Guitars:
Nigel's collection, as seen in DiBergi's film, is impressive.
"They're like people to me." In a 1984 interview, he
said his collection consisted of 112 guitars, mandolins and basses,
including two Strat-style Tom Andersons, a 1946 herringbone Martin
D-28, Guild 12-string, Gibson Chet Atkins Solidbody Classic, two
1958 Flying V's ("they're like birds"), custom-made
Tele, Gretsch Chet Atkins, Hofner Verythin, a rare Kafinetti,
and the one and only Marshall NT stack 6-string. During Tap's
1992 tour, Nigel took 50 guitar stands and 150 guitars on the
road, including 28 acoustics and 35 Strats. (GW) As viewers of
"This is Spinal Tap" know, some of the guitars are so
delicate they cannot even be pointed at. The guitar that can hold
its sustain even when unplugged is Nigel's 1959 Sunburst; the
guitar he's playing when he needs a bit of a push from Moke to
stand during a performance is his 1955 Les Paul Gold Top with
stock pickups. He has since concluded that guitar is too heavy.
"That's what happened in the film-not that it ever happened
before or after-when I fell down and couldn't get up again."
(GW) As for David's guitar history, he started out with a Big
Ben, the same nylon-stringed instrument with which Nigel began
his musical training. David acquired his second guitar, a four-string
tenor by the German maker Nibbleng, at age 12 or 13, but he sanded
the Kingston Trio photo from the side out of embarrassment. His
first electric guitar was a JimElectro, and he now also owns Les
Paul Deluxe, white Gibson SG, Fender Telecaster (decorated with
adhesive tape), and Gibson J-160 (purchased in 1965). (HS) On
the commentary of the Special Edition DVD, Nigel said he had sold
off some of his guitars and given others to charity. See also
Big Ben; Fender
6-String Bass; Hair-popping; Jazz Odyssey; Mandolin;
Picks; Solos;
Violin; The
Who; Yardbirds.