How to make your own David Gilmour "Black Strat"

[rallegai]

..It looks ok, but to get the real look, you need a tinted neck, like the fities strat m.i.m. have... .)

[steveteb]

@rallegai It IS an MIM 50's Strat!

[rallegai]

@steveteb OK, ten it looks only very light ?

[nmssis]

this is strictly a cosmetic thing but DG's guitar is darker in color, right?

[steveteb]

@nmssis What, darker than black? Now that would be a clever trick if you could pull it off!

[nmssis]

@steveteb sorry meant the neck, but i guess that just might be from natural aging. still, gotta hand it to ya, great job!

[ShiningRedMoon]

@nmssis if you play tha strat for 30+ years it gets that touch of color that you mean!

[nmssis]

@ShiningRedMoon guess so...

[casestudyification]

You forgot one thing. You forgot to rout out a hole for a Kahler, decide you don't want the Kahler, and then fill the hole back in and paint it black.

[steveteb]

@casestudyification Well one can take authenticity too far you know!

[casestudyification]

@steveteb I was kinda kidding around. But that is what Gilmore did. I don't know if you've played a Kahler, they're pretty cool but they have no sustain. In my opinion it turns a guitar with great sustain into a banjo.

[Septimius]

The only problem with this is that it's a Mexican Strat. I've had a mexican neck for a while, and they just can't compete with the American quality. It might look like Gilmour's but it won't play like his.

[DukeStarbuckle]

Guys, it is fun to make a replica of a guitar hero's special guitar. But I've been playing for 35 years and no amount of guitar surgery will make you sound like your favorite guitarist, and I can promise you that. What makes a guitarist unique is their style, and David Gilmour has it as you know.

Nothing beats tuning up to concert pitch and playing along with your favorite record. I've learned more like that than I ever did from an instructor. Most of all...HAVE FUN!

[supermoserre]

why does David use a shorter vibrato? o.O

[steveteb]

@supermoserre No idea! Hank Marvin uses a slightly shortened one too, but not as short as this.

[Kmanmarr]

@steveteb I heard from somewhere the shorter arm is so you can play notes with your hand on the vibrato and keep you hand closer to the strings

[SCOPOtuaMADRE]

@supermoserre better control of tremolo.

[666MattsGuitar666]

@supermoserre

im using a short trem because if i have a long one, it will bash against my lead when i let go of it and cause some feedback. Not relevant but oh well...

[ezzzzzzL]

@supermoserre because, if its shorter, it is easier to control according to the small vibrations gilmour uses, instead of major vibrations.

[Ophidianrising]

I use the same shortened trem as David does. Part of it it feel, part of it is where your pick hand is played over the pick ups to find the sweet spot to pull off those harmonics when you want them and you don't want the trem all the way through your hand. For me I just use the trem with my pinky wrapped around it when i need it... But that is just me. Plus, with the shortened trem you don't need to wiggle it near as much as the longer one. I think it gives a better vibrato sound.

[AVascocc]

Because the small switch next to the volume button? (3.01)  part 6 (0.58, 0.59, 1.00).

[Destyroyer]

Before I read your description on the background piece I thought this was something they did and decided to take out i.e. it sounds very Floydish, good work!

[Alessiosrv]

kill you!!!!! and buy a real fender custom shop gilmour nos!!!!!

[Aleksej79ns]

Sorry, now i see! Music is very nice... :)

[Aleksej79ns]

What is that melody? :) Please? :)

[lukeclassicalguitar]

He Used a SSL-1 Seymour Duncan Pick Up as his bridge pick up on his Black Strat, His Candy apple red Strat had the EMG, and they use batteries.

[O0Salmon0O]

For historical accuracy going from 5-way to 3-way? What a foolish move. The black Strat has multiple modifications performed on it and even undone like it once had a humbucker in the bridge position then went back to SC and the hole was refilled. Why not rout out yours and refill the hole for historical accuracy?

[imaciPC]

I had read in an interview with Gilmour's guitar tech that he used EMG-SA active single coil pickups, an EMG-SPC mid controller and and EMG-EXG expander

[steveteb]

@imaciPC Well he might have done but this is my guitar not his, and if it doesn't sound exactly the same I won't lose any sleep.

[mjb1475]

@imaciPC The EMG's are in his red strat. Totally different sound. He does have some active electronics in the black strat as well for a mid boost I think, but passive pickups.

[emoguy88888]

@imaciPC I believe that he uses that setup on his red strat, which he used for a lot of the later stuff, but I dont think he ever put that setup on the black strat

[macgibbon]

@imaciPC His red strat uses that system, as seen on Pulse, the black strat has had all sorts of crap in it

[MichealKeene420]

@imaciPC he uses that in his red strat, not in his black strat. The red strat was used in A momentary lapse of reason, the delicate sound of thunder, and the division bell. In addition it was used on the tours supporting said albums. The black strat was used for most of his stuff before roger waters left.

[geovkiller]

@imaciPC You are talking about the Red Strat, the other model, used mainly for SOYCD

[MichaelLozano12]

@imaciPC He used this equipment on his Red strat that used throughout pulse and other works in that area of time. This is going for his Black Strat that he used on majority of Floyd albums. Watch "Shine on you crazy diamond-Pulse" on youtube. Thats the red strat

[chambermeleon]

@imaciPC In his red strat.

[razzamanaz79]

might look like the gilmour strat sounds nothing like it though, this video started to give me a sore head, dont know what you were doing but it sounded very digital, sounded like you were playing through a cheepo zoom effects unit

[steveteb]

@razzamanaz79 If you'd read the description you'd have discovered that this is a really old piece which was NOT played on the Gilmour Strat.

[britarthc]

just so you know this song is amazing

[riqyl32]

the whole thing stinks in step 3

[duey101]

Nice, can I borrow your Strat for my next video tutorial? :-)

[putzinet]

What a gooooood idea! How much did it cost finally?

[steveteb]

@putzinet Guitar plus additional parts cost £630, but I sold the parts I removed for £50 so the final figure was £580.

[alexfloydchanito]

cuanto me va a salir todo el material?

[bettsaj]

Gilmours guitar has a 5 way switch... Not a 3 way

[Coopersboy7]

@bettsaj He has a three way. Thats why he added the extra switch once in the early seventies and again in the late seventies.

[joeytruelove]

@Coopersboy7 Used to be a 3 way, now it's a 5 way. Got that from a reliable source.

[janpaulwitten]

@Coopersboy7 hehe you said three way

[Coopersboy7]

@janpaulwitten umm ok?

[Tjoppy]

step 2: it looks more like a 50's strat judging by the neck?

[steveteb]

@Tjoppy It is a 50's Strat! Blame my awful typing.

[Tjoppy]

@steveteb no prob! I had the same one but in fiesta red

[DannyNewman]

I'm curious. Why the Kinman p/ups? Why not a set of Seymour Duncan's? There are currently at least 3 Seymour Duncan's on Ebay for £20 a piece or a full set for £118. Nice guitar though, sounds great! How about a replica of the red Strat with the EMG active p/ups?

[steveteb]

@DannyNewman As to the Kinmans, I refer you to a previous answer. As to what my next project is going to be, I haven't decided yet!

[cmgill2]

I understand why people do it but I feel Dave Gilmore has it covered, why not try to do your own thing, you know, make a guitar with a sound perculiar to you,,,,

[steveteb]

@cmgill2 Could have done that - in fact I already have, lotsof times!

[cmgill2]

@steveteb Good enough!

[ckolonko]

@cmgill2 I agree. I'd love to make a guitar that is an homage to the Black Strat. But then I ight aswell make a guitar that suites my own needs.

[cmgill2]

@ckolonko Thats great bro' It's a good skill to be able to do that, I've made a few guitars from scratch in the past, do your thing it's all good!

[ckolonko]

@cmgill2 Thanks for the kind words.

[AASKICKBUTT]

I don't see why you chose to use those pickups. You should've chosen the fender fat 50s neck pickup, fender 69 middle pickup, and the Seymour Duncan SSL-5 neck pickup (or SSL-1) for that cutting edge.

[steveteb]

@AASKICKBUTT - could have done, I'd noticed though that most people chose the Kinman Woodstocks so I went for those.

[mrmakemakkara]

very nice video tov toda

[drumdreamer92]

Couldn't you just wire the pickups differently instead of using the mini toggle switch?

[steveteb]

@drumdreamer92 There were lots of different ways I could have done it - I just choose to do it this way! (My normal procedure with a Strat is to retain the 5-way selector and use a pull-push switch on the third pot to bring in the neck and bridge pups. So in either of the two end positions you get neck and bridge together, and in any of the 3 middle postions you get all 3.

[SpartacusFrye]

Hey man, great idea. I want to do the same thing, but with a few modifications. But I'm having trouble finding the Mexican Strat with the maple neck. Any help?

[steveteb]

@SpartacusFrye - sorry, my mistake. Should have said Fender Classic 50's Stratocaster. Any decent music shop should be able to get one for you, and it does have a maple neck. The 60's one has a rosewood neck.

[SpartacusFrye]

@steveteb Thanks a lot, I considered that but I wanted to be sure.

[jacktheguitarman]

how did you get the white binding around the pickguard to come off?

[steveteb]

I ordered a single-ply black one so it has no white layer.