About time you showed up Martian!!

Why not throwing in a DG20 pickup set on your favorite Strat®?



Here's the info from EMG's website:

"David Gilmour is recognized the world over for his revolutionary and incomparable sound which he has used to great effect both with Pink Floyd and as a solo artist. When you hear the tones coming out of his red Strat® you are hearing him play his signature EMG Pro Series system, the DG20. This set utilizes our ivory alnico loaded SA single coils, an EXG guitar expander for tonal girth and an SPC presence control to enhance the Strat earthiness, all prewired onto a custom 11-hole white pearl pickguard with white knobs. Drop it in and drop out of this plane of reality, you’re going for a ride."

Of course there are many ways to nail Dave's signature licks.

It's strongly recommended to use the pickup configuration Dave uses now for his latest solo work (On an island/Castellorizon/Live at Gdansk) and the older Pink Floyd albums.

The EMGs are mostly suited for the Division Bell/Delicate Sound/P.U.L.S.E. stuff.

Well, I was watching (and admittedly, enjoying) this thread build on the premise of why to do things the easy way when you can do it the hard way but then I figured, I'll give this Red Sox fan a break even if I am a die-hard Yankee fan.

As always, this is IMO, YMMV.

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You dig?

I hear you but we depend on you to get us out of this mess and set us straight! You know that you're our Forum pup man!!

As always, I thank you and appreciate that.

Faulty premise = Faulty conclusion. No one will sound EXACTLY like (insert guitar hero's name here). So, mimicry is all that the next person can do.

As even Gilmour (whom I also think is phenomenal) uses multiple Strats with all sorts of different pickups and effects, there is no trio of Strat pickups which can ever realistically accomplish a, "Gilmour Do-All Kit". And although his tonality on a Strat is instantly recognizable and of a traditional vibe (as far as Strat tonalities are concerned), they still remain quite variable even within this vein. Therefore, logic dictates a superior EQ for many, many variations on a given, chosen, traditional Strat tonality of a given player's choice, plain and simple.

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You dig?

As 63Supro said, "Gilmour sounds like Gilmour no matter what he plays". There always seems to be soooooo much focus on "the black Strat" that a lot of folks seem to miss that Gilmour uses -a lot- of guitars...I even seem to remember seeing him use a Tele on the Pulse version of "Run Like Hell". Her certainly has used a great many effects over the years as well. Regardless of all of that, as I often say about Eric Clapton, David Gilmour sounds like David Gilmour because he -IS- David Gilmour. Even if he used a Les Paul instead of a Strat, his playing style would still be unmistakable!

While I realize that the OP was asking about pickups, the simple truth of that matter is that there isn't a single pickup out there that's going to make a person "sound like David Gilmour" (just as owning a Clapton Signature Series Strat isn't going to make a person sound like Clapton!). First and foremost it's about "technique"...a person could be using Gilmore's personal gear and if that person doesn't play like Gilmour, they're NOT going to sound like Gilmour! Period. I will admit it...I too am a HUGE Pink Floyd/David Gilmore fan and being in a (primarily) classic rock cover band, I/we do in fact do quite a bit of Pink Floyd. I really have spent a lot of time down in the studio trying to get that Gilmour sound myself and the single thing I've learned is that it really does just come down to playing like David Gilmour. He has some very signature riffs and a very signature style to his playing that simply shines through all of the effects he uses. He doesn't try to use a thousand notes in a given lead as much as he says as much as he can with just the right notes at just the right time. His leads are as structured and recognizable as the lyrics are. In other words, you can take away the effects and use a different guitar and if you're "playing it right" you can still get the basic jist of that Gilmour sound.

Yea...Gilmour uses -a lot- of effects...he really is a master of them. That said as a cover artist, it's not like I went out and spent hundreds, let alone thousands of dollars to try and duplicate his setup! Why does he use the effects that he does? Because HE can afford them! LOL!!! Seriously...I just use my good ol' Digitech RP-50 with my '96 MIM (loaded with Duncans) and most people are amazed at how close I can get the sound. Yes, I did sit down in my studio with a number of Floyd tunes to tweak those effects, but I could have used separate pedals...a chorus, delay, over-drive, eq, etc., just as well...it's not really about the effects (or the pickups or the guitar), again it really comes down to his playing style more than anything else.

To give you an example, let's take a look at "Comfortably Numb" and specifically the first lead in that tune. If you know how to play that lead, all a person really needs is a decent sounding guitar, a good sounding amp and some distortion. The delay and chorus/flange is really just icing on the cake...if you play that lead right, people will still EASILY recognize what you're playing. Conversely you could use a rig identical to Gilmour's (or even use Gilmour's rig assuming you and he are close friends) but if you just "jam", it's -NOT- going to sound right. The reason for this is because that lead is such a "signature" part of the tune. Now even David doesn't play it live -exactly- like as it was recorded...he certainly takes some artistic liberties with his own work! LOL!! But the basic feel of that lead has to be close otherwise it becomes something other than "Comfortably Numb". Seriously...even if there aren't any other instruments playing, if you sit down with a well distorted guitar and play that lead, people -KNOW- exactly what tune it is that you're playing! Yea, the second lead is certainly more open to some fair degree of improvisation but there are still some signature riffs in there and a very specific style that quite clearly says "this is David Gilmour".


My advice to the OP is don't worry about pickups and such...unless you're just simply looking for an excuse to spend money that is. If you -really- want to sound like Gilmour, you'll be better served by simply sitting down with those classic Floyd tunes and really studying his technique. Once you've got how he plays down, then look at adding some delay, flange/chorus, etc.. You'll likely find that the Strat you're using now is more than up to the task .

These are just my own personal opinions as always.

Jim

Well redsoxfan, was that enough information and opinions for you? LOL, I hope so. Good luck !

+1

This guy (Walter) uses amps and technique (and a Strat!) :

http://pinkvoyd.com/pink_voyd/stickle.html

watch and listen here :

http://pinkvoyd.com/pink_voyd/media.html

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

The EMG DG20,s won,t get you there. The right technique will get you closer than anything.

Thanks Martian also Thanks to everyone for their advice as well.
Martian i have never used a graphic EQ nor do i know anything about them so if you could recommend some that would be great.
Oh yeah congrats on the series i did not know you were a Yankee fan had i i would have givin you props long ago.
I may have to change my name here on the forum, you are the second person that was a little reluctant to answer a question that i asked and both of you brought up my Redsox name. HA HA!!

Gilmour with a Gretsch sounds like Gilmour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvwRAe4g ... re=related

SRV with a flying v sounds like SRV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvwRAe4g ... re=related

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People say I'm a nice guy, I can't figure why

You're quite welcome.

One of the most popular out there is the 10 band one by MXR. I've yet to hear anyone knock them and the price isn't too bad either. I personally like it too. See link:

http://www.bizrate.com/musical-instrume ... 568850505/

I'm sure there are many other good ones which others here can recommend to you as well.

Thank you regarding the series. Yes, I've been a die-hard Yankee fan all my life as I was born, raised and lived my first 49 years in NYC. And in spite of the fact that you are clearly rooting for the wrong AL team, don't worry, I won't hold it against you!

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You dig?

Dude...you posted the same link for both videos! Both links come up as Gilmour/Geldof doing "Comfotably Numb".

Great version of "Comfortably Numb"...-VERY- cool indeed! Proves my point better than any of my overly lengthy posts ever could

BTW...is it just me or is Geldof reading the first verse off a lyrics cheat sheet? LOL!


Please repost the link for the SRV on the Flying V...I'd love to see that!

Peace,
Jim

Thank you! No matter which version I see or what guitar David plays, this never gets old.

See following

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"Another day in paradise!"