We Could Solve It: What Guitar Did Nick Drake Use?

[Compuphonic]

The battle has raged for many years, with very reliable sources adamantly standing by their claims:

Robert Kirby: "I NEVER SAW NICK PLAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN A MARTIN D28 (or his classical Spanish) UNTIL DURING PINK MOON WHEN HE SOLD EVERYTHING AND GOT THE MARTIN 00018 WHICH BRIAN NOW HAS;" (from the forums of nickdrake.com).

Scott Appel: "The only steel-string acoustic guitar Nick Drake ever recorded with was a small-bodied Guild M-20. It is pictured on the cover of Bryter Layter. The M stands for mahogany (back and sides), and the top was burgundy-stained spruce. The advantage of smaller-bodied acoustics (as opposed to dreadnoughts) is that they're generally easier to record, with a nice balance across the tonal spectrum. Drake's guitar never required compression in the recording studio. He also recorded several pieces with a nylon-string guitar, but its identity is unknown. Most likely it was a borrowed guitar. He accompanied himself on piano on one recorded song: "Saturday Sun" (Five Leaves Left);" (Acoustic Guitar Magazine).

User named Narcissus (from forum on nickdrake.com) citing the very small pool of photos of Nick Drake: "The primary evidence shows Drake playing a Levin FG and a classical Yamaha, secondary evidence suggest a Guild M20/F40, Martin D28/0018 and a Yamaha red label FG."

Short of photos/videos of Nick recording miraculously surfacing (there aren't any videos of Drake either preforming or even as an adult for that matter (the the exception of one disputed "man from behind walking through the crowd at a festival" video)), I don't think we'll ever know for sure.

My idea is that members could make audio/videos trying to replicate Nick's music with the guitars in question and they could post them up here. Then we could all listen and try to discern for ourselves.

As much as I love Nick Drake covers, please don't submit anything using guitars not in question. And don't forget to disclose your setup (mic and guitar especially).

Keep in mind, he likely played multiple guitars throughout his career, despite the Scott Appel claim. So, when submitting videos/audio clips. try a few songs if possible.

Good luck!

[Jack Orion]

A book was published last year called 'Remembered For A While' which Gabrielle Drake worked on which is a biography of sorts with letters, essays, diary entries and memories from people who knew Nick, Nick himself, and his family.

In the book it categorically states that the Guild guitar on the front of Bryter Layter did not belong to Nick, and that it never did.

Paul Wheeler, a friend of Nick's since his university days and a fellow guitarist describes Nick as playing a 'large bodied Martin' which, in the late 60s/early 70s most likely meant a Dreadnaught. Given that his good friend John Martyn was using Martin dreadnaughts, it's not really that surprising that Nick might have owned and used one.

There's a photo in the book of the last guitar that Nick owned, a '74 000-28, and Paul specifically mentions this guitar as being smaller than the guitar nick was using previously.

Other guitars mentioned are a classical that seems to have been his first guitar, and a Yamaha nylon string.

[Compuphonic]

Originally Posted by Jack Orion

A book was published last year called 'Remembered For A While' which Gabrielle Drake worked on which is a biography of sorts with letters, essays, diary entries and memories from people who knew Nick, Nick himself, and his family.

In the book it categorically states that the Guild guitar on the front of Bryter Layter did not belong to Nick, and that it never did.

Paul Wheeler, a friend of Nick's since his university days and a fellow guitarist describes Nick as playing a 'large bodied Martin' which, in the late 60s/early 70s most likely meant a Dreadnaught. Given that his good friend John Martyn was using Martin dreadnaughts, it's not really that surprising that Nick might have owned and used one.

There's a photo in the book of the last guitar that Nick owned, a '74 000-28, and Paul specifically mentions this guitar as being smaller than the guitar nick was using previously.

Other guitars mentioned are a classical that seems to have been his first guitar, and a Yamaha nylon string.

Well, the photographic evidence points to Nick owning/playing a Levin Dreadnaught while at University which could easily be confused for a Martin (and in some ways it was a Martin).

But again, we are presented with conflicting theories based on additional reliable sources and inconclusive evidence.

[Judson]

This is certainly an ambitious quest with but a small pool of potential contributors. I hope you get some substantive responses ...

Originally Posted by Compuphonic

The battle has raged for many years, with very reliable sources adamantly standing by their claims:

Robert Kirby: "I NEVER SAW NICK PLAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN A MARTIN D28 (or his classical Spanish) UNTIL DURING PINK MOON WHEN HE SOLD EVERYTHING AND GOT THE MARTIN 00018 WHICH BRIAN NOW HAS;" (from the forums of nickdrake.com).

Scott Appel: "The only steel-string acoustic guitar Nick Drake ever recorded with was a small-bodied Guild M-20. It is pictured on the cover of Bryter Layter. The M stands for mahogany (back and sides), and the top was burgundy-stained spruce. The advantage of smaller-bodied acoustics (as opposed to dreadnoughts) is that they're generally easier to record, with a nice balance across the tonal spectrum. Drake's guitar never required compression in the recording studio. He also recorded several pieces with a nylon-string guitar, but its identity is unknown. Most likely it was a borrowed guitar. He accompanied himself on piano on one recorded song: "Saturday Sun" (Five Leaves Left);" (Acoustic Guitar Magazine).

User named Narcissus (from forum on nickdrake.com) citing the very small pool of photos of Nick Drake: "The primary evidence shows Drake playing a Levin FG and a classical Yamaha, secondary evidence suggest a Guild M20/F40, Martin D28/0018 and a Yamaha red label FG."

Short of photos/videos of Nick recording miraculously surfacing (there aren't any videos of Drake either preforming or even as an adult for that matter (the the exception of one disputed "man from behind walking through the crowd at a festival" video)), I don't think we'll ever know for sure.

My idea is that members could make audio/videos trying to replicate Nick's music with the guitars in question and they could post them up here. Then we could all listen and try to discern for ourselves.

As much as I love Nick Drake covers, please don't submit anything using guitars not in question. And don't forget to disclose your setup (mic and guitar especially).

Keep in mind, he likely played multiple guitars throughout his career, despite the Scott Appel claim. So, when submitting videos/audio clips. try a few songs if possible.

Good luck!

[RustNeverSleeps]

Ok I suppose I will be the first to say it..

My idea is that members could make audio/videos trying to replicate Nick's music with the guitars in question and they could post them up here. Then we could all listen and try to discern for ourselves.

It's a nice idea but it would never work. There are simply far too many variables, from the guitars themselves to the player to the recording equipment used to the listener's ears... literally hundreds.

I was under the impression Nick lived at home with his parents when not staying with friends in London. Surely his parents have stated at some point what guitar he owned? Best of luck with this as-yet unsolved question

[punkybub]

A Guild M-20 is an all mahogany guitar with mahogany top and mahogany b/s.

Guild's F-20 is mahogany b/s with spruce on top.

FYI...

I love acoustic guitars !

[CoolerKing]

I probably know every note of every song. Huge fan. I always thought it sounded much more like a Martin, especially on Hazy Jane I, but figured that was confirmation bias since I'm a Martin fan. To my ears most of his recordings emulate smaller body guitars, so I'm leaning 000-18.

Then again, I have a 000-18. Probably wishful thinking. I don't really have any objective evidence to add.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by Compuphonic

... As much as I love Nick Drake covers, please don't submit anything using guitars not in question. And don't forget to disclose your setup (mic and guitar especially).

Keep in mind, he likely played multiple guitars throughout his career, despite the Scott Appel claim. So, when submitting videos/audio clips. try a few songs if possible.

Good luck!

From his most famous recordings we know he played with the strings dead in open tunings, but even given that I'm pretty sure we're hearing the sound of a mahogany top. Martin made several mahogany top models, 15 and 17 series. Maybe a vintage counterpart to the modern 000-15? Or maybe even a 0000-15 (or 17... did such a beast ever exist?) Regarding the guitars he owned and performed with, we can't use that as a guide for what he recorded with since most studios have guitars and often producers will recommend a certain guitar for the track... Producers Joe Boyd (Five Leaves Left) and John Wood (Pink Moon) are both still alive. Between the two of them you would think a firm answer could be given as to what guitar was used at least for some of his most iconic studio tracks.

[zombywoof]

Richard Thompson who accompanied Drake on his first two LPs once stated the only guitar he saw Drake use was a small body Guild.

I gather Drake used a nylon string guitar on Pink Moon after which he sold the Guild and played a Martin. I thought it was a D-28 but others say he owned the Martin along with the Guild and then sold them both and bought a Martin 000-18.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Richard Thompson who accompanied Drake on his first two LPs once stated the only guitar he saw Drake use was a small body Guild.

I gather Drake used a nylon string guitar on Pink Moon after which he sold the Guild and played a Martin. I thought it was a D-28 but others say he owned the Martin along with the Guild and then sold them both and bought a Martin 000-18.

What he used in the studio on those iconic tracks is what he will be forever remembered for. That's the Nick Drake sound.

[Jpdca]

I own a 1962 Guild M20. I like to think that when I play "Introduction" from Bryter Layter that it sounds pretty close to the record.

I also believe that he probably played a gut-string guitar (the classical Yamaha guitar?) on some of the Family Tree tracks. Llisten to Blossom and All my trials and you'll hear what I mean. It's got an unmistakable tone when you listen for it.

For what it's worth, I used to own a 1969 Yamaha FG-300 that absolutely nailed the tone of "Fly". So, I agree that you can get the Nick Drake tone with different tools if you're open minded.

A life's work could be made chasing his tone and his finger style!

[guitom]

I love Nick Drake but have never been too curious about this issue; however, I'm inclined to believe anything Richard Thompson says.

[mc1]

interesting that peope can't clearly differentiate between a d28, a 00018, a guild m-20, and a leven fg simply by listening to the recordings.

what's that tell you?

[rmpmcdermott]

Originally Posted by mc1

interesting that peope can't clearly differentiate between a d28, a 00018, a guild m-20, and a leven fg simply by listening to the recordings.

what's that tell you?

It tells me that there are hundreds of other factors when recording that could make a guitar sound different than its tone in the room.

[jpd]