While the Pink Floyd guitarist has always favored the Fender Strat, he cannot deny the “beauty” of the Gibson ES-335. Every guitar tells a unique story. Whether you’re performing on a Gibson or a Fender, each model offers a unique set of tones to explore. Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour understands this, and he’s made a point of amassing a large guitar collection to keep himself stimulated.
As the release date for Gilmour’s new solo album, Luck and Strange, approaches on September 6, the guitarist has been eager to educate fans about the instruments used on the record. The next installment of Gilmour’s YouTube series, David’s Guitars, focuses on the musician’s Gibson ES-335. Gilmour describes the ES-335 as a more recent addition to his collection. “I’ve not got a huge history with Gibson guitars, but this is one I’ve bought comparatively recently to have a different tone,” he tells me. “This is a very, very different sort of guitar than I’m used to,” he tells me. “The guitar solo on Dark and Velvet Nights was done on this one, and I don’t know why I didn’t discover one of these long time ago!”
Gilmour smirks to himself as he plays a few chords, pleased with the Gibson’s tone. “This one is a real beauty — lovely!” he exclaims. While Gilmour is frequently spotted with his legendary Black Strat, playing with different instruments keeps him on his toes. As Gilmour demonstrates, every guitar may rekindle your creative spirit. “Every time you play a guitar that you’re not used to, it gives you something,” he says. “Sometimes, it gives you a song.” According to Gilmour, Luck and Strange is one of his proudest musical achievements to date. He even claims that the record is his “best album” since The Dark Side of the Moon.
