David Gilmour’s latest solo album, Rattle That Lock, feature some beautiful guitar work and quite a lot of new sounds. The studio setup is a departure from the familiar Pete Cornish boards and a return to experimenting with both old and new stompboxes, as well as a range of different amps and guitars.
Rattle That Lock was mainly recorded in David’s new recording studio, Medina, located in Hove, Brighton. Parts were also recorded at his farm in Sussex and the houseboat, Astoria.
Pink Floyd’s Endless River (2014) was recorded simultaneously with Rattle That Lock and the equipment and even some of the sounds overlap, making an interesting link between the two albums. See the Rattle That Lock tour 2015 gear guide for a rundown of David’s current stage rig.
Effect pedals recording sessions
Top row
Effectrode Fire Bottle (modified with additional knob for trim pot)
Effectrode PC-2A Compressor (modified with additional knob for trim pot)
Origin Effects Cali 76 Compressor
Demeter Compulator
Origin Effects Slide Rig Compact Deluxe Compressor
Effectrode Helios Fuzz
Peterson Stomp Classic tuner
BK Butler Tube Driver (Tube 1)
Lehle parallel L
Blackstar HT-Dist
Middle row
Effectrode Tube Drive
Seymour Duncan Twin Tube Blue
BK Butler Tube Driver (Tube 2)
Boss GE-7 equalizer
MXR Phase 90
Electro Harmonix (1976-77) Electric Mistress
Boss Fet Amplifier FA-1 (assigned to Electric Mistress)
Bottom row
Effectrode Tube-Vibe
Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter Tap Tremolo
Coloursound Powerboost (original non-master volume)
Custom master volume control for Powerboost
TRex Replica
Providence Chrono Delay
Boss DD-2 digital delay
Additional units recording sessions
Binson Echorec 2
Conn Strobo Tuner ST-11
TC Electronic D Two Multitap Rhythm Delay
Fulltone Deja Vibe
Digitech WH-1 Whammy
DeArmond Volume Pedal
Custom routing switching system for the pedal rack
Pete Cornish All Tubes MKII pedal board
David’s 2006 pedal board is seen used on several sessions for Rattle That Lock, including for the song 5 A.M. It is not documented where he actually recorded with the board, or if it was used for the filming of the documentary. See the Live in Gdansk 2006 gear guide for a complete documentation of the board.
Guitars and amps recording sessions
Fender Stratocaster The Black Strat
– 1969 black alder body with black pickguard, Fender 1983 57 reissue maple neck and Fender 1971 neck and middle pickups and a Seymour Duncan custom SSL-1 bridge pickup.
Gibson Les Paul Gold Top
– 1956 model with Gibson P-90 pickups and Bigsby tremolo system.
Gretsch Duo Jet
– 1950s model with Bigsby tremolo system.
Fender Esquire Workmate
– 1955 sunburst ash body with black pickguard and maple neck. Fitted with a custom Seymour Duncan neck pickup.
Fender Deluxe lap steel
– Blonde, stock pickups. Open G chord tuning (D G D G B E).
Taylor NS74 acoustic nylon string guitar
Taylor acoustic steel string guitar
Martin D-35 acoustic steel string guitar
Martin 1945 D-18 acoustic steel string guitar
Note: David’s Medina (Brighton) recording studio feature a wide range of different guitars, some of which were also used on the Endless River sessions. I’ve only listed the ones that can be confirmed from footage from the Rattle That Lock recording sessions and interviews with David Gilmour. He might have used other guitars as well.
Fender 1958 Tweed Twin
Hiwatt SA212
– loaded with Fane Crescendo 12? speakers
Fender Tremolux
Fender Champ
Magnatone 260
Gibson tweed Ranger
Leslie G27
Alessandro Redbone Special
– driving the Leslie G27
Yamaha RA-200
Alembic F-2B preamp
– driving the Yamaha rotating speaker cabinet
Note: There are no official sources confirming which amps David did use for the Rattle That Lock recording sessions. I’ve listed what can be spotted in his Medina (Brighton) studio but he most likely only used a couple of these, including the rotary cabinets.
Guitar and amp setup
All pedals and amps are connected with Evidence Audio Lyric HC patch and instrument cables. All amps are mic’ed with Neumann U87s, Neumann KM86 and Shure SM7 for Yamaha RA200 cabinet and Neumann KM84 and Sennheiser MD421 for the Leslie G27.
See the Rattle That Lock tour 2015 gear guide for a rundown of David’s current stage rig.
Acknowledgements and credits
Official Rattle That Lock EPK, Official Endless River EPK, Amazon Front Row 2015 interview with David Gilmour, Guitarist Magazine (issue 390), video and photographs from studio sessions and tour rehearsals, Brighton Centre pre-tour warm up gig September 5th 2015, European tour 2015, David Gilmour Gear Forum.