Face it. You can never have enough effects. Imagine Andy Summers Of The Police without echo, flanging, compression. Hendrix without his Fuzz-Face,Wha, and Uni-Vibe. How about U2 with no effects? It’s their whole sound fer chrissake! Or is it?

Kevin Shields, of My Bloody Valentine, laughed when asked how many effects pedals he owned. ‘Hundreds,’ he said. He only uses 30 onstage, he added.

A sample of David Gilmour’s gear:

Univox Uni-Vibe, MXR DDL digital delay, Lexicon PCM-70, t.c. electronic 2290, Boss CS-2 Sustainer,MXR Dyna Comp, Ibanez CP9 Compressor-Limiter, Boss Hyperfuzz, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, Two Chandler Industries Tube Drivers, Three Boss Graphic Equalizers

I got a great lesson in how a terrific player gets a great sound at an early stage in my playing years. I was invited to a jam session and this guy named Thurman came with a crappy guitar that you would expect to find at a dollar store, never mind a music store. Thurman plugged in that piece of shit and proceeded to make every guitar player in the room look like rank amateurs. One of the most beautiful tones I’ve ever heard. Ahhh! I thought to myself, it’s not the gear, it’s the player and the connection the player makes with the instrument.

Back to the Floydian string wizard. When asked how David Gilmour got his sound, Phil Taylor, Mr. Gilmour’s guitar tech, replied, “I think it’s just pretty much him. He is obviously using a couple of effects, like a Big Muff and a delay, but it really is just his fingers, his vibrato, his choice of notes and how he sets his effects. I find it extraordinary when people think they can copy his sound by duplicating his gear. In reality, no matter how well you duplicate the equipment, you will never be able to duplicate the personality.”

So, how do you get your sound? I’d love to hear from you!