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed OVATION 12 STRING 1615-4
'75 #061224 and SERIAL NO. DG 1095; accompanied by the original owner’s
manual and a facsimile copy of a commercial invoice from Ovation Instruments
Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 9th September 1976
Body length 21¼ in. (51.4 cm.)

$1,000-1,500

This guitar was one of a group of Ovation acoustics purchased from Ovation
Instruments, Inc., New Hartford, Connecticut in September 1976 prior to
Pink Floyd’s upcoming tour in support of their 1977 album Animals. David
Gilmour kept this particular Ovation for home use.

32
GRETSCH
The Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company was founded in Brooklyn, New
York in 1883, by 27-year-old German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch. Originally
launched as a musical instrument shop for the manufacture of percussion
instruments, by 1910 the company was making ukuleles and banjos, and in
1933 debuted a line of archtop guitars. By the 1950s Gretsch had shifted their
concentration to electric guitars, where they would make a lasting impression
in the market.
With a crowded feld of manufacturers producing electric guitars, Gretsch set
itself apart by frst concentrating on hollowbody and semi-hollowbody electric
guitars. They embraced color schemes and eye-catching ornamentation not
found on Gibsons, Fenders or Rickenbackers. The endorsement of guitarist
Chet Atkins and the subsequent release of Chet Atkins models drew a loyal
following, as did artists who performed on Gretsch hollowbodies, such
as Stephen Stills and Neil Young. The model 6120 and similar Gretsch
hollowbodies became a mainstay for guitarists of the early British Invasion.
George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Gerry Marsden, Brian Jones and
Pete Townshend are all seen performing on Gretsch electrics.

~ ■ 13
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, 1957
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, SILVER JET, 6129
Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard, inscribed
on the control cavity cover 21785, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
GRETSCH 6129 SILVER JET and SERIAL NO. DG1072
Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 91.

With the introduction and success of the Fender Esquire in 1948, followed
by Gibson’s Les Paul Model in 1952, Fred Gretsch Jr. realized the solid-body
electric guitar was here to stay and released their version of the design in
1953. Called the Duo Jet, the body was modeled on the Les Paul shape with
a single cutaway and two single coil pickups. Unlike the now successful
Telecaster and Les Paul, the Duo Jet was actually a semi-solid body guitar
owing to the large amount of wood routed out of the body cavities. This
made for a lighter guitar, which lent a very diferent tonal quality to the
instrument. These attributes were attractive to players for both practical
and aesthetic reasons and the guitar drew a loyal following. In addition to
guitars, Gretsch also produced drum kits in its line of musical instruments.
By incorporating the plastic materials used to cover the wooden drum rims
in their solid-body guitars, Gretsch was able to add a distinctive color and
sparkle to their instruments.
Having seen and admired an example of the Silver Jet as a teenager, David
Gilmour acquired this guitar from a shop on Denmark Street, London's Tin
Pan Alley, in 1976 and kept it for studio use. Gilmour told us: I always had a
fondness for Gretsch. That may be because of Duane Eddy playing a Gretsch
in his early years, and of course Chet Atkins - legendary on a Gretsch… They’re
trickier to play but the silver and gold ones were always something I fancied.
And this one came up. I’ve never taken it on the road or anything, although I’ve
played it a fair bit. There’s a tone on some of these Gretsch pickups that has
a particular hi-f zing to it which is just unlike any other pickups. They’re not
fantastic for every purpose but there are moments where that is just the tone
and sound that you want and Gretsch certainly did some of those beautiful
combinations of pickup and guitar that make a sound that you just can’t get
anywhere else.

33
THE FENDER ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR
It is imperative to understand that prior to 1951 the electric bass guitar did not textbook he settled on the 34-inch scale length. The length would prove to
exist. It would also not be hyperbole to say its invention by Leo Fender would ofer the most mellifuous resonance for a vibrating bass string and would be
forever change popular music. easy to fret for the player. Like his Esquire and Broadcaster electrics the solid-
As the growth in the size of music venues and audiences in the 20th century body would be of ash with a cutaway. But here Leo added a second cutaway
drove the need for amplifcation of guitars, progress in solving the sonic on the bass side of the body forming a horn of the upper bout. This was not
defciency of the string bass was dismally addressed. Performing bands might to assist access to higher octaves on the neck but to lighten the weight of the
incorporate double bass players, but at the best of times they could barely be two-inch-thick body. One only has to step back, squint your eyes and imagine
heard. Prior to World War II, numerous permutations of an electrifed string six strings rather than four and we quickly see where the body design for the
bass were attempted. A poor design by Gibson’s Lloyd Loar was attempted Stratocaster would come from three years later.
in the 1920s to be followed by only slightly more successful attempts by On its release in 1951 Leo Fender would call this new instrument the Precision
Rickenbacker, Regal and Vega in the 1930s. The one thing they all had in Bass, and precise it proved to be. Fender’s electric bass guitar was frst seen
common was that with each attempt they worked within the restrictive in the hands of Lionel Hampton’s bassist Roy Johnson who waxed on its ease
confnes of a double string bass. Their failure lay in not completely rethinking of playing and transporting as well as its tonal presence on stage. When other
the design of an electric bass instrument, addressing what performers really jazz players quickly followed suit, Fender would grow a dominant presence
needed, and considering how it would be used on stage. Leo Fender would not in the Midwest and East Coast markets. With the Fender Precision Bass, the
fall into that trap. bass player now became a dominate addition to a pop musical performance.
Fender approached the problem from a guitar platform. It was an idea that When players executed the melodic abilities of the bass with the guitarist
came from the many professional guitarists Leo interacted with. His would and formed a supporting collaboration with the drummer the results could be
be a fretted instrument tuned like a guitar but one octave lower. He would a powerhouse rhythm section. It is no small wonder that at the root of every
experiment with many string lengths and with the help of a borrowed physics great rock band lies the power trio of guitar, bass and drums.

■ 14
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1952
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR, PRECISION BASS
The peghead with logo decal Fender / PRECISION BASS, stamped to the
bridge FENDER / PAT PEND. / 1331, with later hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed FENDER PRECISION '52 #1331 and SERIAL NO. DG1020
Length of back 16½ in. (42 cm.)

$15,000-20,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. pp. 160-161.

David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor arranged the purchase
of this electric bass from Strings West, Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1977 via his
friend Willie Spears, Eric Clapton’s then guitar technician. Although Gilmour
confrms that the guitar has seen a good deal of use in the studio over the
years, there are no records to identify specifc recordings, owing to the fact
that he generally records his bass parts alone in the studio control room.

The Fender Precision Bass as shown in the 1954 Fender catalogue.

34
35
 ~ ■ 15
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN,
CIRCA 1940
AN ARCH-TOP GUITAR, SYNCHROMATIC 400, MODEL 6041
Engraved at the tailpiece Gretsch and inlaid at the headstock Gretsch
Synchromatic, with later case bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH
SYNCHROMATIC ACOUSTIC SERIAL NO DG1073; accompanied by a candid
color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
Length of back 28⅞ in. (53 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 41.

Purchased by David Gilmour's longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor from a

guitar shop on Denmark Street, London's Tin Pan Alley, in 1977, the guitar
was subsequently sold to David Gilmour in 1983. Gilmour liked this guitar
and kept it for home use.

36
■ 16
JENNINGS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS LIMITED, DARTFORD, 1967
A VOX ELECTRIC GUITAR ORGAN, V251
With decal logo Vox applied to the headstock and pickguard, bearing the
Serial Number 73011, with power supply, cables and box and original hardshell
case bearing a label inscribed VOX ORGAN GUITAR and STOCK NO. DG1116;
accompanied by a facsimile copy of the Vox Service Information guide
Body length 18¾ in. (47.5 cm.)

$1,500-2,400

In an attempt to capture the tonal quality of an electric organ, Vox developed

the V251 Guitar Organ. Vox engineer Dick Denney incorporated six organ
tone circuits in the body cavity of a Vox solid-body electric guitar and wired
through the frets. By touching the metal string to the fret, the circuit was
completed, and the tone triggered. Coupled with a remote power supply
to fulfil the required voltage, the instrument could be run through any
amplification system.
Having always wanted to try a Vox Guitar Organ, David Gilmour acquired this
example in England in 1978 and kept it for home and studio use.

37
■ 17
OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1976 January to 6th July 1977, this particular guitar was used by Roger Waters
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, CUSTOM LEGEND, 1619-4 for performances of Welcome to the Machine, Pigs On The Wing and Dogs,
Labeled Ovation MODEL NO. 1619-4 MANUFACTURED IN NEW as seen in photographs by Waring Abbott and Ian Dickson, among others.
HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A and Ovation / 079930, inlaid logo Ovation
Now set up as a hi-strung, the guitar can be defnitively placed in the
at the headstock, with pearl inlay, ft with an additional Sony condenser
January 1978 recording sessions for Gilmour’s eponymous debut solo
mic, with original hardshell case stenciled PINK FLOYD. / LONDON. and
album at Super Bear Studios in the South of France, although there
SERIAL NO. DG 1096; accompanied by facsimile copies of the shipment
are no records as to whether it was used on any of the tracks. What we
and sales invoices from Ovation Instruments Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated
do know is that late on in the sessions, Gilmour came up with a chord
15th October and 22nd October 1976, an original promotional leafet for
sequence and rough melody while strumming on the hi-strung Ovation
the Ovation Custom Legend, the original registration warranty card, a
that would, with the collaboration of Roger Waters, evolve into the Pink
facsimile sales invoice from HHB Communications Ltd to David Gilmour
Floyd masterpiece Comfortably Numb. In a 1984 interview for US radio
Music for the Sony ECM66 Electret Microphone, dated 19th December
show The Source, Gilmour told host Charlie Kendall: I actually wrote the
2001, and a candid color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in
chord sequence for it while I was in Super Bear doing my frst solo album,
2001 [Not Illustrated]
right at the end. I didn't intend to actually record it then for that solo thing.
Body length 21¼ in. (51.4 cm.)
It was one of the things I'd just put down one day and stored away with my
$3,000-5,000 other demos. When Pink Floyd returned to Super Bear in April 1979 to
begin recording their narrative concept album The Wall, the instrumental
LITERATURE: demo was presented to the rest of the band at the suggestion of co-
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, producer Bob Ezrin, who encouraged Waters to come up with a set of
illus. p. 363. lyrics for the music. Ezrin has since applauded the marriage of Waters’
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black lyrics and Gilmour’s melodies on the song, admitting that every time he
Fender Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 214. hears it he gets goosebumps. Gilmour re-enlisted the hi-strung Ovation,
on which he had composed the initial music, to record his acoustic
guitar parts on the track, before coming in with his landmark solos on
DAVID GILMOUR’S “HI-STRUNG” ACOUSTIC, USED TO WRITE AND
the Black Strat. Gilmour also played the arpeggios on Hey You on the
RECORD COMFORTABLY NUMB
hi-strung Ovation, both mic’ed and plugged into an Alembic F-2B preamp
Purchased from Ovation Instruments, Inc., New Hartford, Connecticut, in into a Yamaha RA200 rotary speaker to create the wonderful whirling
October 1976, this Custom Legend has become one of David Gilmour’s sound heard on the album. Gilmour explained that the arpeggio would be
longest serving instruments, carried on every Pink Floyd and solo tour impossible to do on a normal guitar, but is just a natural fve strings one way,
since 1977 and famously used to write and record the original demo that fve strings the other way on a hi-strung.
became Comfortably Numb.
Second guitarists Snowy White and Andy Roberts played the hi-strung
The guitar was one of a group of Ovation acoustics purchased in 1976 for Comfortably Numb and Hey You during the subsequent live shows
in advance of Pink Floyd’s upcoming tour in support of their 1977 album in support of the album from February 1980 to June 1981. The guitar
Animals. At this time, both David Gilmour and Roger Waters relied on has since been used by Gilmour’s second guitarists for every live tour
Ovations for touring due to their built-in electronics and sturdiness. In performance of Comfortably Numb and Hey You to date, namely by Mick
a 1978 interview with Circus magazine, Gilmour joked: They’re robust… Ralphs on Gilmour’s 1984 About Face Tour, by Tim Renwick throughout
and my daughter can kick them around. Gilmour refers to this Ovation Pink Floyd’s epic A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour from 1987 to
as being “hi-strung,” having invented his own variation of “Nashville” or 1989, and again on their 1994 The Division Bell Tour, and by Roxy Music
high-strung tuning on this guitar in late 1977. The instrument is set up guitarist Phil Manzanera on Gilmour’s more recent solo tours in support of
with all unwound strings in the following gauges, .10, .12, .09, .11, .16, .10., the albums On An Island (2006) and Rattle That Lock (2014), replaced by
and was tuned in a regular tuning, but with the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings Chester Kamen for the fnal two legs of the latter.
up an octave and the 6th string up two octaves, resulting in an ethereal
Gilmour performed Comfortably Numb on the hi-strung himself during his
crystalline sound.
‘unplugged’ style solo show at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 21st June
Gilmour told us: I had some friends working in Abbey Road on an album 2001 as part of the South Bank Centre’s annual artist-curated Meltdown
with Bruce Welch (the rhythm guitar player in The Shadows) producing Festival, switching between the acoustic and his Gretsch Black Duo Jet
them, and they had put down a couple of acoustic tracks that he said for the solos. The eclectic showcase included solo acoustic versions of old
he wanted to double-track with a hi-strung to thicken the sound of the favorites Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here, as well
acoustics. They told me that it was a guitar tuned higher with diferent as the rarely heard Fat Old Sun from Atom Heart Mother, Syd Barrett’s
strings on it, but they didn’t know how it was tuned. Anyway, I decided to Terrapin, the aria Je Crois Entendre Encore, from Georges Bizet’s opera
work on my own version of it, so I put these diferent gauge strings onto The Pearl Fishers, and an encore of Hushabye Mountain, from the 1970
one of these Ovations. I started playing with that, strumming away and flm Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Gilmour reprised the performance for three
realizing that you couldn’t really go wrong, cause if you left a fnger of, all dates at the same venue on 16-18th January and two shows at the Palais
sorts of lazy options would turn up that would still sing because it’s the de Congrès in Paris on 23-24th January 2002. The 2001 and 2002 shows
bass notes that sort of hold their place and don’t allow you to muck about at the Royal Festival Hall were recorded for the live concert DVD David
with them very much. An open D chord on my version of a hi-strung… Gilmour in Concert, released in October 2002.
just makes a lovely sound. It’s sort of one of those lucky accidents where
Gilmour had recorded material on the hi-strung Ovation during the 1993
someone has told you something, you’ve done it wrong (because I found
Division Bell sessions that would be revisited and reworked in 2014 for
out later it wasn’t remotely what the normal high-strung tuning was) but it
the last Pink Floyd album The hi-strung can be heard on the track Louder
worked for me.
Than Words, striking lingering chords in answer to the Black Strat’s
Prior to being set up as a hi-strung guitar, Roger Waters used this arpeggios. The only track on the album with lyrics, Louder Than Words
Ovation Custom Legend as a regular six-string acoustic during the closed the album. Released in November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist
recording of Pink Floyd’s 1977 album Animals at the band’s Britannia Richard Wright, who had passed away in 2008, the predominantly
Row studio in North London between October and December 1976. instrumental album debuted at number one in the UK, France, Germany,
Recorded towards the end of the Animals sessions, Waters strummed Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, and Canada.
the acoustic ballad Pigs On The Wing on the Custom Legend, later Despite attempting hi-strung tuning on other guitars, Gilmour told us that
deciding to split the track in two to bookend the album. Waters also laid it had only really worked on an Ovation. It’s never not been strung like that
down the acoustic track for Dogs on the Ovation. One of only two six- since, he explained, it’s remained hi-strung for its whole career.
string Ovations carried on the subsequent In The Flesh Tour from 23rd

38
39
~ ■ 18
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1959
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JAZZMASTER
With decal logo Fender JAZZMASTER / WITH SYNCHRONIZED FLOATING In his pursuit to acquire the four key models in the development of the
TREMOLO / OFFSET / Contour / Body / PAT. PENDING to the headstock, the Fender electric guitar for his collection, David Gilmour purchased this Fender
neckplate stamped 35799, blonde fnish, with original hardshell case bearing Jazzmaster in 1978 from Guitar Trader in Red Bank, New Jersey, and kept it
a label inscribed FENDER JAZZMASTER BLONDE/ANODISED #35799 and for home and studio use.
SERIAL NO. DG1018
Length of back 17½ in. (44.5 cm.)

$14,000-18,000

40
~ ■ 19
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1962
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JAGUAR
With decal logo Fender JAGUAR / PAT 2….00 2,972,923 3,143,0.. 2,741,146 In his pursuit to acquire the four key models in the development of the
DES 186826 PAT. PENDING / OFFSET / Contour / Body to the headstock, Fender electric guitar for his collection, David Gilmour purchased this Fender
stamped 89979 to the neckplate, custom metallic color, with later hardshell Jaguar in March 1978 from Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee. The Gruhn
case bearing a label inscribed FENDER JAGUAR METALLIC BLUE #89979; inventory number was 100177 at the time of sale. Gilmour told us that the
accompanied by the original inventory list from Gruhn Guitars, Inc. dated 28th guitar has been used quite a lot in the studio over the years.
February 1978
Length of back 17 in. (43.3 cm.)

$7,000-10,000

41
42
THE WHITE 0001 STRAT

■ 20
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON,
CIRCA 1954
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, BEARING
THE SERIAL NUMBER 0001
Stamped at the neckplate 0001, the headstock bearing the decal
logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO /
ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the body in a fnish of a white color, mounted
with an anodized gold fnish pickguard and gold-plated hardware, with a
later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed SERIAL NO. DG 1028
Length of back 15¾ in.(40cm)

$100,000-150,000

PROVENANCE:

Rex and Von Gallion

Sousa Music
Richard Hoxie-Green
Seymour Duncan
Phil Taylor
David Gilmour

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. 60 Years of Fender: Six Decades of the Greatest Electric Guitars,

London, 2010, illus. p. 124.
Duchossoir, A.R., The Fender Stratocaster, Milwaukee, 1988, illus. p. 11.
Fielder, H. Pink Floyd Behind the Wall, New York, 2013, illus. p. 124.
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017,
illus. pp. 528, 537.
Hunter, D. Star Guitars: 101 Guitars That Rocked the World, Minneapolis,
2010, illus. p. 95.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour’s Black
Fender Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. pp. 115, 156, 197.

Above: Leo Fender’s work area and bench circa 1950

Opposite: David Gilmour performing for the Miller Strat Pack Concert
Celebrating 50 Years Of The Fender Stratocaster, London, 24 September 2004.
Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images
43
DAVID GILMOUR’S WHITE FENDER
DER STRATOCASTER #0001, USED TO
RECORD PINK FLOYD’S HIT SINGLE
NGLE ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2)
First ofered in 1954, the Fender Stratocaster was the product of a team of
guitar designers and musicians who included Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George
Fullerton, Freddie Tavares and Rexx Gallion. Rex Gallion was an active musician
on the California country and western
stern scene and, along with his brother Von, an
endorser of Fender instruments andnd amplifers. Rex Gallion is
often credited with Leo Fender’s evolution of the Contour
Body, a shape unique to the Stratocaster
ocaster at the time.
The outline of the Stratocaster body
ody incorporated
a fowing and rounded edge that tapered into an
undulating wave on the back and front upper edge.
Without any hard edges it allowedd the instrument to
ft comfortably against a musician’s
n’s body, a positive
attribute for any performing guitarist.
rist.
It is traditionally believed that this
s Fender
Stratocaster guitar, bearing the serial
erial number
0001 on the neck plate, was one of a number of
pre-production and custom appointed nted guitars
produced by the Fender Electric Instrument
nstrument
Company in Fullerton, California, between 1954 and
1955. These instruments were producedoduced as custom
presentation instruments and gifted ted by Leo Fender to
a select group of endorsing artists s who had assisted
Leo Fender with the developmentt of the Stratocaster
and in building the Fender brand. It is believed that the
Stratocaster bearing the number 0001 was
0001 was given to Rex
Gallion in about 1955, while a Precision
cision Bass, similarly
appointed, was gifted to his brother er Von Gallion.
According to the late Von Gallion, the Stratocaster left the
possession of the Gallions when itt was traded to a Santa
Maria music store known as Sousa sa Music. In 1966 the guitar
came into the possession of a young
ung guitar student, Richard
Hoxie Green, who brought the instrument
trument to the guitar
workshop of Seymour Duncan in Santa Barbara, California
in the early to mid-1970s for the purpose
urpose of having the
instrument refnished in a diferentnt color. The refnishing
of solid-body electric guitars was a common practice
at the time and in the mid-1970s there were few who
recognized or appreciated the historical
torical signifcance of
the early works of Leo Fender. Seymour
ymour Duncan was
ahead of his time in connoisseurship
hip by recognizing
the importance of such an early Stratocaster.
Duncan chose to preserve the originality
ginality of the
0001, giving an alternate Stratocaster
aster body and
neck to Mr. Green, refnished in the
he requested color.
Duncan kept the 0001.
By 1977 the guitar had been sold by Duncan to Phil
Taylor, guitar technician to David Gilmour. Within
a year, Taylor had resold the guitarr to his employer
David Gilmour, in whose possession on it has remained.
The frst time I played that 0001 Strat
trat I wanted it for its
sound, Gilmour told Melody Maker’s r’s Karl Dallas in 1981.
Over the last forty years the White e Stratocaster 0001 has
become one of the instruments synonymous
ynonymous with Gilmour’s
long artistic career. Although seldom
dom seen on stage due to
its rarity and value, the guitar has been used for a number of
recordings and live performances,, becoming readily recognizable
by both fans and connoisseurs.
The guitar’s frst recorded discography
raphy is with Pink Floyd backing
guitarist Snowy White, who laid down guitar tracks on Richard Wright’s
1978 solo album Wet Dream on the e Stratocaster at Super Bear Studios in the
South of France in early 1978. On Wright vacating the studio, Gilmour moved in
to Super Bear in February 1978 to
o record his eponymous debut solo album, with
bass and drums provided by Gilmour’s
our’s old Jokers Wild band mates Rick Wills and

44
Willie Wilson. Gilmour used the 0001 on the album’s instrumental opening
track Mihalis, for a part that Gilmour called the Hank Marvin bit. Although
not in use, the guitar can be seen on stage in footage of Gilmour’s set at
The Roxy, London in May 1978. Five tracks were recorded live and the flm
released by CBS to promote the album release.
The guitar was next seen at London’s Abbey Road Studios on 3rd October
1978 for the recording of the track Glad to See You Here for Back to the
Egg, the fnal studio album by Paul McCartney’s Wings. McCartney had
assembled a supergroup of musicians, dubbed the Rockestra, which included
Hank Marvin of the Shadows, The Who’s Pete Townshend and John Paul
Jones and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Gilmour can be seen playing the
0001 Strat in footage of the session, which was flmed for the 40-minute
documentary Rockestra.
Returning to Super Bear in 1979, Gilmour used the guitar to record Another
Brick In The Wall (Part 1) and, most notably, the funky rhythm work on
hit single Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) for Pink Floyd’s 1979 concept
album The Wall. An attack on the British education system and on the
establishment in general, Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) would be the ffth
track on the double album and the band’s frst number one single in both

the UK and US. Entirely unlike any other Pink Floyd song (largely due to the
infuence of co-producer Bob Ezrin), the track had a disco beat and a school
choir on the second verse. In an interview with Guitar World magazine in
2009, Gilmour remembered: It wasn’t my idea to do disco music, it was Bob’s.
He said to me, ‘Go to a couple of clubs and listen to what’s happening with
disco music,’ so I forced myself out and listened to loud, four-to-the-bar bass
drums and stuf and thought, Gawd, awful!’ Nevertheless, Gilmour set down
a funky rhythm on his Stratocaster 0001, followed by a masterfully rhythmic
and fuid solo on his recently acquired gold Les Paul (lot 34), recorded
directly into the mixing console in one take.
The 1954 Stratocaster next appeared in the 1985 promotional music video
for Bryan Ferry’s Is Your Love Strong Enough, recorded for the Ridley Scott
flm Legend, which saw Gilmour appear from a cloud of smoke and lights,
delivering a haunting solo on the Strat. Gilmour was next seen with the
0001 for a jam session with ex-Steely Dan guitarist Jef “Skunk” Baxter
at London’s Abbey Road Studios for the 1991 documentary Guitar. The
guitar made a stage comeback for two beneft concerts in 2004. Gilmour
selected the Stratocaster 0001 for a brief appearance at London’s Royal
Albert Hall on 1st April for the Teenage Cancer Trust and, most fttingly, for
a performance at London’s Wembley Arena on 24th September 2004 to
celebrate 50 years of the Fender Stratocaster. As part of a stellar line up of
guitar greats paying tribute to the iconic instrument, Gilmour performed the
tracks Marooned and Coming Back to Life on his 1954 Strat. The show was
recorded for the live concert flm The Strat Pack: Live in Concert, released in
2005. In February 2006, rock photographer Ross Halfn shot Gilmour with
the white Fender Stratocaster 0001 on the deck of his Astoria houseboat
studio as part of a promotional photo shoot for his 2006 solo album On An
Island.
Although Gilmour tells us that he plays this guitar almost every day, the
Stratocaster 0001 was last seen during an interview at the Astoria for a
three-part documentary The Story of the Guitar, hosted by Alan Yentob and
aired on the BBC in October 2008. As he strummed on the guitar, Gilmour
enthused I don’t think it’s the very frst one ever made, but it’s a 1954 Fender
Stratocaster and they don’t get much better than this, I mean this is about as
perfect as a guitar can be.

45
■ 21 ■ 22
FRED STUART, RIVERSIDE, 2013 RICKENBACKER INCORPORATED, LOS ANGELES,
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, BENCH COPY OF THE DAVID CIRCA 1937-1943
GILMOUR ‘THE WHITE 0001 STRAT AN ELECTRIC LAP STEEL GUITAR, NS MODEL 100, SILVER HAWAIIAN
The headstock bearing the decal Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH The headstock bearing decal logo RICKENBACHER / “ELECTRO” / LOS
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body / Pat.Pend, white ANGELES, stamped to the end of the headstock D1590, with original hardshell
fnish, with original case case bearing a label inscribed RICKENBACKER STEEL-CHROME DG1101 and
Length of back 155 in. (40.2 cm.) SERIAL NO. DG1101
Overall length 293 in. (74.5 cm.)
$1,000-2,000
$1,500-2,400
This instrument is one of two copies of David Gilmour’s white Fender
Stratocaster 0001 (lot 20) made by Fred Stuart in 2013. Prior to launching LITERATURE:

his own workshop Stuart Fine Custom Instruments, Fred Stuart spent 15 Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 51.
years working for Fender Musical Instruments and was a Senior Master
Builder in the Fender Custom Shop. Rickenbacker’s cast aluminum body Electro Hawaiian Guitar was introduced
in 1932, followed by a guitar shaped body of Bakelite model called the
model B in 1935. The Silver Hawaiian, Model 100 NS, introduced in 1937,
was constructed of stamped sheet metal that was chrome-plated. Like all
Rickenbacker steel guitars of this period they were ftted with their patented
horseshoe-magnet pickup. These pickups are considered the fnest ever
produced for the electric Hawaiian guitar. At this period instruments carried
the German spelling of the company’s name Rickenbacher.
David Gilmour acquired this guitar in the US circa 1978 and kept it for studio
use, playing it frequently throughout the 1980s.
46
■ 23
RICKENBACKER INCORPORATED, SANTA ANA, 1967
A SEMI-HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, FIREGLO 365,
“QUARTERTONE”
With Rickenbacker logo applied to the headstock, bearing the Serial Number
GI / 4004 on the jack plate cover, ft with quarter tone frets up to 3rd position,
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed RICKENBACKER
1/4 TONE 1967 GI 4004; accompanied by the original sales invoice from
Gruhn Guitars, Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 26th June 1978, a facsimile air
waybill addressed to Pink Floyd, dated 11th July 1978, a shipping invoice from
Dacair Service Limited to Britannia Row Leasing Ltd., dated 27th July 1978, a
handwritten note on a Pink Floyd compliments slip reading Dear Vic, Please
fnd enclosed the invoices for the two guitars that should be arriving shortly,
Phil, and a facsimile copy of a letter from Kenny Howes of the Rickenbacker
International Corporation to David Gilmour Music Ltd regarding the history of
the guitar, dated 12th March 2008
Body length 18½ in. (47 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

David Gilmour purchased this experimental Rickenbacker Fireglo from Gruhn

Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, in June 1978. The accompanying letter from
Kenny Howes of the Rickenbacker International Corporation explains the
interesting history of this most unusual Rickenbacker 365 Fireglo guitar in a
quote from Rickenbacker CEO John Hall: …this guitar is fairly historic, for the
record... It was an experiment that I suggested back in the 60’s... It’s one of a
kind – rare, rare, rare!

47
■ 24
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1951
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, ESQUIRE
The headstock with decal logo Fender ESQUIRE, the bridge plate stamped
FENDER PAT. PEND. 0543, with original hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed FENDER ESQUIRE #0543 and SERIAL NO. DG1014; accompanied
by the original sales invoice from Seymour Duncan MFG to Pink Floyd, dated
30th August 1978
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$35,000-55,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, p. 69.

David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Seymour Duncan in Santa

Barbara, California, in August 1978 and kept it for home and studio use.

The Fender Esquire as shown in the 1954 Fender catalogue.

48
49
■ 25
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1954
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped 0549, two tone sunburst fnish, with original hardshell case bearing
a label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER 1954 SUNBURST #0549 and
SERIAL NO. DG1046
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$50,000-70,000

EXHIBITED:

20th Century Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1992-1999.

Production of the Fender Stratocaster was sporadic in the months of May,

June and July of 1954. It is believed that the frst true production run did not
begin until October of that year. The neck date of 5-54 and the pot code,
placing manufacture in the 41st week of 1953, would suggest that this guitar
was one of the earliest Stratocaster bodies and necks to be completed by
the Fender shop in 1954, although the serial number applied to the neck
plate rather than the tremolo cover might lead us to believe it was dispatched
much later that year.
Of special interest to Fender connoisseurs and historians are the slot-head
screws used for the pickup height adjusters and the bridge mounting. These
would be quickly standardized with the use of Phillips-head screws. Another
variant are the 100k potentiometers used on this instrument rather than the
typical 250k normally found on Fenders of the period.
Acquired in 1978 from a guitar shop on Denmark Street, London's Tin Pan
Alley, David Gilmour has preserved this early Stratocaster for occasional
studio use.

Fender product catalogue cover from 1954.

50
51
■ 26 ■ 27
OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1978 OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1978
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, PREACHER, 1283-5 A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, PREACHER, 1285-5
Inlaid logo Ovation to the headstock, the neckplate stamped E 12568, the control The logo at the headstock Ovation, the neckplate engraved E9585 and
cavity cover bearing the logo Ovation INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, CONN. control cavity cover bearing the logo Ovation INSTRUMENTS, NEW
/ MADE IN U.S.A., with hardshell case bearing a label inscribed OVATION HARTFORD CONN./ MADE IN U.S.A., with original hardshell case bearing
PREACHER 6 ST. BLACK W/ GOLD HWARE #E12568 and STOCK NO. DG1099; a label inscribed OVATION PREACHER 12 STRING - BLACK W/ EMG'S
accompanied by an original letter from James R. Hennessey, Advertising Manager #E9585 and SERIAL NO. DG1098; accompanied by facsimile copies of the
at Ovation Instruments Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 6th September 1978, regarding shipment invoice and sales invoice from Ovation Instruments Inc. to Pink
shipping and invoicing of the guitar, facsimile copies of the shipment invoice and Floyd, dated 24th April 1978 and 7th June 1978, together with the original
sales invoice from Ovation Instruments Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 29th August and warranty registration card
11th September 1978, and a promotional sales leafet for the Ovation Preacher Body length 16⅜ in. (41.6 cm.)
Length of back 16¼ in. (41.4 cm.)
$2,000-3,000
$1,000-2,000
David Gilmour purchased this guitar directly from Ovation Instruments
Ovation’s solid-body electric guitar the Preacher employed a dual output jack Inc., New Hartford, Connecticut, in June 1978 and kept it for studio
that allowed the performer to plug into two separate amplifers (stereo) or into use. The guitar electronics have been modifed to better suit Gilmour’s
both channels of a single amp. preferences.
David Gilmour purchased this guitar directly from Ovation Instruments Inc.,
New Hartford, Connecticut, in September 1978, after a previous order placed in
April 1978 had been stolen in transit. Gilmour has kept the guitar for studio use.
ANTHONY C. “TONY” ZEMAITIS (B. 1935 - D. 2002)
Among the exceptional British School of guitar making there is no work so iconic and so tied to British
rock and roll history than that of Tony Zemaitis. Born in London in 1935, Zemaitis left school at the age of
16 to become a wage earner for his immigrant family. While committed to a fve-year apprenticeship as
a cabinet maker, he began tinkering with guitars. His frst projects were repairing damaged instruments
and in this amateur pursuit a passion took root and grew. By 1957, Zemaitis was applying his learned
woodworking skills in cabinetry by experimenting with making guitars. These early works made their
way into the market where they received positive reviews from players in London’s folk and skifle scene.
With this growth in reputation he began receiving orders from the leading pop guitarists of the 1960s.
Donovan, Eric Clapton and George Harrison all owned and performed on Zemaitis acoustics. In the
1970s his fame increased when he began making solid-body electric guitars and players such as Ronnie
Wood, Keith Richards and Ronnie Lane all became devotees of Zemaitis electrics. It was during this time
that he began flling a void in the market by taking special orders to produce acoustic basses for players
like David Gilmour, Ronnie Wood and Mike Oldfeld. Tony Zemaitis would limit his production to just ten
instruments per year with the expressed desire to never dilute the quality of his work. Each instrument
was a custom production for a specifc musician and his mission was that no two would be the same, yet
his work would be instantly recognizable to any guitar afcionado. The metal fttings, intricately engraved
by friend and gun engraver Danny O’Brien, the tastefully executed pearl inlays, and the iconic heart
shaped sound-hole were signature components of the Zemaitis guitar.

■ 28
ANTHONY 'TONY' C. ZEMAITIS, CHATHAM, 1978
AN ACOUSTIC FRETLESS BASS GUITAR
Labeled ZEMAITIS / Hand made guitars / 108 WALDERSIDE ROAD / CHATHAM, KENT / TEL. MEDWAY
(0634) 65086 and inscribed by the maker Anthony C… Zemaitis 1978 England D.G., the metal truss rod
cover engraved D*Gilmour, with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed ZEMAITIS ACOUSTIC BASS
FRETLESS 1978; accompanied by fve handwritten letters from Anthony Zemaitis on A.C. Zemaitis headed
stationery, three variously dated from 17th May to 14th August 1978, two n.d.
Length of back 21¼ in. (54 cm.)

$15,000-25,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 178.

Having been introduced to Tony Zemaitis through his friend George Harrison, David Gilmour
commissioned Zemaitis to build a half size guitar for his daughter Alice, later adding a fretless bass
guitar to the custom order. An accompanying letter from Zemaitis to Gilmour’s guitar technician
Phil Taylor, dated 17th May 1978, reads: Tell Dave I remember him from George H’s place…
The bass is now on the list and I’ll do it soonest. Can’t jump the queue with this as the other
clients are all known to Dave!! (Stones, Donovan etc.) Zemaitis started building the bass at
the end of June 1978, advising on 11th July: Have used one of my 7 yrs old fronts put by for
specials! On 14th August 1978, Zemaitis declared that the fnished bass was strong and
clear… can’t ask for more than that!! Gilmour mentioned this guitar in a 1978 interview
for the US radio show King Biscuit Flower Hour, telling DJ Bill Minkin: He’s [Zemaitis]
making me a fretless bass guitar at the moment, an acoustic bass guitar, and a miniature
acoustic guitar… for my daughter but I don’t think I’ll let her touch it for a few years! The
custom bass was kept at home for private use.

53
THE FENDER ELECTRIC MANDOLIN ■ 29
As early as the late 1930s electric mandolins were being produced by FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1957
various manufacturers. Rickenbacker, Vivi-Tone, National, Gibson and A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC MANDOLIN
Vega had all introduced their own models into the market. With growth
Bearing the logo decal Fender at the headstock, the neckplate stamped 00863,
in Western Swing Bands in the post war years, the California custom
sunburst fnish, in original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER
luthier and inventor Paul A. Bigsby was successful in flling the market
MANDOLIN and SERIAL NO. DG1019; accompanied by a delivery order from
among these players. In 1956 Leo Fender introduced his version of
Rainbow Freight Services Limited to Pink Floyd Music, dated 12th March 1979
the instrument, though it was late to capitalize on the western swing
and a color photograph by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing this Mandolin at his
craze because of its waning popularity. With a double cutaway body,
West Sussex studio in May 2011
reminiscent of the Precision Bass or Stratocaster, it came in two fnishes,
Length of back 11¼ in. (28.5 cm.)
a translucent blonde like a Telecaster and a sunburst like the Fender
Stratocaster. The instrument was produced with only four strings $3,000-5,000
rather than the typical double strung eight with a standard mandolin.
This set up did work well for fddle players who wanted to double on the David Gilmour purchased this electric mandolin from Frank Lucido’s California
mandolin. Their appearance resembling a diminutive Stratocaster has Guitar, Ventura, California, in March 1979 and kept it for studio use. The
led the collecting community to dub them “Mandocasters” or “Mando- accompanying photograph was taken at Gilmour’s home studio in West Sussex
Strats”. The electric mandolin was discontinued in 1976 but has recently as he played around with the instrument and recalled his tuning for the 1979 Pink
been reintroduced into the Fender product line. Floyd song Outside The Wall in preparation for a rare performance with Roger
Waters and Nick Mason during Waters' 2010-2013 tour The Wall Live. Gilmour
used a diferent mandolin for the actual performance at London's 02 Arena on
12th May 2011.
54
~ ■ 30
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1963 David Gilmour purchased this guitar in North London circa January 1978
A SOLID-BODY 6-STRING ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR during jamming sessions for his eponymous debut solo album at Pink
Peghead logo Fender VI / ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR / DES 186326 PAT Floyd’s Britannia Row Studios. Gilmour had the guitar strung to a special
2,960,900, 2,972,923 / OFFSET / Contour / Body, stamped to the bridge low tuning, telling Melody Maker’s Karl Dallas in 1981: They were brought
plate L09488, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER out some time in the Fifties, but they weren’t very popular because the strings
VI BASS CANDY APPLE RED #LO9488 and SERIAL NO. 1025; accompanied were too close together and they rattled if you tried to play them like a bass
by three color screenshots of David Gilmour playing this guitar at his Astoria guitar. I always thought they were awful until someone suggested stringing
houseboat studio circa 2006 them this way, tuned up from E to A. The following year, Gilmour used the
Length of back 18½ in. (47 cm.) Fender VI during recording sessions for the band’s 1979 narrative concept
album The Wall, notably to record a bass line on the track Run Like Hell, a
$8,000-12,000 Gilmour composition originally earmarked for his 1978 solo album, with lyrics
subsequently supplied by Roger Waters. The Wall recordings began at Super
Bear Studios in the South of France in April 1978, with fnal recording and
mixing at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles, through to early November
1979. Studio footage exists of Gilmour playing the guitar at his Astoria
houseboat studio circa 2006 with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera.

55
THE FENDER BROADCASTER ■ 31
With the success of Leo Fender’s frst solid-body electric guitar, the single FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1950
pickup Esquire, the need for a two pickup model became quickly apparent. A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, BROADCASTER
Though a few two pickup Esquires were produced in 1950, upgrades to Leo
The peghead with decal logo Fender BROADCASTER, the bridge plate
Fender’s frst solid body electric guitar were proving necessary, the most
stamped FENDER PAT. PEND. 0053, with original hardshell case bearing a
important being a neck reinforced with a truss rod. These refnements were
label inscribed FENDER BROADCASTER #0053 '50 and SERIAL NO. DG1010;
carried out in the fall of 1950 and the two pickup Esquire was renamed
accompanied by a facsimile copy of the original sales invoice from California
the Broadcaster. Reaction from the market place was swift and positive
Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour, dated 15th December 1979
with Fender selling 152 Broadcasters within the frst two months of 1951.
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)
Following a full-page advertisement in February’s Musical Merchandise
magazine announcing the new Broadcaster model, Fender’s sales distribution $50,000-70,000
arm received a telegram which would force Fender to change the name of
the Broadcaster. David Gilmour purchased this guitar in December 1979 from Frank Lucido
of California Guitar in Ventura, California, during a brief interlude between
completing fnal recording and mixing sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album
The Wall at Producers Workshop in Los Angeles in November 1979 and
beginning rehearsals for the upcoming Wall Tour in January 1980. Gilmour
liked the guitar’s GHS Boomer strings, which were subsequently ftted to his
Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters ahead of The Wall Tour and remain his
strings of choice to this day. Gilmour kept this guitar for studio use.

Fender advertising insert for the Broadcaster directed to the musical instrument industry in 1951

56
57
THE TELECASTER
On 20th February 1951 the distributers and marketing arm of Fender Electric
Instruments received a telegram from The Fred Gretsch Manufacturing
Company informing them of what they viewed as a serious trademark
infringement by Fender. The new twin pickup Fender guitar being marketed by
the model name Broadcaster was an infringement on two Gretsch products - a
banjo and a drum set - both of which were sold under the trademarked name
Broadkaster. General Manager Donald Randall wasted no time in notifying his
sales force, as well as Leo Fender, that the model name must be dropped, and
a new model name found. It would quickly be changed to Telecaster. A hugely
practical man, Leo Fender could not suspend shipping orders that his cash
strapped company needed to fill. Until new decals could be ordered, Fender
had the Broadcaster text cut off from the existing stock and only Fender
applied to the headstock. It would be at least a month before the Telecaster
name would show up on a Fender headstock. The few guitars that bore no
model name would be later called Nocasters within the collecting community.

■ 32
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1952
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER
At the peghead with decal logo Fender TELECASTER, the bridge plate
stamped FENDER PAT. PEND. / 2846, with later case inscribed FENDER
TELECASTER #2846
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$35,000-55,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, pp. 68-69.

Purchased in Spring 1977 by David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil

Taylor from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar in Ventura, California, during
the North American leg of Pink Floyd’s In The Flesh Tour, the guitar was
subsequently sold to David Gilmour in 1983 and kept for studio use.

58
The Fender Electric Instrument Co. factory, Fullterton, CA, 1952.
59
~ ■ 33
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1963
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, EVERLY BROTHERS, J-180
Bearing the label STYLE Everly Bros / Gibson Guitar number 63778 is hereby
/ GUARANTEED / against faulty workmanship and materials / Gibson Inc /
KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN / U.S.A., bearing the logo Gibson to the headstock,
truss rod cover engraved Everly, faintly stamped on the reverse 63778, with
later case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON EVERLY BROS. BLACK #63778
and SERIAL NO. DG1064; accompanied by an original typescript letter from
George Gruhn discussing the sale and shipment of the guitar, together with
the original sales invoice from Gruhn Guitars, Inc., both dated 26th March 1979,
a delivery order from Rainbow Freight Services Limited, Middlesex, addressed
to Pink Floyd Music, 35 Britannia Row, dated 12th April 1979, and a candid color
snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
Length of back 201 in. (51 cm.)

$10,000-15,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 39.

The J-180 Everly Brothers was frst introduced by Gibson in late 1962 and
was produced specifcally at the request of Phil and Don Everly. The design
was based on the popular and zaftig J-200 but built around a slightly more
diminutive body outline measuring 16¼ inches in width and a scale length of
24¾ inches. With its double faux tortoiseshell pickguard, all black fnish and
star pearl inlays on the fngerboard and headstock, it presented a dramatic
and graphic outline on stage. For artists, this instrument excelled tonally as a
rhythm guitar and was comfortable to play.
Having admired the Everly Brothers with their black acoustics from a young
age, David Gilmour purchased this guitar on 26th March 1979 from George
Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, for occasional home and
studio use. The Gruhn inventory number was 300345 at the time of sale.
Gilmour recalls using the guitar during recording of the 1979 Pink Floyd
album The Wall at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles between September
and early November 1979, although it is unknown whether it made it on
to the fnal record. In a May 1983 interview with Guitar Heroes, Gilmour
listed this guitar among his preferred acoustics …At the beginning we used
Levins, which were quite good guitars, a bit like Martins, made in Sweden or
somewhere, then we moved onto Martin D-35s and things like that and now we
tend to use Ovations mostly for recording and things. I also use a Gibson Everly
Brothers I’ve got and various others.

60
61
 David Gilmour purchased this 1955 “All Gold” Les Paul from Dave DeForrest
at Guitar Trader, Red Bank, New Jersey in 1978. Upon delivery, a note
inscribed on a gum wrapper was found in the control cavity reading David, I
have been your greatest fan since Saucerful. I set up this guitar, Wayne “Wolf”
Larsen, 43, Oceanport Ave. West Long Branch N.J. 07764, I’d love to hear
from you, I own 35 Pink Floyd Albums, I’d love to meet you if your [sic] in the
US.
Despite being primarily associated with Fender, Gilmour has played some
of his most classic solos on this Les Paul. Discussing his preference for the
Stratocaster in an interview with Guitar Player in January 2009, Gilmour
admitted that: …it’s very nice to play something else occasionally, like my
gold top Les Paul with those old singlecoil P-90s… I suppose you could say
that they are a little raunchier than Fenders. Most notably, Gilmour used the
guitar for the famous guitar solo on Pink Floyd’s hit single Another Brick in
the Wall (Part 2) from their 1979 album The Wall.
Based on a narrative concept by Roger Waters, The Wall was recorded
at Super Bear Studios in the South of France from April to July 1979 and
Producer’s Workshop in Los Angeles from September to November 1979.
An attack on the British education system and on the establishment in
general, Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) would be the ffth track on the
double album and the band’s frst number one single in both the UK and
US. Entirely unlike any other Pink Floyd song (largely due to the infuence
of co-producer Bob Ezrin), the track had a disco beat and a school choir
on the second verse. In an interview with Guitar World magazine in 2009,
Gilmour remembered: It wasn’t my idea to do disco music, it was Bob’s.
He said to me, ‘Go to a couple of clubs and listen to what’s happening with
disco music,’ so I forced myself out and listened to loud, four-to-the-bar bass
David Gilmour performing alongside (not in picture)Mike Rutherford and Bob Geldof at
Cowdray House, Midhurst, West Sussex, for the White Lotus School, Ladakh & Tibet drums and stuf and thought, Gawd, awful!’ Nevertheless, Gilmour set down
House Trust, 21st June 2002. Photo by Alan Davidson/Shutterstock. a funky rhythm on his white Fender Stratocaster 0001 (lot 20), followed by
a masterfully rhythmic and fuid solo on his recently acquired gold Les Paul,
recorded directly into the mixing console in one take. The recording was
subsequently fed back through an amplifer and recorded on a new track
~ ■ 34
for a more ambient sound. The Les Paul also contributed to the recording of
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1955 Another Brick In The Wall (Part 3).
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL
The subsequent live shows in support of the album were the most
Inlaid at the headstock Gibson, silk screened Les Paul MODEL, ink stamped spectacular to date, with a giant wall spanning the width of the auditorium.
to the reverse 5 8225, gold fnish, with original hardshell case bearing a label As the concept of The Wall had initially sprung from Waters’ hatred of the
inscribed GIBSON LES PAUL ALL GOLD #5 8225 and SERIAL NO. DG 1057 stadium experience, the exclusive arena tour consisted of only 31 dates in
Length of back 17⅛ in. (43.4 cm.) four cities - Los Angeles, New York, London and Dortmund in Germany
$30,000-50,000 - from February 1980 to June 1981. Gilmour played the Les Paul for
performances of One of My Turns, Don't Leave Me Now, the medley The Last
EXHIBITED: Few Bricks, and would sometimes swap out his Black Strat during the last
Pink Floyd Interstellar, Cité de la Musique, Paris, France, 10th October 2003 – chorus of Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) to play the solo on the gold Les
25th January 2004. Paul, as seen in footage and photographs from the shows at London’s Earls
Travelling Guitars, Cité de la Musique, Paris, France, 5th October 2006 – 15th Court in 1980. The London performances were recorded and released in
January 2007. 2000 on the live album Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81.
Gilmour later used the Les Paul during recording of the song Round and
LITERATURE:
Around on Pink Floyd’s 1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason and
Schafner, N. The Pink Floyd Odyssey: Saucerful of Secrets, London, 1995, illus. for his solos on Poles Apart and A Great Day For Freedom on 1994’s The
p.151. Division Bell, the latter solo clocking in at almost two minutes long.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 122. The guitar next appeared on stage at an evening of Beatles music at
Cowdray Park in West Sussex on 21st June 2002 in aid of the White Lotus
School, Ladakh and the Tibet House Fund. Gilmour played the frst of his
two sets on the Goldtop alongside Genesis’ Mike Rutherford on bass and
DAVID GILMOUR’S “ALL GOLD” LES PAUL, USED TO RECORD THE PINK
Bob Geldof on lead vocals for a medley of early Beatles numbers including
FLOYD HIT ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, Please Please Me, and Love Me
From frst inception in 1952 until 1957, the standard Les Paul Model would Do. Back in the studio, Gilmour used the 1955 Les Paul during the early
be fnished in a rich gold color on the top, with the back, sides and neck in a recording sessions for what would become his 2006 solo album On An
natural mahogany fnish. By special order an “All Gold” fnish was possible Island, until it was replaced by a newly acquired 1956 Goldtop with Bigsby
encompassing gold fnish on the whole guitar except on the faceplate of the tremolo unit, delivered part way through recording. Gilmour was last seen
headstock. These “All Gold” variants are very rare among the 862 “Goldtop” playing the 1955 Les Paul for a performance of Island Jam, the B-side to
Les Paul models produced in 1955. In 1958 the standard model Les Paul the single Smile, flmed in Studio Two at London’s Abbey Road Studios and
would change to a book matched maple top with a sunburst fnish and a released on his website as a teaser on 23rd December 2005 to promote the
cherry-red fnish on the back, sides and neck. release of On An Island.

62
63
THE HUMBUCKING PICKUP ■ 35
Regardless of the success of the P-90 pickup, an audible problem with electric GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1959
guitars began to present itself. The P-90, like all single-coil pickups, had the A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL CUSTOM
proclivity to amplify electrical interference. As the power output of guitar
Inlaid at the headstock Gibson, engraved on the truss rod cover Les Paul /
amplifers grew so did the volume in interference. As the P-90 aired toward
CUSTOM and ink stamped to the reverse 9 1398, black fnish, with later hardshell
the warmer tones in the spectrum, the interference manifested itself in the
case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM 1959 BLACK #9
form of a background “hum”. The chief electrical engineers at Gibson, Walter
1398 and SERIAL NO. DG1059; accompanied by facsimile copies of the original
Fuller and Seth Lover, set about to solve this growing problem. Seth Lover
sales invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour, dated 27th September
understood that the problem lay in an electromagnet’s sensitivity to peripheral
1979, and the UK customs receipt, dated 1st December 1979, together with a
energy that was infated by the amplifer’s 60 cycle transformer. His answer
candid color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
was to fabricate a magnetic pickup with two coils in one unit. Each coil bobbin
Length of back 17⅛ in. (43.4 cm.)
would be wound with wire in opposite directions, one clockwise the other
counter clockwise. The current now running through the pickup in opposing $45,000-65,000
polarity efectively canceled the interference. It “bucked the hum”. With the
coils wired in a series, they produced a stronger and thus a more powerful The frst Les Paul Customs were manufactured with two single-coil pickups,
pickup and the Humbucker was born. until mid-1957 when Humbucker pickups were frst ofered on the Les Paul.
First mounted on Gibson steel guitars in 1955, they were advertised in the The change was quickly made that all Customs would have three pickups.
Gibson catalogue …with powerful hum-bucking pickups eliminate all electronic David Gilmour purchased this guitar in December 1979 from Frank Lucido
disturbances. In early 1957 the Humbucker was next mounted on Gibson’s of California Guitar in Ventura, California, during a brief interlude between
hollow-body ES-175. When installed later that year on the Les Paul, Gibson completing fnal recording and mixing sessions for The Wall at Producer‘s
now ofered the most powerful and tonally balanced electric guitar in history. Workshop in Los Angeles in November 1979 and beginning rehearsals for the
The Les Paul Model with Humbucker pickups, Tune-O-Matic bridge and stud upcoming The Wall Tour in January 1980. Purchased to replace an identical
tailpiece is a guitar design that is universally copied and remains unchanged guitar that had been stolen in 1976, Gilmour kept this guitar for studio use.
to this day.
Gilmour told us: A lot of the guitars, I have to say, I purchased because I saw
someone using one and I thought “Oh I love that, I love the look of that,” and
I’m sure there was a Smokey Robinson and the Miracles 7in. cover which had
him holding a black Gibson Les Paul with three pickups on it. Now this may be
false memory, because memory gets a little unreliable these days, but that is
my memory and I did want to get one of those, and in fact I did get one of those
eventually. I think it got stolen, but I then did fnd another one which is the one
we have now and is being sold.

The Les Paul Custom as presented in the 1958 Gibson Electric Guitars and Amplifiers
product catalogue.

64
65
 ~ ■ 36
THE AMPEG COMPANY INCORPORATED, LINDEN, 1969
A LUCITE-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAN ARMSTRONG
Applied to the pickguard DAN ARMSTRONG AMPEG and stamped
on the neck tenon A1311 D, with original hardshell case bearing a
label inscribed DAN ARMSTRONG/AMPEG PLEXIGLASS #A1311D
and SERIAL NO. DG1000; accompanied by facsimile copies of the
original sales invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour,
dated 27th September 1979, and the UK customs receipt, dated 1st
December 1979
Body length 13⅜ in. (34 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus.
p. 95.

David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Frank Lucido’s California

Guitar in Ventura, California, on 27th September 1979, during fnal
recording and mixing sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The
Wall at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles. Gilmour has kept the
guitar for studio use.

VALCO
The National String Instrument Corporation was registered as a
California based company by John Dopyera in 1926. Within three
years Dopyera would resign from National leaving ownership and
management to his partners and form the Dobro company. By 1935,
Dopyera had returned in a merger that formed the National-Dobro
Company. With a steadfast mission to amplify the volume of fretted
instruments, the company’s early focus was production of acoustic
resonator guitars, but by 1935 National marketed their frst electric
guitar under the brand name of Supro. After a move to Chicago
in 1936 the company changed the brand name to Valco. Over the
following years Valco would manufacture electric instruments and
amplifers for other companies as well as their own. Valco is credited
with many innovative frsts in electric guitar manufacturing including
the frst double pickup guitar, a reinforced neck that dispensed with
the neck heel, and a molded fberglass resin body branded by Valco
as Res-O-Glas. Pigmentation could be incorporated directly into the
resin allowing the body to be molded and colored in one step. The
Val-Pro models all shared the same body design roughly mirroring
the map outline of the United States. By 1968 bankruptcy would
dissolve Valco, though the National name would resurface in the
36
1970s in the form of inexpensive Asian imports sold to the American
market. 1988 saw the reintroduction of National in the form of the
California based National Resophonic Guitars.

~ ■ 37
VALCO, CHICAGO, 1964
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, VAL-PRO NATIONAL, 88
Bearing the logo National at the headstock and National Val Pro
at the pickguard, serial number plate applied to the back of the
headstock G 23708, with later hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed NATIONAL BLACK #G23708 US MAP and SERIAL
NO. DG1092; accompanied by facsimile copies of the original
sales invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour dated
27th September 1979, and the UK customs receipt, dated 1st
December 1979
Body length 17¾ in. (45 cm.)

$2,400-3,500
David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Frank Lucido’s California
Guitar in Ventura, California, on 27th September 1979, during fnal
recording and mixing sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall
at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles. The guitar saw occasional
studio use throughout the 1980s.
37
THE CORAL ELECTRIC SITAR
Manufactured in the late 1960s by Danelectro in Red Bank, New Jersey,
the Coral Sitar had design input from session player Vincent Bell. The
solid-body construction with sympathetic strings was ftted with a bridge
that enhanced the “buzz” heard on traditional sitars. The electric sitar was
employed on a plethora of hit singles from Motown to Rock to add a unique
tambour and tonal essence to their recording.

~ ■ 38
DAN ELECTRO, RED BANK, CIRCA 1967-69
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC SITAR, CORAL SITAR, VINCENT BELL
Bearing the logo at the headstock Coral SITAR and applied to the
pickguard Vincent Bell / SIGNATURE DESIGN / ELECTRIC SITAR, with
original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed VINCENT BELL CORAL
SITAR and SERIAL NO. DG 1001; accompanied by a facsimile copy of
the sales invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Dave Gilmour, dated 30th
December 1979
Body length 18 in. (45.5 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 183.

David Gilmour purchased this electric sitar from Frank Lucido’s

California Guitar in Ventura, California, on 30th December 1979, during
a brief interlude between completing fnal recording and mixing sessions
for The Wall at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles in November 1979
and beginning rehearsals for the upcoming Wall Tour in January 1980.
The sitar was kept primarily for studio use.

THE DOBRO
The term “dobro” has become a commonly used term for any wood-
bodied guitar made with an internal aluminum cone resonator, however
the name stems from the trademarked name Dobro, derived from
the Dopyera Brothers. The Dopyeras began making these unique
instruments in 1929, based on the earlier work of John Matthias
Augustus Stroh, who in 1899 incorporated an aluminum cone
diaphragm to increase the tonal volume of string instruments. By the
mid-1930s the application of resonator guitars became obsolete due
to the advances in electrical amplifcation. Played with either a slide,
bottleneck or traditionally fngered, the instrument’s unique sound was
frst embraced by Hawaiian musicians, followed by blues, country and
bluegrass musicians.

38
■ 39
DOBRO, LOS ANGELES, CIRCA 1933
A RESONATOR GUITAR, MODEL 27
Bearing the later Dobro logo decal at the headstock, stamped at the
end of the headstock 5617, stamped on the cover 1896484 / other pats.
pend., with later semi-hard case bearing a label inscribed RESONATOR
SUNBURST - WOOD BODY #5617 of 5617 DOBRO 1934 SERIAL NO.
DG1090; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the original sales invoice
from California Guitar, made out to Mr. David Gilmour and dated 15th
December 1979, and a candid color snapshot of David Gilmour playing
this guitar in 2001
Length of back 19½ in (49.7 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

David Gilmour purchased this Dobro in December 1979 from Frank

Lucido of California Guitar in Ventura, California, during a brief
interlude between completing fnal recording and mixing sessions for
The Wall at Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles in November 1979
and beginning production rehearsals for the upcoming Wall Tour in
January 1980. The Wall Tour opened at Los Angeles Memorial Sports
Arena on 7th February 1980. Gilmour kept this guitar for both home
and studio use. 39

67
CHET ATKINS 6120
In 1954 Jimmie Webster of the Gretsch company approached the young
Nashville guitar virtuoso and studio player Chet Atkins about collaborating
on an endorsement guitar that would carry his name. This marketing model
had proved successful in the past at Gibson, with the Nick Lucas model in
1927 and later with the wildly popular Les Paul Model launched in 1952. After
numerous prototypes passed by Atkins, the 6120 was born and released
in 1955. The Chet Atkins 6120 was an all maple hollowbody electric in a
translucent orange color, ftted with gold-plated hardware, Bigsby tremolo
tailpiece, two DeArmond pickups and heavily festooned with western motifs.
By 1961 the unique sound and playability of the 6120, together with Chet
Atkins' fame, had positioned Gretsch as one of the top four electric guitar
manufacturers globally. Gone was the large branded G on the body, along with
the cowboy and cactus engraving on the pearl inlay. Fitted with an internal
“trestle bracing”, Gretsch’s dual-coil Filter’Tron pickups to subdue feedback, a
“zero” fret to increase sustain, and an ebony fngerboard with pearl half-moon
inlays that gave the 6120 elegant lines, the guitar was an iconic mainstay of the
Gretsch brand.

■ 40
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 20⅝ in. (52.5 cm.)

$7,000-9,000

David Gilmour purchased this 6120 from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar,
Ventura, California, in December 1979, during a brief interlude between
completing fnal 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.

68
■ 41 ■ 42
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN,
CIRCA 1963 CIRCA 1955
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, 'CHAMPAGNE' DUO-JET, 6128 A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JET FIREBIRD, 6131
Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard, Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard,
inscribed to the back control cavity cover 72856, the custom 'champagne partially redacted serial number inscribed on the control cavity cover plate,
sparkle' fnished top, with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH JET FIREBIRD
GRETSCH 6129 JET 'CHAMPAGNE' #; accompanied by a candid color 6131 RED # and SERIAL NO. DG1069; accompanied by a letter from George
snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001 Gruhn to Pink Floyd Music, Ltd. on Gruhn Guitars, Inc. headed stationery, dated
Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.) 16th May 1980, confrming the guitar had been placed on hold, an original
sales invoice from Gruhn Guitars, Inc. to Pink Floyd Music, Ltd., dated 12th June
$5,000-7,000 1980, together with the original air waybill, shipping invoice, supplementary
shipping invoice, customs declaration, customs invoice, arrival advice and
By 1961 all Duo Jet and associated Gretsch solid-body models incorporated delivery note, variously dated from 12th to 20th June 1980
a symmetrical double cutaway body. In addition to guitars, Gretsch also Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.)
produced drum kits in its line of musical instruments. By incorporating the
plastic materials used to cover the wooden drum rims in their solid-body $6,000-8,000
guitars, Gretsch was able to add a distinctive color and sparkle to their
LITERATURE:
instruments.
Bacon T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. pp. 144-145.
Acquired in 1979 by David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor
during the fnal recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall in David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Gruhn Guitars in Nashville,
Los Angeles, the guitar was subsequently sold to David Gilmour in 1983 and Tennessee, in June 1980 and kept it for studio use.
kept for studio use.
See footnote to lot 13.
69
■ 43
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN,
CIRCA 1958
A HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, WHITE FALCON, 6136
Labeled THE FRED. / GRETSCH / MFG. Co. / 60 Broadway / Brooklyn (11),
N.Y. / Model No. 6136, Serial No. 26306 / MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS
SINCE 1883, inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the
pickguard, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH
WHITE FALCON #26306 and STOCK NO. DG1074; accompanied by a candid
color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001, and another taken
by Phil Taylor at Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat studio in 2008
Length of back 20⅞ in. (53 cm.)

$20,000-30,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day. P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. pp. 144-145.

The Model 6136, or The White Falcon, would be Gretsch’s most visually
impressive and expensive guitar produced in the 1950s. Built on the outline
of a 17-inch archtop, it was a 2¾-inch deep single cutaway electric with a
spruce top and maple back and sides. With a snow white fnish, 24 carat gold
plating on the hardware and gold sparkle binding (sourced from Gretsch’s
drum division), the guitar was designed for the professional player who
wanted visual impact when on stage. The guitar retailed for $600 in 1955,
and it is believed that fewer than 300 of these instruments were produced
between 1955 and 1959. The Gretsch White Falcon would become iconic
when adopted by Stephen Stills and Bufalo Springfeld, helping to give their
performances and recordings a unique timbre on Stills’ solos.
David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Guitar Trader in Red Bank,
New Jersey, on 24th November 1980 and kept it for studio use. The
accompanying photograph from February 2008 shows Gilmour playing the
guitar at his Astoria houseboat studio for a television pilot arranged by Pink
Floyd bassist Guy Pratt.
Gilmour told us: In the early 60s in London, on Shaftesbury Avenue and
Charing Cross Road, there were various guitar shops. I think the one called
Sound City on Shaftesbury Avenue had a Gretsch White Falcon in the
window for years and years, and guitar players would walk past that window
and look at that guitar. I think it was over £600 in the early 60s, when a brand
new Stratocaster was about £170 - this really was three to four times as
expensive as the other most desired guitar that you could buy, and because of
that cost it just seemed to sit there for years in the window, and I always loved
that White Falcon.

70
71
72
■ 44
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN,
CIRCA 1958
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, WHITE PENGUIN, 6134
Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard and
engraved on the tailpiece Gretsch, with original hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed GRETSCH 6134 WHITE PENGUIN and SERIAL NO. 1070; accompanied
by a candid color snapshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.)

$100,000-150,000

Following the release of the White Falcon, Gretsch decided to target the
established solid-body electric market by producing a solid-body companion
to the Falcon as they had done with the 6120 Chet Atkins. The guitar would
share all the gold-plated appointments and snow white fnish of the 6136, but
with a body built around the Duo Jet’s 13½ inch wide template. It would not be
hyperbole to say that White Penguins are one of the rarest American vintage
guitars to exist in the market. Gretsch guitar historian Edward Ball clarifes the
rarity in his research on Gretsch production numbers during the 1950s. Gretsch
produced these spectacular instruments intermingled within the batch numbers
used for the White Falcon. Without solid numbers, he can only estimate the
total output to be, at the very most, 50 guitars. Among the pantheon of rare
and collectable guitars, a 1950s White Penguin would be comparable to a 1958
Gibson Korina Flying V or Explorer or a pre-war Martin D-45.
As David Gilmour had coveted a Gretsch White Penguin for some time, he
jumped at the chance when longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor received a
tip of from friend and guitar maker Grover Jackson. Jackson led Taylor to the
Georgia based guitar dealer Tut Campbell, who managed to track one down. The
White Penguin was purchased for Gilmour’s collection in July 1980 and kept for
home and studio use.
Gilmour told us: At some point I heard there was a sister or brother guitar to the
White Falcon and set around to fnd one of those. It’s a lovely instrument with
something all of its own. These guitars can be so similar, same make, but they sing
out in a diferent way. I’ve played it a lot, it’s a lovely, lovely thing.

73
74
75
David Gilmour performing live in the USA for The Wall Tour, February 1980.
Photo by Bob Jenkins/Pink Floyd Music Ltd.

■ 45
OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1976
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC NYLON-STRING GUITAR, CLASSIC, 1613-4
Labeled Ovation MODEL NO.1615-4 MANUFACTURED IN NEW HARTFORD CONN.
U.S.A. and Ovation / 068180, applied logo Ovation at the headstock, with original
hardshell case bearing a label inscribed OVATION 1613-4 NYLON 1975 #068180;
accompanied by the original owner’s manual and a facsimile copy of a commercial
invoice from Ovation Instruments Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 9th September 1976
Body length 21¼ in. (51.4 cm.)

$1,000-1,500

LITERATURE:

Scarfe, G. The Making Of Pink Floyd The Wall, London, 2010, illus. p. 118.

One of a group of Ovation acoustics purchased from Ovation Instruments,

Inc., New Hartford, Connecticut, in September 1976 in advance of Pink
Floyd’s upcoming tour in support of their 1977 album Animals, the nylon-
string was not used until the subsequent 1980-81 tour in support of the
band’s 1979 album The Wall. Throughout the tour, David Gilmour played
this nylon-string guitar for performances of Goodbye Blue Sky, Is There
Anybody Out There? and Vera, as captured by photographer Bob Jenkins
and murky footage of the shows at London’s Earls Court and a photograph
by Bob Jenkins published in Gerald Scarfe’s The Making Of Pink Floyd The
Wall. As the concept of The Wall had initially sprung from Waters’ hatred of
the stadium experience, the exclusive arena tour consisted of only 31 dates
in four cities - Los Angeles, New York, London and Dortmund in Germany -
from February 1980 to June 1981. Pink Floyd’s London performances were
recorded and released in 2000 on the live album Is There Anybody Out
There? The Wall Live 1980–81.

76
■ 46
OVATION INSTRUMENTS, NEW HARTFORD, 1976
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, CUSTOM LEGEND, 1619-4
Labeled Ovation MODEL No. 1619-4 MANUFACTURED IN NEW HARTFORD
CONN. U.S.A. and Ovation / 077453, inlaid logo Ovation at the headstock,
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed OVATION 6ST
ACOUSTIC#077453 1619-4 175 and SERIAL NO. DG 1097; accompanied by the
original owner’s manual and a facsimile copy of a commercial invoice from Ovation
Instruments Inc. to Pink Floyd, dated 9th September 1976
Body length 21¼ in. (51.4 cm.)

$1,000-1,500

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. p. 44.

(continued on next page)

77
David Gilmour performing on stage at Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands, 5 April 1984. Photo: Rob Verhorst © Getty Images

AN OVATION CUSTOM LEGEND USED BY ROGER WATERS ON THE

WALL TOUR AND BY DAVID GILMOUR ON HIS ABOUT FACE TOUR
Purchased from Ovation Instruments, Inc., New Hartford, Connecticut, in album About Face. Gilmour used the Custom Legend with a capo on the
September 1976, this guitar was carried as a spare for Roger Waters‘ primary second fret for performances of Near The End, the fnal track on the album,
studio and stage Ovation during Pink Floyd’s In The Flesh Tour from January and with the capo on the third fret for the song Murder, which had been
to July 1977 in support of their 1977 studio album Animals. At this time, both inspired by the senseless death of John Lennon in 1980. Photographs by Rob
David Gilmour and Roger Waters relied on Ovations for touring due to their Verhorst show Gilmour playing the guitar on stage at Vredenburg in Utrecht
built-in electronics and sturdiness. In a 1978 interview with Circus magazine, on 5th April 1984. Gilmour can also be seen playing the guitar in footage of
Gilmour joked: They’re robust… and my daughter can kick them around. the show at London’s Hammersmith Odeon on 30th April 1984, recorded for
the live concert flm and documentary Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, released on
As the Custom Legend that Waters had used on Animals had since been
VHS in September 1984.
set up with hi-strung tuning (lot 17), Waters instead employed this Custom
Legend, serial number 077453, during recording of the band’s next album A decade later, the guitar was used with an EBow (an electric device
The Wall at Super Bear Studios in the South of France from April to July designed to replicate a bowed efect on an electric guitar) during the
1979 and Producer‘s Workshop in Los Angeles from September to November recording sessions for the 1994 Pink Floyd album The Division Bell. Between
1979. Waters played the guitar to accompany his vocals on the track Mother, 2013 and 2014, material from the 1993 recording sessions for The Division
both in the recording studio and for live performances during the spectacular Bell were revisited, reworked and supplemented with new material for the
arena shows in support of the album. As the concept of The Wall had initially last Pink Floyd album The Endless River. Played with an EBow, the guitar can
sprung from Waters’ hatred of the stadium experience, the exclusive arena be heard on the tracks Things Left Unsaid and Ebb and Flow. Released in
tour consisted of only 31 dates in four cities - Los Angeles, New York, London November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist Richard Wright, who had passed
and Dortmund in Germany - from February 1980 to June 1981. Numerous away in 2008, the predominantly instrumental album debuted at number
photographs exist of Waters playing this guitar on the tour, as well as murky one in the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium,
footage of the 1980 shows at London’s Earls Court. Pink Floyd’s London New Zealand, and Canada.
performances were recorded and released in 2000 on the live album Is There
The guitar was last seen on stage during Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour in
Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81.
support of his 2015 solo album Rattle That Lock, set up as a left handed hi-
The guitar then travelled with Gilmour on the European leg of his 1984 About strung and played by musician João Mello for performances of In Any Tongue
Face Tour from 31st March to 1st May 1984, in support of his second solo from 23rd September 2015 to 30th September 2016.
CHARVEL GUITARS
Founded by Wayne Charvel in 1974, Charvel Guitars was originally launched
as a repair shop for Fender instruments with expired warranties, building a
solid reputation among professional guitarists for copying Fender bodies
and fnishes, and especially Fender necks. Charvel sold the business to his
employee, Grover Jackson, in November 1978, after which Jackson progressed
the company into manufacturing complete guitars by June 1979.

■ 47
CHARVEL GUITARS, GLENDORA, 1982
A SOLID-BODY FRETLESS BASS GUITAR
The cast neckplate cover bearing the logo Charvel and PO Box 245 San Dimas
/ CA 91773 / U.S.A., engraved 1451, with original hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed CHARVEL JAZZ FRETLESS #1451 1982 and SERIAL NO. DG1083;
accompanied by original installation instructions for the Bartolini Hi-A pickups
Length of back 16½ in. (42 cm.)

$3,000-4,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 197.

Custom-made to David Gilmour’s specifcations by Grover Jackson of Charvel

Guitars, San Dimas, California, in 1982, this guitar instantly became Gilmour’s
preferred fretless bass for studio use. Often recording his bass parts alone in
the studio control room, Gilmour has played the Charvel fretless on a number
of tracks over the years, including On The Turning Away for the 1987 Pink Floyd
album A Momentary Lapse of Reason and High Hopes, Poles Apart and Coming
Back To Life for the band’s 1994 album The Division Bell.

79
~ ■ 48
GIFFIN GUITARS, RICHMOND, 1983
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR
Copy of the C.F. Martin and Company R & D guitar designed by John Huber, headless
neck design, the tuners mounted at the end of a batwing-shaped body, with hardshell
case bearing a label inscribed GIFFIN 'A' (BRAD'S MARTIN COPY) and SERIAL NO.
DG1065; accompanied by a handwritten order note from Roger Gifin, dated 29th
October 1983, reading DAVE GILMOUR, BUILD COPY OF MARTIN HIGH STRUNG
GUITAR, DETAILS ON DRAWING, copies of 2014 email correspondence between Andy
Roberts, Dick Boak and John Huber regarding the history of the original Martin guitar on
which the Gifin copy was based, and a copy of Guitar Player magazine, November 1984,
featuring a photograph of David Gilmour playing this guitar [not illustrated]
Overall length 271 in. (68.8 cm.)

$1,000-2,000

LITERATURE:

T. Mulhern, "David Gilmour," Guitar Player, November 1984, Volume 18, No. 11, Issue 179,
illus. p. 95.

In October 1983 David Gilmour commissioned British luthier Roger Gifin to build
a copy of an esoterically shaped electric guitar he had on loan from musician Andy
Roberts (aka Brad Breath), who had replaced Snowy White as a guitarist for the 1981
Dortmund and London shows on Pink Floyd’s The Wall Tour. Roberts had recently
acquired the guitar from John Pearse, who had worked as a designer for Martin in the
1970s. In researching the guitar, Roberts discovered that the instrument had been
designed by John Huber at the C.F. Martin workshops in the early 1970s as a travel
guitar for his personal use and that, on proving successful, he had subsequently made
a handful of others for associates at Martin.
Having written and recorded the song Cruise for his 1984 solo album About Face
on Andy Roberts’ Martin, Gilmour had subsequently decided that a copy would be
required for the upcoming solo tour. Gilmour appeared on stage with the custom Gifin
copy for performances of Cruise throughout his About Face Tour from 31st March
to 16th July 1984. Asked about the guitar in a 1985 interview with John Stix, Gilmour
explained It’s an exact copy of a Martin prototype from the early ’60s. A friend of mine
has the original guitar. He lent it to me but he wouldn’t sell it, so I had it copied exactly.
At Gilmour’s request, The Who’s Pete Townshend had contributed lyrics to a couple
of tracks on About Face. Townshend had come up with three sets of lyrics to three
Gilmour compositions, two of which Gilmour used on the album and the third, which
Gilmour had composed on the Martin, became the song White City Fighting on
Townshend’s 1985 solo album White City: A Novel. Gilmour guested on the fnal
track with this custom Gifin copy.
When asked about this guitar by Andy Roberts in recent years, Gilmour
replied I still have my replica version and strum it often. It’s strange that it
feels so unlike any other guitar when it’s basically like any other guitar with
a capo on the 3rd fret. Gilmour has since acquired the original Martin R&D
guitar, on which this copy is based.

80
David Gilmour performing at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, June 8, 1984.
Photo: Brian Rasic © Getty Images
81
■ 49
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1950
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, BROADCASTER
The peghead with decal logo Fender BROADCASTER, the bridge plate
stamped FENDER PAT. PEND. 0040, with original hardshell case bearing
a label inscribed FENDER BROADCASTER #0040 '50 and SERIAL NO.
DG1011; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the UK customs receipt, dated
9th March 1980
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$50,000-70,000

LITERATURE:

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, illus. pp. 62-63.

Purchased in late 1979 by David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil

Taylor from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar, Ventura, California, during the
fnal recording and mixing sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall in
Los Angeles, the guitar was subsequently sold to David Gilmour in 1983 and
kept for studio use.

82
83
■ 50
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1957
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, KNOWN AS ‘THE
EX-HOMER HAYNES STRATOCASTER’
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped -20701, the custom blue color fnish, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER 1957 BLUE - GOLD PARTS
#20701 and SERIAL NO. DG1030; accompanied by facsimile copies of the sales
invoice from California Guitar to Mr. Phil Taylor and the UK customs receipt,
both dated 1st December 1979, an appraisal certifcate signed by Frank Lucido,
dated 9th September 1979, a certifcate of authenticity signed by George Gruhn,
dated 14th September 1979, together with original stamped addressed mailing
envelope from Gruhn Guitars, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, a 1970s blue ribbon
award, and an oficial tour program for David Gilmour’s About Face Tour, 1984
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$60,000-90,000

PROVENANCE:
Custom-made for Homer Haynes of Homer and Jethro, 1957 (according to an
appraisal by George Gruhn, Gruhn Guitars, Inc.).
With California Guitars, Ventura, 1970s.
Acquired by Phil Taylor, 1979.
Acquired by David Gilmour, 1983.

LITERATURE:

Wheeler, T. American Guitars: An Illustrated History, New York, 1990, illus. pl. 137

According to George Gruhn, this guitar was a custom production

instrument made for country and jazz guitarist Henry D. “Homer” Haynes.
As well as working as a session musician, Haynes was best known for
performing as part of a successful comedy and parody duo with Kenneth
C. "Jethro" Burns under the stage name Homer and Jethro. Homer and
Jethro won a Grammy for Best Comedy Performance for their 1959 hit The
Battle of Kookamonga and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of
Fame in 2001. Their 36-year career ended with Haynes' death in 1971. As a
performing act Homer and Jethro had a long association with Leo Fender
and Fender Electric Instrument Company as promoters of Fender guitars
and mandolins - Haynes was one of the special performers gifted a custom
fnished Stratocaster with gold-plated hardware bearing the serial number
0001. It is unknown whether this Stratocaster, in a custom blue color and
bearing the serial number -20701, was a purchase by Haynes or a gift from
Fender.
Following Haynes’ death, the instrument found its way into the possession
of the California guitar dealer Frank Lucido, who included the rare guitar
in a Stratocaster exhibition where it received a “best in show” blue ribbon
award. In September 1979, Lucido sold the instrument to Phil Taylor,
longtime guitar technician to David Gilmour, who then sold the guitar to his
employer David Gilmour in 1983. Soon after acquiring the guitar, Gilmour
selected the 'Ex-Homer Haynes Stratocaster' for a studio photo shoot
with photographer Chalkie Davies for promotion of his 1984 solo album
About Face. From this shoot, a shot of Gilmour with the guitar featured in
the oficial program for the About Face Tour. Understanding the rarity and
exceptional condition of this guitar, Gilmour has preserved the instrument’s
originality.

84
Promotional image of David Gilmour used for his ‘About Face’
solo album tour programme 1984. Photo by Chalkie Davies
85
■ 51 Invited to the CBS Fender UK warehouse in Enfeld, Middlesex, to trial Fender’s
new reissue line, David Gilmour hand selected this guitar, serial number
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON,
E325073, along with a 57V Stratocaster in Vintage White, serial number
CIRCA 1984 AND CHARVEL GUITARS V015052 (lot 53), a 62V Stratocaster in Fiesta Red, serial number V007911, and
A COMPOSITE SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR,
a 52V Telecaster, serial number 2596. The accompanying note from the Fender
STRATOCASTER ELITE
warehouse, reading These guitars are all for Dave Gilmour, lists the four guitars
The headstock bearing a later applied decal Fender STRATOCASTER / to be put aside for collection. Following receipt of the guitars on 31st January
WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / … ORIGINAL / Contour / Body PAT. 1984, the Elite was extensively modifed to accommodate David Gilmour’s
PEND., the neckplate with logo Fender Elite, black fnish, with original requirements, including the ftting of a custom 22 fret birdseye maple neck by
hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER ELITE Charvel Manufacturing, from the same batch as the neck that had been ftted
BLACK.CHARVEL NECK KAHLER LACE P/U's and SERIAL NO. DG to Gilmour’s primary Black Strat in 1982, and the ftting of a Kahler bridge to
1026; accompanied by a facsimile copy of a handwritten note from the replace the stock Fender one. The fatter profle and additional fret enabled
CBS Fender UK warehouse and a Fender promotional brochure including Gilmour to play a semitone higher at the top end. The guitar was carried on
a feature on the Stratocaster Elite Gilmour’s 1984 About Face Tour as a spare for The Black Strat and thereafter
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) kept for studio use.

$1,000-1,500

86
WASHBURN ~ ■ 52
The brand name Washburn was launched by the Chicago music GEORGE WASHBURN, CIRCA 1982
merchandisers Lyon & Healy in 1888 and gained a reputation for affordable A DREADNOUGHT-FORM SOLID-BODY ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC
fretted instruments of good quality. The Washburn name became synonymous GUITAR, SBF-26
with the small body “parlor” guitars of the period. In 1928 the name and
Labeled George Washburn / model no. SBF-26, Serial Number 821298 hand
manufacturing facilities were sold by Lyon & Healy to the wholesalers Tonk
crafted in the Washburn tradition / of Chicago, applied Washburn at the
Brothers who found it challenging to manage the quality and production
headstock and stamped 821298 on the reverse, with original hardshell case
demands of a large fretted instrument factory. By 1940 the name had lost its
bearing a label inscribed WASHBURN SPIRIT #8212981 and SERIAL NO.
luster in the market place and by the end of World War II no longer existed.
DG1118
The Washburn name was resurrected by the Los Angeles company Beckmen Length of back 20 in. (50.8 cm.)
Musical Instruments in 1972, who had Washburn instruments produced under
contract in Japan. In 1977 the brand was sold again to Chicago based Fretted $500-1,000
Instruments Incorporated. Ownership changed hands yet again in 1987 and
was renamed Washburn International. By 1991 Washburn Inc. were producing This guitar was supplied directly by Washburn in 1984 for use on the North
higher quality and limited-edition instruments in the United States as well as American leg of David Gilmour’s About Face Tour from 9th May to 16th
their imported products. July 1984, in support of his second solo album About Face. Gilmour used
the guitar for performances of Near the End, the final track on the album.
Photographs by Paul Natkin show Gilmour playing the guitar at the UIC
Pavilion, Chicago on 8th June 1984.
57V STRATOCASTER ■ 53
The 57V Stratocasters were released by Fender in 1982 and were offered in FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1983
a variety of “Custom Colors.” The impetus for the model was the attempt, AND 1989
by Fender, to revisit the earlier productions that their reputation had been A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
built on and replicate the sound and feel of the vintage Stratocasters made
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
in 1957. With a dearth of true vintage examples available on the market, the
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO, the neckplate stamped V015052, the custom
57V proved to be an excellent alternative, offered at an affordable price point.
color finish in Vintage White with original case bearing a label inscribed
The instruments received excellent reviews from players both amateur and
FENDER STRATOCASTER V57 CREAM #1 EMG+STAINLESS S. FRETS
professional.
#V015052 and SERIAL NO. DG1031; accompanied by the original Fender
inspection tag, a handwritten note from the CBS Fender UK warehouse on the
reverse of a Fender Landed Quality Check form, and a handwritten note on a
sheet of Astoria headed notepaper recording a neck swap in July 2005
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$8,000-12,000

LITERATURE:

Duchossoir, A.R. The Fender Stratocaster, Milwaukee, 1988, illus. p. 23.

Fielder, H. Pink Floyd Behind the Wall, New York, 2013, illus. pp. 124, 149, 159.
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, illus.
pp. 487, 510.
Popoff, M. Pink Floyd: Album By Album, Minneapolis, 2018, illus. p. 191.
Povey, G. and Russell, I. Pink Floyd: In The Flesh, London, 1997, illus. p. 238.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London. illus pp. 134, 135, 145, 160, 161, 163.
Guitar Player, November 1984, Volume 18, No. 11, Issue 179, illus. pp. 93-94.

88
DAVID GILMOUR’S PRIMARY PERFORMANCE GUITAR FOR THE ABOUT
FACE TOUR, 1984
Invited to the CBS Fender UK warehouse in Enfeld, Middlesex, to trial
Fender’s new reissue line, David Gilmour hand selected this guitar, serial
number V015052, along with a Stratocaster Elite, serial number E325073
(lot 51), a 62V Stratocaster in Fiesta Red, serial number V007911, and a 52V
Telecaster, serial number 2596. The accompanying note from the Fender
warehouse, reading These guitars are all for Dave Gilmour, lists the four
guitars to be put aside for collection, which took place on 31st January 1984.
I played through a lot of guitars and picked the best two, Gilmour recalled in an
interview with International Musician in August 1984.
Preferring not to take his valuable vintage instruments on the road, this
Vintage White 57V Stratocaster instantly became Gilmour’s guitar of
choice, used as the main guitar on his About Face Tour from 31st March to
16th July 1984 in support of his second solo album About Face. The Cream
#1, as Gilmour refers to it, can be seen in numerous photographs captured
over the course of the tour and features extensively in the live concert flm
and tour documentary Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, released on VHS in
September 1984.
Gilmour continued to use the guitar for live performances throughout
the mid-1980s, notably for an appearance on cult British television show
The Tube on 30th March 1984, two nights with Pete Townshend’s short-
lived supergroup Deep End at London’s Brixton Academy on 1st and 2nd
November 1985 in aid of Townshend’s Double O charity, another show with
Deep End at the Gala du Midem in Cannes on 23rd January 1986, and for a
beneft concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 9th February 1986 in aid of the
Colombia Volcano Appeal. The live concert flm Colombian Volcano Concert
was released on VHS the following year, featuring Gilmour’s performance of
the 1979 Pink Floyd song Run Like Hell on the Vintage White 57V.
Now modifed with EMG SA pickups and SPC and EXG tone controls to
eliminate noisy audio interference, the Cream Strat remained in favor as
Gilmour’s preferred performance guitar for the frst North American leg of
Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, from 9th September to
10th December 1987, alternated occasionally with the Candy Apple Red 57V
(lot 56) that he had acquired around the same time as the Cream. By the
time the second leg kicked of in Australia and New Zealand in January 1988,
Gilmour had begun to use the Candy Apple Red Strat exclusively. The Cream
#1 was thereafter carried as a spare for the remainder of the tour.
The Vintage White 57V was later used in the studio during recording of the
soundtrack to La Carrera Panamericana, a 1992 retrospective documentary
flm of the seven-day sports car race held in Mexico, featuring music by
Pink Floyd. A photograph by the late drum technician Clive Brooks shows
Gilmour wielding the guitar at London’s Olympic Studios in December 1991.
The following year, Gilmour made a memorable appearance with the Cream
Strat for a spine-tingling rendition of Prince’s Purple Rain with Tom Jones
for Jones’ six-part BBC series The Right Time in June 1992, which also aired
in the US on VH1. Gilmour next employed the guitar in the studio during
recording of the band’s 1994 album The Division Bell and as a spare for his
Candy Apple Red Stratocaster on the subsequent The Division Bell Tour
from March to October 1994.
On 2nd July 2005, second guitarist Tim Renwick played this guitar during
the historic reunion of David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and
Roger Waters in their classic-era Pink Floyd line up at Live 8 in London’s
Hyde Park, their frst performance together in 24 years. Footage of the
band’s performance was included on the oficial Live 8 DVD, released on
7th November 2005. Notably, Gilmour had appeared on stage with his 1969
Black Stratocaster (lot 127) for the frst time in over twenty years. With the
return to prominence of The Black Strat, a new neck was required at short
notice to enable Gilmour to use the instrument in recording sessions for his
2006 solo album On An Island, as the frets had become worn. The original
maple neck from this 1983 57V Stratocaster was thus transferred on to The
Black Strat, where it remains to this day, and in return The Black Strat’s
sixth neck, from a 1989 57V Stratocaster, was swapped on to this guitar.
The present guitar, employed as Gilmour’s primary instrument through the
mid-1980s, therefore now incorporates the neck used by David Gilmour
on his iconic Black Strat for the last live appearance of the classic-era
Pink Floyd.

Opposite: David Gilmour performing at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois,

8th June 1984. Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
89
THE LES PAUL SPECIAL
The Les Paul Special was introduced by Gibson in 1955 in an effort to fill a
price point void in their catalogue. The original standard Les Paul Model, which
the brand was built on, sold for $235 at the time. The more luxurious Les Paul
Custom was priced at $360, while the single pickup budget priced Les Paul
Junior sold at $110. Realizing that guitars at the lower end of the value range
sold at higher volumes, while trying to compete with the less expensive Fender
Telecaster, a two pickup version of the Les Paul Junior was introduced. The
Special will always be associated with the “limed mahogany” finish unique to
Gibson. Though referred to later as “TV Yellow,” the finish was a translucent
blonde color, not too unlike a Fender finish, though of better quality. Like all Les
Pauls, it had a solid-body with a single cutaway, until late 1959 when the body
style changed to a double cutaway.

~ ■ 54
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1960
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL SPECIAL, TV
Inlaid at the headstock Gibson and ink stamped on the reverse 0 9972,
with “TV Yellow” finish, with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
GIBSON LES PAUL TV YELLOW #0 9972 and SERIAL NO. DG1063;
accompanied by the original packing slip addressed to David Gilmour c/o
Raindrop Productions, 555 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10022, dated 25th June, and
the original retailer’s hang tag
Length of back 14 in. (35.6 cm.)

$10,000-15,000

David Gilmour purchased this guitar in California on 25th June 1984 while
on tour in support of his 1984 solo album About Face and kept it primarily
for studio use. Gilmour had acquired the guitar as a replacement for his
first Les Paul Special, which was purchased from a Seattle pawn shop
in early October 1970 during the North American leg of the Atom Heart
Mother World Tour, and was later stolen from Gilmour’s home studio in
1976. A frequent collaborator with both David Gilmour and Roger Waters,
Chester Kamen used this guitar when performing with Gilmour as second
guitarist during the last two legs of the Rattle That Lock Tour from June to
September 2016.

90
■ 55
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1983
AND 2004
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped V015525, sunburst fnish, with original hardshell case bearing a
label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER V57 SUNBURST EMG'S+SYNTH
P/U #V015525 and SERIAL NO. DG 1034; accompanied by three sheets of
handwritten notes and diagrams regarding the guitar’s electronics
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

Acquired directly from the CBS Fender UK warehouse in Enfeld, Middlesex

in early 1984, this guitar was one of two 57V Fender Stratocasters that were
modifed for use with the 1984 Roland GR-700 guitar synthesizer and has
been specially wired to facilitate David Gilmour’s performance requirements.
Fitted with EMG SA pickups, Gilmour selected this guitar for a short set
as part of Bryan Ferry’s band at the legendary Live Aid concert in London’s
Wembley Stadium on 13th July 1985. However, after a successful rehearsal
and soundcheck, the guitar’s newly installed 5 way pickup selector switch
failed a minute into the frst song of the live set and Gilmour can be seen
switching to his Candy Apple Red 57V (lot 56) in live footage of the show.
Gilmour played about further with the modifed guitar at his Hook End
Manor studio before reverting to using a regular guitar.

David Gilmour performing at Live Aid, Wembley 13th July 1985. Photo by David Plastik.

91
 David Gilmour performing live onstage at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium, London, 13 July 1985.
Photo: Peter Sill © Getty Images
92
■ 56
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1984
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
With decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO /
ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, : the neckplate stamped V013327, the tremolo cavity cover
bearing a label inscribed #1, Candy Apple Red, with original hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed FENDER STRAT V57 1984 RED #1 S/N V013327 and SERIAL NO. DG 1033;
accompanied by a sales invoice from Rhino Music Spares, Kent, dated 18th June 1985, for
the EMG pickups and SPC presence control, facsimile copies of handwritten notes from
Greg Fryer of The Guitar Surgery, Sydney, dated 4th February 1988, regarding repairs and
modifcations made to the guitar, and a copy of Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine,
October 1988, featuring this guitar on the cover
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$15,000-25,000

EXHIBITED:

Pink Floyd Interstellar, Cité de la Musique, Paris, France, 10th October 2003 – 25th January
2004.
Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 13th May – 15th
October 2017.

LITERATURE:

Fielder, H. Pink Floyd Behind the Wall, New York, 2013, illus. pp. 162, 174.
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, illus. pp. 495,
498, 501, 503, 508, 527, 531, 533, 545, 574.
Popof, M. Pink Floyd: Album By Album, Minneapolis, 2018, pp. 187, 202, 214.
Povey, G. and Russell, I. Pink Floyd: In The Flesh, London, 1997, illus. pp. 193, 194, 197, 204,
237.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster,
London, 2017, illus. pp. 136, 137, 142, 145-147, 159.
Guitarist, May 2015, illus. p. 68.
Guitar for the Practicing Musician, October 1988, Volume 5, No. 12, illus. cover, pp. 3, 76, 85.
Guitar Magazine, September 1995, illus. cover.
Guitar Player, November 1984, Volume 18, No. 11, Issue 179, illus. cover.

DAVID GILMOUR’S PRIMARY RECORDING AND PERFORMANCE GUITAR FROM

1988-2005
Besides The Black Strat, no instrument is more closely or immediately associated with
David Gilmour than his Candy Apple Red 57V Stratocaster, which replaced The Black
Strat as his principal studio guitar for almost twenty years, becoming a symbol of the
Gilmour-led Pink Floyd era.
Acquired from the CBS Fender UK warehouse in Enfeld, Middlesex, in early 1984, the
Candy Apple Red Stratocaster was one of the second batch of guitars Gilmour hand
selected from Fender’s new reissue line, having already taken delivery of a 57V in Vintage
White (lot 53), known as the Cream #1, along with a 62V Stratocaster in Fiesta Red, a 52V
Telecaster and a Stratocaster Elite (lot 51) that January. In a 1985 interview with John Stix
for Guitar For The Practicing Musician, Gilmour enthused …the new Fender Vintage Series
guitar I bought is probably as good as any Fender I own, old or new.
At that time preferring their sound to that of The Black Strat, the vintage reissues
became Gilmour’s guitars of choice, leaving The Black Strat to take a back seat for a
while. Although the Red #1, as Gilmour refers to it, was frst seen in promotional shots
for Gilmour’s second solo album About Face, released in March 1984, it was the Cream
Strat that served as the main guitar on the subsequent tour. Following the tour, the Candy
Apple Red Strat was used during mid-1984 recording sessions at London’s AIR Studios
for Paul McCartney’s 1984 soundtrack album Give My Regards to Broad Street. Gilmour
performed a memorable solo on the McCartney ballad No More Lonely Nights, requesting
that his session fee be donated to a charity of McCartney’s choice.
Now ftted with EMG SA pickups and SPC and EXG tone controls to eliminate noisy
audio interference, the Red Strat made its frst stage appearance at the legendary Live
Aid concert in London’s Wembley Stadium on 13th July 1985 when Gilmour played a
short set as part of Bryan Ferry’s band, including Sensation, Boys and Girls, Slave to Love
and a cover of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy. Live footage of the show reveals the moment
the Red #1 saved the day, promoted from spare to superstar when Gilmour’s sunburst
57V Stratocaster (lot 55) failed during the frst song. Gilmour told us: It was always tricky
when you have the sort of set up that we had, with a vast amount of lighting and dimmers.
Our guitar technicians were constantly struggling to stop buzzes and when you use efect
pedals, they tend to amplify all the bad noises. Through the 70s, the battle to not have loud
hums and buzzes coming out of your amps was constant, it was a nightmare, and these
pickups made by EMG in this guitar prevented that. Their low impedance electronic pickups

93
 didn’t pick up hums and buzzes and it made life so much easier on tour.
They also have tonal circuitry which can boost the thickness of the
guitar’s sound. When you’re playing solos the high notes can
sometimes get a bit thin on a regular Strat and this guitar had
a solution for that and it became my go to guitar for quite a
while. This guitar has served me very well.
From Live Aid onwards, the Red #1 was sometimes
alternated with the Cream and used for a number of
performances with Pete Townshend’s Deep End band
in the mid-1980s including an appearance on cult
British television show The Tube on 11th October 1985,
two nights at London’s Brixton Academy on 1-2nd
November 1985 in aid of Townshend’s Double O charity
and a show at the Gala du Midem in Cannes on 23rd
January 1986, broadcast on the German television show
Rockpalast.
The Red Strat became Gilmour’s principal recording guitar
when Pink Floyd returned to the studio in November 1986 to
record their thirteenth studio album A Momentary Lapse of
Reason aboard Gilmour’s newly appointed houseboat studio
the Astoria, The Black Strat having been loaned to the Hard
Rock Café that August. Immediately following the album’s release
on 7th September 1987, the band embarked on an enormous world
tour in support of the album. Although alternated with the Cream
Strat during the frst North American leg of the tour, Gilmour began
to use the Candy Apple Red Stratocaster exclusively as his main
performance instrument following some modifcations and repairs
by Greg Fryer during the Sydney dates in February 1988, which
lowered the pickups to more closely approximate the tone of his true
vintage Stratocasters. By the time the band had racked up almost
200 shows, playing such extraordinary locations as the Palace of
Versailles and Venice’s Grand Canal, the wildly successful tour
closed as the highest grossing of the 1980s. Pink Floyd’s series
of shows at New York’s Nassau Coliseum in August 1988 were
recorded for the 1988 live album Delicate Sound of Thunder
and the 1989 live concert video of the same name.
In between shows with Pink Floyd on the third North
American leg of the tour, Gilmour made an appearance at
the Les Paul Tribute Concert at the Brooklyn Academy
of Music, New York, on 18th August 1988, performing
a soulful blues solo on the Red Strat before returning
to the stage for a guitar jam with a star-studded
cast of musicians including Waylon Jennings, B.B.
King, Steve Miller, Eddie Van Halen and Les Paul.
Gilmour recalls that after B.B. King heard him
play, he approached him with the plaudit Hey,
boy, are you sure you wasn't born in Mississippi?
The full show was released on VHS in 1988 as
Les Paul & Friends: He Changed the Music. The
following year, Gilmour laid down guitar parts
on the Red#1 for the track Sasha on Michael
Kamen’s 1990 Concert for Saxophone with
David Sanborn.
Ahead of a guest appearance with John Martyn
at the Shaw Theatre, London, on 31st March
1990, Gilmour appeared with Martyn on the
Channel 4 documentary show Rock Steady,
wielding the Red Strat for a performance of Look
At The Girl, switching to his EC Stratocaster for
the subsequent live concert. Alongside Gilmour
on his EC Stratocaster (lot 74), Dire Straits’ Mark
Knopfer briefy borrowed the Candy Apple Red 57V
Strat for a light-hearted performance in a courtroom-
based French and Saunders comedy sketch aired on
the BBC on 19th April 1990. A couple of months later,
Gilmour played a short set on the Red Strat with Pink Floyd
at Knebworth on 30th June 1990 for a historic charity concert
in aid of the Nordof-Robbins Music Therapy Centre. The band
topped a bill of legendary Silver Clef Award Winners including Paul
McCartney, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Elton John, Genesis, Robert Plant
(with guest Jimmy Page) and Status Quo.
Gilmour continued to favor the Candy Apple Red Strat for various guest as unused material recorded on the Red Strat during the 1993 The Division
appearances through the 1990s, performing at a number of charity events Bell sessions was later revisited and reworked between 2013 and 2014 for
including the Red Balloon Ball at London’s Alexandra Palace in aid of The the band’s last album The Endless River.
Lung Foundation on 6th December 1990, the Rock-a-Baby charity concert
The guitar was next seen on 29th June 1996, when Gilmour made a
with an all-star band at London’s Hackney Empire Theatre on 1st February
special guest appearance with The Who at The Prince’s Trust Concert in
1991, the Chelsea Arts Ball in London’s Kensington for the Aids Crisis Trust
London’s Hyde Park, playing the last four numbers of The Who’s rock opera
on 11th October 1991, and Amnesty International’s Big 3-0 with Jools Holland
Quadrophenia. Gilmour subsequently used the guitar to record Cryin' Won't
on 28th December 1991, accompanying Seal in his rendition of Hey You and Help You Babe for B.B. King’s 1997 album Deuces Wild, afterwards appearing
Tom Jones on Kiss. Gilmour also contributed guitar on a couple of tracks with King on Jools Holland’s 5th Annual Hootenanny for a performance
on All About Eve’s 1991 album Touched By Jesus. The guitar was next seen of Eyesight To The Blind on the Red Strat. Notably, Gilmour selected the
at The Cowdray Ruins Concert on 18th September 1993 in aid of the local Candy Apple Red Stratocaster for a performance at London’s Wembley
King Edward VII Hospital. Set amongst the ruins of Cowdray Castle in West Arena on 24th September 2004 to celebrate 50 years of the Fender
Sussex, the spectacular line up also included Queen’s Roger Taylor and John Stratocaster. As part of a stellar line up of guitar greats paying tribute to
Deacon, Genesis and Eric Clapton. With Genesis’ Mike Rutherford on bass, the iconic instrument, Gilmour performed the track Sorrow on the 1984 57V
Pink Floyd performed three songs – Run Like Hell, Comfortably Numb and Stratocaster, together with Marooned and Coming Back to Life on his 1954
Wish You Were Here – before returning to the stage with the full line up for a 0001 Strat (lot 20). The reign of the Red was to come to an end, however,
jam of Ain’t That Peculiar and Gimme Some Lovin’. when The Black Strat made its triumphant comeback for the historic reunion
Back in the studio, the Candy Apple Red Strat was used during 1991 of David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and Roger Waters in their
recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s soundtrack to La Carrera Panamericana, classic-era Pink Floyd line up at Live 8 in London’s Hyde Park on 2nd July
a 1992 retrospective documentary flm of the seven-day sports car race held 2005, their frst performance together in 24 years.
in Mexico, thereafter serving as the principal guitar during recording of the Although the Black Strat had reclaimed its position as Gilmour’s No.1 guitar,
band’s 1994 album The Division Bell. Footage from the 1993 The Division Bell there is no doubt that the Candy Apple Red Strat continued to hold a place
sessions, seen in the 1994 BBC TV Omnibus Pink Floyd - The Story, as well in his afections, remaining a key fxture on Gilmour’s 2006 solo tour for
as 2014 promotional videos for the Endless River, show Gilmour jamming on performances of the Syd Barrett tribute Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Used
the Red Strat alongside bandmates Nick Mason and Richard Wright at the for hundreds of performances throughout Pink Floyd’s most intensive touring
Astoria. The guitar was again employed as Gilmour’s main stage instrument period and captured in countless photographs and live recordings, it could
on The Division Bell Tour from March to October 1994, as seen in the live be argued by some fans that the Red Strat is the more instantly recognizable
concert video Pulse, released on VHS in 1995 and on DVD in 2006. The Gilmour guitar. With its unique tone, the Red Strat inspired some of David
tour marked the frst time since 1975 that the band had played their seminal Gilmour’s most memorable performances and defned the sound of the
masterpiece The Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety. It would turn out to be Gilmour-led Pink Floyd.
the last Pink Floyd tour. It would not be the last Pink Floyd album, however,

David Gilmour in rehearsals for the Pink Floyd ‘Live 8’ concert in Hyde Park, London, 2nd July 2005.
Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive.
95
■ 57
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, FULLERTON, CIRCA 1982
AND 1983
A PAIR OF GUITAR AMPLIFIERS, CONCERT
One bearing the serial number F332178, stamped on the chassis, the other
stamped F210503
18½ in. (47 cm.) high, the cabinet; 23¾ in. (60 cm.) wide; 11 in. (28 cm.) deep

$1,000-2,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p.136.

The Fender Concert amplifer was part of the II Series line produced by
Fender under Paul Rivera from 1982 to 1986, among the last amplifers to be
made at Fullerton. The amps were designed with both a clean and mid-boost
gain channel to compete with the Mesa Boogie Mark Series amps that were
popular at the time.
A stereo set up of the two Fender Concert amplifers was frst incorporated
into David Gilmour’s session rig in mid-1984 and used during recording
sessions at London’s AIR Studios for Paul McCartney’s 1984 soundtrack
album Give My Regards to Broad Street. With his 1984 Candy Apple
Red 57V Stratocaster (lot 56) fed into the two Fender Concert amps,
Gilmour performed a memorable solo on the McCartney ballad No More
Lonely Nights, requesting that his session fee be donated to a charity of ~ ■ 58
McCartney’s choice. GEORGE WASHBURN, CIRCA 1983
A DREADNOUGHT-FORM SOLID-BODY ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC
The Concert amps made a notable appearance at the legendary Live Aid
GUITAR, MIRAGE DELUXE
concert in London’s Wembley Stadium on 13th July 1985 when David
Gilmour performed a set as part of Bryan Ferry’s band, which included the Labeled George Washburn / Mirage Deluxe / handmade, Serial Number
songs Sensation, Boys and Girls, Slave to Love and a cover of John Lennon’s 833881, applied Washburn at the headstock and stamped on the reverse
Jealous Guy. Numerous photographs and live flm recordings exist of the 833881, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed WASHBURN
performance, showing a total of four Fender Concert amplifers stacked on MIRAGE DELUXE #833881 and STOCK NO. DG1117
top of four Fender speaker cabinets on the stage. Length of back 19¼ in. (49 cm.)

The concert amplifers remained in Gilmour’s session and stage rig through $300-500
1985, used during recording of Pete Townshend’s 1985 solo album White
City: A Novel and for live performances with Townshend’s short-lived This guitar was supplied directly by Washburn in 1984 for use on the North
supergroup Deep End in October and November 1985, including a live American leg of David Gilmour’s About Face Tour from 9th May to 16th July
performance on cult British television show The Tube on 11th October and 1984, in support of his second solo album About Face. The Mirage Deluxe
two nights at London’s Brixton Academy on 1st and 2nd November in aid of was used on stage by Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople and Bad Company,
Townshend’s Double O charity. who had joined Gilmour’s touring band as second guitarist.

96
 ~ ■ 60
BRYNN A. HISCOX, ARMITAGE, 1984
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Labeled Brynn A. Hiscox / Luthier / Armitage, England and inscribed BH
MARIO MACCAFERRI February 1984, inlaid Hiscox at the headstock, with later custom case by
Hiscox, bearing a label inscribed HISCOX ACOUSTIC s/n 1076; accompanied
Born in 1900 in Cento, Italy, Mario Maccaferri was apprenticed at the age of
by two letters and a handwritten note from luthier Brynn Hiscox to David
11 to the luthier Luigi Mozzani. Having excelled in both the performance and
Gilmour, the letters dated January 1983 and 7th October 1984, the note
making of classical guitars, Maccaferri was not above bringing new ideas to
undated but circa 1985, together with a collection of promotional material for
guitar construction. In 1931 he partnered with Selmer & Cie to design a guitar
Hiscox guitars and cases
that would be tonally louder and bolder than any on the market. The outcome
Body length 20¼ in. (51.4 cm.)
would be Selmer’s Modèle Jazz guitar made famous by the Parisian Gypsy Jazz
guitarist Django Reinhardt. By 1940 Maccaferri had emigrated to America, $1,500-2,500
where he began many production experiments with plastics while living in
New York. When the material became commercially viable after World War This guitar was custom-made for David Gilmour by Brynn Hiscox in 1984.
II, Maccaferri became involved with the production of a multitude of plastic The work of Brynn Hiscox is based on early lute construction. Rather than
objects from toothbrushes and clothespins to ukuleles and guitars. constructing a guitar body with bent sides and a fat back, the Hiscox
guitar body has a back of separate bent staves of wood that are joined
■ 59 over a bowl-shaped mould. This technique is found in both traditional lute
making, Neapolitan mandolin construction and the Arabic oud. Hiscox
MARIO MACCAFERRI, NEW YORK, CIRCA 1950
recalled frst being contacted by David Gilmour in 1983 when the guitar
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, GA-40 DELUXE
was commissioned. The instrument was designed around Gilmour’s
Bearing maker logos, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed specifcations and modeled partially on an Ovation acoustic that he was
MACCAFERRI - PLASTIC performing on at the time. The guitar is numbered 54 in Hiscox’s record
Length of back 17¼ in. (43.9 cm.) books and was delivered to Gilmour on 9th March 1984.

$300-500 The accompanying letter from Brynn Hiscox, dated 7th October 1984, details
Hiscox's progress in designing a suitably strong hardshell case to protect
David Gilmour received this guitar as a gift in the late 1980s from friend and his hand-built acoustic guitars: In the end I had to demolish an Ovation
fellow guitarist Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople and Bad Company, who had case in order to fnd out how they did it. Having done that, I have produced
toured with Gilmour as second guitarist on his About Face Tour from 31st the frst composite structure case. Now an industry staple, one of the frst
March to 16th July 1984. Gilmour kept the Maccaferri at his London home for commercially produced Hiscox Cases was delivered to David Gilmour in 1985
private use. to safely house his Hiscox guitar.

97
■ 61 ~ ■ 62
BOND GUITARS, DORSET, 1982 WILKES GUITARS, STOKE-ON-TRENT, 1986
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, ELECTRAGLIDE, A PRE- A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, THE ANSWER, 5Z2A75
PRODUCTION PROTOTYPE Bearing the logo Wilkes Guitars on the headstock and pickup cavity, with
Double cut-away body, composite materials, in hardshell case bearing a hardshell case bearing a label inscribed WILKES STRAT w/SLIDING P.UPS
label inscribed BOND FRETLESS/STEP WHITE AND BLACK and SERIAL CANDY APPLE RED w/RW Neck DG1119; accompanied by the original warranty
NO. DG1002; accompanied by a handwritten note from Kenny Smith on registration card, a promotional fyer from Wilkes Guitars, and installation
a Bond Guitars compliments slip, a sheet of care instructions and three instructions for the Dive Bomber tremolo system
adjustment tools Length of back 15⅝ in. (39.8 cm.)
Overall length 39⅝ in. (100.8 cm.)
$1,000-2,000
$1,000-2,000
Douglass K. Wilkes began making guitars in 1972. In the 1980’s he operated
David Gilmour acquired this guitar as an early demonstration model a production facility in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, concentrating on solid-body
directly from Bond Guitars, Dorset, England, in February 1982 and kept it electric guitars, gaining recognition for his work among musicians in the UK
for studio use. The all carbon fber resin Bond Electraglide was thereafter and abroad. One of his innovations was the sliding pickup system employed
manufactured from 1984 to 1985. The unique resin fngerboard was by this guitar. He downsized his operations in 1992 and today makes bespoke
designed with a stepped fngering surface, dispensing with the need for instruments to order in his Keele workshop.
inlaid fret wire as used on traditional guitar fngerboards.
Custom-made to David Gilmour’s specifcations and delivered in July 1986,
Gilmour used this guitar a good deal at his Hook End Manor studio and Astoria
houseboat studio in the mid-eighties.

98
■ 63 ■ 64
THE OVERWATER GUITAR COMPANY, NORTH HALTWHISTLE, THE NATIONAL STRING INSTRUMENT CORPORATION, LOS
1984 ANGELES, CIRCA 1940
A FRETLESS SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR, C BASS A DOUBLE-NECK ELECTRIC LAP STEEL GUITAR, DOUBLE 8 CONSOLE
Bearing the logo The Overwater Guitar Company at the headstock and C Bass, Engraved with logo National to the body and to the side of the case engraved
in original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed OVERWATER 'C' BASS National Console, stamped with serial number B3286 to the reverse, with
1986 and SERIAL NO. DG1100; accompanied by two typewritten letters from original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed NATIONAL DOUBLE NECK
luthier Chris May of The Overwater Guitar Company, dated 28th August and STEEL and SERIAL NO. DG1091
19th September [1984], together with a promotional fyer and three facsimile Overall length 33¼ in. (84.5 cm.)
pages of promotional material for The Overwater Guitar Company
Body length 21 in. (53.4 cm.) $1,000-2,000

$2,000-3,000 David Gilmour acquired this double-neck lap steel guitar in the mid 1980s
after admiring a similar example owned by musician David Lindley and
After trialing a fnal prototype of the C Bass, this guitar was custom-made to kept it at his home studio at Hook End Manor in Oxfordshire. Early steel
David Gilmour’s specifcations by luthier Chris May of The Overwater Guitar guitar performer and innovator Letritia Kandle was photographed with a
Company, Northumberland, England, in September 1984 - the second C similar example of the National Console Double 8 in the early 1940s. Kandle
Bass to be produced by Overwater, before general release of the instrument envisioned and designed the frst steel guitar which enabled the player to
in 1985. Designed in collaboration with Thompson Twins bassist Andrew stand while playing, the Grand Letar, in 1937.
Bodnar, the C Bass aimed to match the lower range basslines produced by
the synthesizer, before fve-string basses became widely available.

99
~ ■ 65
CHARVEL GUITARS, GLENDORA, 1981
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR
The headstock with applied Charvel logo, with hardshell case bearing a label inscribed CHARVEL
STRATOCASTER BROWN BURST-FLAME EMG ROSEWOOD #N.S.N; accompanied by a
promotional fyer for the No.1 Music Centre, Hamburg, inscribed sold: David Gilmour 8-84, a
delivery note from No.1 Music Centre, Hamburg to Charvel Manufacturing, dated 22nd November
1984, returning the guitar for guarantee repair, and two photographs of David Gilmour playing this
guitar, the frst a vintage gelatin silver print by Jill Furmanovsky, London, circa 1986, the second a
candid color snapshot, 2001 [not illustrated]
Length of back 15⅝ in. (39.7 cm.)

$4,000-6,000

An early instrument from the hand of Grover Jackson while at Charvel, this
guitar was made in late 1981 and sent to Germany for the February 1982
Musikmesse Frankfurt. When in Hamburg two years later for a show at
the Congress Centrum on 19th April 1984 as part of his About Face Tour,
Gilmour admired the 1981 Charvel on the wall of Hamburg’s No.1 Music
Centre and was disappointed to learn that it was not for sale. As Gilmour
was determined to acquire the guitar for his collection, guitar technician Phil
Taylor telephoned Grover Jackson in Los Angeles, who kindly negotiated
a deal to build two guitars for owner Bernhard Kurzke free of charge in
exchange for his relinquishing the Charvel to Gilmour. After modifcations
to the pickup and volume pot, Gilmour used the guitar for various live
performances throughout the mid-1980s.
Gilmour was frst seen playing the guitar throughout a performance with
Pete Townshend’s short-lived supergroup Deep End at the Gala du Midem
in Cannes, France, on 23rd January 1986 in support of Townshend’s solo
concept album White City: A Novel. Filmed for the German television show
Rockpalast, a live CD/DVD of the show was released in 2016. The following
month, Gilmour strapped on the Charvel for a celestial performance of
Comfortably Numb for a beneft concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 9th
February 1986 in aid of the Colombia Volcano Appeal. The live concert flm
Colombian Volcano Concert was released on VHS the following year. The
guitar subsequently travelled with Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s A Momentary
Lapse of Reason Tour, used for performances of On the Turning Away during
tour rehearsals at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on 7th August 1987 and for the
band’s series of dates at New York’s Madison Square Garden from 5-7th
October 1987.

David Gilmour at home, December 1985. Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive

100
■ 66
GALLIEN-KRUEGER, CAMPBELL, 1986
A GUITAR AMPLIFIER, 250 ML
Bearing the label GALLIEN-KRUEGER, CAMPBELL, CALIF SERIAL NO. 31777, the Gallien-Krueger was used for the majority of the tracks recorded on the
adjustment settings written in yellow wax pencil on the top of the case and the Astoria, telling Guitar World magazine in 1993: …we couldn't keep the (big)
inscription RAVE'S/NOT BOB'S, with padded case and power chord amps in the same room with us, and we were forced to use slightly smaller
9 in (23 cm.) high; 13¾ in. (35 cm.) wide; 6 in (15 cm.) deep amplifers. But after playing around with them in the demo stages of the
project, we found that we really liked the sound. So a Fender Super Champ and
$1,000-2,000
a little G & K became the backbone of Dave's guitar sound for that record. The
case was inscribed by Ezrin during this period to identify the amplifer as the
Introduced in 1983, the innovative 250 ML delivered 100 watts of power property of Rave (David Gilmour) rather than his own.
with stereo circuitry. Its ability to supply studio efects in such a small sized
Most notably, the amplifer played a key role during recording of the track
cabinet makes it a highly desirable guitar amplifer for the studio or live
Sorrow. Gilmour stayed aboard the Astoria for a whole weekend to record the
performing musician.
guitar parts on his Steinberger GL 3T (lot 70) using the distortion channel
First added to David Gilmour’s stage rig for a performance with Pete on this Gallien-Krueger, telling Guitar World magazine in July 1988: That very
Townshend’s short-lived supergroup Deep End at the Gala du Midem in nasty distortion you hear at the beginning of the song is basically the result of
Cannes, France, on 23rd January 1986, the amplifer thereafter became a the Steinberger going through two little amps in the studio—a Fender Super
staple of his studio set up. Gilmour told Guitarist magazine in June 1986: Champ and a Gallien-Krueger. I use a Boss Heavy Metal distortion pedal and
There is also a little Gallien-Krueger amp in there as well… the Krueger is a Boss digital delay pedal, which then goes into the Fender Super Champ. And
very handy. I just put it down here on the foor of the control room with this that in combination with the internal distortion on the Gallien-Krueger was how
microphone, get a nice sound, record it, and worry about the EQ afterwards. I got that particular sound.
The amplifer saw extensive studio use during the recording of Pink Floyd’s Alongside Gilmour on his EC Stratocaster (lot 74), Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfer
1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which took place on David used this amplifer with Gilmour’s Candy Apply Red 57V Stratocaster (lot 56)
Gilmour’s newly appointed Astoria houseboat studio between November for a light-hearted performance in a courtroom-based French and Saunders
1986 and February 1987. Album co-producer Bob Ezrin has suggested that comedy sketch aired on the BBC on 19th April 1990.

101
102
THE GIBSON J-200
Next to the Martin D-28 the Gibson J-200 is undoubtedly the most iconic
American acoustic guitar ever produced. From its inception in 1937 as the
Super Jumbo 200 (SJ-200) it was frst seen on stage and made famous by
the country and western artist Ray Whitley. The J-200 quickly became the
instrument of choice for performers looking for the tonal projection and deep
bass resonance delivered by its huge curvaceous body. At just shy of 17 inches
across, it was the widest fat-top guitar ever produced and drew the eyes and
ears of the audience to any performer who strapped one on. First embraced by
country and western stars of the 1930s and 40s such as Roy Rogers, the guitar
quickly found its raison d'être in the world of rock and roll. The Everly Brothers,
Elvis Presley, Pete Townshend, George Harrison, Jimmy Page, and Bob Dylan
are but a few artists whose signature sound is linked to the J-200.

~ ■ 67
GIBSON INCORPORATED, NASHVILLE, 1986
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, J-200 CELEBRITY
Bearing the label Gibson Kalamazoo Michigan / KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN
U.S.A. / Nashville Tennessee / Serial Number 80026502 / J-200 Celebrity no.
9 of 90, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIB(S)ON J200
CEL(E)BRITY 9 OF 90 #80026502 / SERIAL NO. DG1052; accompanied by
a letter from Gibson USA’s Director of Marketing, dated 9th November 1987,
regarding the provision of the J-200 Celebrity via an endorsement agreement,
annotated in pencil with suggested terms for the agreement, together with a
facsimile copy of the signed endorsement agreement between David Gilmour
and the Gibson Guitar Corporation, dated 15th November 1987, and a repair
form from Chandler Guitars, Kew, dated 15th December 1989, to change the
SORS pickups to L. R. Baggs
Length of back 20⅞ in. (53 cm.)

$3,500-5,500

LITERATURE:

Fielder, H. Pink Floyd Behind the Wall, New York, 2013, illus. p. 199.
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, illus.
p. 579.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 159.

Opposite: David Gilmour during the recording sessions for the Pink Floyd album
‘The Division Bell’, 1993. Image by Tony May/Pink Floyd (1987) Ltd.
103
DAVID GILMOUR’S PRIMARY J-200 CELEBRITY, PLAYED DURING PINK
FLOYD'S HISTORIC LIVE 8 PERFORMANCE, 2005
The Gibson J-200 Celebrity was produced in a limited run of just 90 should stick the E-bow on the strings and see what would happen. It sounded
instruments to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Gibson Company great, so we started writing a little duet for the E-bowed acoustic guitar and
in 1985. With rosewood back and sides the Celebrity would deliver more a keyboard. We never fnished the piece, but [keyboardist] Jon Carin decided
colored overtones synonymous with rosewood. Rather than the large block to sample the E-bowed guitar part. We kept the sample and ended up using
and “pineapple” pearl position markers found on most J-200s, the Celebrity it as a loop on "Take It Back," and again on "Keep Talking." Gilmour also used
boasted pearl inlay in a foral motif reminiscent of those found on L-7 and the J-200 for a folk-like accompaniment on Lost For Words and, tuned to
L-10 arch-tops of the 1930s. DADGAD, for Poles Apart. Co-written by Gilmour, Polly Samson and Nick
Laird-Clowes, Poles Apart was revealed by Samson to be about founding
After frst trying Dire Straits bassist John Illsley’s J-200 Celebrity at London’s
members Syd [Barrett] in the frst verse and Roger [Waters] in the Second.
AIR Studios in September 1986, Gilmour contacted Gibson in an attempt to
Gilmour explained the unusual tuning in an interview with Guitar World
track one down. In an interview with Guitar World magazine in May 2006,
magazine in September 1994: …I thought it was something new that I had
Gilmour recalled: I was in AIR Studios and that guitar was lying around. I tried
invented. One day, I was on holiday in Greece and I had an acoustic guitar
it and liked it. I contacted Gibson and asked if they had any left, …they were
with me. I just decided to tune the bottom string down to D and continued to
looking in their storeroom and they found one that had somehow never reached
experiment until I arrived at that tuning. Then I mucked around a bit and "Poles
its destination. And they let me have it. The guitar was supplied directly by
Apart" fell out of it a few minutes later.
Gibson USA to David Gilmour in exchange for an endorsement agreement in
November 1987. Gilmour liked the J-200 Celebrity so much that he set out to The band took a break from recording to appear at The Cowdray Ruins
acquire a second example in 1994. Concert on 18th September 1993 in aid of the local King Edward VII
Hospital. Set amongst the ruins of Cowdray Castle in West Sussex, the
Along with his trusty Martins, the J-200 Celebrity was used extensively
spectacular line up also included Queen’s Roger Taylor and John Deacon,
during the recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell,
Genesis and Eric Clapton. With Genesis’ Mike Rutherford on bass, Pink
which took place primarily at Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat studio between
Floyd performed three songs – Run Like Hell, Comfortably Numb and Wish
January and September 1993. Gilmour experimented with an E-Bow (an
You Were Here – before returning to the stage with the full line up for a jam
electric device designed to replicate a bowed efect on an electric guitar) on
of Ain’t That Peculiar and Gimme Some Lovin’. Gilmour chose this acoustic
the J-200 Celebrity during the sessions, with the recordings appearing on
to play Wish You Were Here, the title track of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album of
the intros to Take It Back and Keep Talking. In an interview with Guitar World
the same name and, like Poles Apart, also written about founder member
magazine in September 1994, Gilmour explained that the E-Bow was used
Syd Barrett. Only fan footage remains from the superstar event, however
…on a Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar that is processed through a Zoom efects
photographer Richard Young captured Rutherford and Gilmour, grinning with
box, then directly injected into the board. That' s a pretty bizarre confguration.
his J-200, in rehearsals ahead of the show.
Well, I guess I experiment more than I think I do. I had a Zoom in my control
room one day and I was mucking about with something. Suddenly, I thought I Gilmour continued to use this acoustic for performances of Wish You Were
Here throughout Pink Floyd’s 1994 The Division Bell Tour, along with a
second J-200 Celebrity, newly acquired from John Illsley of Dire Straits
and tuned to DADGAD for performances of Poles Apart (lot 79). With the
addition of another J-200 on loan from guitar technician Phil Taylor, a total
of three Gibson J-200 Celebrity guitars were carried on the tour. Footage
of Gilmour playing this guitar during the show at Earls Court, London, on
20th October 1994, can be seen in the live concert video Pulse, released on
VHS in 1995 and on DVD in 2006. Gilmour again selected the J-200 for a
solo performance of Wish You Were Here at a charity concert to launch the
Lavender Trust at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts on 2nd May 1998.
The J-200 Celebrity made a signifcant reappearance seven years later for
a performance of Wish You Were Here, broadcast live to an estimated 1.5
billion viewers across the world during the historic reunion of David Gilmour,
Nick Mason, Richard Wright and Roger Waters in their classic-era Pink
Floyd line up at Live 8 in London’s Hyde Park on 2nd July 2005, their frst
performance together in 24 years. Bob Geldof is credited with persuading
the band to reunite as headliners of the beneft concert, spearheading a
string of 10 concerts held around the world in the run up to the G8 summit
in Scotland with the aim of putting pressure on G8 leaders to end global
poverty, and marking the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. During the opening
strains of the penultimate song on Pink Floyd’s short set list, Waters
dedicated the band’s performance of Wish You Were Here to …anyone who’s
not here – and particularly, of course, for Syd. Numerous photographs exist of
Gilmour playing the guitar on this momentous occasion and footage of the
band’s performance was included on the oficial Live 8 DVD, released on 7th
November 2005.
Almost a decade later, material from the 1993 recording sessions for
The Division Bell was revisited for Pink Floyd’s ffteenth studio album,
The Endless River. Reworked with 21st Century digital technology and
supplemented with new material recorded between 2013 and 2014 at the
Astoria, Gilmour’s 1993 recordings on this J-200 Celebrity can be heard on
a number of tracks on The Endless River, including Ebb And Flow and Things
Left Unsaid. Released in November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist Richard
Wright, who had passed away in 2008, the predominantly instrumental
album debuted at number one in the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Ireland,
the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, and Canada.

Opposite: David Gilmour performs live at the ‘Live 8’ beneft concert in Hyde Park,
London, 2nd July 2005. Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images
104
105
TAKAMINE GUITARS
What began as a small family luthier business in 1959 located in central Japan Takamine excelled in the amplification of acoustic guitars and were the
would grow by 1962 into the Takamine Company. Takamine concentrated first to incorporate transducers mounted under the saddle of the bridge.
on the manufacturing of acoustic guitars with a dedication to quality Continuing to improve acoustic guitar amplification, Takamine would develop
workmanship and materials. They would base many of their guitars’ designs on the onboard pre-amp and equalizer, making these guitars the preeminent
those of C.F. Martin and Company. The company’s embrace of the successful choice for performing musicians in live stage work. During the 1980s and 90s,
Martin design extended even to their headstock logo, which uncannily Takamine amplified acoustic guitars became the tools of choice for many
resembled that of Martin, and by the 1970s they had a well-established touring guitarists and remain so today. Regardless of their concentration
following in the United States. It is no small wonder that C.F. Martin balked. By in amplification, Takamine remained loyal to producing guitars with quality
the early 1980s, Takamine instituted a new logo design at the insistence of the workmanship and excellent acoustical properties.
Martin company, but by that point they had established a permanent foot print
in the US market.

David Gilmour during rehearsals on ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour’, 1988. Photo: Dimo Safari / Pink Floyd (1987) Ltd.

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~ ■ 68
TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 1986
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, EN-28
The headstock bearing the logo Takamine, labeled internally Takamine /
EST. 1962 / Model No. EN-28 / Made in Japan, further labeled Serial Number
86072459 to the end block, stamped internally Jul 25 1986, with original hard
case bearing a label inscribed TAKAMINIE [sic] EN28 #86072459 SERIAL NO.
1112; accompanied by a Takamine catalogue bearing a handwritten note on a
Rose Morris and Company Limited compliments slip
Length of back 20⅝ in. (52.5 cm.)

$1,500-2,400

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 145.

Supplied by Takamine via Rose Morris and Company Limited, London, in

1987, this guitar was used extensively by David Gilmour for almost 200
performances of Wish You Were Here, the title track of Pink Floyd’s 1975
album of the same name, throughout Pink Floyd’s epic A Momentary Lapse
of Reason Tour from 9th September 1987 to 18th July 1989. Often considered
a tribute to founder member Syd Barrett, Gilmour admitted in the 2012
documentary The Story of Wish You Were Here that he never plays the song
without remembering Barrett. The series of shows at New York’s Nassau
Coliseum were recorded for Pink Floyd’s 1988 live concert video and album
Delicate Sound of Thunder, although the guitar can also be seen in numerous
photographs and amateur footage captured over the course of the tour.
Gilmour was next seen with the EN-28 at Knebworth in England on 30th
June 1990, when Pink Floyd played Wish You Were Here as part of an hour-
long set for a historic charity concert in aid of the Nordof-Robbins Music
Therapy Centre. The band topped a bill of legendary Silver Clef Award
Winners including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Elton John,
Genesis, Robert Plant (with guest Jimmy Page) and Status Quo. The guitar
was thereafter kept for studio use, with crew photographs placing it in the
studio for recording of the soundtrack to La Carrera Panamericana, a 1992
retrospective documentary flm of the seven-day sports car race held in
Mexico, featuring music by Pink Floyd. Making a stage comeback over two
decades later for the fnal two legs of Gilmour’s solo Rattle That Lock Tour
from June to September 2016, the guitar was used by second guitarist
Chester Kamen for performances of Faces of Stone.

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■ 69
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 1987
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER, 52V
The peghead with decal logo Fender "Telecaster", the bridge plate stamped
FENDER PAT. PEND. 5925, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
FENDER TELECASTER V52 DUNCAN ANTIQUITY P/U's #5925; accompanied
by the original Fender Certifcate of Authenticity, dated 29th May 1987, the
original paper inspection tag, owner’s manual and warranty card, and the original
cloth bags and paper tags for the Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

As David Gilmour preferred not to take his cherished 1955 Esquire on the
road, he opted instead for 1952 vintage reissue Telecasters on the two latter
Pink Floyd tours. This Telecaster was supplied directly from Fender Musical
Instruments Corporation for use as a spare on Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse
of Reason Tour from September 1987 to July 1989, similarly serving as a spare
on the band’s 1994 The Division Bell Tour and Gilmour’s 2006 On An Island
Tour. In 2007, the pickups were switched to Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups.

108
STEINBERGER
Ned Steinberger began making electric basses, followed by guitars, in Brooklyn in 1979.
Founding the company Steinberger Sound, production was moved to a manufacturing
facility in Newburg, New York, until the company was sold to Gibson in 1987. Ned
Steinberger introduced multiple innovations in electric guitar design that addressed
ergonomics, materials and tonal response. With a body of carbon-graphite resin he
reduced the weight of solid-body guitars. He dispensed with the headstock entirely and
mounted a tailpiece that incorporated fne tuners for each string. This allowed for accurate
and precise tuning for the player as well as shedding weight. Through materials and setup,
Steinberger guitars are renowned for their clarity of tone and a sonic articulation that is
clean and immediate. These instruments gained a loyal following among professional
guitarists in the 1980s. David Gilmour along with Lou Reed, Johnny Winter, David Bowie,
and Mark Knopfer are all known to have performed on Steinberger guitars.

■ 70
STEINBERGER, BROOKLYN, 1986
AN ELECTRIC GUITAR, GL 3T
Bearing the logo on the body Steinberger, and Serial Number 3965 at the base, with original
hardshell case bearing a label inscribed STEINBERGER WHITE s/n 3965 and 0503;
accompanied by a facsimile copy of a letter from David Gilmour Music Limited to Tony
Morris of Musimix, London, dated 30th September 1986, requesting a GL 3T for appraisal
Overall length 29½ in. (75 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 140.

After David Gilmour successfully trialed a Steinberger GL 3T in October 1986,

Steinberger custom-made this guitar to his specifcation, equipped with EMG
SA pickups, in late 1986. The guitar was further modifed with a custom front to
accommodate a fve-way pickup selector switch and a recessed toggle switch which
activated an EMG SPC presence tone circuit.
Gilmour took receipt of the guitar during initial recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1987
album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which took place on Gilmour’s newly appointed
Astoria houseboat studio between November 1986 and February 1987. Playing around
with the Steinberger in the studio, Gilmour came up with the music for Sorrow, the fnal
track on the album, telling Guitar World magazine in July 1988: I wrote the lyrics for that
song frst. I sat at home one night ... I was kind of hoping the music would come out of
the air and the song would magically write itself. But it didn't. But I did write all the lyrics
that night and the next day I went into the studio, plugged in the Steinberger and that
was what came out. I had no particular plan. I had just gotten the Steinberger and hadn't
really played it all that much at that point. But I rather liked the sound it makes naturally.
And then the combination of bending up with the wang-bar on whole chords while
simultaneously fading in with a stereo volume pedal ... that's the sound. Gilmour stayed
aboard the Astoria for a whole weekend to record the entire track himself, including all
guitar parts and an earth shattering solo lasting two and a half minutes.
Explaining the techniques he used to achieve the incredible sounds on the Steinberger,
Gilmour continued: That very nasty distortion you hear at the beginning of the song
is basically the result of the Steinberger going through two little amps in the studio—a
Fender Super Champ and a Gallien-Krueger. I use a Boss Heavy Metal distortion pedal
and a Boss digital delay pedal, which then goes into the Fender Super Champ. And that
in combination with the internal distortion on the Gallien-Krueger was how I got that
particular sound. The Gallien-Krueger amp is ofered in lot 66. A promotional shot by
photographer Richard Young shows Gilmour holding the guitar alongside bandmates
Nick Mason and Richard Wright on board the Astoria. When recording moved to Los
Angeles in February 1987, Gilmour’s intro guitar tracks for Sorrow were piped through
a PA system into the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and re-recorded in surround
sound for the fnal record. The GL 3T was much used throughout the recording of
A Momentary Lapse of Reason, with the same pickup confguration and tremolo as
Gilmour’s Candy Apple Red 57V Stratocaster (lot 56), however there are no records to
identify the specifc tracks it was used on.
The following month, Gilmour played the guitar alongside Kate Bush for a performance
of her hit single Running Up That Hill at the Secret Policeman’s Third Ball in aid of
Amnesty International at the The London Palladium on 28th and 29th March 1987.
Gilmour had been responsible for bringing a teenage Bush to the attention of EMI
Records in 1975. Highlights from the four-night variety show, which also included
performances by the likes of Duran Duran, Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel, were released
on CD and VHS later the same year by Virgin Records.

109
 Lot 70 David Gilmour & Kate Bush performing at the Secret Policeman’s Ball, in aid of Amnesty International, at The London Palladium, March 1987.
Photo by Dave Hogan/Hulton Archive © Getty Images.

Lot 71 David Gilmour & Brian May of Queen, July 1989. Photo: Michael Putland © Getty Images

110
■ 71
STEINBERGER, BROOKLYN, 1987
AN ELECTRIC GUITAR, GM 3T
Stamped to the neck Steinberger U.S.A. N5236, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed BLACK STEINBERGER; accompanied by a press
release and promotional fyer for the new M-Series guitar from Steinberger,
a facsimile sales invoice from Steinberger Sound Corporation addressed to
Pink Floyd Prod. at the Astrodrome in Houston, Texas, dated 17th November
1987, a UK customs receipt dated 14th December 1987, a facsimile copy of
a letter from David Gilmour Music Limited to Rock-it Cargo Ltd., dated 5th
February 1988, regarding collection of the guitar in London, and a six-page
fax addressed to Ben Hogan [Gilmour’s then alias] at Le Royal Monceau, Paris,
dated 26th June 1989, comprising a letter from John Dee, Managing Director
of Life-Aid Armenia and a lyric sheet for Smoke on the Water
Overall length 15¼ in. (38.8 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 141.

The result of a collaboration between Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford

and British luthier Roger Gifin, Steinberger’s frst full-bodied design,
the M-Series guitar, was released in May 1987. This GM 3T model was
custom-made by Steinberger Sound Corporation, Newburgh, New York,
to accommodate David Gilmour’s requirements, including a Transposing
Tremolo system, EMG SA pickups and an SPC presence control. The
accompanying sales invoice indicates that the guitar was shipped directly
from Steinberger to the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, on 17th November,
ahead of Pink Floyd’s performance on 18th November 1987 during the frst
North American leg of their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour. As the
frst North American leg came to an end on 10th December 1987, Gilmour
appeared with the guitar for an instrumental performance of Song For My
Sara on the American late night television show Saturday Night Live on 12th
December 1987. The guitar was subsequently shipped back to the UK while
Gilmour continued to tour through to July 1989.
In August 1989, Gilmour teamed up with a stellar roster of prog rock and
metal musicians including Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan,
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi and Queen’s
Brian May and Roger Taylor to re-record the 1972 Deep Purple hit Smoke on
the Water as a charity single for Rock Aid Armenia, to beneft victims of the
1988 Armenian earthquake. Gilmour chose the Steinberger GM 3T to record
his guitar parts alongside Brian May at Metropolis Studios in West London
on 5th August 1989. On what was the frst occasion that the two legendary
guitarists had played together, Gilmour and May can be seen trading licks
in the documentary Rock Aid Armenia: The Making of Smoke on the Water,
released the same year on VHS. Gilmour was last seen with the GM 3T for
a performance of The Temptations’ 1965 hit My Girl with Jools Holland and
Lenny Henry at London’s Sadler’s Wells theater on 18th September 1989 for
the AIDS beneft Hysteria II.

111
■ 72
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 1987 When an unsolicited surprise arrived from Fender Custom Shop in 1987,
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER PLUS David Gilmour was rather taken aback to open the case and fnd this pink
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / SERIAL guitar inside. It transpired that the guitar had been produced as a sample
NUMBER E 412008 MADE IN U.S.A., the neckplate with logo Fender, the custom by Fender Master Builder Jay Black and had become known as “the
color fnish of Dusty Rose, with original case bearing a label inscribed FENDER guitar with no home” due to the unpopular color of the fnish. Making the
STRATOCASTER '87 PINK LACE SENSORS #E412008 and SERIAL NO. DG1027 obvious connection between the color pink and Pink Floyd, fellow Master
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) Builder and Co-Founder of the Fender Custom Shop John Page came up
with the idea to gift the guitar to David Gilmour.
$1,500-2,400

112
■ 73
GIBSON INCORPORATED, NASHVILLE, 1988
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL CUSTOM
Inlaid at the headstock Gibson, engraved on the truss rod cover Les Paul /
CUSTOM, stamped on the reverse 82018501 / MADE IN U.S.A., applied to the
pickguard David Gilmour, black fnish, with later hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed LES PAUL CUSTOM-'DG' BLACK
Length of back 17⅜ in. (44.2 cm.)

$4,000-6,000

Following the introduction of the Les Paul Model in 1952, Gibson released
the Les Paul Custom in late 1953. Conceived as a higher end model, the
Custom had a bound ebony fngerboard with large pearl block position
markers, a multi-bound headstock with pearl inlay and all gold-plated
hardware. The mahogany and maple body was fnished in an opaque black
color and was multi-bound in white and black binding. With wider fret wire
fled down to a minimum height, it had a very “fast” feel to the neck and
carried the moniker The Fretless Wonder in the Gibson catalogue, selling for
$325.00. Today the Custom is more often referred to as the Black Beauty.
This guitar was presented to David Gilmour by guitar legend Les Paul in
appreciation of his guest performance at the Les Paul Tribute Concert at the
Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, on 18th August 1988, in between
shows with Pink Floyd on the third North American leg of the A Momentary
Lapse of Reason Tour. Gilmour performed a soulful blues solo, later returning
to the stage for a guitar jam with a star-studded cast of musicians including
Waylon Jennings, B.B. King, Steve Miller, Eddie Van Halen and Les Paul.
Meeting B.B. King for the frst time that evening, Gilmour recalls that after
King heard him play, he approached him with the plaudit Hey, boy, are you
sure you wasn't born in Mississippi? The full show was released on VHS in
1988 as Les Paul & Friends: He Changed the Music. Gilmour kept the guitar
for studio use.

David Gilmour & Les Paul, 18 August 1988. Photo: Ebet Roberts © Getty Images

113
■ 74
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 1989 This Stratocaster EC Signature was supplied directly to David Gilmour in
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER EC SIGNATURE early 1990 by Fender Custom Shop, after Fender’s Director of Marketing
Dan Smith visited Gilmour at his Astoria houseboat studio and
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
suggested he give their recently released Eric Clapton signature model
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / Eric Clapton, with decal Serial Number SE 803387
a try. Hitting the market in 1988, the Eric Clapton was the frst signature
/ CUSTOM SHOP / Fender U.S.A. to the reverse of the headstock, fnished in the
model to be released by Fender. Soon after receiving the guitar, Gilmour
custom color Daphne Blue, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
chose it for a guest appearance with John Martyn at the Shaw Theatre,
FENDER EC STRATOCASTER PALE BLUE # SE 803387 and SERIAL NO. DG1043;
London, on 31st March 1990, during Martyn’s The Apprentice Tour,
accompanied by a facsimile copy of the Fender Merchandise Approval Form,
joining him on stage for the fnal three songs of the set. The performance
dated 2nd January 1990, shipping to David Gilmour c/o D.G. Music Ltd and stating
was flmed and released on VHS in August 1990, and later re-released on
the reason for transaction as Artist/Evaluation, and a copy of the Astoria Studio
DVD in 2006 as The Apprentice in Concert. The footage included a brief
brochure featuring a photograph of David Gilmour playing this guitar
introductory fragment where Martyn and Gilmour admitted they had
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)
barely rehearsed the performance. The following month, Gilmour played
$3,000-5,000 the guitar in a courtroom-based French and Saunders comedy sketch
which saw him appear as a star witness alongside fellow guitarists Mark
LITERATURE: Knopfer, Lemmy Kilmister, Gary Moore and Mark King of Level 42,
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender aired on the BBC on 19th April 1990. Later that summer, Gilmour used
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 143. the guitar during recording sessions with Louise Gofin at his Astoria
A Q magazine photographic supplement, Volume 7: in the studio, April 1991. houseboat studio for her follow-up album project with Warner Music
Q Pink Floyd Special Edition, September 2004, illus. p. 128. subsidiary EastWest Records. Rock photographer Jill Furmanovsky
captured a number of images of Gilmour playing the EC Signature during
the session on 26th June 1990, one of which was published in the April
1991 Q magazine photographic supplement Volume 7: in the studio and,
years later, featured in the oficial music video for Louder Than Words, the
concluding track on Pink Floyd’s 2015 album The Endless River.
114
David Gilmour recording with Louise Goffin at Astoria Recording
Studio, Hampton, 1990. Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive.
115
~ ■ 75 ■ 76
THE NATIONAL RESO-PHONIC GUITARS, SAN LUIS OBISPO, 1991 RICKENBACKER INCORPORATED, SANTA ANA, 1991
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC RESONATOR GUITAR, RESOLECTRIC, R-1 A SEMI-HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, 360 V64
Bearing the logo National Reso-Phonic at the headstock and pickguard, and Applied with the logo Rickenbacker to the headstock, bearing the serial
labeled internally NATIONAL RESO-PHONIC GUITARS / San Luis Obipso, number H4 / 6596 stamped at the input jack cover, with original hardshell
CA., U.S.A, / Model Reso-Lectric, / Serial Number 120 / Date of Mfg. 12-91, with case bearing a label inscribed RICKENBACKER 360/12 V64F9 #H46596
original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed NATIONAL RESO ELECTRIC and SERIAL NO. DG1105; accompanied by a handwritten fax on Pete’s
– RED #120 and SERIAL NO. DG1093; accompanied by a handwritten fax Guitar headed stationery, dated 28th April 1992, detailing payment
message from David Gilmour Music Ltd to Pete’s Guitar, dated 24th March instructions and incorporating a sales invoice to David Gilmore [sic] Music
1993, placing an order for the instrument, a copy of a fax on Pete’s Guitar London, dated 14th April 1992, together with a candid color snapshot of
headed stationery, dated 28th April 1992, detailing payment instructions and David Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001
incorporating a sales invoice to David Gilmore [sic] Music London, dated 14th Body length 17¾ in. (45 cm.)
April 1992, together with the original warranty registration card
Body length 18 in. (45.9 cm.) $2,000-3,000

$1,500-2,400 David Gilmour purchased this Rickenbacker 12-string from Pete’s Guitar,
Saint Paul, Minnesota, in April 1992 and kept it for occasional studio use.
David Gilmour purchased this guitar from Pete’s Guitar in Saint Paul,
Minnesota, in April 1992 and kept it for home use.

116
~ ■ 77 ~ ■ 78
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 1989 GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1966
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, D-2832L SHENANDOAH AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, FJ-N
Branded internally CF Martin & Company / Nazareth.PA made in U.S.A. / The headstock bearing the logo Gibson, stamped on the reverse 403258,
D-2832L / 492471, the headstock bearing the logo CF Martin & Co / Shenandoah, with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON FJN #403258
with later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed MARTIN SHENANDOAH and SERIAL NO. DG1125; accompanied by a repairs receipt dated 2nd
D2832L #492971 LEFT HANDED; accompanied by the original retailer’s paper October 1995
tag and a facsimile copy of a handwritten note to Andy’s Guitar Centre on David Length of back 198 in. (50.6 cm.)
Gilmour Music Limited headed stationery, dated 25th February 1994, regarding
collection of the guitar $3,000-5,000
Length of back 20⅛ in. (51.1 cm.)
While having repairs done at his West Sussex home in 1994, David
$2,000-3,000 Gilmour made a trade with the builder carrying out the work, exchanging
a Takamine guitar for this Gibson FJ-N. Gilmour has kept the guitar at his
David Gilmour purchased this left-handed guitar from Andy’s Guitar Centre home studio for private use and played it often.
on Denmark Street, London’s ‘Tin Pan Alley,’ in February 1994 and kept it at
his London home for the private use of friend and frequent visitor Douglas
Adams. The celebrated author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Adams
had suggested the name for Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell after
spotting the phrase in Polly Samson's lyrics to the song High Hopes. In
celebration of his 42nd birthday, Adams was invited to join the band on stage
to play the songs Brain Damage and Eclipse during their show at London’s Earls
Court on 28th October 1994.
117
~ ■ 79
GIBSON INCORPORATED, NASHVILLE, 1985
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, J-200 CELEBRITY
Bearing the label Gibson Tradition Since 1894 90th Anniversary # 42 of # 90,
Model Number J-200 E CEL Serial Number 83455502, also bearing printed
label M330-073-11-17-85, inlaid at the headstock The Gibson, stamped on
the reverse 83455502 / MADE IN U.S.A., bearing the decal CUSTOM SHOP
ORIGINAL, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON
J200E CEL 42 OF 90 #83455502 M330-073-11-17-85 and SERIAL NO.1053;
accompanied by a sales invoice from Laughter House Limited to David Gilmore
[sic] Music, dated 2nd December 1993
Length of back 20⅞ in. (53 cm.)

$3,500-5,500

PROVENANCE:

John Illsley
David Gilmour

Originally part of the collection of Dire Straits bassist and founding member
John Illsley, David Gilmour frst picked up and played this guitar while guest
recording in a neighboring studio to Dire Straits at London’s AIR Studios in
September 1986, probably for Bryan Ferry’s seventh solo album Bête Noire.
Gilmour afterwards contacted Gibson and acquired his frst J-200 Celebrity
in November 1987 (lot 67). In an interview with Guitar World magazine in May
2006, Gilmour recalled: I was in AIR Studios and that guitar was lying around.
I tried it and liked it. I contacted Gibson and asked if they had any left, …they
were looking in their storeroom and they found one that had somehow never
reached its destination. And they let me have it.
Along with his trusty Martins, Gilmour’s frst J-200, number 9 of 90, was
used extensively during recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The
Division Bell Tour. When a second model was required for the 1994 The
Division Bell Tour, John Illsley kindly ofered to sell his guitar, number 42 of
90, to Gilmour. Illsley had used the J-200 on stage for performances of So
Far Away on Dire Straits’ On Every Street Tour from August 1991 to October
1992 in support of their sixth and fnal album On Every Street. Tuned to
DADGAD, Gilmour played this guitar throughout The Division Bell Tour for
performances of Poles Apart, the third track on The Division Bell. Co-written
by Gilmour, Polly Samson and Nick Laird-Clowes, Poles Apart was revealed
by Samson to be about founding members Syd [Barrett] in the frst verse and
Roger [Waters] in the second. Gilmour explained the unusual tuning in an
interview with Guitar World magazine in September 1994: …I thought it was
something new that I had invented. One day, I was on holiday in Greece and I
had an acoustic guitar with me. I just decided to tune the bottom string down
to D and continued to experiment until I arrived at that tuning. Then I mucked
around a bit and "Poles Apart" fell out of it a few minutes later. Footage of
Gilmour playing this guitar during the show at Earls Court, London on 20th
October 1994 can be seen in the live concert video Pulse, released on VHS in
1995 and on DVD in 2006.

118
■ 80
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 1993 As David Gilmour preferred not to take his cherished 1955 Esquire on
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER, 52V the road, he opted instead for 1952 vintage reissue Telecasters on the
The peghead with decal logo Fender "Telecaster", the bridge plate stamped latter two Pink Floyd tours. This Telecaster was supplied directly from
FENDER PAT. PEND. 17436, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed Fender Musical Instruments Corporation for use on Pink Floyd’s 1994
FENDER TELECASTER V52 '97 DUNCAN ANTIQUITY P/U's CALLAHAN [sic]: The Division Bell Tour, in support of their fourteenth studio album The
POTS, WIRE BRIDGE #17436 and SERIAL NO. DG1049; accompanied by the Division Bell. David Gilmour played the guitar for performances of the
original Fender Certifcate of Authenticity, dated 14th October 1993 cosmic Syd Barrett composition Astronomy Domine, the frst track on
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) Pink Floyd’s 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which had
been released before Gilmour had joined the band. It was the frst time
$2,000-3,000 the song had featured in a live set since 1971. A recording of the band’s
performance of Astronomy Domine at London’s Earls Court on 15th
October 1994 featured on the live concert album Pulse, released in May
1995. Gilmour also used a second V52 Telecaster on the Division Bell
Tour, with a drop D tuning, for performances of Run Like Hell.

119
 THE GIBSON CHET ATKINS CE AND CEC
The Gibson Chet Atkins CE and CEC were developed by The Gibson Company
in conjunction with the guitarist and Nashville record producer Chet Atkins
and his luthier Hascal Haile in 1982. The chambered semi-solid mahogany
body and spruce top was ftted with six separate piezo pickups under the
bridge allowing each string to be fnely adjusted for volume. With a 25½
inch scale length the instrument was produced in two neck width models,
the CEC with a standard 2 inches as found on most classical guitars and a
narrower CE with a 1⅞ inch width. Strung with nylon strings, the instrument
supplies the warm and tonal quality of a traditional classical guitar without the
feedback problems that plagued traditional classical guitars when amplifed.
These instruments became infnitely popular with performers for both stage
and studio work. With the respect that Chet Atkins had gained among other
players, the popularity of the instruments grew among professional circles and
they were used by the likes of Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfer, Sting, Jack Johnson
and, of course, David Gilmour.

~ ■ 81
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1993
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, CHET ATKINS CE
Serial Number 93073334, bearing the logo Gibson / Chet Atkins Gibson,
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON CHET ATKINS
NYLON 1993? #CE93073334 NARROW FINGERBOARD and SERIAL NO.
DG1054 and CHESTER; accompanied by a fax from Gibson's Entertainment
Relations Ofice in London, dated 30th March 1994
Length of back 19⅜ in. (49.2 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

This guitar was supplied directly by Gibson USA for Pink Floyd’s 1994 The
Division Bell Tour, which ran from 30th March to 29th October 1994 and
would turn out to be the last Pink Floyd tour. One of seven main guitars used
by David Gilmour during each show, the Chet Atkins CE was used during
performances of High Hopes, the fnal track on Pink Floyd’s 1994 album
The Division Bell. Footage of Gilmour playing the guitar during the show
at London‘s Earls Court on 20th October 1994, with the backing of Storm
Thorgerson’s oficial music video as a screen flm, can be seen in the live
concert video Pulse, released on VHS in 1995 and on DVD in 2006. Chester
Kamen later used the guitar when performing with Gilmour during the last
two legs of the Rattle That Lock Tour from June to September 2016.

120
~ ■ 82
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1993
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, CHET ATKINS CEC
Serial Number 92183495, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
GIBSON CHET ATKINS NYLON 1993 # CEC 92183495 WIDE FINGERBOARD
and SERIAL NO. DG1055
Length of back 19⅜ in. (49.2 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

This guitar was supplied directly by Gibson USA for Pink Floyd’s 1994 The
Division Bell Tour, which ran from 30th March to 29th October 1994 and
would turn out to be the last Pink Floyd tour. Kept as a spare for David
Gilmour on the tour, the Chet Atkins CEC was used primarily by second
guitarist Tim Renwick. The guitar was again enlisted as a spare for Gilmour
on his 2015-2016 Rattle That Lock Tour, in support of his fourth solo album
Rattle That Lock.

121
■ 83
THE NATIONAL STRING INSTRUMENT CORPORATION, LOS
ANGELES, 1928
A RESONATOR GUITAR, TRICONE STYLE 3, ‘SQUARE NECK”
The headstock bearing the inlaid shield engraved National, stamped below
the fngerboard Pat.Pend, the serial number 959 stamped at the back of the
neck, in later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed NATIONAL TRICONE
SQ. NECK STYLE 3 #959 1928; accompanied by two faxes from Dave’s Guitar
Shop dated 23rd March and 9th June 1995, the former incorporating a sales
invoice and sales slip addressed to David Gilmour Music, together with the
original air waybill, dated 20th March 1995, and addressed to Le Parc Hotel,
West Hollywood
Overall length 38⅜ in. (97.5 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

After searching for an example of this model for some time, David Gilmour
acquired this guitar from Dave's Guitar Shop, La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1995,
and kept it for studio use.

122
~ ■ 84
JOSE MA. VILAPLANA, MURO DEL ALCOY, 1979
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Labeled constructor / de guitarras / Jose Ma. / Vilaplana / Muro del Alcoy
Espa–a / no. 58 A–o 1979, signed and ink stamped by the maker, with original
hard case bearing a label inscribed JOSE Ma VILAPLANA NYLON 1979 #58;
accompanied by a color screenshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar at his
Astoria houseboat studio in 2005 [not illustrated]
Length of back 19⅝ in. (49.7 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

Personally selected by David Gilmour during a visit to Ivor Mairants store in

the West End of London in March 1982, this instrument has seen extensive
studio use as Gilmour’s primary classical guitar. Notably, the Vilaplana
features heavily on High Hopes, the closing track on Pink Floyd’s 1994 album
The Division Bell. A nostalgic evocation of Gilmour’s early days in Cambridge,
the lyrics inspired the album title of both The Division Bell and Pink Floyd’s
last album The Endless River.
Pickups were added in advance of Gilmour’s ‘unplugged’ style solo show at
London’s Royal Festival Hall on 21st June 2001 as part of the South Bank
Centre’s annual artist-curated Meltdown Festival, enabling Gilmour to
perform High Hopes live on this guitar. The eclectic showcase also included
solo acoustic versions of old favorites Shine On You Crazy Diamond and
Wish You Were Here, as well as the rarely heard Fat Old Sun from Atom
Heart Mother, Syd Barrett’s Terrapin, the aria Je Crois Entendre Encore,
from Georges Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers, and an encore of Hushabye
Mountain, from the 1970 flm, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In a 2003 interview,
Gilmour told Guitar Player magazine how he came up with the material
for the shows: I went through the entire Pink Floyd catalogue, and I picked
the tunes I liked. Then, after I fgured out which ones would work with the
instrumentation I had in mind, I spent about three months fddling around in
my home studio mocking up the arrangements. The guitar made a return
appearance for three acoustic concerts at the same venue on 16th to 18th
January 2002, followed by two shows at the Palais des Congrès, Paris, on
23rd and 24th January 2002. The Royal Festival Hall shows were recorded
for the live concert DVD David Gilmour in Concert, released in October 2002.

A still taken from the concert footage of David Gilmour performing ‘High Hopes’
from the 1994 Pink Floyd album The Division Bell at the Robert Wyatt-curated
Meltdown Festival, Royal Festival Hall, London, June 2001.

123
 ~ ■ 85
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 2001
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, DC-28E, PRE-PRODUCTION PROTOTYPE
Branded internally C.F. Martin & CO. / NAZARETH.PA / MADE IN U.S.A. and,
DC-28E / 776188, the headstock bearing the logo C.F. Martin & Co / EST.
1833, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed MARTIN DG28E #1
CUTAWAY #776188 2x MIC'S 2x P/U'S; accompanied by a commercial invoice
and shipping order from Dick Boak, the original sales invoice, air waybill
and facsimile export declaration from C.F. Martin & Co., addressed to David
Gilmore [sic] Music Ltd. and variously dated from 12th September to 29th
October 2001, together with a sales invoice from HHB Communications Ltd.
for a Sony Electret microphone, dated 5th December 2001, and a handwritten
note on Astoria headed notepaper regarding the set-up of the guitar
Length of back 20 in. (50.8 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

Dick Boak at C.F. Martin & Company was approached by guitar technician
Phil Taylor to source a dreadnought sized cutaway Martin with pickups
in advance of David Gilmour’s series of acoustic shows at London’s Royal
Festival Hall on 16th to 18th January 2002 and the Palais des Congrès, Paris,
on 23rd and 24th January 2002. Boak suggested a couple of prototypes
he had that would ft the bill and Gilmour proceeded to purchase both
prototypes in 2001. Modifed with the addition of both a Seymour Duncan
pickup and Sony Electret microphone, the guitar served as Gilmour's main
guitar for an eclectic showcase that included solo acoustic versions of old
favorites Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here, as well
as the rarely heard Fat Old Sun from Atom Heart Mother, Syd Barrett’s
Dominoes, the aria Je Crois Entendre Encore, from Georges Bizet’s opera The
Pearl Fishers, and an encore of Hushabye Mountain, from the 1970 flm, Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang. In a 2003 interview, Gilmour told Guitar Player magazine
how he came up with the material for the shows: I went through the entire
Pink Floyd catalogue, and I picked the tunes I liked. Then, after I fgured out
which ones would work with the instrumentation I had in mind, I spent about
three months fddling around in my home studio mocking up the arrangements.
The acclaimed performance, backed by a double bass, cello, piano and
vocal choir, was recorded for the live concert DVD David Gilmour in Concert,
released in October 2002. Photographs by author and lyricist Polly Samson
show Gilmour strumming the guitar in Studio One at London’s Abbey Road
Studios in April 2005 during recording sessions for his 2006 solo album On
An Island.

124
~ ■ 86
C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 2001
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, DC-28E, PRE-PRODUCTION PROTOTYPE
Branded internally C.F. Martin & Co. / NAZARETH. PA/ MADE IN U.S.A. and Dick Boak at C.F. Martin & Company was approached by guitar technician
DC-28E / 776189, the headstock bearing the logo C.F. Martin & Co / EST. 1833, Phil Taylor to source a dreadnought sized cutaway Martin with pickups
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed MARTIN CUTAWAY in advance of David Gilmour’s series of acoustic shows at London’s Royal
#776189 DG28E #2; accompanied by a commercial invoice from Dick Boak Festival Hall on 16th to 18th January 2002 and the Palais de Congrès, Paris,
to David Gilmore [sic] Music Ltd., dated 12th September 2001, and a facsimile on 23rd and 24th January 2002. Boak suggested a couple of prototypes
sales invoice from C.F. Martin & Co. to David Gilmore [sic] Music Ltd., dated he had that would ft the bill and Gilmour proceeded to purchase both
29th October 2001 prototypes in 2001. This guitar served as a spare for Gilmour’s chief DC-28E
Length of back 20 in. (50.8 cm.) during the 2002 acoustic shows.

$2,500-3,500

125
David Gilmour performing live at the Robert Wyatt-curated
Meltdown Festival, The Royal Festival Hall, London, June
2001. Photo by Paul Meaker © Pink Floyd Music Ltd.

126
TAYLOR GUITARS
Bob Taylor began his career as a luthier in 1972 at the age of 18 while working in the San Diego guitar
making shop of Sam Redding. Within two years Taylor had purchased the business from Redding with
two other employees and launched Westland Music which would quickly become Taylor Guitars. By 1976,
Taylor Guitars were selling their instruments through retail stores and building a name for themselves for
quality instruments that were tonally superior to most other guitars on the market at that time.
While pursuing his passion for acoustic guitar making, Bob Taylor would become an innovator in American
guitar design and manufacturing. Early on, Taylor was one of the frst makers to employ a bolted-on neck
rather than the traditional dovetail and glued neck joint. This allowed easier removal of the neck when
repairs or adjustments were necessary. By 1999 Taylor had introduced a patented bolt on neck system
called the NT neck. This new system allowed for more consistent results in the neck angle set during
manufacture and an easier removal than other systems. Taylor guitars use their own amplifcation system
called the Expression System that utilizes both a humbucking pickup and soundboard transducers.
Today Taylor boasts a global presence in the manufacture and sale of high-end acoustic guitars and has
been self-driven to develop sustainable sourcing practices for the exotic tone woods required in fne guitar
construction. Taylor Guitars are both extremely popular in the retail market and well regarded by celebrity
musicians.

~ ■ 87
TAYLOR GUITARS, EL CAJON, 2001
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, 712-CE
Labeled TAYLOR GUITARS / MODEL No. 712-CE, SERIAL NUMBER 20010430124 / MADE IN EL CAJON, CA
/ ESTABLISHED IN 1974, inlaid Taylor at the headstock, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
TAYLOR 712CE #20010430124; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the sales invoice from Sound Technology
plc to David Gilmour Music Ltd, dated 31st May 2001, the original warranty registration card from Taylor Guitars,
and a live concert DVD David Gilmour in Concert
Length of back 19½ in. (49.5 cm.)

$3,000-5,000
David Gilmour purchased this guitar from UK professional audio distributor Sound Technology Ltd.,
Letchworth, in May 2001, in advance of his upcoming solo show at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 21st June
2001 as part of the South Bank Centre’s annual artist-curated Meltdown Festival. The Taylor 712-CE served
as Gilmour’s main guitar for an eclectic showcase that included solo acoustic versions of old favorites
Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here, as well as the rarely heard Fat Old Sun from
Atom Heart Mother, Syd Barrett’s Terrapin, the aria Je Crois Entendre Encore, from Georges
Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers, and an encore of Hushabye Mountain, from the 1970 flm,
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In a 2003 interview, Gilmour told Guitar Player magazine how he
came up with the material for the shows: I went through the entire Pink Floyd catalogue,
and I picked the tunes I liked. Then, after I fgured out which ones would work with the
instrumentation I had in mind, I spent about three months fddling around in my home
studio mocking up the arrangements. The acclaimed performance, backed by a double
bass, cello, piano and vocal choir, was recorded for the live concert DVD David Gilmour in
Concert, released in October 2002 with Gilmour wielding this guitar on the front cover.

127
~ ■ 88 ~ ■ 89
TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 1994 TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 1999
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, FP400S A CLASSICAL ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC NYLON-STRING GUITAR,
Stamped Takamine FP400S / EST. 1962, labeled Serial Number 94020409 CD 132S
at the neck block, stamped internally Feb 4 1994, with original hardshell case Labeled Takamine / Model No. CD 132S / Constructed With Greatest / Care
bearing a label inscribed TAKAMINE 12 STRING FP400S #94020409 +MIC and Conscience For / The Player Of This Guitar / Since 1962 Made in Japan,
and SERIAL NO. DG1114; accompanied by a candid color snapshot of David and Serial Number 99090423 at the neck block, stamped internally Aug 20
Gilmour playing this guitar in 2001 1999, with original hard case bearing a label inscribed TAKAMINE CD1325
Length of back 198 in. (50.7 cm.) NYLON 2002? #99090423 P/u AA+9V; accompanied by a facsimile dispatch
note from Korg UK Ltd, dated 11th June 2001, and a faxed KORG Product Loan
$1,000-1,500 Agreement, dated 11th June 2001, stating the reason for loan as Try out with a
view to using live
This guitar was supplied by Takamine via UK distributor Korg UK Ltd in 1994 Length of back 19¼ in. (49 cm.)
and carried as a spare on Pink Floyd’s 1994 The Division Bell Tour. Guitarist
Neill MacColl played the Takamine for Wish You Were Here, the title track of $1,000-1,500
Pink Floyd’s 1975 album of the same name, when he accompanied Gilmour
on acoustic guitar during his ‘unplugged’ style solo show at London’s Royal This guitar was supplied by Takamine via UK distributor Korg UK Ltd on
Festival Hall on 21st June 2001 as part of the South Bank Centre’s annual 11th June 2001 for David Gilmour’s upcoming solo show at London’s Royal
artist-curated Meltdown Festival. Co-written by Gilmour and Roger Waters, Festival Hall on 21st June 2001 as part of the South Bank Centre’s annual
Gilmour had recorded the original intro on a 12-string guitar. MacColl reprised artist-curated Meltdown Festival. The nylon-string was used by guitarist
this performance on the Takamine when Gilmour returned for three concerts Neill MacColl to accompany Gilmour on the song High Hopes, the closing
at the same venue the following year on 16th to 18th January, followed by two track on Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell. MacColl reprised this
shows at the Palais des Congrès in Paris on 23rd and 24th January 2002. The performance on the Takamine when Gilmour returned for three concerts at
2001 and 2002 shows at the Royal Festival Hall were recorded for the live the same venue on 16th to 18th January 2002, followed by two shows at the
concert DVD David Gilmour in Concert, released in October 2002. Palais de Congrès in Paris on 23rd and 24th January 2002. The 2001 and
2002 shows at the Royal Festival Hall were recorded for the live concert
On 2nd July 2005, second guitarist Tim Renwick played the 12-string part
DVD David Gilmour in Concert, released in October 2002.
to Wish You Were Here on this guitar during the historic reunion of David
Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and Roger Waters in their classic-era
Pink Floyd line up at Live 8 in London’s Hyde Park, their frst performance
together in 24 years.
~ ■ 90 ■ 91
TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 1994 TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 2000
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC GUITAR, NP-15C AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC NYLON-STRING GUITAR, EAN 60C
Labeled Takamine / Est. 1962 / Model No. NP-15C / Made in Japan, further Labeled Takamine / Est. 1962 / Model no. EAN 60C / Made in Japan, also
labeled Serial Number 94010390 to end block, with original hardshell case labeled Serial Number 00120121 Takamine at the neck block, with logo
bearing a label inscribed NP-15C #94010390 + MIC and SERIAL NO. DG1113; Takamine applied to the headstock, stamped internally Dec 11 2000, with
accompanied by the original warranty registration card and instructions for the original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed TAKAMINE EAN60C NYLON
Takamine Accuracoustic Preamp System 2002 #00120121; accompanied by a facsimile dispatch note from Korg UK Ltd,
Length of back 198 in. (50.7 cm.) dated 11th June 2001, and a faxed KORG Product Loan Agreement, dated 11th
June 2001, stating the reason for loan as Try out with a view to using live
$1,000-1,500 Length of back 191 in. (48.4 cm.)

This guitar was supplied by Takamine via UK distributor Korg UK Ltd for $1,000-1,500
Pink Floyd’s 1994 The Division Bell Tour, which ran from 30th March to 29th
October 1994 and would turn out to be the last Pink Floyd tour. The NP-15C Supplied by Takamine via UK distributor Korg UK Ltd in June 2001, this
was set up with “hi-strung” tuning, Gilmour’s own variation of “Nashville” guitar served as a spare for David Gilmour’s series of acoustic solo shows at
or high-strung tuning, for use by second guitarist Tim Renwick during the Royal Festival Hall, London, and the Palais de Congrès, Paris, in 2001 and
performances of Comfortably Numb. Guitarist Neill MacColl later played 2002. The guitar was again employed as a spare on Gilmour’s 2016 Rattle
the Takamine when he accompanied Gilmour on acoustic guitar during his That Lock Tour.
‘unplugged’ style solo show at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 21st June 2001
as part of the South Bank Centre’s annual artist-curated Meltdown Festival,
and again when Gilmour returned for three concerts at the same venue the
following year on 16th to 18th January, followed by two shows at the Palais
des Congrès in Paris on 23rd and 24th January 2002. The 2001 and 2002
shows at the Royal Festival Hall were recorded for the live concert DVD
David Gilmour in Concert, released in October 2002. The guitar has since
been retuned as a standard six-string.

129
 ■ 92
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 2005
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, CUSTOM SHOP STRATOCASTER
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, with CW Fleming
decal to the back of the neck, the neckplate stamped CN97841 with logo Fender
/ Custom shop, the tremolo cavity bearing the signature C.W.Fleming 9/04, in
custom gold leaf fnish, with original case bearing a label inscribed FENDER
STRAT GOLD LEAF 2004 #CN97841; accompanied by a facsimile copy of an
invoice from luthier Paul Herman for various alterations, dated 7th May 2010
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

Similar to Eric Clapton’s custom built 1996 50th Anniversary Issue gold leaf
Stratocaster, this guitar was custom-made for David Gilmour with a gold leaf
fnish by Master Builder Chris Fleming at Fender Custom Shop in 2005. As
the nitrocellulose fnish on the neck had remained slightly tacky, the neck was
refnished and remodeled by Paul Herman of Wal basses, Surrey, in May 2010,
along with various other alterations to accommodate Gilmour’s preferences, after
which the guitar was kept for studio use.

130
■ 93
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1984
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped V017711, black fnish, with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
FENDER STRATOCASTER V57 BLACK KINMAN HX #V017711 and SERIAL NO.
DG1037
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

A 1984 FENDER STRATOCASTER PLAYED BY GEORGE HARRISON

David Gilmour hand selected this Fender Stratocaster during a visit to the CBS
Fender UK warehouse in Enfeld, Middlesex, in early 1984 and kept it for home
and studio use. Notably, the guitar was played by George Harrison during an
impromptu performance at Gilmour’s Guy Fawkes Night freworks party on 5th
November 1988, where a stage and backline had been set up in a marquee in the
riverside garden of Gilmour’s Sunbury On Thames home.
The guitar was thereafter carried on Pink Floyd’s 1994 The Division Bell Tour
for use by second guitarist Tim Renwick. After being ftted with three Kinman
Hx single coil pickups, the black 57V was used by album co-producer and Roxy
Music guitarist Phil Manzanera during David Gilmour’s On An Island Tour from
March to August 2006. Footage of Manzanera performing with this guitar can
be seen on the live concert DVDs Remember That Night and Live in Gdańsk,
released in September 2007 and September 2008 respectively. Manzanera again
appeared with the 57V for a surprise performance by David Gilmour and his
touring band at the DVD launch of Remember That Night at the Odeon Leicester
Square in London on 6th September 2007. Eight years later, longtime Pink Floyd
collaborator Jon Carin used the guitar while performing with David Gilmour
during the frst three legs of the Rattle That Lock Tour from September 2015 to
April 2016, in support of Gilmour’s fourth solo album Rattle That Lock.

131
 ■ 94
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA,
1986
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped V019874, sunburst fnish, with original case bearing a label
inscribed FENDER STRAT V57 1986 SUNBURST #V019874 and SERIAL
NO. DG1038; accompanied by a handwritten note of the neck date on
Astoria headed notepaper, a color photograph by engineer Damon Iddins of
Ringo Starr playing this guitar at David Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat studio
in 2002, and a color screenshot of David Gilmour playing the guitar at the
Astoria studio in 2005
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

A 1986 FENDER STRATOCASTER PLAYED BY RINGO STARR

David Gilmour acquired this guitar directly from Fender Musical Instruments
Corporation in 1986. Astoria Studio footage exists of Gilmour playing the
sunburst 57V Stratocaster during recording sessions for the track The Blue
on his 2006 solo album On An Island, circa November 2005. Notably, Ringo
Starr also used the guitar during recording sessions for his 2003 solo album
Ringo Rama at Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat studio in November 2002.

Ringo Starr at Astoria Studio in November 2002 during mixing of the

album Ringo Rama. Photo Damon Iddins.

132
■ 95
GIBSON INCORPORATED, NASHVILLE, 1981
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL HERITAGE SERIES
ELITE
The headstock inlaid Gibson and silkscreen logo Les Paul MODEL, stamped
to the reverse 82401624 MADE IN U.S.A. and 1063, “Tobacco“ sunburst fnish,
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON LES PAUL '58
HERITAGE 1981 DUNCAN P90'S - STETSBAR #82401624 and SERIAL NO.
DG1021; accompanied by the original Gibson Heritage Series registration card,
a Gibson packing slip addressed to Phil Taylor c/o Pink Floyd Music and dated
2nd December 1981, a handwritten note on Gibson headed stationery from
Pat Aldworth of Gibson’s Artist Relations Department, dated 5th December
1981, reading David, If this neck is still too meaty, please send some specifc
dimensions of exactly what you want and we will custom build it, and two color
screenshots of David Gilmour playing this guitar at his Astoria studio in 2005
Length of back 17⅛ in. (43.4 cm.)

$3,500-5,500

Purchased directly from Gibson Guitars in December 1981, this guitar was
supplied with a custom shaped neck at the request of David Gilmour, after
the frst guitar sent by Gibson was returned when its neck profle did not
suit Gilmour’s preferences. Gilmour used this guitar in the studio, most
notably during 2005 recording sessions with keyboardist Richard Wright
and bassist Guy Pratt at his Astoria houseboat studio for his third solo
album On an Island.

133
~ ■ 96
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1958
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, COUNTRY WESTERN
Bearing the label Gibson / Country Western / Model, stamped internally
T64123, the headstock bearing the logo Gibson, with later hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed GIBSON COUNTRY WESTERN 1958 #T64123 BAGS
MI P/U; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the original sales receipt from
Charlie Chandler’s Guitar Experience, Hampton Wick, dated 22nd February
2006, the retailer’s hang tag, and the installation manual and user’s guide for
the L. R. Baggs pickups
Length of back 201 in. (51 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. pp. 166, 167, 207, 214, 222, 232.

DAVID GILMOUR’S MAIN ACOUSTIC GUITAR FOR THE ON AN ISLAND

TOUR (2006) AND RATTLE THAT LOCK TOUR (2015-2016)
Gibson’s Country Western Jumbo was released in late 1955 and was a
variant of Gibson’s established Southerner Jumbo or SJ. Like the SJ, this
fat-top acoustic was a 16½ inch dreadnought with rounded shoulders on the
upper bouts, a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Its diference lay in
the clear natural fnish rather than the SJ’s sunburst.
David Gilmour purchased this 1958 Country Western from Charlie Chandler's
Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick, Middlesex, in February 2006 in
advance of his 2006 On An Island Tour, in support of his third solo album
On An Island. Serving as Gilmour’s primary acoustic on the tour, the 1958
Country Western was used for performances of the songs Smile, from On An
Island, Fat Old Sun, from Pink Floyd’s 1970 album Atom Heart Mother, Wot’s
…Uh the Deal? from their 1972 album Obscured by Clouds, and Wish You
Were Here, the title track of the band’s 1975 album of the same name. Often
considered a tribute to founder member Syd Barrett, Gilmour admitted in
the 2012 documentary The Story of Wish You Were Here that he never plays
the song without remembering Barrett. Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason
joined Gilmour and his band, which included original Floyd keyboardist
Richard Wright, on stage to play Wish You Were Here at the Royal Albert
Hall in London on 31st May 2006. Numerous photographs exist of Gilmour
playing this guitar on tour, including a shot by Brian Rasic with David Crosby
and Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash, who joined Gilmour on stage
after Wish You Were Here for a harmonized vocal performance of Stephen
Stills’ Find The Cost of Freedom at the Royal Albert Hall on 29th, 30th and
31st May 2006. Remember That Night, a live concert recording of the three
shows at the Royal Albert Hall, was released on DVD in September 2007.
Gilmour can also be seen playing the guitar in Live in Gdańsk, a live recording
of the fnal show of the tour at the Gdańsk Shipyard, Poland in August 2006,
released on DVD in September 2008.

134
David Gilmour performing live at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on the 3rd October, 2015 for the ‘Rattle That Lock’ solo album tour.
Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive.

Closing the tour, Gilmour made a final performance with his touring band for Gilmour performed Wish You Were Here on this guitar for an outside concert
a small live audience at London’s Abbey Road Studios on 29th August 2006 broadcast on ABC late night television show Jimmy Kimmel Live during the
to record several songs for the first season of the 12-part music series Live North American Leg of the tour on 28th March 2016. The highlight of the
from Abbey Road. Gilmour played the 1958 Country Western for an acoustic European leg was Gilmour’s return to Pompeii 45 years after Pink Floyd
version of the 1970 Pink Floyd psychedelic symphony Echoes, trading licks played to the deserted amphitheatre for the 1972 concert documentary Pink
with co-writer Richard Wright. The centerpiece of the 1971 Pink Floyd album Floyd: Live at Pompeii. The two shows on 7th and 8th July 2016 were the
Meddle, the extended composition Echoes had been revived for the tour, first public performances at the Amphitheatre of Pompeii since the eruption
demonstrating a harmonious interplay between the two that, according to of Vesuvius in AD79 and were recorded for the live album and film Live At
Gilmour, became the highlight of each show. Following Wright’s death in Pompeii, released on 29th September 2017. For the fifth and final leg of the
2008, Gilmour stated that he would not perform the song again, declaring tour, comprising five dates at The Royal Albert Hall in London from 23rd-
Echoes is a musical conversation between two people, Rick and me …and that's 30th September 2016, Gilmour switched to a 1959 Country Western for his
a conversation I can no longer have. Footage from the acoustic version of performances of Wish You Were Here and Fat Old Sun (lot 97).
Echoes was included as a hidden bonus track on Remember That Night and
Gilmour told us: The Country Western is a lovely guitar. My natural tendency
on the four-disc edition of Live in Gdańsk.
is to want to use an older guitar. I like the older guitars… it feels like older
Gilmour reunited with Roger Waters for a benefit performance at guitars that have been played a lot over the years by diferent people have sort
Kiddington Hall in Oxfordshire on 10th July 2010 in aid of The Hoping of settled into something - the vibrations of the diferent pieces of wood that
Foundation, a charity supporting Palestinian refugee children. The duo make up the front and back - it seems to take years for that to sort of meld
performed a 28-minute set including Comfortably Numb and Wish You itself into one overall sound that is beautiful. Some of the pickups that are built
Were Here, the latter performed by Gilmour on his trusty 1958 Country into guitars have a strange sound to them which is recognizably not as precise
Western, and a surprise rendition of The Teddy Bears’ 1958 classic To Know as an acoustic should sound. So there is a pickup that you can actually put
Him Is to Love Him. onto these guitars which is more like an electric guitar pickup and it has a very,
very nice sound to it. It meant that on the more recent tours for On An Island
Gilmour enlisted the 1958 Country Western again for acoustic performances
and Rattle That Lock, I was able to use the Country Westerns, ie. Use an old
of Fat Old Sun and Wish You Were Here on the first four legs of his Rattle
guitar but with a modern pickup on it. It meant that you could revert to using a
That Lock Tour from 12th September 2015 to 28th July 2016, in support
beautiful old guitar on stage because of that particular L. R. Baggs pickup.
of his fourth solo album Rattle That Lock. In a rare television appearance,

135
~ ■ 97
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1959
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, COUNTRY WESTERN
Bearing the label Gibson / Country Western / Model, stamped internally
S240423, the headstock bearing the logo Gibson, with later hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed GIBSON COUNTRY X WESTERN ACO #5240423 -
B. BAND P/U SYSTEM -SEPT 2016; accompanied by a facsimile copy of the
pickup controls
Length of back 201 in. (51 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 182.

Purchased in Germany between 10th and 11th March 2006 as a spare for
David Gilmour’s 1958 Country Western (lot 96) at the outset of his 2006
On an Island Tour, the guitar was ftted with a L. R. Baggs M1a sound hole
pickup and was ultimately used by album co-producer and Roxy Music
guitarist Phil Manzanera for the remainder of the tour through to 26th
August 2006. Following the tour, the M1a pickup was removed and the
guitar kept at Gilmour’s London home for private use. Gilmour found that
this guitar felt diferent to the 1958 Country Western, as it had a slimmer
neck with larger frets. The guitar was again carried as a spare on Gilmour’s
2015-2016 Rattle That Lock Tour in support of his fourth solo album Rattle
That Lock. For the ffth and fnal leg of the tour, comprising fve dates at The
Royal Albert Hall in London from 23rd to 30th September 2016, the guitar
was ftted with a B-Band pickup system and used by Gilmour for acoustic
performances of Fat Old Sun, from Pink Floyd’s 1970 album Atom Heart
Mother, and Wish You Were Here, from the band’s 1975 album of the same
name, as seen in various amateur flm footage of the concerts, as well as
photographs by author and lyricist Polly Samson.

Soundcheck from London’s Royal Albert Hall, 23 September 2016.

Photo by Polly Samson.

136
~ ■ 98
TAYLOR GUITARS, EL CAJON, 2005
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, 354-CE
Labeled TAYLOR GUITARS/ MODEL No. 354-CE / SERIAL NUMBER
20051021006 / ROBERT TAYLOR / MADE IN EL CAJON, CA / ESTABLISHED
IN 1974, inlaid Taylor at the headstock, with original hardshell case bearing a
label inscribed TAYLOR 12 STRING 354CE 05 #20051021006; accompanied
by the original warranty registration card from Taylor Guitars
Length of back 198 in. (50.8 cm.)

$1,500-2,400

This 12-string guitar was supplied by Taylor Guitars in 2005 via UK

professional audio distributor Sound Technology Ltd. for use as a spare on
David Gilmour’s 2006 On An Island Tour, in support of his third solo album
On An Island. The guitar was employed by second guitarist Chester Kamen
for performances of the Pink Floyd ballad Wish You Were Here during the
fnal two legs of Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour from June to September
2016. Co-written by Gilmour and Roger Waters as the title track of their
1975 album of the same name, Gilmour had recorded the original intro on a
12-string guitar. The two shows on 7th and 8th July 2016 were the frst public
performances at the Amphitheatre of Pompeii since the eruption of Vesuvius
in AD 79 and were recorded for the live album and flm Live At Pompeii,
released on 29th September 2017.

137
~ ■ 99 ■ 100
TAYLOR GUITARS, EL CAJON, 2006 GRETSCH GUITARS, 2005
AN ACOUSTIC 12-STRING GUITAR, 355-CE A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DUO JET, 6128
Labeled TAYLOR GUITARS/ MODEL No. 355-CE / SERIAL NUMBER Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard,
20060406043 / ROBERT TAYLOR / MADE IN EL CAJON, CA / stamped to the reverse JD05092543 / made in Japan, black fnish, with
ESTABLISHED IN 1974, inlaid at the headstock Taylor, original hardshell case original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed BLACK DUO JET REISSUE
bearing a label inscribed TAYLOR 12 STRING 355-CE 06 #20060406043; T.V. JONES P.U.'S & NEW WRING LOOM. and s/n JD05002543; accompanied
accompanied by the original owner registration card from Taylor Guitars by the original Gretsch Guitar Guarantee and corresponding envelope, the
Length of back 20⅞ in. (53 cm.) Gretsch Quality Control Department O.K. Card dated 21st November 2005,
a Gretsch Guitar Guide, a promotional fyer for the Gretsch Neo-Classic
$1,500-2,400 Fingerboard, and a handwritten note on a sheet of Astoria headed notepaper
regarding minor modifcations to the guitar
This 12-string guitar was supplied by Taylor Guitars in 2006 via UK Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.)
professional audio distributor Sound Technology Ltd. for David Gilmour’s
2006 On An Island Tour, in support of his third solo album On An Island. $2,000-3,000
The guitar was used by album co-producer and Roxy Music guitarist Phil
Manzanera for performances of Wish You Were Here, the title track of Pink Supplied directly by Gretsch Guitars, Scottsdale, Arizona, in late 2005, this
Floyd’s 1975 album of the same name. Co-written by Gilmour and Roger guitar was used as a spare for David Gilmour’s 1950s Gretsch Duo Jet on his
Waters, Gilmour had recorded the original intro on a 12-string guitar. Often 2006 On An Island Tour, in support of his third solo album On An Island.
considered a tribute to founder member Syd Barrett, Gilmour admitted in the
2012 documentary The Story of Wish You Were Here that he never plays the
song without remembering Barrett. Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason joined
Gilmour and his band on stage to play Wish You Were Here and Comfortably
Numb at the Royal Albert Hall on 31st May 2006. The guitar was enlisted
again by Manzanera for performances of Wish You Were Here during the frst
three legs of Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour from 12th September 2015 to
24th April 2016 in support of his 2015 solo album Rattle That Lock.
■ 101
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 2006
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped V157304, fnished with “thin skin” nitrocellulose lacquer in the
custom color of Candy Apple Red, with original case bearing a label inscribed
FENDER STARTOCASTER V57 CANDY APPLE RED - THIN FINISH #V157304;
accompanied by a letter and business card from Travis Kent at Fender Musical
Instruments Corporation dated 13th June 2006, the original paper hang tag, and
the commercial invoice and shipping label from Fender Musical Instruments to
David Gilmour Music Ltd, dated 14th June 2006
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

David Gilmour received this guitar from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
in June 2006, together with a letter from Fender Electric's Product Manager
Travis Kent, explaining that the guitar’s “thin skin” Nitro-lacquer fnish would
enable the guitar to breathe and therefore resonate better. Gilmour played the
guitar on the frst day of the Barn Jams recording sessions at his West Sussex
home in January 2007. Having enjoyed working with friends and fellow musicians
Richard Wright, Guy Pratt and Steve DiStanislao so much during his 2006 On
An Island Tour, Gilmour invited the group for a week of jamming together in one
of the barns at his countryside home. Beautifully lit with strings of fairy lights
and flled with plenty of heaters to combat the freezing weather, the barn was
set up with recording and flming equipment to capture the sessions live. Author
and lyricist Polly Samson photographed the jams, including a number of shots of
Gilmour playing this Candy Apple Red Strat in the control room, as the barn was
still too cold on day one.

David Gilmour playing at the Barn Jams, 2007. Photo by Polly Samson.

139
 THE HÖFNER 500/1
The Höfner 500/1 electric bass guitar is instantly recognizable to all students
of popular music and rock and roll. Sometimes called a violin bass because of
its hollow-body construction and shape, it more often carries the moniker of
a Beatle Bass. Designed by Walter Höfner this German-made bass made its
debut at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1956. In 1961 its unique shape caught the
sharp eye of a young Paul McCartney. Being a lefthanded player McCartney
immediately realized that the symmetrical viol shaped body would not appear
upside down when played left handed as a standard cutaway guitar body
would. With the global fame of The Beatles, the Höfner 500/1 and subsequent
model variations would become forever linked to those avatars of the
British Invasion.

~ ■ 102
HÖFNER, BUBENREUTH, 1963-65
A HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR, 500/1
The applied logo at the headstock Hofner, stamped to the reverse 393, with
later hardshell case bearing a label inscribed HOFNER VIOLIN BASS #393 and
SERIAL NO. DG1078; accompanied by a business card from The Bass Place
Length of back 178 in. (45.6 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 178.

David Gilmour acquired this Höfner bass from The Bass Place, Birmingham,
England, in January 1990 and kept it for studio use. Bassist Guy Pratt can
be seen using the guitar in footage released from the Barn Jams recording
sessions at Gilmour’s West Sussex home in January 2007. Having enjoyed
working with friends and fellow musicians Richard Wright, Guy Pratt and
Steve DiStanislao so much during his 2006 On An Island Tour, Gilmour
invited the group for a week of jamming together in one of the barns at his
countryside home. Beautifully lit with strings of fairy lights and flled with
plenty of heaters to combat the freezing weather, the barn was set up with
recording and flming equipment to capture the sessions live. A few of the
jams were included on the live concert DVD Live in Gdańsk, released in
September 2008.

140
GUILD GUITARS
Founded in New York City in 1952, The Guild Guitars Incorporated originally
focused on the manufacture of electric and arch-top jazz guitars. By 1956
production had been moved out of Manhattan across the Hudson River to
Hoboken, New Jersey. The swift growth of folk music in American popular
culture forced an alteration in Guild’s production with an emphasis on flat-top
acoustic guitars. Guild was highly successful in making this production shift
and managed to excel in a deeply competitive market that demanded high
quality production standards. Guild instruments were recognized then as
now for being well-made utilitarian instruments for the professional player.
Of special note is the quality of Guild’s 12-string guitars. In the 1960s these
instruments were far superior to any competitors’ 12-string on the market and
achieved a dedicated following from professional and amateur musicians.
Guild 12-string guitars remain highly regarded to this day.

~ ■ 103
GUILD, TAKOMA, 2007
AN ACOUSTIC 12-STRING GUITAR, F-512
Labeled GUILD / MODEL F512 SERIAL NUMBER TK030009 / Crafted
In Takoma, Washington / U.S.A. / To Be Played, branded internally Guild
and bearing the logo Guild on the headstock, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed GUILD TK030009 12 ST. F512 ACO; accompanied
by a facsimile copy of the original commercial invoice from Fender Musical
Instruments, addressed to David Gilmour Music Ltd. and dated 17th May
2007, the Fender Owner’s Registration and Warranty Manual documents,
and copies of email correspondence between Fender Musical Instruments
Acoustic Division and David Gilmour Music Ltd regarding the set up and
shipment of the guitar
Length of back 20½ in. (52 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

This guitar was one of two Guild 12-string guitars supplied directly to David
Gilmour by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in May 2007. Gilmour
liked the richness of the sound and kept the guitars for studio use. According
to the accompanying emails, Gilmour played this F-512 a little more on initial
receipt than the F-412.

141
 ~ ■ 104
GUILD, TAKOMA, 2006
AN ACOUSTIC 12-STRING GUITAR, F-512
Labeled GUILD / MODEL F-512, SERIAL NUMBER TJ114003 / Crafted
In Takoma, Washington / U.S.A. / To Be Played, bearing the logo Guild on
the headstock, sunburst fnish, with original hardshell case bearing a label
inscribed GUILD F-512 SUNBURST 2007 TJ114003 and SERIAL NO. DG 1078;
accompanied by Fender Owner’s Registration and Warranty Manual documents,
copies of email correspondence between Fender Musical Instruments Acoustic
Division and David Gilmour Music Ltd regarding the set up and shipment of the
guitar, and a color photograph by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing this guitar
at his East Sussex recording studio on 17th May 2013
Length of back 20½ in. (52 cm.)

$2,500-3,500

This guitar was one of two Guild 12-string guitars supplied directly to David
Gilmour by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in May 2007. At Gilmour’s
request, Fender installed a second wound G string on this guitar, in place
of the usual smaller octave G string, and tuned it D to D prior to shipping.
Gilmour liked the richness of the sound and kept the guitar for studio use.
Gilmour can be seen playing a portion of the title track of Pink Floyd’s 1975
album Wish You Were Here on this guitar during an interview on his Astoria
houseboat studio for a three-part documentary The Story of the Guitar, hosted
by Alan Yentob and aired on the BBC in October 2008. Gilmour had recorded
the original intro to Wish You Were Here on a 12-string guitar. In response to
Yentob’s question Why would you use a 12-string? Gilmour strums and replies:
Well, just listen to that and you tell me. Gilmour later used this guitar during
solo recording sessions at his East Sussex recording studio in 2013, which
developed into his frst solo project in almost a decade, the 2015 album Rattle
That Lock.

142
■ 105
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 2007
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, ESQUIRE CUSTOM SHOP RELIC
The peghead with decal logo Fender ESQUIRE, with decal logo to back Fender /
Custom Shop, the bridge plate stamped FENDER PAT. PEND. and the neckplate
stamped R36044, in original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER
ESQUIRE RELIC '07 S/N R36044 WHITE/WHITE; accompanied by a commercial
invoice from Fender Musical Instruments to David Gilmour Music Ltd, dated 30th
March 2007, and a color photograph by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing the
guitar at his East Sussex studio in September 2014
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

When David Gilmour unexpectedly added the Syd Barrett composition Arnold
Layne to the setlist for his 17th April 2006 show at the Oakland Paramount
Theatre, San Francisco, on the North American leg of his 2006 On An Island
Tour, Fender supplied a blonde Fender Custom Shop ’59 Relic Esquire with two
pickups for the performance. Gilmour used the guitar for the remainder of the
tour, after which he gifted it to his son Charlie for Christmas in 2006.
As a replacement for the ’59 Esquire Relic, this guitar was custom-made to
Gilmour’s specifcations in a distressed blonde fnish by Fender Custom Shop
in March 2007 and kept for studio use. The accompanying photograph by Phil
Taylor shows Gilmour playing the guitar during September 2014 recording
sessions for his 2015 solo album Rattle That Lock.

143
■ 106 ■ 107
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA,
2007 CIRCA 2005
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, CUSTOM SHOP A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, ERIC JOHNSON STRATOCASTER
STRATOCASTER The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate stamped EJ01292 and with logo EJ and caricature of guitar player, black fnish,
stamped R35540, the back of the headstock with decal logo Fender / with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER 'ERIC JOHNSON'
Custom Shop, the fnish black, with original hardshell case bearing a STRAT #EJ01292 - BLACK. MN; accompanied by the original paper hang tag,
label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER -CUSTOM SHOP '07 BLACK. control descriptions, and three color screenshots of David Gilmour playing this
CALLAHAN [sic] BRIDGE+ ELECTRONICS p/u’s LINDY FRALIN CRYO guitar at his Astoria houseboat studio in 2005
#R35540; accompanied by a handwritten list of various modifcations on Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)
Astoria headed notepaper, dated 28th January 2008
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) $1,000-1,500

$2,000-3,000 This guitar was supplied directly by Fender Custom Shop in 2005 as a reference
signature model during early negotiations for the proposed David Gilmour
Supplied directly by the Fender Custom Shop in 2007, this guitar was Signature Stratocaster. Although ftted with a shortened tremolo bar as per
used as a platform for David Gilmour to experiment with diferent pickup Gilmour’s requirements, the guitar did not work well for Gilmour until a slimmer
and control confgurations, including a set of cryogenically treated 57V neck was ftted to the instrument to better suit his preferences. When
Callaham H/SRV Fralin pickups. Gilmour returned to the studio to record his frst solo material in decades, this
particular guitar was one of a number he played during the fnal electric sessions
for the album in late 2005. Interviewed in July 2006 for Sound on Sound
magazine, album co-producer and Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera revealed
that On An Island was initially very acoustic, until Gilmour’s electric guitar solos
were fnally set down in the last month of recording: He left the electric stuf to
the last moment, and I wasn't sure he wasn't going to do it at all. So I was very
pleased that we managed to get him back onto the electric guitar, and he put some
great things on. Although he predominantly used his Black Strat and Gibson
Les Paul for the electric recordings, studio footage and photographs captured
Gilmour playing this Eric Johnson Stratocaster during sessions for the track The
Blue at his Astoria houseboat studio.
144
■ 108 ■ 109
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION,
2007 CORONA, 2008
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, 57V A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC 5-STRING BASS GUITAR, PRECISION
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH BASS
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate The peghead with logo decal Fender / Precision Bass/ made in U.S.A.,
stamped 176157, the fnish black, with original hardshell case bearing a to the reverse serial / number Z7232660 and stamped on the neckplate
label inscribed FENDER STRATOCASTER V57 BLACK -SUHR, CRYO Fender / Corona, / California, with original hardshell case bearing a label
POTS+SWITCH +ODD NECK +MID SEYMOUR 5 +PLATE V176157; inscribed FENDER PRECISION 5 BLACK #Z7232660; accompanied by
accompanied by the original paper hang tag and warranty tag, a commercial the original paper hang tag
invoice from Fender Musical Instruments to David Gilmour Music Ltd, dated Length of back 16½ in. (42 cm.)
13th November 2007, and installation instructions for the Backplate Silent
Single Coil system $2,000-3,000
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)
This guitar was supplied directly by Fender Musical Instruments
$2,000-3,000 Corporation in 2008 for David Gilmour’s studio use.

Acquired directly from Fender Musical Instruments, Ontario, California, in

November 2007, this Fender Stratocaster was modifed specifcally as a
test platform for David Gilmour to trial various pickup, control, wiring and
bridge confgurations before making alterations to his primary performance
guitar. Fully detailed in the condition report, the present modifcations to the
instrument are also inscribed by guitar technician Phil Taylor in blue marker
pen on a handwritten label to the back of the guitar.

145
 ■ 110
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 2008
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JEFF BECK SIGNATURE
STRATOCASTER
The headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate stamped
4544 and Fender / CUSTOM SHOP, custom color fnish in Antique White, with
original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed J. BECK; accompanied by the
Fender Custom Shop Certifcate of Authenticity, dated 10th October 2008 and
signed by Todd Krause, and a facsimile copy of a handwritten note on Astoria headed
notepaper regarding the set-up of the guitar
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

Following the untimely death of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright on 15th
September 2008 at age 65, guitar legend and old friend Jef Beck was asked
to play at his private memorial service at the 20th Century Theatre in London’s
Notting Hill the following October. Due to scheduling conficts, there was some
concern that Beck would not have access to his guitars for the occasion, so
Gilmour’s guitar technician Phil Taylor arranged for Fender Custom Shop Master
Builder Todd Krause to set up a Jef Beck Signature Stratocaster as per Beck’s
main white Stratocaster and send it to London urgently for Beck to play at the
memorial. On the day, however, Beck turned up with his own white Strat and this
guitar was relegated to a spare. In Nick Mason’s Inside Out: A Personal History of
Pink Floyd, he relates that the event was …a wonderful send-of… Jef Beck played
a beautiful, unaccompanied guitar solo, the more beautiful for being unexpected,
and Dave and I performed Rick’s ‘Remember A Day’ for the frst time in nearly
forty years. Rick had said that he wanted a party that was not too formal, and he
absolutely got his wish. Gilmour decided to keep the guitar at his home studio,
where it has remained for the past decade in case Beck should wish to play when
visiting, occasionally used by Gilmour himself.

146
~ ■ 111
GIBSON INCORPORATED, BOZEMAN, 2008
AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, COSTELLO CENTURY
Serial Number 02578007, bearing a label STYLE Costello Century Number 91 of
300 is hereby / GUARANTEED against faulty workmanship and materials / Elvis
Costello Gibson / Acoustic / Bozeman Montana, U.S.A., inlaid at the headstock
Gibson, bearing the decal Gibson CUSTOM SHOP on the reverse, with original
hardshell case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON CENTURY ELVIS COSTELLO
#02578007; accompanied by the original shipping invoice and commercial invoice
from Gibson Incorporated to David Gilmour Music Ltd, dated 29th October 2008, a
Gibson Acoustic Final Checklist, warranty and owner’s manual
Length of back 19⅓ in. (49.2 cm.)

$4,000-6,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 197.

In 1933 the World Fair's was held in Chicago, Illinois to commemorate the city's
centennial. Entitled A Century of Progress, the fair aroused widespread marketing
exposure, which was quickly embraced by the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar
Manufacturing Company, which was located 150 miles to the east in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. Gibson produced a special variant of its popular L series guitar and
named it the L-Century or L-C to commemorate the international exposition.
Festooned with copious amounts of a celluloid based plastic called pearloid,
the instrument was intended as an eye-catching presentation piece. Priced at
$55.00, the guitar had only a small production run, and the last one was shipped
in 1941. Today these instruments are highly sought after among collectors,
including Elvis Costello, who popularized the L-C. In 2008 Gibson produced a
copy of Costello’s 1936 L-C named the Elvis Costello Century of Progress. The
guitar was ofered at a list price of $5,633.00 and the limited production of 300
instruments quickly sold out.
Supplied directly by Gibson on 29th October 2008, this Costello Century was
kept by David Gilmour for home use. Gilmour liked this guitar and played it often.

David Gilmour at home, January 2014. Photo by Polly Samson.

147
~ ■ 112
GIBSON INCORPORATED, KALAMAZOO, 1953
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL
Inlaid to the headstock Gibson and silkscreened Les Paul MODEL, and ink
stamped on the reverse 3 0148, with later case bearing a label inscribed
GIBSON LES PAUL STANDARD 1953 GOLD #3 0148 BIGSBY; accompanied
by two color photographs by guitar technician Phil Taylor of David Gilmour
playing the guitar at Stanley House Studios on 21st January 2010, together
with a handwritten note by Taylor on Astoria headed stationery, dated March
2010, detailing various repairs and alterations made to the guitar
Length of back 17⅛ in. (43.4 cm.)

$15,000-25,000

This guitar was purchased in London in early 2006 as a spare for David
Gilmour’s On an Island Tour, which ran from 7th March to 26th August
2006. Gilmour later used the guitar during a recording session for Bryan
Ferry’s 2010 solo album Olympia at London’s Stanley House Studios on 21st
January 2010. One of numerous guest artists that contributed to the album,
Gilmour can be seen playing this guitar in the documentary flm The Making
of Olympia, which was released with the Deluxe and Collector’s editions of
the album. The guitar was again enlisted as a spare for Gilmour’s Rattle That
Lock Tour from 5th September 2015 to 30th September 2016.

148
149
~ ■ 113
THE FRED GRETSCH MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BROOKLYN, 1957
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, CHET ATKINS, 6121
Inlaid at the headstock with the logo Gretsch and applied at the pickguard, along with
Chet Atkins, the control cavity cover inscribed 23490, with original hardshell case
bearing a label inscribed GRETSCH 6121 ORANGE - CHET ATKINS #23490 SERIAL
NO. DG1067; accompanied by the original sales invoice from Gruhn Guitars, Inc. to
Pink Floyd, dated 26th June 1978, a letter from Dave Gilman to Pink Floyd, dated 27th
June 1978, confrming that the instrument had been placed on hold, a facsimile air
waybill addressed to Pink Floyd, dated 11th July 1978, a shipping invoice from Dacair
Service Limited to Britannia Row Leasing Ltd., dated 27th July 1978, a handwritten
note on a Pink Floyd headed compliments slip reading Dear Vic, Please fnd enclosed
the invoices for the two guitars that should be arriving shortly, Phil, a facsimile repair
receipt from Charlie Chandler’s Guitars, Middlesex, to David Gilmour Music Ltd., dated
27th July 2009, a handwritten note to David Gilmour by guitar technician Phil Taylor
on a sheet of Astoria headed notepaper outlining the repair and modifcation work
performed on the guitar, and a color screenshot of David Gilmour playing this guitar
at Olympic Studios, London, circa July 1993 [not illustrated]
Length of back 17⅞ in. (45.3 cm.)

$6,000-8,000

The 6121 is the solid-body companion to Gretsch’s famous hollow-body guitar

the 6120 Chet Atkins (lot 40). Purchased by David Gilmour from Gruhn Guitars,
Nashville, Tennessee, in June 1978, the guitar has seen a good deal of studio use,
notably during recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell
at Gilmour’s Astoria houseboat studio and Olympic Studios, London, circa July
1993. Between 2013 and 2014, material from the 1993 recording sessions for The
Division Bell was revisited and reworked with 21st Century digital technology and
supplemented with new material for the last Pink Floyd album The Endless River.
Studio footage exists of Gilmour playing the 6121 during a 1993 jam session at
Olympic that would become the instrumental Nervana, the third and fnal bonus
track on the deluxe edition of The Endless River. Following a distorted intro, Gilmour
plays a heavy metal rif and ends with a two-minute solo on the Gretsch 6121.
Released in November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist Richard Wright, who had
passed away in 2008, the predominantly instrumental album debuted at number
one in the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, New
Zealand, and Canada.

David Gilmour recording at Olympic Studios, London,

1993. Photo by Jeremy Young.

150
■ 114
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, 2010
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER CUSTOM BARITONE
At the peghead Fender TELECASTER, the reverse with logo Custom Shop, the fnish
black with white binding, in original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed FENDER
BARITONE TELE #1 NO S/N; accompanied by a color photograph by Phil Taylor of
David Gilmour playing this guitar in his East Sussex studio circa April 2014
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.)

$2,000-3,000

LITERATURE:

Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, illus. p. 559.
Guitarist, May 2015, illus. p. 69.

This guitar was custom-made for David Gilmour by Fender Custom Shop in 2010
and kept primarily for studio use. A baritone guitar incorporates a longer scale
length than a normal guitar and is tuned either in a perfect 4th (B, E, A, D, F#, B)
or perfect 5th lower (A, D, G, C, E, A) than a standard guitar tuning. This allows
for deeper voicing than typically heard with guitar performance. Gilmour’s guitar
technician Phil Taylor liaised with Fender to build a baritone on a shorter scale than
his 1963 Fender Bass VI (lot 30). The resulting guitar has a 27-inch scale, placing it
between an electric and bass guitar in terms of size. It was further modifed with a
Vibramate String Spoiler and custom baritone pickups, and the electronics replaced
with Callaham Cryo electronics.
At the suggestion of album co-producer Youth, Gilmour used the baritone guitar
during recording of Pink Floyd’s ffteenth studio album The Endless River, notably
on the track It’s What We Do. Material from the 1993 recording sessions for The
Division Bell was revisited and reworked with 21st Century digital technology and
supplemented with new material recorded between 2013 and 2014 at Gilmour’s
Astoria houseboat studio. Released in November 2014 as a tribute to keyboardist
Richard Wright, who had passed away in 2008, the predominantly instrumental
album debuted at number one in the UK, France, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, the
Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, and Canada.
The guitar was subsequently enlisted for performances of Run Like Hell during
Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour from 12th September 2015, played by longtime Pink
Floyd collaborator Jon Carin during the frst three legs of the tour and thereafter by
Chester Kamen for the fnal two legs through to 30th September 2016.

151
NASH GUITARS ~ ■ 116
Based in Olympia, Washington, Bill Nash specializes in solid-body electric C.F. MARTIN & COMPANY, NAZARETH, 2015
guitars utilizing nitrocellulose fnishes that are often artifcially distressed AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR, 0-28VS
to appear aged. Launching his business as a custom maker in 2001, Nash
Branded internally C.F. Martin & Co / NAZARETH, PA / MADE IN U.S.A. /
Guitars now employs nine workers and, according to interviews in 2011,
0-28VS / 1817966, the headstock bearing the logo C.F. Martin & Co / EST. 1833,
produces approximately 90 guitars a month.
with original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed MARTIN O-28V ACOUSTIC
#1817966; accompanied by the original paper hang tag
■ 115 Length of back 191 in. (48.5 cm.)
NASH GUITARS, OLYMPIA, CIRCA 2007
$3,000-5,000
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, IN THE STYLE OF A 1952
TELECASTER, T-52 LITERATURE:

Inscribed by the maker to the back of the headstock 'B Nash 07', with Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
original hardshell case bearing a label inscribed BILL NASH TELECASTER Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 232.
'07 -TAKEN TO USA/EUROPE AS SPARE CASE LEFT HERE 11/03/16;
accompanied by the original paper hang tag Prior to 1929 all Martin guitars were produced with a neck having only 12 frets
Length of back 15¾ in. (40 cm.) clear of the body. The O-28 VS, short for Vintage Specs, is a return to the
O-28’s design found at the turn of the 20th century. The shorter neck allows
$1,000-2,000 for a slightly larger body than found on the 14 fret models. Body size in guitar
design is all about air volume and more air volume equates to deeper tonal
Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt arranged the purchase of this guitar on qualities. Though the shorter neck limits access to playing above the octaves,
behalf of David Gilmour. A replacement neck was supplied by Nash the O-28 VS makes up for this by producing warmer overtones. It is a guitar
Guitars and ftted to the guitar after it was decided that the original neck that performs wonderfully as a fngerpicking instrument and one which is easily
was too large for Gilmour’s taste. The guitar was carried as a dressing transportable.
room guitar on the North American and European legs of Gilmour’s Rattle
Acquired directly from C.F. Martin & Company in advance of David Gilmour’s
That Lock Tour from March to July 2016, in support of his fourth solo
Rattle That Lock Tour, the guitar was played by Roxy Music guitarist and
album Rattle That Lock.
longtime collaborator Phil Manzanera during the frst three legs of the tour
from 12th September 2015 and thereafter by Chester Kamen for the fnal
two legs through to 30th September 2016. During the tour, Gilmour would
sometimes play this guitar at book signings and literary events for author and
152 lyricist Polly Samson’s 2015 novel The Kindness.
~ ■ 117 ~ ■ 118
GIBSON INCORPORATED, MEMPHIS, 2013 GIBSON INCORPORATED, NASHVILLE, 2009
A HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, ES 330 A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, LES PAUL 57 HISTORIC GOLD TOP
Inlaid at the headstock Gibson, bearing serial number internally T1002 1, Inlaid at the headstock Gibson and silk screened Les Paul MODEL and Gibson
sunburst fnish, original case bearing a label inscribed GIBSON ES 330 logos, ink stamped on the reverse 7 9820, with hardshell case bearing a
2013 #T10021; accompanied by the original Certifcate of Authenticity label inscribed LES PAUL GOLD 2009 HOME; accompanied by the original
from Gibson Custom Shop, copies of email correspondence between Certifcate of Authenticity, warranty tag and Gibson Gold Warranty booklet from
Gibson Entertainment Relations and David Gilmour Music Ltd, and a color Gibson Custom Shop, copies of email correspondence between The ToneQuest
photograph by Phil Taylor of David Gilmour playing this guitar at his East Report and David Gilmour Music Ltd, a copy of the original sales invoice from The
Sussex recording studio on 18th September 2013 ToneQuest Report and a handwritten note by guitar technician Phil Taylor on
Length of back 186 in. (47.5 cm.) Astoria headed stationery detailing several modifcations to the guitar
Length of back 17¼ in. (43.8 cm.)
$3,000-5,000
$3,000-5,000
At the request of guitar technician Phil Taylor, Gibson Custom Shop
supplied this guitar to David Gilmour in January 2013. The neck follows the On the instruction of David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor,
slimmer taper and profle of a circa 1960s Gibson and the P-90 pickups David Wilson of guitar magazine The ToneQuest Report purchased this Les
are underwound to Gilmour’s specifcation. Gilmour used this guitar during Paul 57 Gold Top directly from Gibson Custom Shop in late 2009, with a view
solo recording sessions at his East Sussex studio in 2013, which developed to optimizing the standard model in line with Gilmour’s preferences. Wilson
into his frst solo project in almost a decade, the 2015 album Rattle That oversaw considerable modifcations to the guitar including the replacement
Lock. Longtime Pink Floyd collaborator Jon Carin subsequently played the of the standard Burstbucker pickups with a J.M. Rolph ’58 PAF Humbucker,
guitar during the frst three legs of Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour from replacement of the standard tuners for Grover Rotomatics and modifcation
September 2015 to April 2016. of the wiring to preserve the treble when the volume is cut. On receipt of
the guitar in January 2010, Taylor commissioned additional alterations to
further optimize the feel and tone of the instrument, later making additional
refnements in February 2011. According to Taylor, Gilmour really liked the
modifed guitar, which was unusual as humbuckers would not generally be his
preference, and went on to use it during a recording session at his West Sussex
studio in July 2013, playing through a 1958 Fender Tweed Deluxe and then a
Tweed Champ amplifer. Gilmour’s 2013 solo recording sessions developed into
his frst solo project in almost a decade, the 2015 album Rattle That Lock.
~ ■ 119
TAKAMINE, NAKATSUGAWA, 1986
AN ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR, EF-400S
Branded internally Takamine / Est. 1962 EF-400S and labeled Serial Number
/ 86070461 / Takamine at the neck block, applied with logo Takamine at the
headstock, stamped internally Jul 3 1986, with original hardshell case bearing
a label inscribed TAKAMINE 12 STRING EF400S '87 #86070461 (9 STRING)
and No1; accompanied by two Takamine catalogues, a price list and an oficial
tour program for Pink Floyd’s World Tour 1987/88, featuring a photograph of
David Gilmour playing this guitar
Length of back 1913/16 in. (50.3 cm.)

$1,000-1,500

Since 1975 Takamine 12-string guitars have been popular among musicians
for their tonal quality, playability and structural stability. Supplied directly by
Takamine Guitars in 1987, this guitar was used by David Gilmour for around
200 performances of Welcome to the Machine, from Pink Floyd’s 1975 album
Wish You Were Here, throughout the band's epic A Momentary Lapse of
Reason Tour from 9th September 1987 to 18th July 1989. Although Welcome
to the Machine was not included on the 1988 live concert video and album
Delicate Sound of Thunder, Gilmour can be seen playing the guitar in various
amateur footage and photographs captured over the course of the tour. The
guitar has since been set up as a nine-string, which allowed Gilmour to play
both six-string and 12-string parts of Pink Floyd’s 1975 ballad Wish You Were
Here on the same guitar at his lifelong friend Storm Thorgerson’s funeral
in April 2013. Co-founder of design group Hipgnosis, Thorgerson was the
graphic genius behind so many of Pink Floyd’s iconic album covers. Rock
photographer Jill Furmanovsky captured the intimate performance.
As a 12-string, the guitar was also used by second guitarist Tim Renwick for
performances of Wish You Were Here throughout the Momentary Lapse of
Reason Tour. Co-written by Gilmour and Roger Waters as the title track of
their 1975 album, Gilmour had recorded the famous intro and instrumental
passages on a 12-string guitar. Renwick made another appearance with the
EF-400S at Knebworth on 30th June 1990, when Pink Floyd played Wish You
Were Here as part of a one-hour set for a historic charity concert in aid of the
Nordof-Robbins Music Therapy Centre. The guitar subsequently travelled
with Renwick on Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell Tour from March to October
1994, recorded for the live concert video Pulse, released on VHS in 1995 and
on DVD in 2006.

154
■ 120
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1967
A HOLLOW-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, CORONADO II, WILDWOOD
With decal Fender Coronado II / Pat. 3,143,028, the later F neckplate stamped
180951, with original neckplate and later hardshell case bearing a label
FENDER CORONADO II
Length of back 1713/16 in. (45.2 cm.)

$3,000-5,000

155
DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE STRATOCASTER
In 2006, David Gilmour was approached by the Fender Musical Instrument
Corporation asking permission to produce an accurate replica of his famous
1969 black Fender Stratocaster. Despite his protestation that it was just an
ordinary strat that I bought at Manny's, Gilmour fnally agreed and Fender
Custom Shop Manager Mike Eldred and Master Builder Todd Krause few to
London, on a mission to capture the measurements and specifc details of the
original guitar, from which the frst prototype would be made. Over the next
two years, three more prototypes would be produced and fve diferent pickup
confgurations were tested and refned with Gilmour’s participation. Hinting
at the evolving collaboration, longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor told March
2008's Guitar & Bass Magazine David is very particular about replicating the
pickups' sound and the set-up of the pickups and trem. Once the ffth and fnal
prototypes were approved by Gilmour for sound, feel, playability and visual
accuracy, the guitar went into production and was released in September
2008 to coincide with the release of David Gilmour's 3-disc Live in Gdańsk
CD/DVD set. Todd Krause said of the process It was utterly just amazing, this
overwhelming sense of history and the past and just being surrounded by it.
The Fender Custom Shop produced two models of the David Gilmour
Signature Stratocaster - the Relic, which faithfully replicated the condition of
The Black Strat as it appeared in 2008 with visual wear and distressing to the
fnish, aged parts and no backplate, and the NOS, or "New Old Stock," which
similarly replicates the guitar as it is now, but with new parts, an 'as new' paint
fnish and a white plastic backplate. Gilmour said of the release They've done
a fantastically good job to make it as good as I wanted it to be. We've worked
quite hard on it, it's taken a while for us to get every part of it dead right. Two fnal
prototypes of each model were made – one set remain with Fender Custom
Shop for production reference and the other set remain with Gilmour. In a
January 2009 interview with Guitar Player magazine, Gilmour enthused I
have some fnal prototypes of the two diferent versions, and they are brilliant.
In my opinion, they are just as good as my Black Strat, if not better, and I would
have no hesitation about using them on a gig. In fact, I used the NOS model
when I did an Atom Heart Mother show recently. Gilmour was so pleased with
the fnal prototypes that he chose the NOS for a performance of Atom Heart
Mother with Pink Floyd collaborator Ron Geesin for the Chelsea Arts Festival
at Cadogan Hall, London, on 15th June 2008, and again for a performance
with Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, London on 10th
February 2009.

■ 121
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA,
2007
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE
STRATOCASTER, CUSTOM SHOP RELIC, PROTOTYPE NUMBER 3
David Gilmour signature model Stratocaster, Relic prototype number 3, the
headstock with logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH SYNCHRONIZED
TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate stamped R37086,
Todd Krause Fender Custom Shop decal on the reverse and inscribed #3, the
fnish black, with original custom hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
FENDER STRATOCASTER BLACK PROTOTYPE #3 S/N R37086
Length of back 156 in. (39.8 cm.)

$5,000-8,000

This guitar is the third of the fve prototypes that were produced by Fender
throughout the design process and was sent to David Gilmour in 2007.
Gilmour found the third prototype good to play and was happy with the neck
and bridge pickups, however there were a number of superfcial inaccuracies
remaining in comparison to the original guitar, such as the body contours.

156
■ 122 ■ 123
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA,
2012 2013
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE
STRATOCASTER, CUSTOM SHOP RELIC STRATOCASTER, CUSTOM SHOP NOS, (LEFT HANDED)
The headstock with decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH The headstock with decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body, the neckplate
stamped R64716 and Fender Custom Shop decal on the reverse, black fnish, stamped R74902, and Fender Custom Shop decal on the reverse, black fnish,
with original Custom Shop hardshell case bearing a label inscribed RELIC with original Custom Shop hardshell case bearing a label inscribed BLACK
April 2012R64716; together with complete CUSTOM SHOP accessories STRAT NOS 'LEFTIE' R74902 7.93 lbs OCT 2013; together with complete
including a Fender Certifcate of Authenticity dated 13th April 2012, owner's CUSTOM SHOP accessories including a Fender Certifcate of Authenticity
manual and warranty, an Evidence Audio guitar cable, custom leather guitar dated 30th October 2013, owner's manual and warranty, an Evidence Audio
strap, custom GHS David Gilmour guitar strings and pick, a Live in Gdansk guitar cable, custom leather guitar strap, custom GHS David Gilmour guitar
CD/DVD set and a third edition copy of The Black Strat - A History of David strings and pick, a Live in Gdansk CD/DVD set and a third edition copy of The
Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster by Phil Taylor Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster by Phil Taylor
Length of back 156 in. (39.8 cm.) Length of back 156in. (39.8 cm.)

$5,000-8,000 $4,000-6,000

This guitar was supplied directly from the Fender Custom shop in June 2012. This guitar was supplied directly from the Fender Custom shop in 2013 as a
sample of the left-handed NOS. On receipt, it was discovered that the guitar
was ftted with right-handed pots and tremolo arm. Fender subsequently
supplied the correct left-handed parts which are ftted to the current guitar.
■ 124 ■ 125
FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA, FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION, CORONA,
2014 2014
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, DAVID GILMOUR SIGNATURE
STRATOCASTER, CUSTOM SHOP RELIC STRATOCASTER, CUSTOM SHOP NOS
The headstock with decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH The headstock with decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER / WITH
SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body the neckplate SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO / ORIGINAL / Contour / Body the neckplate
stamped R78547, and Fender Custom Shop decal on the reverse, black fnish, stamped R65214, and Fender Custom Shop decal on the reverse, black fnish,
with original Custom Shop hardshell case bearing a label inscribed RELIC 8-14 with original Custom Shop hardshell case bearing a label inscribed NOS.
#R78547; together with complete CUSTOM SHOP accessories including a R65214 8-14 'NICE'; together with complete CUSTOM SHOP accessories
Fender Certifcate of Authenticity dated 15th July 2014, owner's manual and including a Fender Certifcate of Authenticity dated 7th December 2012,
warranty, an Evidence Audio guitar cable, custom leather guitar strap, custom owner's manual and warranty, an Evidence Audio guitar cable, custom leather
GHS David Gilmour guitar strings and pick, a Live in Gdansk CD/DVD set guitar strap, custom GHS David Gilmour guitar strings and pick, a Live in
and a third edition copy of The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Gdansk CD/DVD set and a third edition copy of The Black Strat - A History of
Fender Stratocaster by Phil Taylor David Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster by Phil Taylor
Length of back 156 in. (39.8 cm.) Length of back 156 in. (39.8 cm.)

$5,000-8,000 $4,000-6,000

This guitar was supplied directly from the Fender Custom shop in August 2014. This guitar was supplied directly from the Fender Custom shop in 2014.

158
 ■ 126
PACKHORSE CASE COMPANY LTD.
A TRAVEL GUITAR CASE FOR PINK FLOYD
Plywood construction with riveted aluminum and steel valance with blue vinyl
covering, stenciled to both sides PINK FLOYD. / LONDON., with address label
Phil Taylor 01-221-2046 / DGM LTD. 43 PORTLAND ROAD / LONDON, W11
ENGLAND and SERIAL NO. DG 1203
43¾ in. (111.5 cm.) high; 17º in. (43.5 cm.) wide; 7 in. (18 cm.) deep

$1,000-2,000

LITERATURE:

Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, London, 2017, illus. p. 249.

This travelling case was used to transport David Gilmour’s primary Black
Strat (lot 127) from 1979 through to the mid-1980s, notably for Pink Floyd’s
The Wall Tour from 7th February 1980 to 17th June 1981.
Guitar not included

159
David Gilmour performing live on the Animals-In The Flesh Tour, 1977. Photo by
Laurens van Houten/ Pictorial Press Ltd./ Alamy Stock Photo.
160
■ 127
FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1969
AND 1983
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, STRATOCASTER, KNOWN AS
‘THE BLACK STRAT’
The later neck with headstock bearing the decal logo Fender STRATOCASTER
/ WITH SYNCHRONISED TREMOLO / ORGINAL / Contour / Body, the later
neckplate stamped 38979, with hardshell case bearing a label inscribed
FENDER STRATOCASTER 'THE' BLACK #38979; 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 Café 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 Café, dated 6th May and 7th June 1997
Length of back 15⅞ in. (39.7 cm.)

$100,000-150,000
EXHIBITED:

Pink Floyd Interstellar, Cité de la Musique, Paris, France, 10th October 2003 –
25th January 2004.
Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 13th
May – 15th October 2017.

LITERATURE:

The Black Strat is the subject of a defnitive book by David Gilmour’s longtime
guitar technician Phil Taylor, remaining the only guitar to have its detailed
chronological history so meticulously and accurately documented.
Taylor, P. Pink Floyd: The Black Strat - A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender
Stratocaster, Great Britain, 2017, illus. cover, pp.1, 4, 6, 14, 15, 16, 18, 23, 29,
32-40, 42-44, 46-51, 54-59, 63-66, 69, 72, 75, 76, 78, 81-94, 96-98, 100, 101,
104, 105, 108-112, 115-117, 119, 121-124, 129-133, 139, 148-152, 154-155, 158-160,
162-164, 166-173, 175-186, 188, 191, 194, 197, 200, 202, 206, 208, 212-234,
236-245, 250.
Fielder, H. Pink Floyd Behind the Wall, New York, 2013, illus. pp. 62, 63, 71, 78,
86, 91, 100, 105, 106, 122, 198, 204.
Guesdon, J-M. and Margotin, P. Pink Floyd: All The Songs, New York, 2017, illus.
pp. 242, 245, 265, 269, 275, 277, 307, 317, 336, 340, 357, 397, 403, 421, 431,
471, 565.
Popof, M. Pink Floyd: Album By Album, Minneapolis, 2018, pp. 56, 67, 83, 99,
104, 118, 131, 151, 158, 223.
Povey, G. The Complete Pink Floyd, New York, 2016-2017, pp. 150-151, illus.
171,189, 206, 222, 243, 253, 332, 368, 393, 397.
Povey, G. and Russell, I. Pink Floyd: In The Flesh, London, 1997, illus. pp. 100,
126, 135, 160, 179, 189, 222, 243, 253, 332, 368, 393, 397.
Povey, G. Pink Floyd in Objects, London, 2018, illus. pp. 78-79, 81.
Scarfe, G. The Making Of Pink Floyd The Wall, London, 2010, pp. 119, 230.
Wheeler, T. The Stratocaster Chronicles, Milwaukee, 2004, illus. p. 148.
Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains, London, 2017, illus. pp. 106, 125, 236, 237.
Interactive Guitar Magazine, 2017, Issue #47, illus. cover.
Guitar & Bass Magazine, March 2008, Vol 19, No3, illus. cover.
Guitar World, March 2006, illus. cover.
Guitarist, February 2015, Issue 390, illus. cover, pp. 66-67.
Q Pink Floyd Special Edition, September 2004, illus. pp. 38, 58, 68, 79.

161
162
THE BLACK STRAT
Through the annals of rock history, David Gilmour’s black Fender Stratocaster stands
out as one of only a handful of guitars that have taken on a life of their own and gained
a level of fame to near match their owner. Despite humble beginnings as an of-the-
shelf standard model Stratocaster, the extensively modifed guitar has become a
legend in its own right. Of all the instruments in Gilmour’s considerable collection, it
is the black Stratocaster that has served him the longest as both a performance and
recording tool, appearing on every Pink Floyd album from 1970 to 1983 and all four
of Gilmour’s solo albums to date, becoming synonymous with his image and tone. A
mainstay at the zenith of Pink Floyd, the guitar was integral to the recording of the
band’s seminal masterpiece 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. Heard by billions of people across the
globe over the last forty-nine years, the music Gilmour created on this trusty Strat will
undoubtedly live on for hundreds more.
Purchased new at the already iconic New York guitar store Manny’s on West 48th
Street in May 1970, David Gilmour acquired this guitar to replace a black Stratocaster
with a rosewood neck that he had purchased just six weeks earlier at the outset of
Pink Floyd’s third US tour. Gilmour garnered a mere ffteen performances with that
frst Stratocaster before it was stolen, along with the rest of the band’s equipment,
following their second show in New Orleans. Although the majority of the equipment
was recovered, Gilmour's frst black Stratocaster was never seen again. With the band
forced to end the tour early, Gilmour few home to London via New York, making an
emergency visit to Manhattan’s “Music Row” to purchase another black Stratocaster,
this time with a maple neck, from Manny Goldrich’s famous music store. Recalling his
memories of Manny’s in the early 1970’s, Gilmour told us It was already legendary… It
was a very New York experience. The sort of thing us English boys had seen in flms and
stuf… it’s hard to describe but it was a wonderful place. This second black Stratocaster,
which would become known as “The Black Strat,” bore a serial number dating the
guitar to 1969, a custom black fnish sprayed over sunburst and a maple neck.
The Black Strat made its frst appearance on stage at the legendary Bath Festival of
Blues and Progressive Music, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, during the early hours of
Sunday 28th June 1970, where Pink Floyd appeared on the bill alongside Led Zeppelin
and Jeferson Airplane. Accompanied by a brass ensemble and 12-strong choir, the
band debuted a new 25-minute piece, then titled The Amazing Pudding. Pink Floyd had
begun recording the piece, later renamed Atom Heart Mother and forming an entire
side of their 1970 album of the same name, prior to their US tour. Resuming recording
on their return from the States, The Black Strat made its frst appearance on a Pink
Floyd record. No known photographs exist of the performance and only very murky
footage has surfaced, however The Black Strat can be clearly seen in documentary
flm footage of the Kralingen Music Festival in Rotterdam, where Pink Floyd performed
later that day.
After a period experimenting with other guitars including a sunburst Stratocaster,
a brown Telecaster and a white Stratocaster (lot 1), similarly purchased to replace a
white Strat stolen in New Orleans, Gilmour had settled on The Black Strat as his main
instrument by 1971, as the Atom Heart Mother World Tour rattled through Europe,
Japan and Australia. It became my main guitar, Gilmour told Matt Everitt in 2018, the
one I used pretty much on everything unless there was a reason to want a diferent
sound. Gilmour used the guitar throughout the band’s magical performance to an
empty amphitheatre at Pompeii in October 1971 for the concert documentary flm
Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii, playing it both conventionally and with a steel slide bar,
balanced on his lap on the ground. Additional footage shot at the Studio Europasonor
in Paris showed bassist and songwriter Roger Waters wielding The Black Strat for a
rendition of Mademoiselle Nobs while Gilmour played the harmonica. Gilmour’s prime
electric during recording of Pink Floyd’s transitional 1971 album Meddle, The Black
Strat was used for all guitar parts on the 23-minute sequence Echoes, which remains
an enduring highlight in the Pink Floyd canon, noted for the sonorous ‘seagull calls’
Gilmour drew from the Stratocaster. The guitar thereafter travelled on the subsequent
tour of the US and Canada in late 1971.
It could be considered de rigueur that Rock guitarists of David Gilmour’s generation
and talent are constantly altering the setup and fttings of their guitars to suit their
needs as artists. Throughout the forty-nine years Gilmour has owned this Stratocaster
it has been considered his working guitar, used to test new ideas and experiment with
various modifcations. In an interview with Guitarist magazine in May 2006, Gilmour
admitted I've always considered that to be my bodge-up guitar that nothing is sacred on.
I've had holes drilled in it. It's still a good guitar.

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David Gilmour performing live at the Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, David Gilmour replacing guitar strings whilst setting up for a concert at Hakone
15th August 1971. Photo by Philip Morris Aphrodite, Japan, August 1971. Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music

Over the years, the guitar has been ftted with various pickups, switches, an efort to achieve a sound akin to the Fender Jazzmaster. Gilmour told us:
inputs, pickguards, tailpieces and tuners and undergone no less than six There’s a sound on a Jazzmaster which you get by having your bridge pickup
diferent neck changes. All these alterations were performed in an endeavor and your neck pickup on at the same time. Now, on a Strat because you’ve got
to achieve the dynamics in tonal quality and playability required by David a middle pickup, the switch doesn’t do that... so I got a little piece of metal in a
Gilmour at the time. One of Gilmour’s frst alterations was the ill-fated U-shape and glued it on to the underside and drilled a little hole and put a little
addition of an edge-mounted XLR socket in 1972. Gilmour told us: At one switch in, and that switch switches on this pickup… which creates a sound a bit
point I drilled a big hole to put one of those big XLR things on it because I like the Jazzmaster… That was one of the experiments that I did that I still have.
wanted to have the sound coming out of the guitar, going out through a pedal A series of beneft concerts and a European Tour followed in late 1972 with
board, coming back into the guitar and going through a volume knob again… The Black Strat consistently serving as principal guitar. Gilmour thereafter
That didn’t last terribly long so I made some paste out of sawdust and wood routed out the pickup cavities to accommodate a Humbucker pickup, which
glue and flled it back in again. His repair work is still very much visible on he trialed during performances with Roland Petit’s Ballets de Marseille in
the guitar today. It’s probable that Gilmour’s XLR experimentations featured January 1973.
on Pink Floyd’s 1972 album Obscured by Clouds, recorded in an intensive
Sporadically recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios from June 1972 to
two-week period at Chateau d’Hérouville near Paris in Spring 1972 as an
March 1973, The Dark Side Of The Moon was fnally released in March 1973
atmospheric soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder’s 1972 flm La Vallée.
to critical acclaim and instant chart success, remaining in the Billboard
Since hailed as some of the band’s best work, the soundtrack album was album chart for a record smashing 741 consecutive weeks and selling over 55
somewhat eclipsed by the soon to be released The Dark Side Of The Moon, million copies worldwide to date. According to guitar technician Phil Taylor,
a concept album that would explore the stresses and pressures of modern Gilmour primarily used the Black Strat for his visceral guitar solos, rhythm
life. After an early version was frst performed on 20th January 1972 at The parts and flls on the album, notably including his astounding solo on Time
Dome in Brighton, the piece would be further refned and developed over and two of the three solos on Money. The guitar again served as Gilmour’s
the course of the year both live and in the studio. During this period, Gilmour principal instrument on the subsequent US tour, returning to a standard set
switched to a rosewood neck from his sunburst Stratocaster. The frst of single coil pickups that June. Due to the overwhelming success of The
appearance of The Black Strat with rosewood neck, again at The Dome in Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd began to play stadiums and large arenas.
June 1972, was also the frst complete live performance of The Dark Side Of After a brief French tour in June 1974, the guitar truly earned its moniker
The Moon. Gilmour carried The Black Strat as his primary guitar on a tour of when Gilmour replaced the standard white pickguard with a custom-made
the US from September 1972, now modifed with an additional pickup switch black pickguard which remains to this day, transforming the appearance of
to allow him to select both the bridge and neck pickup at the same time, in the guitar and creating an instantly recognizable all-Black Strat.

164
David Gilmour during recording for the album Wish You Were Here at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London, 1975. Courtesy of Jill Furmanovsky Archive

The Black Strat played a key role during the recording of Pink Floyd’s 1975 seemingly perched atop the wall as he worked The Black Strat. The London
album Wish You Were Here, a worthy successor to The Dark Side of the performances were recorded and released in 2000 on the live album Is
Moon and Gilmour’s favorite Floyd album. During rehearsals at London’s There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81. Returning to the studio
Unit Studios, the sublime four-note arpeggio that would inspire the Syd in 1982, Gilmour played The Black Strat with a custom Charvel 22 fret
Barrett tribute and fan favorite Shine On You Crazy Diamond popped out birdseye maple neck on Pink Floyd’s 1983 album The Final Cut, enabling
of the guitar. Gilmour recorded all electric guitar parts for the album on his him to reach a semitone higher at the top end.
trusty Black Strat between January to July 1975 at Abbey Road, laying down
Having predominantly recorded his eponymous 1978 solo debut album on
the four-note phrase in the cavernous Studio One to capture the efect of a
The Black Strat, Gilmour re-enlisted the guitar to record his second solo
concert hall. After two short tours of the USA, the band headlined a concert
album About Face at Paris’ Pathé-Marconi Studios in August 1983, recently
at Knebworth on 5th July 1975 in support of their new material, marking the
last time The Dark Side Of The Moon would be played in its entirety by the modifed with a Kahler tremolo system and a shortened tremolo arm to allow
classic-era Pink Floyd line up. Now modifed with a DiMarzio pickup in the more control when playing. Gilmour told us I just one day took a hacksaw
bridge position, Gilmour used The Black Strat to record Pink Floyd’s edgier to it and cut it of and stuck the plastic bit back on the end of it… It suits me
follow-up album Animals at the band’s new recording studio at Britannia Row - I’ve found it much more useful and it’s helped to create a style, I guess. In a
in North London and throughout the subsequent In The Flesh Tour through March 2008 interview with Guitar & Bass Magazine, Taylor admitted that the
Europe and North America. addition of the Kahler tremolo was less successful as it altered the sound
of the guitar, explaining that it was one reason why it fell out of favor. Around
The rosewood neck was swapped out for a custom Charvel birdseye maple this time, Fender brought out their 1957 vintage reissue series and The Black
neck ahead of recording sessions for Pink Floyd’s next concept album The Strat was laid aside in favor of a Candy Apple Red 57V Stratocaster that
Wall, which began in April 1979 at Super Bear Studios in France, moving would become Gilmour’s principal guitar for the next twenty years (lot 56). In
to Producers Workshop in Los Angeles through to early November 1979. August 1986, the now unemployed Black Strat was placed on loan with the
Frequently voted one of the best solos of all time, Gilmour laid down his Hard Rock Café in return for a charitable donation and was displayed in their
landmark solo in Comfortably Numb on The Black Strat at Super Bear, Dallas restaurant for over a decade.
telling Guitar World in 1993: I just went out into the studio and banged out
fve or six solos. By the time the band kicked of their series of spectacular In 1997 the guitar was returned in poor condition, lacking its original case,
live shows in support of the album, which featured a giant wall spanning and sent to Chandler Guitars for restoration. The Kahler tremolo was
the width of the auditorium, the guitar sported a custom wound Seymour replaced with the original Fender system, the resulting hole repaired, and the
Duncan pickup in place of the DiMarzio, which remains on The Black Strat custom Charvel neck replaced with a new 57 vintage reissue neck to more
to this day. As the concept of The Wall had largely sprung from Waters’ closely resemble the 57V Stratocasters Gilmour had grown accustomed to.
hatred of the stadium experience, the exclusive arena tour consisted of The guitar saw little use until 2003, when Gilmour played a few parts from
only 31 dates in four cities - Los Angeles, New York, London and Dortmund The Dark Side Of The Moon for the Eagle Rock documentary The Making Of
in Germany - from February 1980 to June 1981. For performances of The Dark Side Of The Moon. The Black Strat made its big stage comeback,
Comfortably Numb, Gilmour was dramatically picked out by spotlight, however, when Gilmour appeared with the guitar for a historic reunion

165
performance with Nick Mason, Richard Wright and Roger Waters in their the favor with a guest performance of Comfortably Numb during Waters’ live
classic-era Pink Floyd line up at Live 8 in London’s Hyde Park on 2nd July shows of The Wall at London’s O2 Arena on 12th May 2011.
2005, their frst performance together in 24 years. According to Taylor, when
In 2006, David Gilmour was approached by the Fender Musical Instrument
Gilmour frst began playing The Black Strat during rehearsals, his guitar
Corporation asking permission to produce an accurate replica of The Black
sound instantly ascended to what can only be described as ‘another level.’ His
Strat. Despite his protestation that it was just an ordinary Strat that I bought
body language changed, becoming animated and interacting with the guitar
at Manny's, Gilmour fnally gave the go ahead for a series of prototypes and
as if he had just discovered an old long-lost friend. Bob Geldof is credited
pickup confgurations to be developed, tested and refned over the next two
with persuading the band to reunite as headliners of the beneft concert, years. Once the ffth and fnal prototypes were approved by Gilmour for
spearheading a string of 10 concerts held around the world in the run up to sound, feel, playability and visual accuracy, the guitar went into production
the G8 summit in Scotland with the aim of putting pressure on G8 leaders to and was released in September 2008. Todd Krause said of the process It
end global poverty, and marking the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. Numerous was utterly just amazing, this overwhelming sense of history and the past and
photographs exist of Gilmour playing his old Black Strat on this momentous just being surrounded by it. The Fender Custom Shop produced two models
occasion and footage of the band’s performance was included on the oficial of the David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster - the Relic, which faithfully
Live 8 DVD, released on 7th November 2005. replicated the condition of The Black Strat as it appeared in 2008 with visual
The return to prominence of The Black Strat led to its use on Gilmour’s wear and distressing to the fnish, aged parts and no backplate, and the NOS,
subsequent solo albums On An Island (2006) and Rattle That Lock (2015), as or "New Old Stock," which similarly replicates the guitar as it is now, but with
well as the fnal Pink Floyd album The Endless River (2014). Prior to recording new parts, an 'as new' paint fnish and a white plastic backplate. Gilmour
On An Island, The Black Strat received its current 1983 neck from Gilmour’s said of the release They've done a fantastically good job to make it as good as
57V Cream Strat (lot 53). Firmly re-established as Gilmour’s primary I wanted it to be. We've worked quite hard on it, it's taken a while for us to get
performance guitar, The Black Strat travelled on the On An Island Tour in every part of it dead right.
2006, featuring on the live concert DVDs Remember That Night and Live Despite its long and remarkable history, The Black Strat has never been
in Gdańsk, released in September 2007 and September 2008 respectively, treated with reverence by its owner but viewed as a working tool. It’s pretty
and the Rattle That Lock Tour from 2015-2016, the highlight of which was battered and beat up, Gilmour told us …It’s been my experimental work bed
Gilmour’s return to Pompeii 45 years after Pink Floyd frst played to the for all sorts of stuf throughout the years. To the fans, however, the Black
deserted amphitheatre in 1972. The two shows on 7th and 8th July 2016 Strat has become an icon. The guitar has graced the covers of magazines,
were the frst public performances at the Amphitheatre of Pompeii since the spawned a signature model and inspired a comprehensive and defnitive
eruption of Vesuvius in AD79 and were recorded for the live album and flm biography. It has seen the meteoric rise of one of rock’s greatest bands and
Live At Pompeii, released on 29th September 2017. The guitar has appeared contributed to some of the best-selling albums in history. In the hands of
with its owner at countless one-of and beneft performances over the David Gilmour, this faithful ffty-year-old black Stratocaster has channeled
years and shared the stage with such legendary artists as Jef Beck, David some of the most memorable melodies and scintillating solos of all time with
Bowie, David Crosby and Graham Nash. Notably, Gilmour recruited former a unique sound and tone that has never been replicated, rightly earning its
band member Roger Waters for a beneft performance at Kiddington Hall in place in rock and roll history.
Oxfordshire on 10th July 2010 in aid of The Hoping Foundation and repaid

David Gilmour performing live at The Royal Albert Hall, London, 23rd September 2015 for the ‘Rattle That Lock’ solo album tour. Photo by Roger Goodgroves/Shutterstock

166
David Gilmour performing live at Wembley Empire Pool, London, March 1977
on the Animals - In The Flesh Tour. Photo by Andre Csillag/REX/Shutterstock.
167
CONDITIONS OF SALE •  BUYING AT CHRISTIE’S
CONDITIONS OF SALE salerooms within the last two years or if you want to 3 AUCTIONEER’S DISCRETION
These Conditions of Sale and the Important Notices and 7 JEWELLERY spend more than on previous occasions, please contact The auctioneer can at his or her sole option:
Explanation of Cataloguing Practice set out the terms on (a) Coloured gemstones (such as rubies, sapphires and our Credit Department at +1 212-636-2490. (a) refuse any bid;
which we offer the lots listed in this catalogue for sale. emeralds) may have been treated to improve their (b) move the bidding backwards or forwards in any way
By registering to bid and/or by bidding at auction you look, through methods such as heating and oiling. 3 IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE THE he or she may decide, or change the order of the lots;
agree to these terms, so you should read them carefully These methods are accepted by the international RIGHT DOCUMENTS (c) withdraw any lot;
before doing so.You will find a glossary at the end jewellery trade but may make the gemstone less If in our opinion you do not satisfy our bidder (d) divide any lot or combine any two or more lots;
explaining the meaning of the words and expressions strong and/or require special care over time. identification and registration procedures including, but (e) reopen or continue the bidding even after the
coloured in bold. (b) All types of gemstones may have been improved not limited to completing any anti-money laundering hammer has fallen; and
by some method.You may request a gemmological and/or anti-terrorism financing checks we may require (f) in the case of error or dispute related to bidding
Unless we own a lot in whole or in part (Δ symbol), report for any item which does not have a report if to our satisfaction, we may refuse to register you to bid, and whether during or after the auction, continue
Christie’s acts as agent for the seller. the request is made to us at least three weeks before and if you make a successful bid, we may cancel the the bidding, determine the successful bidder, cancel
the date of the auction and you pay the fee for contract for sale between you and the seller. the sale of the lot, or reoffer and resell any lot.
A BEFORE THE SALE the report. If you believe that the auctioneer has accepted the
1 DESCRIPTION OF LOTS (c) We do not obtain a gemmological report for 4 BIDDING ON BEHALF OF successful bid in error, you must provide a written
(a) Certain words used in the catalogue description have every gemstone sold in our auctions.Where we ANOTHER PERSON notice detailing your claim within 3 business days
special meanings.You can find details of these on the do get gemmological reports from internationally If you are bidding on behalf of another person, of the date of the auction.The auctioneer will
page headed “Important Notices and Explanation accepted gemmological laboratories, such reports that person will need to complete the registration consider such claim in good faith. If the auctioneer,
of Cataloguing Practice” which forms part of these will be described in the catalogue. Reports from requirements above before you can bid, and supply in the exercise of his or her discretion under this
terms.You can find a key to the Symbols found next American gemmological laboratories will describe a signed letter authorising you to bid for him/her. A paragraph, decides after the auction is complete, to
to certain catalogue entries under the section of the any improvement or treatment to the gemstone. bidder accepts personal liability to pay the purchase cancel the sale of a lot, or reoffer and resell a lot,
catalogue called “Symbols Used in this Catalogue”. Reports from European gemmological laboratories price and all other sums due unless it has been agreed he or she will notify the successful bidder no later
(b) Our description of any lot in the catalogue, any will describe any improvement or treatment only if in writing with Christie’s, before commencement of the than by the end of the 7th calendar day following the
condition report and any other statement made we request that they do so, but will confirm when no auction, that the bidder is acting as an agent on behalf date of the auction.The auctioneer’s decision in
by us (whether orally or in writing) about any improvement or treatment has been made. Because of of a named third party acceptable to Christie’s and that exercise of this discretion is final.This paragraph
lot, including about its nature or condition, differences in approach and technology, laboratories Christie’s will only seek payment from the named does not in any way prejudice Christie’s ability
artist, period, materials, approximate dimensions, may not agree whether a particular gemstone has third party. to cancel the sale of a lot under any other applicable
or provenance are our opinion and not to be been treated, the amount of treatment, or whether provision of these Conditions of Sale, including the
relied upon as a statement of fact.We do not carry treatment is permanent.The gemmological 5 BIDDING IN PERSON rights of cancellation set forth in sections B(3),
out in-depth research of the sort carried out by laboratories will only report on the improvements or If you wish to bid in the saleroom you must register for a E(2)(i), F(4), and J(1).
professional historians and scholars. All dimensions treatments known to the laboratories at the date of numbered bidding paddle at least 30 minutes before the
and weights are approximate only. the report. auction.You may register online at www.christies.com 4 BIDDING
(d) For jewellery sales, estimates are based on the or in person. For help, please contact the Credit The auctioneer accepts bids from:
2 OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR information in any gemmological report. If no report Department on +1 212-636-2490. (a) bidders in the saleroom;
DESCRIPTION OF LOTS is available, assume that the gemstones may have been (b) telephone bidders;
We do not provide any guarantee in relation to the treated or enhanced. 6 BIDDING SERVICES (c) internet bidders through ‘Christie’s LIVE™ (as
nature of a lot apart from our authenticity warranty The bidding services described below are a free service shown above in paragraph B6); and
contained in paragraph E2 and to the extent provided in 8 WATCHES & CLOCKS offered as a convenience to our clients and Christie’s (d) written bids (also known as absentee bids or
paragraph I below. (a) Almost all clocks and watches are repaired in is not responsible for any error (human or otherwise), commission bids) left with us by a bidder before
their lifetime and may include parts which are omission, or breakdown in providing these services. the auction.
3 CONDITION not original.We do not give a warranty that any (a) Phone Bids
(a) The condition of lots sold in our auctions can vary individual component part of any watch is authentic. Your request for this service must be made no 5 BIDDING ON BEHALF OF THE SELLER
widely due to factors such as age, previous damage, Watchbands described as “associated” are not part of later than 24 hours prior to the auction.We will The auctioneer may, at his or her sole option, bid on
restoration, repair and wear and tear.Their nature the original watch and may not be authentic. Clocks accept bids by telephone for lots only if our staff behalf of the seller up to but not including the amount
means that they will rarely be in perfect condition. may be sold without pendulums, weights or keys. are available to take the bids. If you need to bid in a of the reserve either by making consecutive bids
Lots are sold “as is,” in the condition they are in at (b) As collectors’ watches often have very fine and language other than in English, you must arrange this or by making bids in response to other bidders.The
the time of the sale, without any representation or complex mechanisms, you are responsible for well before the auction.We may record telephone auctioneer will not identify these as bids made on
warranty or assumption of liability of any kind as to any general service, change of battery, or further bids. By bidding on the telephone, you are agreeing behalf of the seller and will not make any bid on behalf
condition by Christie’s or by the seller. repair work that may be necessary.We do not give a to us recording your conversations.You also agree that of the seller at or above the reserve. If lots are offered
(b) Any reference to condition in a catalogue entry warranty that any watch is in good working order. your telephone bids are governed by these Conditions without reserve, the auctioneer will generally decide
or in a condition report will not amount to a full Certificates are not available unless described in the of Sale. to open the bidding at 50% of the low estimate for the
description of condition, and images may not show catalogue. (b) Internet Bids on Christie’s LIVE™ lot. If no bid is made at that level, the auctioneer may
a lot clearly. Colours and shades may look different (c) M ost wristwatches have been opened to find out For certain auctions we will accept bids over decide to go backwards at his or her sole option until a
in print or on screen to how they look on physical the type and quality of movement. For that reason, the Internet. For more information, please visit bid is made, and then continue up from that amount. In
inspection. Condition reports may be available to wristwatches with water resistant cases may not https://www.christies.com/buying-services/ the event that there are no bids on a lot, the auctioneer
help you evaluate the condition of a lot. Condition be waterproof and we recommend you have them buying-guide/register-and-bid/ As well as these may deem such lot unsold.
reports are provided free of charge as a convenience checked by a competent watchmaker before use. Conditions of Sale, internet bids are governed by the
to our buyers and are for guidance only.They offer Important information about the sale, transport and Christie’s LIVE™ Terms of Use which are available 6 BID INCREMENTS
our opinion but they may not refer to all faults, shipping of watches and watchbands can be found in on is https://www.christies.com/LiveBidding/ Bidding generally starts below the low estimate and
inherent defects, restoration, alteration or adaptation paragraph H2(f). OnlineTermsOfUse. increases in steps (bid increments).The auctioneer will
because our staff are not professional restorers or (c) Written Bids decide at his or her sole option where the bidding should
conservators. For that reason condition reports B REGISTERING TO BID You can find a Written Bid Form at the back of our start and the bid increments.The usual bid increments
are not an alternative to examining a lot in person 1 NEW BIDDERS catalogues, at any Christie’s office, or by choosing the are shown for guidance only on the Written Bid Form at
or seeking your own professional advice. It is your (a) I f this is your first time bidding at Christie’s or you sale and viewing the lots online at www.christies. the back of this catalogue.
responsibility to ensure that you have requested, are a returning bidder who has not bought anything com.We must receive your completed Written
received and considered any condition report. from any of our salerooms within the last two years Bid Form at least 24 hours before the auction. Bids 7 CURRENCY CONVERTER
you must register at least 48 hours before an auction must be placed in the currency of the saleroom.The The saleroom video screens (and Christies LIVE™)
4 VIEWING LOTS PRE-AUCTION begins to give us enough time to process and approve auctioneer will take reasonable steps to carry out may show bids in some other major currencies as well as
(a) I f you are planning to bid on a lot, you should your registration.We may, at our option, decline to written bids at the lowest possible price, taking into US dollars. Any conversion is for guidance only and we
inspect it personally or through a knowledgeable permit you to register as a bidder.You will be asked account the reserve. If you make a written bid on cannot be bound by any rate of exchange used. Christie’s
representative before you make a bid to make sure for the following: a lot which does not have a reserve and there is no is not responsible for any error (human or otherwise),
that you accept the description and its condition.We (i) f or individuals: Photo identification (driver’s higher bid than yours, we will bid on your behalf at omission or breakdown in providing these services.
recommend you get your own advice from a restorer licence, national identity card, or passport) and, around 50% of the low estimate or, if lower, the
or other professional adviser. if not shown on the ID document, proof of your amount of your bid. If we receive written bids on a 8 SUCCESSFUL BIDS
(b) Pre-auction viewings are open to the public free of current address (for example, a current utility bill lot for identical amounts, and at the auction these are Unless the auctioneer decides to use his or her
charge. Our specialists may be available to answer or bank statement); the highest bids on the lot, we will sell the lot to the discretion as set out in paragraph C3 above, when the
questions at pre-auction viewings or by appointment. (ii) f or corporate clients:Your Certificate of bidder whose written bid we received first. auctioneer’s hammer strikes, we have accepted the
Incorporation or equivalent document(s) last bid.This means a contract for sale has been formed
5 ESTIMATES showing your name and registered address C CONDUCTING THE SALE between the seller and the successful bidder.We will
Estimates are based on the condition, rarity, quality together with documentary proof of directors and 1 WHO CAN ENTER THE AUCTION issue an invoice only to the registered bidder who
and provenance of the lots and on prices recently paid beneficial owners; and We may, at our option, refuse admission to our premises made the successful bid.While we send out invoices by
at auction for similar property. Estimates can change. (iii) f or trusts, partnerships, offshore companies and or decline to permit participation in any auction or to mail and/or email after the auction, we do not accept
Neither you, nor anyone else, may rely on any estimates other business structures, please contact us in reject any bid. responsibility for telling you whether or not your bid
as a prediction or guarantee of the actual selling price of advance to discuss our requirements. was successful. If you have bid by written bid, you should
a lot or its value for any other purpose. Estimates do (b) We may also ask you to give us a financial reference 2 RESERVES contact us by telephone or in person as soon as possible
not include the buyer’s premium or any applicable and/or a deposit as a condition of allowing you to Unless otherwise indicated, all lots are subject to a reserve. after the auction to get details of the outcome of your
taxes. bid. For help, please contact our Credit Department at We identify lots that are offered without reserve with the bid to avoid having to pay unnecessary storage charges.
+1 212-636-2490. symbol • next to the lot number.The reserve cannot be
6 WITHDRAWAL more than the lot’s low estimate. 9 LOCAL BIDDING LAWS
Christie’s may, at its option, withdraw any lot from 2 RETURNING BIDDERS You agree that when bidding in any of our sales that you
auction at any time prior to or during the sale of the As described in paragraph B(1) above, we may at our will strictly comply with all local laws and regulations in
lot. Christie’s has no liability to you for any decision to option ask you for current identification, a financial force at the time of the sale for the relevant sale site.
withdraw. reference, or a deposit as a condition of allowing you to
168 bid. If you have not bought anything from any of our
D THE BUYER’S PREMIUM AND TAXES Heading or part of a Heading which is qualified. Such evidence must be satisfactory to us that the 2 TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP TO YOU
1 THE BUYER’S PREMIUM Qualified means limited by a clarification in a lot’s property is a forgery in accordance with paragraph You will not own the lot and ownership of the lot will
In addition to the hammer price, the successful bidder catalogue description or by the use in a Heading E2(h)(ii) above and the property must be returned not pass to you until we have received full and clear
agrees to pay us a buyer’s premium on the hammer of one of the terms listed in the section titled to us in accordance with E2h(iii) above. Paragraphs payment of the purchase price, even in circumstances
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hammer price up to and including US$300,000, 20% headed “Important Notices and Explanation of claim under these categories.
on that part of the hammer price over US$300,000 Cataloguing Practice”. For example, use of the term 3 TRANSFERRING RISK TO YOU
and up to and including US$4,000,000, and 13.5% of “ATTRIBUTED TO…” in a Heading means that 3 YOUR WARRANTIES The risk in and responsibility for the lot will transfer to
that part of the hammer price above US$4,000,000. the lot is in Christie’s opinion probably a work by (a) You warrant that the funds used for settlement are you from whichever is the earlier of the following:
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The successful bidder is responsible for any applicable the full list of Qualified Headings and a lot’s full nor have you been charged with or convicted of auction or, if earlier, the date the lot is taken into
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the buyer’s premium, and/or any other charges Heading as amended by any Saleroom Notice. you warrant that: agreed otherwise with you.
related to the lot. (e) The authenticity warranty does not apply where (i) you have conducted appropriate customer due
For lots Christie’s ships to or within the United States, scholarship has developed since the auction leading diligence on the ultimate buyer(s) of the lot(s) in 4 WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DO NOT PAY
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buyer’s premium, and/or any other charges related it does not apply if the Heading either matched the laundering and sanctions laws, consent to us the due date, we will be entitled to do one or more
to the lot, regardless of the nationality or citizenship generally accepted opinion of experts at the date of the relying on this due diligence, and you will retain of the following (as well as enforce our rights under
of the successful bidder. Christie’s will collect sales tax auction or drew attention to any conflict of opinion. for a period of not less than 5 years the paragraph F5 and any other rights or remedies we
where legally required. The applicable sales tax rate will (f) The authenticity warranty does not apply if the documentation evidencing the due diligence. have by law):
be determined based upon the state, county, or locale lot can only be shown not to be authentic by a You will make such documentation promptly (i) we can charge interest from the due date at a rate of
to which the lot will be shipped. Christie’s shall collect scientific process which, on the date we published available for immediate inspection by an up to 1.34% per month on the unpaid amount due;
New York sales tax at a rate of 8.875% for any lot the catalogue, was not available or generally accepted independent third-party auditor upon our written (ii) we can cancel the sale of the lot. If we do this,
collected from Christie’s in New York. for use, or which was unreasonably expensive or request to do so; we may sell the lot again, publically or privately
In accordance with New York law, if Christie’s arranges impractical, or which was likely to have damaged (ii) the arrangements between you and the ultimate on such terms we shall think necessary or
the shipment of a lot out of New York State, New the lot. buyer(s) in relation to the lot or otherwise do not, appropriate, in which case you must pay us any
York sales tax does not apply, although sales tax or other (g) T
 he benefit of the authenticity warranty is only in whole or in part, facilitate tax crimes; shortfall between the purchase price and the
applicable taxes for other states may apply. If you hire available to the original buyer shown on the invoice (iii) you do not know, and have no reason to suspect, proceeds from the resale.You must also pay all
a shipper (other than a common carrier authorized by for the lot issued at the time of the sale and only if that the funds used for settlement are connected costs, expenses, losses, damages and legal fees we
Christie’s), to collect the lot from a Christie’s New York on the date of the notice of claim, the original buyer with, the proceeds of any criminal activity, have to pay or may suffer and any shortfall in the
location, Christie’s must collect New York sales tax is the full owner of the lot and the lot is free from including tax evasion, or that the ultimate buyer(s) seller’s commission on the resale;
on the lot at a rate of 8.875% regardless of the ultimate any claim, interest or restriction by anyone else.The are under investigation, or have been charged (iii) we can pay the seller an amount up to the net
destination of the lot. benefit of this authenticity warranty may not be with or convicted of money laundering, terrorist proceeds payable in respect of the amount bid
If Christie’s delivers the lot to, or the lot is collected transferred to anyone else. activities or other crimes. by your default in which case you acknowledge
by, any framer, restorer or other similar service provider (h) I n order to claim under the authenticity warranty and understand that Christie’s will have all of
in New York that you have hired, New York law you must: F PAYMENT the rights of the seller to pursue you for
considers the lot delivered to the successful bidder in (i) g ive us written notice of your claim within 5 years 1 HOW TO PAY such amounts;
New York and New York sales tax must be imposed of the date of the auction. We may require full (a) Immediately following the auction, you must pay the (iv) we can hold you legally responsible for
regardless of the ultimate destination of the lot. In this details and supporting evidence of any such claim; purchase price being: the purchase price and may begin legal
circumstance, New York sales tax will apply to the lot (ii) a t Christie’s option, we may require you to (i) the hammer price; and proceedings to recover it together with other
even if Christie’s or a common carrier (authorized by provide the written opinions of two recognised (ii) the buyer’s premium; and losses, interest, legal fees and costs as far as we are
Christie’s that you hire) subsequently delivers the lot experts in the field of the lot mutually agreed by (iii) any applicable duties, goods, sales, use, allowed by law;
outside New York. you and us in advance confirming that the lot is compensating or service tax, or VAT. (v) w  e can take what you owe us from any amounts
Successful bidders claiming an exemption from sales tax not authentic. If we have any doubts, we reserve Payment is due no later than by the end of the which we or any company in the Christie’s
must provide appropriate documentation to Christie’s the right to obtain additional opinions at our 7th calendar day following the date of the auction Group may owe you (including any deposit or
prior to the release of the lot or within 90 days after expense; and (the “due date”). other part-payment which you have paid to us);
the sale, whichever is earlier. For shipments to those (iii) r eturn the lot at your expense to the saleroom (b) We will only accept payment from the registered bidder. (vi) we can, at our option, reveal your identity and
states for which Christie’s is not required to collect sales from which you bought it in the condition it Once issued, we cannot change the buyer’s name on an contact details to the seller;
tax, a successful bidder may have a use or similar tax was in at the time of sale. invoice or re-issue the invoice in a different name.You (vii) we can reject at any future auction any bids made
obligation. It is the successful bidder’s responsibility to pay all (i) Your only right under this authenticity warranty is must pay immediately even if you want to export the by or on behalf of the buyer or to obtain a
taxes due. Christie’s recommends you consult your own to cancel the sale and receive a refund of the purchase lot and you need an export licence. deposit from the buyer before accepting any bids;
independent tax advisor with any questions. price paid by you to us.We will not, under any (c) You must pay for lots bought at Christie’s in the (viii) we can exercise all the rights and remedies of
circumstances, be required to pay you more than the United States in the currency stated on the invoice in a person holding security over any property in
E WARRANTIES purchase price nor will we be liable for any loss one of the following ways: our possession owned by you, whether by way
1 SELLER’S WARRANTIES of profits or business, loss of opportunity or value, (i) Wire transfer of pledge, security interest or in any other way
expected savings or interest, costs, damages, other JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as permitted by the law of the place where such
For each lot, the seller gives a warranty that the seller:
damages or expenses. 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017; property is located.You will be deemed to have
(a) is the owner of the lot or a joint owner of the lot
(j) Books.Where the lot is a book, we give an ABA# 021000021; FBO: Christie’s Inc.; granted such security to us and we may retain
acting with the permission of the other co-owners or,
additional warranty for 21 days from the date of the Account # 957-107978, such property as collateral security for your
if the seller is not the owner or a joint owner of the
auction that any lot is defective in text or illustration, for international transfers, SWIFT: CHASUS33. obligations to us; and
lot, has the permission of the owner to sell the lot, or
we will refund your purchase price, subject to the (ii) Credit Card. (ix) w
 e can take any other action we see necessary
the right to do so in law; and
following terms: We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express or appropriate.
(b) has the right to transfer ownership of the lot to
(a) This additional warranty does not apply to: and China Union Pay. Credit card payments at (b) If you owe money to us or to another Christie’s
the buyer without any restrictions or claims by
(i) the absence of blanks, half titles, tissue guards or the New York premises will only be accepted for Group company, we can use any amount you do pay,
anyone else.
advertisements, damage in respect of bindings, New York sales. Christie’s will not accept credit including any deposit or other part-payment you
If either of the above warranties are incorrect, the seller
stains, spotting, marginal tears or other defects card payments for purchases in any other sale site. have made to us, or which we owe you, to pay off any
shall not have to pay more than the purchase price
not affecting completeness of the text or To make a ‘cardholder not present’ (CNP) payment, you amount you owe to us or another Christie’s Group
(as defined in paragraph F1(a) below) paid by you to us.
illustration; must complete a CNP authorisation form which you company for any transaction.
The seller will not be responsible to you for any reason
(ii) d rawings, autographs, letters or manuscripts, can get from our Post-Sale Services.You must send a
for loss of profits or business, expected savings, loss of
opportunity or interest, costs, damages, other damages
signed photographs, music, atlases, maps completed CNP authorisation form by fax to +1 212 5 KEEPING YOUR PROPERTY
or periodicals; 636 4939 or you can mail to the address below. Details of If you owe money to us or to another Christie’s Group
or expenses.The seller gives no warranty in relation to
(iii) b ooks not identified by title; the conditions and restrictions applicable to credit card company, as well as the rights set out in F4 above, we can
any lot other than as set out above and, as far as the seller
(iv) lots sold without a printed estimate; payments are available from our Post-Sale Services, whose use or deal with any of your property we hold or which
is allowed by law, all warranties from the seller to you,
(v) books which are described in the catalogue as details are set out in paragraph (d) below. is held by another Christie’s Group company in any
and all other obligations upon the seller which may be
sold not subject to return; or (iii) Cash way we are allowed to by law.We will only release your
added to this agreement by law, are excluded.
(vi) defects stated in any condition report or We accept cash payments (including money property to you after you pay us or the relevant Christie’s
announced at the time of sale.
2 OUR AUTHENTICITY WARRANTY orders and traveller’s checks) subject to a Group company in full for what you owe. However, if we
(b) To make a claim under this paragraph you must maximum global aggregate of US$7,500 per choose, we can also sell your property in any way we think
We warrant, subject to the terms below, that the lots in
give written details of the defect and return the buyer per year at our Post-Sale Services only appropriate.We will use the proceeds of the sale against
our sales are authentic (our “authenticity warranty”).
lot to the sale room at which you bought it in (iv) Bank Checks any amounts you owe us and we will pay any amount left
If, within 5 years of the date of the auction, you give
the same condition as at the time of sale, within You must make these payable to Christie’s Inc. from that sale to you. If there is a shortfall, you must pay us
notice to us that your lot is not authentic, subject to the
21 days of the date of the sale. and there may be conditions. any difference between the amount we have received from
terms below, we will refund the purchase price paid
(k) South East Asian Modern and Contemporary (v) Checks the sale and the amount you owe us.
by you.The meaning of authentic can be found in the
Art and Chinese Calligraphy and Painting. You must make checks payable to Christie’s Inc.
glossary at the end of these Conditions of Sale.The terms
In these categories, the authenticity warranty and they must be drawn from US dollar accounts G COLLECTION AND STORAGE
of the authenticity warranty are as follows:
does not apply because current scholarship does not from a US bank.
(a) It will be honored for claims notified within a (a) You must collect purchased lots within seven days
permit the making of definitive statements. Christie’s (d) You must quote the sale number, your invoice
period of 5 years from the date of the auction. After from the auction (but note that lots will not be
does, however, agree to cancel a sale in either of number and client number when making a payment. released to you until you have made full and
such time, we will not be obligated to honor the
these two categories of art where it has been proven All payments sent by post must be sent to:
authenticity warranty. clear payment of all amounts due to us).
the lot is a forgery. Christie’s will refund to the Christie’s Inc. Post-Sale Services,
(b) It is given only for information shown in (b) Information on collecting lots is set out on the storage
original buyer the purchase price in accordance 20 Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020.
UPPERCASE type in the first line of the and collection page and on an information sheet
with the terms of Christie’s Authenticity Warranty, (e) For more information please contact our Post-Sale
catalogue description (the “Heading”). It does which you can get from the bidder registration staff or
provided that the original buyer notifies us with full Services by phone at +1 212 636 2650 or fax at +1
not apply to any information other than in the Christie’s Post-Sale Services Department on
supporting evidence documenting the forgery claim 212 636 4939 or email [email protected].
Heading even if shown in UPPERCASE type. +1 212 636 2650.
within twelve (12) months of the date of the auction.
(c) The authenticity warranty does not apply to any
169
(c) If you do not collect any lot within thirty days exported, imported or shipped between US States, or the sale places us or the seller under any liability to 10 REPORTING ON
following the auction we may, at our option it is seized for any reason by a government authority. anyone else or may damage our reputation. WWW.CHRISTIES.COM
(i) charge you storage costs at the rates set out at It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy the Details of all lots sold by us, including catalogue
www.christies.com/storage. requirements of any applicable laws or regulations 2 RECORDINGS descriptions and prices, may be reported on
(ii) move the lot to another Christie’s location or an relating to interstate shipping, export or import of We may videotape and record proceedings at any www.christies.com. Sales totals are hammer price
affiliate or third party warehouse and charge you property containing such protected or auction.We will keep any personal information plus buyer’s premium and do not reflect costs,
transport costs and administration fees for doing regulated material. confidential, except to the extent disclosure is required financing fees, or application of buyer’s or seller’s credits.
so and you will be subject to the third party (d) Lots of Iranian origin by law. However, we may, through this process, use We regret that we cannot agree to requests to remove
storage warehouse’s standard terms and to pay Some countries prohibit or restrict the purchase, or share these recordings with another Christie’s these details from www.christies.com.
for their standard fees and costs. the export and/or import of Iranian-origin “works Group company and marketing partners to analyse our
(iii) sell the lot in any commercially reasonable way of conventional craftsmanship” (works that are not customers and to help us to tailor our services for buyers. K GLOSSARY
we think appropriate. by a recognized artist and/or that have a function, If you do not want to be videotaped, you may make auctioneer: the individual auctioneer and/or
(d) The Storage conditions which can be found at (for example: carpets, bowls, ewers, tiles, ornamental arrangements to make a telephone or written bid or bid Christie’s.
www.christies.com/storage will apply. boxes). For example, the USA prohibits the import on Christie’s LIVE™ instead. Unless we agree otherwise authentic: authentic : a genuine example, rather than a
(e) In accordance with New York law, if you have paid and export of this type of property without a license in writing, you may not videotape or record proceedings copy or forgery of:
for the lot in full but you do not collect the lot within issued by the US Department of the Treasury, Office at any auction. (i) the work of a particular artist, author or
180 calendar days of payment, we may charge you of Foreign Assets Control. Other countries, such as manufacturer, if the lot is described in the
New York sales tax for the lot. Canada, only permit the import of this property in 3 COPYRIGHT Heading as the work of that artist, author
(f) Nothing in this paragraph is intended to limit our certain circumstances. As a convenience to buyers, We own the copyright in all images, illustrations and or manufacturer;
rights under paragraph F4. Christie’s indicates under the title of a lot if the lot written material produced by or for us relating to a (ii) a work created within a particular period or
originates from Iran (Persia). It is your responsibility lot (including the contents of our catalogues unless culture, if the lot is described in the Heading as a
H TRANSPORT AND SHIPPING to ensure you do not bid on or import a lot in otherwise noted in the catalogue).You cannot use them work created during that period or culture;
1 SHIPPING contravention of the sanctions or trade embargoes without our prior written permission.We do not offer (iii) a work for a particular origin source if the lot is
We will enclose a transport and shipping form with each that apply to you. any guarantee that you will gain any copyright or other described in the Heading as being of that origin
invoice sent to you.You must make all transport and (f) Gold reproduction rights to the lot. or source; or
shipping arrangements. However, we can arrange to pack, Gold of less than 18ct does not qualify in all countries (iv) in the case of gems, a work which is made of a
transport, and ship your property if you ask us to and as ‘gold’ and may be refused import into those 4 ENFORCING THIS AGREEMENT particular material, if the lot is described in the
pay the costs of doing so.We recommend that you ask us countries as ‘gold’. If a court finds that any part of this agreement is not Heading as being made of that material.
for an estimate, especially for any large items or items of (g) Watches valid or is illegal or impossible to enforce, that part of the authenticity warranty: the guarantee we give in this
high value that need professional packing.We may also Many of the watches offered for sale in this catalogue are agreement will be treated as being deleted and the rest of agreement that a lot is authentic as set out in paragraph
suggest other handlers, packers, transporters, or experts pictured with straps made of endangered or protected this agreement will not be affected. E2 of this agreement.
if you ask us to do so. For more information, please animal materials such as alligator or crocodile.These lots buyer’s premium: the charge the buyer pays us along
contact Christie’s Post-Sale Services at +1 212 636 2650. are marked with the symbol Ψ in the catalogue.These 5 TRANSFERRING YOUR RIGHTS with the hammer price.
See the information set out at www.christies.com/ endangered species straps are shown for display purposes AND RESPONSIBILITIES catalogue description: the description of a lot in the
shipping or contact us at [email protected] only and are not for sale. Christie’s will remove and You may not grant a security over or transfer your rights catalogue for the auction, as amended by any saleroom
will take reasonable care when we are handling, packing, retain the strap prior to shipment from the sale site.At or responsibilities under these terms on the contract of notice.
transporting, and shipping a. However, if we recommend some sale sites, Christie’s may, at its discretion, make the sale with the buyer unless we have given our written Christie’s Group: Christie’s International Plc,
another company for any of these purposes, we are not displayed endangered species strap available to the buyer permission.This agreement will be binding on your its subsidiaries and other companies within its
responsible for their acts, failure to act, or neglect. of the lot free of charge if collected in person from the successors or estate and anyone who takes over your corporate group.
sale site within 1 year of the date of the auction. Please rights and responsibilities. condition: the physical condition of a lot.
2 EXPORT AND IMPORT check with the department for details on a particular lot. due date: has the meaning given to it paragraph F1(a).
Any lot sold at auction may be affected by laws on 6 TRANSLATIONS estimate: the price range included in the catalogue or
exports from the country in which it is sold and the For all symbols and other markings referred to in If we have provided a translation of this agreement, we any saleroom notice within which we believe a lot may
import restrictions of other countries. Many countries paragraph H2, please note that lots are marked as a will use this original version in deciding any issues or sell. Low estimate means the lower figure in the range
require a declaration of export for property leaving convenience to you, but we do not accept liability for disputes which arise under this agreement. and high estimate means the higher figure.The mid
the country and/or an import declaration on entry of errors or for failing to mark lots. estimate is the midpoint between the two.
property into the country. Local laws may prevent you 7 PERSONAL INFORMATION hammer price: the amount of the highest bid the
from importing a lot or may prevent you selling a lot in I OUR LIABILITY TO YOU We will hold and process your personal information and auctioneer accepts for the sale of a lot.
the country you import it into. (a) We give no warranty in relation to any statement may pass it to another Christie’s Group company for Heading: has the meaning given to it in paragraph E2.
(a) You alone are responsible for getting advice about made, or information given, by us or our use as described in, and in line with, our privacy notice at lot: an item to be offered at auction (or two or more
and meeting the requirements of any laws or representatives or employees, about any lot other than www.christies.com/about-us/contact/privacy. items to be offered at auction as a group).
regulations which apply to exporting or importing as set out in the authenticity warranty and, as far other damages: any special, consequential, incidental
any lot prior to bidding. If you are refused a licence or as we are allowed by law, all warranties and other 8 WAIVER or indirect damages of any kind or any damages which
there is a delay in getting one, you must still pay us in terms which may be added to this agreement by law No failure or delay to exercise any right or remedy fall within the meaning of ‘special’, ‘incidental’ or
full for the lot.We may be able to help you apply for are excluded.The seller’s warranties contained in provided under these Conditions of Sale shall constitute ‘consequential’ under local law.
the appropriate licences if you ask us to and pay our paragraph E1 are their own and we do not have any a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall purchase price: has the meaning given to it in
fee for doing so. However, we cannot guarantee that liability to you in relation to those warranties. it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any paragraph F1(a).
you will get one. For more information, please contact (b) (i) We are not responsible to you for any reason other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of provenance: the ownership history of a lot.
Christie’s Art Transport Department at +1 212 636 (whether for breaking this agreement or any other such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further qualified: has the meaning given to it in paragraph
2480. See the information set out at www.christies. matter relating to your purchase of, or bid for, any exercise of that or any other right or remedy. E2 and Qualified Headings means the paragraph
com/shipping or contact us at ArtTransportNY@ lot) other than in the event of fraud or fraudulent headed Qualified Headings on the page of the
christies.com. misrepresentation by us or other than as expressly 9 LAW AND DISPUTES catalogue headed ‘Important Notices and Explanation of
(b) Endangered and protected species set out in these conditions of sale; or This agreement, and any non-contractual obligations Cataloguing Practice’.
Lots made of or including (regardless of the (ii) g ive any representation, warranty or guarantee arising out of or in connection with this agreement, or reserve: the confidential amount below which we will
percentage) endangered and other protected species or assume any liability of any kind in respect of any other rights you may have relating to the purchase of not sell a lot.
of wildlife are marked with the symbol ~ in the any lot with regard to merchantability, fitness a lot will be governed by the laws of New York. Before saleroom notice: a written notice posted next to
catalogue.This material includes, among other things, for a particular purpose, description, size, quality, we or you start any court proceedings (except in the the lot in the saleroom and on www.christies.com,
ivory, tortoiseshell, crocodile skin, rhinoceros horn, condition, attribution, authenticity, rarity, limited circumstances where the dispute, controversy or which is also read to prospective telephone bidders and
whalebone certain species of coral, and Brazilian importance, medium, provenance, exhibition claim is related to proceedings brought by someone else notified to clients who have left commission bids, or an
rosewood.You should check the relevant customs history, literature, or historical relevance. Except and this dispute could be joined to those proceedings), announcement made by the auctioneer either at the
laws and regulations before bidding on any lot as required by local law, any warranty of any kind we agree we will each try to settle the dispute by beginning of the sale, or before a particular lot
containing wildlife material if you plan to import is excluded by this paragraph. mediation submitted to JAMS, or its successor, for is auctioned.
the lot into another country. Several countries refuse (c) In particular, please be aware that our written and mediation in New York. If the Dispute is not settled by UPPER CASE type: means having all capital letters.
to allow you to import property containing these telephone bidding services, Christie’s LIVE™, mediation within 60 days from the date when mediation warranty: a statement or representation in which the
materials, and some other countries require a licence condition reports, currency converter and is initiated, then the Dispute shall be submitted to JAMS, person making it guarantees that the facts set out in it
from the relevant regulatory agencies in the countries saleroom video screens are free services and we are or its successor, for final and binding arbitration in are correct.
of exportation as well as importation. In some cases, not responsible to you for any error (human or accordance with its Comprehensive Arbitration Rules
the lot can only be shipped with an independent otherwise), omission or breakdown in these services. and Procedures or, if the Dispute involves a non-U.S.
scientific confirmation of species and/or age, and you (d) We have no responsibility to any person other than a party, the JAMS International Arbitration Rules.The seat
will need to obtain these at your own cost. buyer in connection with the purchase of any lot. of the arbitration shall be New York and the arbitration
(c) Lots containing Ivory or materials (e) If, in spite of the terms in paragraphs I(a) to (d) or shall be conducted by one arbitrator, who shall be
resembling ivory E2(i) above, we are found to be liable to you for appointed within 30 days after the initiation of the
If a lot contains elephant ivory, or any other wildlife any reason, we shall not have to pay more than the arbitration.The language used in the arbitral proceedings
material that could be confused with elephant ivory purchase price paid by you to us.We will not be shall be English.The arbitrator shall order the production
(for example, mammoth ivory, walrus ivory, helmeted responsible to you for any reason for loss of profits of documents only upon a showing that such documents
hornbill ivory) you may be prevented from exporting or business, loss of opportunity or value, expected are relevant and material to the outcome of the Dispute.
the lot from the US or shipping it between US savings or interest, costs, damages, or expenses. The arbitration shall be confidential, except to the extent
States without first confirming its species by way of necessary to enforce a judgment or where disclosure
a rigorous scientific test acceptable to the applicable J OTHER TERMS is required by law.The arbitration award shall be final
Fish and Wildlife authorities.You will buy that lot at 1 OUR ABILITY TO CANCEL and binding on all parties involved. Judgment upon the
your own risk and be responsible for any scientific In addition to the other rights of cancellation contained award may be entered by any court having jurisdiction
test or other reports required for export from the in this agreement, we can cancel a sale of a lot if : (i) any thereof or having jurisdiction over the relevant party or
USA or between US States at your own cost. We of your warranties in paragraph E3 are not correct; (ii) its assets.This arbitration and any proceedings conducted
will not be obliged to cancel your purchase and we reasonably believe that completing the transaction is, hereunder shall be governed by Title 9 (Arbitration)
refund the purchase price if your lot may not be or may be, unlawful; or (iii) we reasonably believe that of the United States Code and by the United Nations
Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of
Foreign Arbitral Awards of June 10, 1958.
170
13/02/2019
SYMBOLS USED IN THIS CATALOGUE
The meaning of words coloured in bold in this section can be found at the end of the section of the catalogue headed ‘Conditions of Sale’

º ♦ ~
Christie’s has a direct financial interest in the lot. Christie’s has a direct financial interest in the lot and Lot incorporates material from endangered species
See Important Notices and Explanation of Cataloguing has funded all or part of our interest with the help of which could result in export restrictions. See Paragraph
Practice. someone else. See Important Notices and Explanation H2(b) of the Conditions of Sale.
of Cataloguing Practice.
■
∆ • See Storage and Collection pages in the catalogue.
Owned by Christie’s or another Christie’s Group Lot offered without reserve which will be sold to
company in whole or part. See Important Notices and the highest bidder regardless of the pre-sale estimate in Ψ
Explanation of Cataloguing Practice. the catalogue. Lot incorporates material from endangered species that
is not for sale and shown for display purposes only. See
Paragraph H2(g) of the Conditions of Sale.

Please note that lots are marked as a convenience to you and we shall not be liable for any errors in, or failure to, mark a lot.

18/05/17

IMPORTANT NOTICES AND EXPLANATION OF

CATALOGUING PRACTICE

IMPORTANT NOTICES Other Arrangements *“Follower of …”

Christie’s may enter into other arrangements not involving bids.These In Christie’s qualified opinion a work executed in the artist’s style but not
∆ Property Owned in part or in full by Christie’s
include arrangements where Christie’s has given the Seller an Advance on necessarily by a pupil.
From time to time, Christie’s may offer a lot which it owns in whole or in *“Manner of …”
the proceeds of sale of the lot or where Christie’s has shared the risk of a
part. Such property is identified in the catalogue with the symbol ∆ next In Christie’s qualified opinion a work executed in the artist’s style but of
guarantee with a partner without the partner being required to place an
to its lot number. a later date.
irrevocable written bid or otherwise participating in the bidding on the lot.
Because such arrangements are unrelated to the bidding process they are *“After …”
º Minimum Price Guarantees In Christie’s qualified opinion a copy (of any date) of a work of the artist.
not marked with a symbol in the catalogue.
On occasion, Christie’s has a direct financial interest in the outcome of “Signed …”/“Dated …”/
the sale of certain lots consigned for sale.This will usually be where it has Bidding by parties with an interest “Inscribed …”
guaranteed to the Seller that whatever the outcome of the auction, the In any case where a party has a financial interest in a lot and intends to bid In Christie’s qualified opinion the work has been signed/dated/inscribed
Seller will receive a minimum sale price for the work.This is known as a on it we will make a saleroom announcement to ensure that all bidders are by the artist.
minimum price guarantee.Where Christie’s holds such financial interest we aware of this. Such financial interests can include where beneficiaries of “With signature …”/ “With date …”/
identify such lots with the symbol º next to the lot number. an Estate have reserved the right to bid on a lot consigned by the Estate or “With inscription …”
where a partner in a risk-sharing arrangement has reserved the right to bid In Christie’s qualified opinion the signature/
º ♦ Third Party Guarantees/Irrevocable bids on a lot and/or notified us of their intention to bid. date/inscription appears to be by a hand other than that of the artist.
Where Christie’s has provided a Minimum Price Guarantee it is at risk Please see http://www.christies.com/ financial-interest/ for a more The date given for Old Master, Modern and Contemporary Prints is the
of making a loss, which can be significant, if the lot fails to sell. Christie’s detailed explanation of minimum price guarantees and third party date (or approximate date when prefixed with ‘circa’) on which the matrix
therefore sometimes chooses to share that risk with a third party. In such financing arrangements. was worked and not necessarily the date when the impression was printed
cases the third party agrees prior to the auction to place an irrevocable or published.
written bid on the lot.The third party is therefore committed to bidding Where Christie’s has an ownership or financial interest in every lot in the
on the lot and, even if there are no other bids, buying the lot at the level of catalogue, Christie’s will not designate each lot with a symbol, but will state *This term and its definition in this Explanation of Cataloguing Practice
the written bid unless there are any higher bids. In doing so, the third party its interest in the front of the catalogue. are a qualified statement as to authorship.While the use of this term
takes on all or part of the risk of the lot not being sold. If the lot is not sold, is based upon careful study and represents the opinion of specialists,
the third party may incur a loss. Lots which are subject to a third party FOR PICTURES, DRAWINGS, PRINTS Christie’s and the seller assume no risk, liability and responsibility for the
guarantee arrangement are identified in the catalogue with the symbol º ♦. AND MINIATURES authenticity of authorship of any lot in this catalogue described by this
Terms used in this catalogue have the meanings ascribed to them below. term, and the Authenticity Warranty shall not be available with respect
In most cases, Christie’s compensates the third party in exchange for Please note that all statements in this catalogue as to authorship are made to lots described using this term.
accepting this risk.Where the third party is the successful bidder, the third subject to the provisions of the Conditions of Sale and authenticity
party’s remuneration is based on a fixed financing fee. If the third party is warranty. Buyers are advised to inspect the property themselves.Written POST 1950 FURNITURE
not the successful bidder, the remuneration may either be based on a fixed condition reports are usually available on request. All items of post-1950 furniture included in this sale are items either
fee or an amount calculated against the final hammer price.The third party
not originally supplied for use in a private home or now offered solely
may also bid for the lot above the written bid.Where the third party is the QUALIFIED HEADINGS as works of art.These items may not comply with the provisions of the
successful bidder, Christie’s will report the final purchase price net of the In Christie’s opinion a work by the artist. Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended
fixed financing fee. *“Attributed to …” in 1989 and 1993, the “Regulations”). Accordingly, these items should not
Third party guarantors are required by us to disclose to anyone they are In Christie’s qualified opinion probably a work by the artist in whole or be used as furniture in your home in their current condition. If you do
advising their financial interest in any lots they are guaranteeing. However, in part. intend to use such items for this purpose, you must first ensure that they
for the avoidance of any doubt, if you are advised by or bidding through *“Studio of …”/ “Workshop of …” are reupholstered, restuffed and/or recovered (as appropriate) in order that
an agent on a lot identified as being subject to a third party guarantee you In Christie’s qualified opinion a work executed in the studio or workshop they comply with the provisions of the Regulations.These will vary by
should always ask your agent to confirm whether or not he or she has a of the artist, possibly under his supervision. department.
financial interest in relation to the lot. *“Circle of …”
In Christie’s qualified opinion a work of the period of the artist and
Important Notices for this Sale
showing his influence.
Guitars are composite instruments fabricated with multiple
interchangeable parts and components.These include but are not
limited to necks, frets, tuners, pickguards, knobs, switches, pickups,
and potentiometers.The instruments in this sale have been used
by David Gilmour as tools of the trade for a professional musician.
They have often been altered to fit David Gilmour’s needs as
an artist.These alterations may include changes to the original
manufactures parts and finishes. Neither Christie’s nor the Seller
warrant that any of the instruments in this sale exist in their original
state and are all sold “as is.” Please review the back of the catalogue
for additional information about warranties and other Conditions
of Sale.

171
18/05/17
 STORAGE AND COLLECTION

PAYMENT OF ANY CHARGES DUE COLLECTION AND CONTACT DETAILS

Specified lots (sold and unsold) marked with a filled square (■) not collected from Lots will only be released on payment of all charges due and on production of a
Christie’s by 5.00pm on the day of the sale will, at our option, be removed to Christie’s Collection Form from Christie’s. Charges may be paid in advance or at the time of
Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn). Christie’s will inform you if the collection. We may charge fees for storage if your lot is not collected within thirty days
lot has been sent offsite. from the sale. Please see paragraph G of the Conditions of Sale for further detail.

If the lot is transferred to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services, it will be available for Tel: +1 212 636 2650
collection after the third business day following the sale. Email: [email protected]
Please contact Christie’s Post-Sale Service 24 hours in advance to book a collection time
at Christie’s Fine Art Services. All collections from Christie’s Fine Art Services will be by
pre-booked appointment only. SHIPPING AND DELIVERY
Please be advised that after 50 days from the auction date property may be moved at Christie’s Post-Sale Service can organize domestic deliveries or international freight.
Christie’s discretion. Please contact Post-Sale Services to confirm the location of your Please contact them on +1 212 636 2650 or [email protected].
property prior to collection.

Tel: +1 212 636 2650

Email: [email protected]
Operation hours for both Christie’s Rockefeller and Christie’s Fine Art Storage are from
9:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday.

Long-term storage solutions are also available per client request. CFASS is a separate subsidiary of Christie’s and clients enjoy complete confidentiality.
Please contact CFASS New York for details and rates: +1 212 636 2070 or [email protected]

STREET MAP OF CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK LOCATIONS

Christie’s Rockefeller Center Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS)

20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 10020 62-100 Imlay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tel: +1 212 636 2000 Tel: +1 212 974 4500
[email protected] [email protected]
Main Entrance on 49th Street Main Entrance on Corner of Imlay and Bowne St
Receiving/Shipping Entrance on 48th Street Hours: 9.30 AM - 5.00 PM
Hours: 9.30 AM - 5.00 PM Monday-Friday except Public Holidays
Monday-Friday except Public Holidays

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172
IMPORTANT WATCHES
Hong Kong, 27 May 2019
VIEWING
24-26 May 2019 Convention Hall,
Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre,
No. 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

CONTACT
Cissy Ngan
[email protected]
+852 2760 1766

Parmigiani. An 18K White Gold Semi-Skeletonised Minute Repeating Tourbillon Dual

Time Wristwatch with Westminster Chime, Toric Westminster Model, Circa 2006
HKD 800,000-1,600,000 / USD 100,000-200,000
 SHIRO KURAMATA (1934-1991)
‘Miss Blanche’ Chair, designed 1988
executed by Ishimaru Company Ltd., Tokyo, from the edition of 56
acrylic, artificial roses, epoxy-coated aluminum
35.1/4 in. (89.5 cm.) high, 24.1/2 in. (62.5 cm.) wide, 24 in. (61 cm.) deep
$250,000 - 350,000

DESIGN
New York, 4 June 2019
VIEWING
31 May – 3 June 2019
20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020

CONTACT
Daphné Riou
[email protected]
212 636 2240
 A TOILE MONOGRAM DESK TRUNK WITH BRASS HARDWARE, LOUIS VUITTON, circa. 1920
£15,000 – £20,000

HANDBAGS & ACCESSORIES

London, 11 June 2019
VIEWING
1 - 11 June 2019
8 King Street
London SW1Y 6QT

CONTACT
Rachel Koffsky Lucile Andreani
[email protected] [email protected]
+44 (0)207 752 3164 +33 (0) 140 767 249
 Property from the Collection of a Private European Family
ROBERT INDIANA (1928-2018)
Love
cor-ten steel
36 x 36 x 18 in. (91.4 x 91.4 x 45.7 cm.)
Executed in 1966-1999
300 000–500 000 €

POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY, EVENING SALE

Paris, 4. June 2019
EXPOSITION
May 27 - 29, May 31, June 1 - 4
9, avenue Matignon
75008 Paris

CONTACT
Paul Nyzam
[email protected]
+33 (0)1 40 76 84 15
 WRITTEN BIDS FORM
CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK

THE DAVID GILMOUR Written bids must be received at least 24 hours before the auction begins.
GUITAR COLLECTION Christie’s will confirm all bids received by fax by return fax. If you have not
THURSDAY 20 JUNE 2019 received confirmation within one business day, please contact the Bid Department.
AT 10.00 AM Tel: +1 212 636 2437 on-line www.christies.com
20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020 16980
Client Number (if applicable) Sale Number
CODE NAME: GILMOUR
SALE NUMBER: 16980
Billing Name (please print)
(Dealers billing name and address must agree
with tax exemption certificate. Invoices cannot Address
be changed after they have been printed.)
BID ONLINE FOR THIS SALE AT CHRISTIES.COM City State Zone

BIDDING INCREMENTS Daytime Telephone Evening Telephone

Bidding generally starts below the low estimate and increases in steps
(bid increments) of up to 10 per cent. The auctioneer will decide where
the bidding should start and the bid increments. Written bids that do Fax (Important) Email
not conform to the increments set below may be lowered to the next
bidding-interval. Please tick if you prefer not to receive information about our upcoming sales by e-mail

US$100 to US$2,000 by US$100s I have read and understood this Written Bid Form and the Conditions of Sale — Buyer’s Agreement
US$2,000 to US$3,000 by US$200s
US$3,000 to US$5,000 by US$200, 500, 800 Signature

(e.g. US$4,200, 4,500, 4,800)

US$5,000 to US$10,000 by US$500s If you have not previously bid or consigned with Christie’s, please attach copies of the following
US$10,000 to US$20,000 by US$1,000s documents. Individuals: government-issued photo identification (such as a photo driving licence,
national identity card, or passport) and, if not shown on the ID document, proof of current address,
US$20,000 to US$30,000 by US$2,000s
for example a utility bill or bank statement. Corporate clients: a certificate of incorporation.
US$30,000 to US$50,000 by US$2,000, 5,000, 8,000 Other business structures such as trusts, offshore companies or partnerships: please contact the
Credit Department at +1 212 636 2490 for advice on the information you should supply. If you are
(e.g. US$32,000, 35,000, 38,000) registering to bid on behalf of someone who has not previously bid or consigned with Christie’s,
US$50,000 to US$100,000 by US$5,000s please attach identification documents for yourself as well as the party on whose behalf you are
US$100,000 to US$200,000 by US$10,000s bidding, together with a signed letter of authorisation from that party. New clients, clients who
Above US$200,000 at auctioneer’s discretion have not made a purchase from any Christie’s office within the last two years, and those wishing
to spend more than on previous occasions will be asked to supply a bank reference.
The auctioneer may vary the increments during the course of the
auction at his or her own discretion.
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
1. I request Christie’s to bid on the stated lots up to the Lot number Maximum Bid US$ Lot number Maximum Bid US$
maximum bid I have indicated for each lot. (in numerical order) (excluding buyer’s premium) (in numerical order) (excluding buyer’s premium)
2. I understand that if my bid is successful the amount payable
will be the sum of the hammer price and the buyer’s
premium (together with any applicable state or local sales
or use taxes chargeable on the hammer price and buyer’s
premium) in accordance with the Conditions of Sale—
Buyer’s Agreement). The buyer’s premium rate shall be
an amount equal to 25% of the hammer price of each lot
up to and including US$300,000, 20% on any amount over
US$300,000 up to and including US$4,000,000 and 13.5%
of the amount above US$4,000,000.
3. I agree to be bound by the Conditions of Sale printed in
the catalogue.
4. I understand that if Christie’s receive written bids on a lot
for identical amounts and at the auction these are the highest
bids on the lot, Christie’s will sell the lot to the bidder whose
written bid it received and accepted first.
5.  Written bids submitted on “no reserve” lots will, in the
absence of a higher bid, be executed at approximately 50% of
the low estimate or at the amount of the bid if it is less than
50% of the low estimate.
I understand that Christie’s written bid service is a free service
provided for clients and that, while Christie’s will be as careful as
it reasonably can be, Christie’s will not be liable for any problems
with this service or loss or damage arising from circumstances If you are registered within the European Community for VAT/IVA/TVA/BTW/MWST/MOMS
beyond Christie’s reasonable control.
Please quote number below:
AUCTION RESULTS: CHRISTIES.COM

08/01/19

19/01/2015 177
CHRISTIE’S

CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL PLC CHRISTIE’S AMERICAS

François Pinault, Chairman SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENTS
Guillaume Cerutti, Chief Executive Officer Rachel Adey, Kelly Ayers, Diane Baldwin, Nicole Arnot, Nishad Avari, Bernadine Boisson,
Stephen Brooks, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Heather Barnhart, Alyson Barnes, Vanessa Booher, Anne Bracegirdle, Tristan Bruck,
Jussi Pylkkänen, Global President Michael Bass, G. Max Bernheimer, Rita Boyle, Ally Butler, Lauren Carlucci, Michelle Cha,
François Curiel, Chairman, Europe Catherine Busch, Max Carter, Ana Maria Celis, Alessandro Diotallevi, Julie Drennan, Sarah El-Tamer,
Jean-François Palus Veronique Chagnon-Burke, Angelina Chen, Jill Farquharson, William Fischer, Emily Fisher,
Stéphanie Renault Sandra Cobden, Dan Conn, Kathy Coumou, Sara Fox, Kristen France, Juarez Francis,
Héloïse Temple-Boyer Deborah Coy, Francois de Poortere, Carrie Dillon, Hilary Friedman, Jacqueline Gascoigne,
Sophie Carter, Company Secretary Yasaman Djunic, Monica Dugot, Richard Entrup, Emily Gladstone, Douglas Goldberg, Robert Gordy,
Lydia Fenet, Jessica Fertig, Dani Finkel, Jacqueline Gorton, Julia Gray, Emily Grimball,
Johanna Flaum, Marcus Fox, Sara Friedlander, Olivia Hamilton, Amy Indyke, Bennett Jackson,
INTERNATIONAL CHAIRMEN Sayuri Ganepola, Virgilio Garza, Benjamin Gore, Stephen Jones, Larry Kalmikoff, Paige Kestenman,
Stephen Lash, Chairman Emeritus, Americas Karen Gray, Helena Grubesic, Jennifer K. Hall, Paula Kowalczyk, Sibyl Lafontant, Madeline Lazaris,
The Earl of Snowdon, Honorary Chairman, EMERI Bill Hamm, William Haydock, Darius Himes, Andrew Lick, David Lieu, Alexander Locke,
Charles Cator, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Int. Margaret Hoag, Erik Jansson, Rahul Kadakia, Samantha Margolis, Anita Martignetti, Laura Mathis,
Xin Li-Cohen, Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Int. Kathy Kaplan, Jessica Katz, Julie Kim, Christopher Mendoza, Camille Massaro-Menz,
Sharon Kim, Stefan Kist, Deepanjana Klein, Nina Milbank, Leo Montan, Takaaki Murakami,
CHRISTIE’S AMERICAS David Kleiweg de Zwaan, Susan Kloman, Taylor Murtishaw, Margaret O’Connor,
Marc Porter, Chairman Timothy Kompanchenko, Samantha Koslow, Alexandra O’Neill, Daniel Peros, Jessica Phifer,
Jennifer Zatorski, President Daphne Lingon, Gabriela Lobo, Rebecca MacGuire, Nell Plumfield, Rebecca Roundtree, Sara Rutter,
Erin McAndrew, Rick Moeser, Richard Nelson, Reed Ryan, Nicole Sales, Emily Salzberg, Jill Sieffert,
Illysa Ortsman, Tash Perrin, Jason Pollack, Jason Simonds, Alexa Shitanishi, Alexa Smith,
CHAIRMAN’S OFFICE Denise Ratinoff, John Reardon, Sonya Roth, Hilary Smith, Victoria Solivan, Hannah Fox Solomon,
Ben Hall, Chairman Natalie Stagnitti-White, Joey Steigelman,
Emily Sarokin, Caroline Sayan, Elise de la Selle,
Alexander Rotter, Chairman Laura Sumser, Victoria Tudor, Grace Voges,
Will Strafford, Sarah Vandeweerdt, Cara Walsh,
Bonnie Brennan, Deputy Chairman Izzie Wang, Seth Watsky, Candace Wetmore,
Hartley Waltman, Amy Wexler, Allison Whiting,
Cyanne Chutkow, Deputy Chairman Elizabeth Wight, Gretchen Yagielski
Marissa Wilcox, Jody Wilkie, Zackary Wright,
Sheri Farber, Deputy Chairman
Steven J. Zick
John Hays, Deputy Chairman
Conor Jordan, Deputy Chairman AMERICAS REPRESENTATIVES
Richard Lloyd, Deputy Chairman VICE PRESIDENTS Lisa Cavanaugh, Lydia Kimball, Juanita Madrinan,
Maria C. Los, Deputy Chairman Tylee Abbott, Christine Layng Aschwald, David G. Ober, Nancy Rome, Brett Sherlock
Andrew Massad, Deputy Chairman Danielle Austin, Victoria Ayers, Marina Bertoldi,
Adrien Meyer, Co-Chairman Kristin Bisagna, Diana Bramham, Eileen Brankovic,
Ellanor Notides, Deputy Chairman Meghan Bunting, Maryum Busby, Cristina Carlisle,
Jonathan Rendell, Deputy Chairman Elisa Catenazzi, Michelle Cheng, Margaret Conklin,
Margot Rosenberg, Deputy Chairman Kristen de Bruyn, Elise de la Selle, Aubrey Daval,
Capera Ryan, Deputy Chairman Cathy Delany, Jacqueline Dennis Subhash,
Barrett White, Deputy Chairman Ashish Desai, Christine Donahue, Caitlin Donovan,
Eric Widing, Deputy Chairman Abby Farha, Lauren Frank, Vanessa Fusco,
Athena Zonars, Co-Chairman Christina Geiger, Joshua Glazer, Lisa Gluck,
Peggy Gottlieb, Lindsay Griffith, Margaret Gristina,
Izabela Grocholski, James Hamilton,
Elizabeth Hammer-Munemura, Natalie Hamrick,
Minna Hanninen, Anne Hargrave, Val Hoyt,
Sima Jalili, Emily Kaplan, Sumako Kawai,
Marisa Kayyem, Caroline Kelly, Jerome Kerr-Jarrett,
Peter Klarnet, Alexis Klein, Kristin Kolich,
Noah Kupferman, Alexandra Lenobel,
Richard Lopez, Ryan Ludgate, Alex Marshall,
Adam McCoy, Michael Moore, Melissa Morris,
Danielle Mosse, Christopher Munro, Libia Nahas,
Laura Nagle, Marysol Nieves, Remi Nouailles,
Jonquil O’Reilly, Rachel Orkin-Ramey,
Joanna Ostrem, Sam Pedder-Smith,
Carleigh Queenth, Joseph Quigley,
Shlomi Rabi, Prakash Ramdas, Jeremy Rhodes,
Daphne Riou, Casey Rogers, Thomas Root,
William Russell, Arianna Savage, Stacey Sayer,
Morris Scardigno, Morgan Schoonhoven,
Edwina Stitt, Gemma Sudlow, Bliss Summers,
Joanna Szymkowiak, Bo Tan, Arianna Tosto,
Lillian Vasquez, Beth Vilinsky, Jill Waddell,
Michal Ward, Alan Wintermute, Ben Whine,
Jennifer Wright, Kristen Yraola, Timothy Yule,
Cara Zimmerman

© Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd. (2019)

18/04/19
David Gilmour performing ‘On An Island’ tour, outdoors
on the Konigsplatz, Munich, Germany, 26th July, 2006.
Photo by Polly Samson.