Careful with that Axe...

Yannis is responsible for the guitars & bass instruments, and for the whole related gear. As a professional guitar tech and as a guitar pickup manufacturer (www.gaspickups.com), he has carefully studied for years the studio sound(s) of sir David Gilmour, especially those of the first albums. For Yannis, the epitome of DG sound is presented on “Animals” and “David Gilmour” (DG’s first solo album). The “Live at Pompeii” is for him also a milestone of DG’s sound, however of a totally different one.

To fullfil the needs on instruments, Yannis has created no less than 4 versions of the famous Black Strat, using carefully selected and tested parts (by Fender and other manufacturers), and building each version together based on its details. A great help here was “The Black Strat” book by Mr. Phil Taylor, DG’s long time tech (Hal Leonard Pub.). Further guitars (Tellys, a special modified Les Paul Goldtop, a Red Strat and a Lap Steel) are also properly setup & configured. Since October 2014, most of these (meanwhile ten!) guitars feature GAS pickups, designed, handwound and assembled by Yannis.

The photo below shows Yannis' electric guitars, which are modified and setup especially for the Pink Floyd tribute project. Under each guitar image, PF album covers of the related featuring period are shown.

Referring to the very first edition of the Black Strat, this is an alder/MN strat. However, the neck is not an one-piece maple, but has a so called “Maple Cap” which provides a very distinctive attack and very deep, rich tone, very clearly to hear on the Pompeii Live. Used for the 1970-72 period songs.

Tech Talk: The custom ordered neck is a Warmoth one, with Birdseye maple back & maple cap (22 Dunlop 6105 frets, Graphtech tusq nut and compound radius 10” to 16”), and is extremely comfortable to play. Body is made of old US red alder.

The Pompeiicaster features a full matched GAStone pickup set, which delivers that end-60’s “Hendrix-esque” sound, with pristine highs and huge dynamics! Further, the guitar features 250k vol pot and 250 tone pot s (on neck/mid and bridge pickups) w/Luxe 50nF/100V ceramic cap (“large disc”).

When sir David swapped the original maple-cap neck of his black strat with the rosewood neck of his 59/63 one, the sound changed radically! Smoother attack, huge, vocal overtones, wider frequency range. It’s obvious that a main reason for this was that particular, old neck with the adored Brazilian Rosewood on it!!!

For this case, Yannis put his old Fender® Braz board neck on a Rockinger US alder body, fine-tuned the electrics, and the result is by far the best strat he ever had! The guitar covers anything between DSOTM and DG’s first album, and far beyond.

Tech talk: Yannis’ has two similar "All Black” Strats, but his main one (pictured here) is made after the 1977 version. It has a RW neck and a Rockinger US-alder body. The neck features an old Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, new 6105 Dunlop frets, bone nut and 9,5” radius.

It further features the crystal clear "GASparkle '71" pickups (designed, assembled and handwound by Yannis) on neck and mid positions. These deliver that early 70's super clean sound. On bridge position Yannis developed a special, more "meaty" pickup, called "GAS & Them" based on the Dimarzio® FS-1, however with a double wiring feature: The pickup features an inner and an outer coil, which provide the sound of early -mid '70s and late '70s respectively!

The electrics feature a 250k vol pot, a 250k master tone pot w/Luxe 100nF/100V ceramic cap (“large disc”), and a special rotary switch for the bridge pickup. This rotary switch switches between inner and outer bridge pickup coils, choses different tone flavours to the bridge pickup, including also a humbucker kind of (a specific trick from Yannis’ lab). The feature is being used for example on “Money”, in order to simulate the (used in the studio version) Lewis guitar sound. Last-not-least there is a switchable treble-bleed circuit for the master volume.

The second All Black strat (to be pictured soon) is similar, but with an old 1982 Fender RW neck, a 1988 Fender red alder body a full GASparkle '71 set. It is based on the '75 version of the original guitar.

A very specific Black Strat version, with 4 pickups (3 single coils and a humbucker put between the mid and bridge pickups). This matches to a version that sir David Gilmour had for about 6 months in 1973. The Humbocaster is used only on DSOTM songs.

Tech talk: The Humbocaster has a Rockinger RW neck (22 medium jumbo frets, Graphtech tusq nut and 9,5” radius), and a Fender® MIM alder body. It features a GAStone set. The PAFish humbucker (GAS PAFoid B) provides a fat sound when operated alone. However it’s not like the sound of a "contemporary power strat" (with a humbucker on bridge position) due to the different positioning of the humbucker. A 250k vol pot, a 500k no-load pot with a Sprague orange drop 22nF cap, and a push push pot (for choosing between the mid single coil pickup and the humbucker) complete the circuit.

This is the version similar to the "Wall period" Black Strat, with an one piece maple neck. Used on songs from the Wall album and the post-Wall period.

Tech talk: Yannis’ “Wall” Black strat features a Fender® MIM one piece maple neck with 21 vintage frets, bone nut and 7,25” radius, and a 1988 original Fender® US alder body. The sound of the guitar comes out very clean, following the 1979 specs (and NOT those of the current Custom Signature model of Fender®). It features "GASparkle '71" pickups on neck and mid positions, and a "GAS & Them" on bridge position. The electrics feature a 250k vol pot and a 250 no-load master tone pot with a Sprague “Orange drop” 22nF cap.

Here's a Fender® 50's style Telecaster, super light weight! Mostly used for "Run like Hell", and other songs.

Tech Talk: This is a MIM Classic series 50's Telly, with an one-oiece maple neck and a swamp ash body. It is very lightweight (due to the swamp ash) and has a really big sound with fast attack in all pickup positions: On neck position there is a GASweet, which provides a very full, round, almost PAFish neck telly tone. On bridge position is a GAS "NoGASter" bridge pickup, that delivers that raw, dirty sound with lots of character and harmonics! CTS 250k vol & tone pots, and a chicklet 100mF cap from Luxe are used.

A very specific Alder/RW Custom Telecaster, created mainly for “Dogs”. As on the original, the main “Dogs” rhythm parts are played on D-tuning (DGCFAD). However, in order for the lead parts to be played correctly, Yannis added a 22nd fret on the guitar's fretboard.

Tech talk: The Animals Telly has a Rockinger RW neck (21 vintage frets, bone nut, 7,25” radius), and a Rockinger US alder body (double bound, in 3-tone sunburst color). The guitar features a GAStone single coil pickup on neck, as David Gilmour’s Tele version at the time, and a TwanGAS on bridge (modelled after an original Fender® 1953 Telly bridge pickup), 250k volume pot, 250k tone pot, Sprague orange drop 22nF cap.

A regular, cheap Gretsch lap steel, however completely modified in its electrics, with a GAS PAFoid M humbucker pickup, 500k vol pot, split switch and a Shadow kill-pot. Tuned on EBDGBE w/13-56 string gauge. The pickup is splitable with the "GAS true split" option, featuring a third dummy coil underneath its chassis, which allows splitting with no hum and no loss in output.
Used on certain tunes (“One of these days”, “The Great Gig in the Sky”, “Shine on you crazy diamond Part VI”, “High hopes”, etc.).

Exclusively for the PF project, Yannis discussed a lot with his old friend, top bass player and bass collector (with over 140 basses!!!) John Grigoriou. Following John’s advice, Yannis acquired a 1975 Fender® Precision bass, a top instrument in John's collection, which indeed has an AMAZING sound!

Tech talk: The bass features an extremely lightweight swamp ash body and a maple neck with Brazilian rosewood fretboard, all full nitro finished! All parts, including the electrics and the hard case, are original, ecept the pickup which is a heavy, yet transparently sounding P-GAS '60s, made by Yannis. The body has a very rare, yet typical 70's, "mocca brown" finish. It plays like butter and provides 100% THAT specific sound (think "Live at Pompeii"), especially when played by Kostas with a pick. it also features a Hipshot D-drop tune on the E-string, in order to easily switch to drop D tuning for ABITW.

Further upon, a Fender® MIM Classic 50's bass was acquired, mostly as a backup, but to also deliver that special tone of a maple fretboard.

Tech talk: The bass has an alder body and an one-piece maple neck. Yannis put a GAS P-70's pickup (AlNiCo 5 rods) on it, and he further replaced the cheap electrics with high grade ones.

Yannis decided to move the hard way and provide for each Pink Floyd song to be performed, the closest possible sound(s).

After a few years using full digital equipment, he started desinging a hybrid board, which would combine analog sounds with digital effects and sophisticated routing/programming.

It's not easy to have a single, complete, stable board/system that covers the entire PF period in terms of guitar sounds, since David Gilmour changed his equipment through the years.

After chosing the proper analog overdrive/fuzzboxes, Yannis carefully chose the effects (see below for more details). Analog effects are combined with the TC Electronics Nova System, a very good effects unit, which also offers nice, usable analog overdrive sounds. The whole system is being managed by a G-Lab GSC-2 MIDI switcher/Analog Looper, and supports the "one sound per preset" philosophy. last-not-least, a Roland EV-5 expression pedal provides overall volume level control, between rhythm and lead levels.

1. Analog overdrives

For the first period and up to DSOTM, Yannis uses the CTC Constellation Multi Fuzz, a BC108 based fuzz pedal made by CTC, a Greek pedal manufacturing company. Depending on the preset used, the Fuzz voicing is being corrected by the Nova System parametric equalizer.

For the early 70's & WSWH period the Colorboost is used, a tremendous clone of the original Colorsound® Power Booster (1972 version, with NOS BC 169C & BC 184C transistors), made by TSL, a further Greek pedal effects company. For futher mild overdrive sounds, the Colorboost is used as a booster in front of the on-board overdrive TC Nova System.

For the later periods (post 1977), and in order to achieve some proper Muff sounds, Yannis uses a 1967 Big Muff® clone, also made by TSL.

As a general booster, a Lehle® Julian is used, which boosts certain mids on some presets Colorboost, Muff and the Nova overdrive. Julian features the ability to run it with a Low input impedance, which makes the reaction between the guitar and the booster very old-school (as with an old treble booster).

2. Rotary

Some effects are very critical for the DG sounds of the 70's, as e.g. the rotary effect. Yannis tested a few high grade rotary generators, but most of them lacked a good mix option, and so they made the guitar sound just as an organ. However, DG sounds need a mixing option for the dry and rotary signal, in order to obtain the well-know DG chorus effect. Yannis chose the StonedHz effect, also made by Crazy Tube Cirquits (CTC). The pedal offers 2 independent effect engines, one used for the rotary chorus effect and one for the required vibrato! If you have ever used a real Leslie, you may have realized that, apart from the chorus effect, the rotating horns move rapidly, even if very decent, away and then back closer to your ears, and so, you also need a volume vibrato effect to complete the correct simulation. StonedHz offers that in a perfect manner, since it also allows synchronization of the two engines. Last-not-least, a proper mix allows the desired mixing between the bypass and effect signal.

3. U-Vibe

A U-Vibe effect is being used mostly on the DSOTM songs (as "Breathe", etc). Yannis chose the CTC STP which offers a very nice, deep U-Vibe effect

4. Time modulation effects

For Chorus, Flanger and Phaser effects, the on board engines of the TC Electronics Nova System. Combined with the StonedHz Rotary, you get really faithfull sounds, especially of the WYWH & Animals era. Further upon, a Mooer Electric Lady analog Flanger is connected after the TSL Big Muff and acitvated on demand for those Wall and 80's FG sounds.

5. Delays & reverbs

Since the Nova System integrates the whole 2290 delay machine (also used by DG for a long time), the desired delay & analog echo effects were easy to obtain. But, it was the NS reverberator that was really a revelation!!!! Combined with the proper routing inside the NS, which allows parallel usage of delay & reverb sounds, truely pristine clean and differentiated sounds are possible.

6. Further effects.

A Vox 847 wah, reversed connected, is being used for the whale effect on "Echoes". For violin effects, the Slow Engine by Mooer® is used.

The whole system is being connected to a Marshall Plexi 50 Watts amp.

Concerning speakers, Yannis owns several 12" speakers, as EV-L200, Celestion Greenbacks (25W), & V30s (65W), and last-not-least, two old Fane Classic 12/50's (UK made in the 70's, 100% mint condition!!!). The combination of different speakers offers really outstanding results, especially in medium to large venues. For large venues he uses his old Marshall 4x12" TV 1960 cab with Greenbacks, and in medium/smaller venues he prefers a custom made Thiele style 1x12" cab equipped with an EV L-200 Classic speaker.

The amp sound is being taken from its speakers by Sennheiser e906 large diaphragm microphones. The e906 allows a very wide spectrum of the frequencies to be carried out to the PA system, a must-have when playing Floyd tunes!!!

Yannis further uses a small pedalboard for creating acoustic guitar sounds with his electric guitars. This includes Boss pedals (AC-3 acoustic simulator, GE-7 equalizer, CH-1 chorus) and Lehle routers/switchers in order to switch between electric-, acoustic-, or both sounds during performing. Last, but definitely not least, an MXR talk-box (integrated on the same board) is used for songs as "Pigs" & "Keep Talking".

For songs where only an acoustic guitar is needed, Yannis uses his Taylor 150 12 string acoustic (equpped with Taylor expression 2 preamp), over a small pedalboard with a TC Electronics polytune tuner, an RMI Acouswitch Hi End (with integrated 2 ch. preamp, EQ, looper, D.I. Box), and a Line 6 reverb pedal.

Further equipment used:

Cables: MTI 122TP70 w/Neutrik jacks

Strings: Elixir .011s & .012s

Picks: Dunlop Big Stubbies, 3mm

Straps: Levys & Ernie Ball

DC power supplier: T-Rex & Fame

Slides & Tone bars: Dunlop

George simply uses his trusted NORD Stage 1 & 2 keyboards. Taking advantage of the machine's capabilites, especially the good modelling of the original sound generators, he has programmed all required sounds for each song as precise as possible.

On demand he uses also his old Fender Rhodes, along with the NORD ones, and he also uses his iPad through the P.A. for loops on certain songs (Speak to Me, Time intro, Money intro, etc.).

George doesn't use a separate keyboard amp, but connects his keyboards straight to the mixer and uses the PA stage monitors for listening to his playing.

Mike is responsible for the technical aspects on the drums sound in Backtrackin'. Being a very experienced drummer and drum tech, he carefully picked and matched the equipment for the Pink Floyd project.

During rehearsals Mike is using his old Tama Royal Star set, with some special toms (by Gabriel), and also a Remo Roto-Toms set and a Roland SPD-20 pads section for all FX (Gong sounds, chimes and bells, dog barks, etc.). He also has a collection of old Paiste cymbals and newer Istanbul ones, that he also prefers to use for that distinctive, "old style" Pink Floyd sound. Last not least, a good collection of sticks (incl. rods, brushes, and beaters) is there, for those Nick Mason's different hits and voicings, especially for the songs of the first PF period.

Usually most of the venues do offer (as part of the backline) a primary drum set (including mostly a bass drum, toms, stand tom and hardware). Mike asks for at least three cymbal stands (apart from the hihat stand), and always has with him, his old cymbals, his favorite snare drum (Pearl "Ian Paice" signature), the Roto Toms and the SPD-20 pads.

Disclaimer: All companies (and their registered product names) that are mentioned here (Fender, Strat, Tele, Precision bass, Gibson Les Paul, Rockinger, Line6, Electro Voice, Celestion, Fane, Marshall, Sennheiser, Digitech, Taylor, Warmoth, Luxe, Sprague, GraphTech, T-Rex, Elixir, Fame, Ernie Ball, Dunlop, MTI, Neutrik, Levys, Kinman, DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, Gretsch, TC Electronic, TSL, NORD, Roland, Boss, Morley, MXR, Paiste, Istanbul, Pearl, Ludwig, Gabriel, Tama, Remo, etc.) are IN NO WAY associated with-, or related to Backtrackin'.... We're just happy to own and use all this great gear for this project!!!!