From Syd's Rickenbacker Jangle to Gilmour's Strat Sustain: When Did Pink Floyd Actually Make the Switch?

The answer is both yes and no. A Saucerful of Secrets is the first album where Gilmour’s Fender Stratocaster shares space with Syd’s Rickenbacker 330/12, and the contrast is immediate. Tracks like “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” already lean into Gilmour’s cleaner, more sustained lines—there’s a bluesier touch in his phrasing, especially when he uses fuzz or delay to stretch notes out. But the album is still a patchwork: “Jugband Blues” is pure Syd jangle, while the title track is a collective jam that doesn’t fully commit to either guitar identity.

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