Stratocaster #0001

[Petro85]

well since there are no posts in this subforum i thought id add some info to it. i was just watching the 50th anniversary of fender guitars and when david gilmour came on i remembered he owned this guitar and i was wondering if that was the one he was playing. and after a quick search i found out it was.
im a guitar player, i suck at it, but i love the instrument and have sold off all but 2 of my guitars and turned it into stereo equip.
this is a very interesting story about a piece of musical history




The #0001 Stratocaster
David’s guitar collection includes several sought after, highly priced items. In an interview with Guitarist in 1986, David mentions that his first collectable was a Gibson TV, which he bought during Pink Floyd’s visit to the States in October 1970. The jewel however is the Fender Stratocaster with the #0001 serial number.

Although stamped with the #0001 serial number, it’s not the first ever-made Stratocaster. The unusual colour and the gold hardware indicate that it might be a showpiece made for a special occasion or for an employee.



The neck is signed “TG 6.54”, referring to Taddeo Gomez June 1954 and the body has a handwritten signature “Mary 9.28.54”, referring to Mary (this could very well be Mary Lemus, a Fender factory employee. Mary began work at Fender in 1954 as an assembler, eventually becoming a final assembly supervisor – thank you Mike Rego) September 28. 1954. According to Guitarist journalist David Mead, who examined the guitar for an article in 1995, the ash body is indeed white although it might appear to be aged Olympic White, pale green or even blue-ish on some pictures. The guitar features an anodized gold 8 hole 1-ply pickguard, custom gold plated tremolo system and output jack and Kluson Deluxe tuners. The pickups appear to be original 1954 Fenders with a 3-way pickup switch (the 5-way switch didn’t surface until the mid 70’s).

David explained to Guitarist in 1986 how he got his hands on the guitar: ”Eventually Phil wanted to borrow some money to buy a house, so I blackmailed him! I said the only way I’d lend him the money to buy the house, was if he sold me the white Strat…”. This must have been sometime around 1976-77. Apparently, the guitar had originally belonged to Leo Fender who gave (or sold) it to Seymour Duncan. Duncan later sold it to Phil in the mid 70’s for $900.

The guitar made its first appearance on the live promo clips filmed for David’s first solo album in 1978. It’s is not documented whether it was used for the album or not. However, it features on Another brick in the Wall (part 2) where David used it for the rhythms, which was recorded straight into the desk.

David also used the guitar on the recording of Paul McCartney’s “Back to the Egg” album and the song “So Glad to See You Here”. The track was also filmed at Abbey Road featuring David and the Strat as a part of McCartney’s “Rockestra” in 1979. The guitar was again used on the filming of the video for Brian Ferry’s “Is You Love Strong enough”. In 1991 David and the Strat is filmed with Jeff Baxter at Abbey Road for an impromptu jam.


- David with the #0001 Stratocaster at the StratPack show in 2004.
For the celebration of the Stratocaster’s 50th anniversary in 2004 at the Wembley Arena it was only natural for David to showcase the Strat on two of the three songs he performed for during the show, – Coming Back to Life and Marooned (this was the second time Marooned was performed, the first being in Oslo, Norway in 1994 on the Division Bell tour). David used the red 1983 Stratocaster on the third song, Sorrow.

The alternate theory about the guitar’s origins
There was some discussion about the #0001 Strat’s origins in 2004 on the Seymour Duncan forum that seemed to stir up some controversy. According to Seymour Duncan, there were two guitars with the #0001 serial number and David’s guitar is a “frankenstein” consisting of several different parts. Apparently, in 1976 a guy named Richard Green wanted Duncan to repair his 1957 Strat. Duncan shipped the body to Charvel but it was too worn and full of scratches and it was replaced by a random, similar body and sprayed see-through root beer. The neck went to repairman Phil Kubicki, who refinished it and Duncan fitted the neck to the “new” body and returned it to Richard Green. The guitar had a #0001 serial number on the neckplate.

Later, Seymour got the original body at Charvel’s, slapped on a random 1957 neck that he’d bought from Phil Kubicki, wounded new 1960’s replica pickups and sold it to Phil Taylor. This guitar also had a #0001 serial number on the neckplate.

So to sum it up, according to Seymour Duncan, David’s #0001 Stratocaster has a 1957 light mint green ash body and a 1957 neck, from to two separate guitars, and the pickups are custom ‘60s Duncans. Seymour also insists that he actually didn’t sell it to Taylor but to Alan Rogan (Pete Towsend’s long time guitar tech), who then sold it to Phil. The neck could have been a 1954 but Seymour remembers that it had a ’57 neck with cigarette burns just above the nut, which David’s indeed has.

Whether or not this is the true story of David’s guitar or not is not for me to decide. There are very few sources and although Seymour Duncan might have a good memory, there are some holes in his “theory”, not least because David Meads examination of the guitar in 1995 reveals strong evidence of it being a genuine 1954 model. Phil Taylor also seems to deny the theory insisting on that Seymour is confusing the “frankenstein” with another guitar. One can also raise the question, why did Seymour only want $900 for it when he sold it to Taylor if it indeed was the #0001 Strat? Was it a symbolical price between friends or the fact that the vintage guitars phenomenon wasn’t an issue at the time? If one look at it the other way, baring in mind that Seymour knew it was a “fake” then why did he sell it for $900, which in those days was a bit too much for a seemingly ordinary guitar made up from different bits and pieces?

Nevertheless, David’s #0001 is a unique guitar in it self and while many collectors keep their items behind glass or in storage, David uses the Strat frequently and even more so during the last couple of years. The guitar was last featured on a photo session by Ross Halfin in 2006.

Sources:
- Guitarist, 1995
- Guitarist, 1986
- “The Black Strat – A History of David Gilmour’s black Fender Stratocaster” by Phil Taylor
- Seymour Duncan User Group Forum
- “The Strat Pack – Live in Concert” DVD 2004
- Live promo clips filmed for “David Gilmour” 1978
- “Comfortably Numb – A History of the Wall” by Vernon Fitch and Richard Mahon
- Thanks to Evan Skopp, Seymour Duncan VP Marketing & OEM Sales

In depth features covering some of David Gilmour’s legendary guitars, amps and effects. Learn the history of his classic black, red and white Strats, the myth about the Bill Lewis guitar and all about his classic Hiwatt/WEM/rotary setups – and more!
Miscellaneous

The Early Years 1968-69
The Early Years 1970-72

Guitars

The Black Stratocaster
The Red Stratocaster
The White Stratocaster
The #0001 Stratocaster
The Bill Lewis Guitar
Slide Guitars
Telecasters
Gibson Les Pauls

Amps

Hiwatt amps & WEM cabinets
Yamaha RA-200
Leslies, Doppolas and Rovers
Alembic F-2B preamp

Effects

Pete Cornish Animals Effects Board
Binson Echorecs
EMS Synthi Hi-Fli
Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress
Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face
Big Muff

[joeinid]

Cool Steve!

One of my brothers is a "musician". Ha! At any one time he has more guitars than I have stereo gear, if you can believe it. I never hear him play but that's another story. I'll let him see this story.

[BruceLet]

Cool Steve!

One of my brothers is a "musician". Ha! At any one time he has more guitars than I have stereo gear, if you can believe it. I never hear him play but that's another story. I'll let him see this story.

Joe.....I have a very small collection. I've downsized but I still have four guitars....five if you count my air guitar. My prize is a 1964 Brazilian Rosewood Martin 00-21. This is a dream acoustic guitar.

DYLAN

Blood On The Tracks
The guitar he used for the New York sessions for Blood On the Tracks in September 1974 was most likely the same guitar he had used for the Chilean Benefit, or at least the same model, the Martin 00-21.



118_guitar74.jpg

[BruceLet]

Thanks Steve.

[joeinid]

Amazing. I just wish I some more coordination.

Joe.....I have a very small collection. I've downsized but I still have four guitars....five if you count my air guitar. My prize is a 1964 Brazilian Rosewood Martin 00-21. This is a dream acoustic guitar.

DYLAN

Blood On The Tracks
The guitar he used for the New York sessions for Blood On the Tracks in September 1974 was most likely the same guitar he had used for the Chilean Benefit, or at least the same model, the Martin 00-21.



118_guitar74.jpg

[Petro85]

Joe.....I have a very small collection. I've downsized but I still have four guitars....five if you count my air guitar. My prize is a 1964 Brazilian Rosewood Martin 00-21. This is a dream acoustic guitar.

DYLAN

Blood On The Tracks
The guitar he used for the New York sessions for Blood On the Tracks in September 1974 was most likely the same guitar he had used for the Chilean Benefit, or at least the same model, the Martin 00-21.



118_guitar74.jpg

Awesome I just sold a hd28vr Martin think it was a 96 and a 72 d28.
An was going to buy a double o like yours but it went to my turntable Instead.lol
I still have a Taylor t5 acoustic elec. and really like it.
That sounds like a sweet Martin . I'm a fingerpicker and the double o's are about the best fit for my hands. I love em.

[BruceLet]

Awesome I just sold a hd28vr Martin think it was a 96 and a 72 d28.
An was going to buy a double o like yours but it went to my turntable Instead.lol
I still have a Taylor t5 acoustic elec. and really like it.
That sounds like a sweet Martin . I'm a fingerpicker and the double o's are about the best fit for my hands. I love em.

Steve....I don't play much anymore and when I do, I mostly play my Classical. If I were to get another acoustic, my number one choice would definitely be a Lowden. So sweet! Have you ever played one?

[Petro85]

Yes I've heard of em. But I've never played one. I often used to stop at mandolin bros in NYC anytime I was in the area. They got a great selection Now it seems I don't go there and I go to stereo stores and record shops. Lol. How priorities change.
I don't play a whole lot either anymore . Not so much I don't want to as I have no one to jam with.
I once sold off all my collector guitars, amps and all my stereo gear for real estate investment. And lost my a$$.
Which reminds me of a song" wish I knew what I know now , when I was younger"

[HiFive]

Awesome.
More than one string, is too many for me.

[voxshall]

I love Lowdens too.

[BruceLet]

I love Lowdens too.

Just got tickets to see Richard Thompson at the City Winery in NYC. A great guitarist....always plays Lowdens, He's playing one in the video above. I could listen to that kind of playing all night long.

[CPP]

Joe.....I have a very small collection. I've downsized but I still have four guitars....five if you count my air guitar. My prize is a 1964 Brazilian Rosewood Martin 00-21. This is a dream acoustic guitar.

DYLAN

Blood On The Tracks
The guitar he used for the New York sessions for Blood On the Tracks in September 1974 was most likely the same guitar he had used for the Chilean Benefit, or at least the same model, the Martin 00-21.

Dylan cool another Martin owner, how about a 1950 D-28 . I've had this guitar for most of my life.

[Cucumber_jones]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1416605078.936005.jpg. 1957 Martin d18

[CPP]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1416605078.936005.jpg. 1957 Martin d18

Nice, there is just something about an old pre-war Martin