Hal Leonard Releases <em>Pink Floyd: The Black Strat A History of David Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster</em>

Few guitars conjure up the rich imagery of David Gilmour's prized black Fender Stratocaster. Its tone is the stuff of legend — the first few notes off of Dark Side of the Moon's "Time" speak volumes. And rock historians have chronicled in-depth the arduous takes that went into crafting the solo off of The Wall's "Comfortably Numb" — the climactic moment of the legendary double album. The story of Gilmour's prized favorite guitar transcends mere tech-talk.

As David Gilmour's longtime guitar tech and confidant author Phil Taylor is in the unique position to share insight into the guitar and its evolution through the various stages of Pink Floyd's career. From replacing Syd Barrett and shows at the legendary UFO Club in 1968 to purchasing the original black Strat in 1970 through Dark Side of The Moon, The Wall, Wish You Were Here, and into the annals of rock'n'roll history as Gilmour's defined the tenor of an era.

The Black Strat includes hundreds of rare and never before seen photos of the band as well as a wealth of new insight and information about the band, their gear, their time on the road, and what went into the making of some of their most groundbreaking and seminal recordings. Longtime Pink Floyd artistic collaborators Hipgnosis — the design studio responsible for the lion's share of the band's artwork over the years — provide the stunning wraparound cover art.

The release of this thoroughly comprehensive book coincides with Fender™ Guitars' launch of the signature edition David Gilmour Black Stratocaster which is manufactured to the exact specifications and replicates the look, set-up, sound, and feel of the original black Strat. A limited amount of guitars will come with a copy of the book and they are all loaded up with GHS Strings' Gilmour gauge strings. Gilmour also is set to release his new solo record Live in Gdansk through Columbia Records in the fall.

About the Author: Phil Taylor has been working with David Gilmour since he was 22 years old. He was put in charge of all the band's on stage and studio gear in 1974 and for the past three decades has worked closely with David Gilmour and the rest of Pink Floyd on every project. He currently resides in London.

MSRP $29.95.