Magazine \ Daily News \ Fender Custom Shop Announces David Gilmour Strat

Fender Custom Shop Announces David Gilmour Strat

by Premier Guitar

After years of anticipation, the David Gilmour Strat will officially hit stores on September 22


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Scottsdale, Arizona (July 29, 2008) -- David Gilmour and the Fender Custom Shop are extremely proud to announce the highly anticipated release of one of the most iconic musical instruments of the past 50 years -- the David Gilmour Signature Series Stratocaster guitar. Based on Gilmour’s famous “Black Strat” guitar, the instrument will be available at select Fender retailers worldwide beginning Sept. 22, 2008.


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A cornerstone of Pink Floyd’s incomparably revolutionary sound, Gilmour’s Black Strat is featured extensively on The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall and his critically acclaimed 2006 solo effort, On An Island. The Fender Custom Shop worked hand-in-hand with Gilmour and his longtime guitar technician, Phil Taylor, to create this signature model, a detailed reproduction of the Black Strat -- complete in its unmistakable look, sound and feel.

Gilmour bought the original instrument in May 1970 from Manny’s Music in New York. The guitar’s first Pink Floyd recorded appearance came on the group’s fifth album, Atom Heart Mother. It subsequently became Gilmour’s main guitar for live performances and studio work.

The new reproduction -- the David Gilmour Signature Series Stratocaster guitar -- features an alder body, black over three-color sunburst finish, a black pickguard, a one-piece straight-grain maple neck, custom pickups and Gilmour’s now-infamous electronics and shortened vintage tremolo arm. Beautiful, powerful, unique and as idiosyncratic as Gilmour’s playing, the guitar will be produced by the Fender Custom Shop in N.O.S. (new old stock) and Relic versions.

The David Gilmour Signature Series Stratocaster guitar comes with a custom case, an Evidence high-end guitar cable, Gilmour’s three-disc Live in Gdansk CD/DVD set and Taylor’s 2007 book about the guitar’s history, The Black Strat. The first 500 guitars sold in either finish option will include a limited edition, signed copy of The Black Strat book, autographed by Phil Taylor.

Specs:




NOS Relic
Model Number 015-0068-806 015-0069-806
Colors (806) Black,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
(806) Black over 3-Color Sunburst,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Body Comfort Contoured Select Alder
Neck 1-Piece Maple, 1983 Thin-Shouldered “C” Shape, (.790” to .870” Taper),
(”Thin-Skin” Dark Tint Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard Maple, 7.25” Radius (184mm)
Frets 21 Vintage Style Frets
Pickups 1 Custom Shop Fat ‘50s Single-Coil Strat Pickup, (Neck),
1 Custom Shop ‘69 Single-Coil Strat Pickup (Middle)
1 Seymour Duncan SSL-5 Single-Coil Strat® Pickup (Bridge)
Controls Master Volume,
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup),
Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
Pickup Switching 5-Position Blade:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup
Position 5. Neck Pickup

1 Mini-Toggle (Adds Neck Pickup in Positions 1, 2 and 3.)
Bridge American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Custom Beveled Tremolo Block and Shortened Tremolo Arm
Machine Heads Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Tuning Machines
Hardware Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard 1-Ply .120” Beveled Black Acrylic, (11 Hole)
Scale 25.5” (648 mm)
Width at Nut 1.675” (42.5 mm)
Shared Unique Features Thin-Shouldered “C” Neck Shape Duplicated from David’s 1983 U.S. Vintage ‘57 Strat® Neck
Custom Shortened Tremolo Arm
Custom Beveled Tremolo Block
Black Dot Position Inlays (Narrow Spacing)
Differing Unique Features White Tremolo Back Cover
Aged White Plastic Parts
Built as if bought new in its respective year and brought forward in time.
No Back Tremolo Cover Plate
Aged White Pickup Covers
Aged Parchment Control Knobs Covers
A Cosmetically Aged Faithful Re-creation of David’s Infamous “Black Strat”
Strings GHS, DG Boomers, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.010, .012, .016, .028, .038, .048)
Accessories Evidence Audio™ High-End Guitar Cable, Custom Leather Strap, GHS® DG Boomers Strings, DG Pick, David Gilmour’s Three Disc “Live In Gdansk” CD and DVD Package, a Copy of Phil Taylor’s “The Black Strat” Book, Polishing Cloth and the Certificate of Authenticity
Case Deluxe Black Hardshell Case with Green Crushed Velvet Lining and with “David Gilmour” and Custom Shop Logo Embroidered on the Lid Interior
MSRP
$3999.99
$4799.99


For more information:
Fender Custom Shop


     


Commentary

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UsernameComment
Archie White Roxx
on 11/13/2008
It looks like a reasonable guitar, but who actually buys the relics? You can buy, modfy and relic any old strat. It has got to be more fun and satisfying to knock up your own version? I saw two guys on YouTube having great fun mimicing the Fender Custom shop by kicking a strat body roiund a car park. The results were not 100% authentic, but it was a reasonable attempt. Come on guys get out your sanders and hammers - come on customsie!!!
lex
on 10/20/2008
some crap been posted dave gilmour the greatest guitarist in my opinion bout time fender honoured him with a signiture guitar
Sevin
on 10/19/2008
You know, I never met a lawyer who would take the time to BS about themselves the way I've seen here. They certainly don't go around telling others about how much money they have. This is a really sad thread and I can't believe it is even being posted. DG is awesome , it has nothing to do with his equipment, it's what is in his heart that shines through in his music.
bender
on 10/18/2008
this guitar is way over priced david gilmour is great musician but iwant pat this much for this guitar.
AnEwMaChiNE
on 10/13/2008
David Gilmour is awesome. This guitar is cool. All you guys who think you are the sh#t because you have money are fooling yourself, but not me. (Can you say "compensating"?) I think I'll write a song about it on my new David Gilmour Strat . . . . .
Francisco
on 09/26/2008
I've been waiting for this guitar for a long time.. I just gotta save up money every month for this baby.. STOP THE ARGUING OR STUPID COMMENTS, ITS RIDICULOUS.
Eugene Anderson II
on 09/25/2008
You erased dozens of my posts but I can easily put them all back. Davie Allan & The Arrows were on the same label as The Pink Floyd on Tower and both reached the milestones of cosmic sound on a black Fender guitar. But by not honoring Davie Allan with his Jazzmaster lets me know there is a dark side of the earth too!But kudos to David Gilmour who later joined the troops to add to what Davie started.
Lucian
on 09/23/2008
I've been playin for fifteen years. Dave is my favorite guitarist. If I had 4 grand to burn you bet you ass I would burn it on this strat. Screw all you tech geeks and a*sholes. You don't like it, tough sh*t.
maddog
on 09/15/2008
I own lawyers. You guys are a dime a dozen. As for custom shop I have anything I want. 110 ft rebuilt Cheoy Lee is proof enough. Strats are chump change. Having all the money is where I learned that you have to have talent, not air in your head. I've heard people in the Philippines play Squires that'll blow most people away in the states that pray to the American Strat. It's between your ears Dufuss! Not in your wallet! Guitars are scraps in the long run. By the way I'm a short haired rocking under 40 multi-millionaire. Call me when you're looking for a job. I'll send you to my secretary.
JP
on 09/14/2008
You all sound like a bunch of teens that do not have two nickles to rub together. DG is a great guitar player and I see nothing wrong with honoring him with a signture model. The good news is that not one of you would be able to afford the guitar if you wanted to. The fender custom shop guitars are far better quality then your standard $400.00 strat. All of the comments tell me that most of you have not played a custom shop strat. Yes, talant comes first but there is nothing wrong with using a quality instrument to show off your talant. By the way, I am a long hair rocking lawyer. I am not some wantabe thinking that I am going to be a rock star. Most of those types end up working at 7-11.



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