the Guitars of Prince 1977-2016

Three of Prince’s guitars made it onto his album covers. For Sign O’ The Times Jeff Katz photographed Prince with a seemingly discarded peach cloud. On MPLSound art director Anthony Malzone rendered a blue Strat for the cover. The third guitar is more difficult to find – it is hidden behind the symbol on the cover of “Love Symbol”. This is the Washburn EA44.

The symbol on the cover of Love Symbol hides Prince’s guitar.

The model number EA44 has been used by Washburn a few times since introducing the Festival series guitars in the early 80s. This version is a slim-bodied electro-acoustic guitar that was built by Washburn in the early 1990s. It has the familiar shape of other Festival series Washburns, and is equipped with Equis II pre-amplification, which included both a standard jack and XLR output. It came in Black, Tobacco Burst and Natural variants. This was one of the premium guitars in Washburn’s range, and in 1993 the retail price was US$999.99.

I don’t know how Prince came by his EA44, but it makes its first and last appearance in the official promo video for “7”. The cover of the Love Symbol album is actually a still taken from that video, with Prince and Mayte in the centre of a group of children, and he’s holding the EA44. It’s hard to make out the details of the guitar, so I went to the official video for “7” where it is much easier to see it. There’s no doubt it is the EA44.

Captured from “7”

The Paisley Park Guitar and Bass book has a couple of high quality photos of the EA44, but the details that go with the photos don’t quite add up. The text says that the guitar can be seen in the “My Name Is Prince” video, but I can’t find it anywhere (of course we do know that the Cloud Bass pops up in that video, albeit upside down). They also say that the heart mirror on the body of the guitar dates back to the Lovesexy era, but this version of the guitar was not in production until the 90s, so that’s not correct. I can see that it might have been mixed up with the guitar in the Glam Slam video (the Sigma SE-19) that also has a heart mirror on the body. Unfortunately the Guitar and Bass book has let us down, I’m hoping there will be a revised edition in the future as there are quite a few corrections that need to be made.

Detailed photos are available in the Paisley Park Exhibition Series Guitar and Bass book, now available here

I’ve been searching for an EA44 since my first visit to Paisley Park in 2017. The guitar appeared in the Lovesexy room directly accessed from the atrium, which itself doesn’t quite make sense, as we know it’s not the guitar he was using at that time. I was able to get up close and confirm the model number, and then my searches started. In two and a half years I only found one example for sale, and fortunately for me it was in the UK and in great condition, and I’ve added it to my collection. Without the heart mirror the guitar is not instantly recognisable, so you may be able to find it at a reasonable price, but be prepared for a long wait.

Prince - A studio used acoustic guitar to headline March guitar auction

A signed statement of provenance from Sylvia Massy, on headed paper dated November 23 2020 accompanies the guitar declaring: 'I am writing this letter to confirm the authenticity of this Fender Gemini II acoustic guitar as the main production acoustic that Prince used on the album 'Diamonds and Pearls'. As an official engineer on the project, I recorded and mixed several songs during the recording of 'Diamonds and Pearls' and witnessed Prince's performances using this Fender Gemini II. I have saved the instrument as a memento from our sessions from 1991 to 1994 and am pleased to have the guitar preserved as a historical artifact from Prince's amazing popular musical career. Also included is a copy of the album in CD format.'

Sylvia Massy is an acclaimed American producer, mixer and engineer having worked with artists such as Prince, Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The ‘unconventional producer’ was even offered a permanent job at Paisley Park Studios, which she politely declined. Sylvia reflects on her time with Prince and how he came to use the Fender Gemini II in a Gear Stories article at mixonline.com (https://www.mixonline.com/recording/gear-stories-sylvia-massy-prince-and-gemini-ii-366174)

Massy explains: “In anticipation of engineering a particular Prince date, I once brought extra guitars to the studio — one of them being my cheap little Fender Gemini II acoustic. I was a bit embarrassed for it against the row of polished, tuned and beautifully tweaked rental guitars on the session, so I stuck my Gemini II in the corner out of sight. It was untuned, had old strings and no stand. I knew that whatever instrument Prince reached for had to be tuned, plugged in and ready to record, or he was outta there.

It would figure that Prince pulled out that damn Gemini II. I was horrified. I imagined him throwing it down on the floor and storming out of the studio because it was not properly prepared for him. Instead, I was shocked to witness Prince playing flawless rhythm and even solo parts, bending the individual strings to the right pitch as he fretted chords effortlessly. He compensated with his fingers to bring the instrument in tune and the guitar sang like it had a fresh set of strings.

That acoustic sounded great on the track “Walk Don’t Walk.” It did just what it’s best for — keeping an even percussive rhythm throughout the song. Prince used the Gemini II on several other songs, and at the end of the sessions he casually directed his crew to pack the guitar up into one of his road cases. I don’t think he realized it was mine and assumed the rental company would just charge him for it. I noticed what Prince was doing, and said, “Excuse me, you can buy one of your own for $200; they aren’t that expensive.” He smiled at me, and said, “But I want this one.”

The dreadnought-shaped Fender Gemini II six-string acoustic is really nothing special, or so I thought. Prince had a thing for that guitar. You’ll hear it on the Diamonds and Pearls album. Originally manufactured in Korea in the late ’80s, the guitar features a mahogany back and spruce top. It’s a budget guitar — dry sounding, very woody. Not sparkling, not shimmering, more like a chugging. Just a very plain acoustic. I generally use it to fill out rhythm tracks in rock songs, more as a percussion instrument, like a shaker.

Acoustic guitars can play multiple roles in album recording, either as a melodic voice or as a percussive instrument. It is not always necessary to have the deepest, most resonant tone in an acoustic guitar; in fact, for percussive needs, you may want the guitar to sound almost like a washboard! An Underrated Studio Essential.

No, you can’t have my guitar! A stuffed chair and a low-cost acoustic for Prince.

At the end of 1992 I had a Billboard Top 25 single with Green Jello’s “Three Little Pigs.” I had also been asked to produce a new band called Tool. At the same time, Prince offered me a job at his Paisley Park Studios in Minnesota. It was a great opportunity, but I decided to remain in Los Angeles. After declining his job offer, I never heard from Prince again. No, I never sold him that guitar and most of my clients today who use the Fender Gemini II could never imagine its stressful, difficult and incredibly magical heritage!”…..

The Guitar appears on guitarcloud.org, a website dedicated to Prince’s equipment archive. The Fender Gemini is listed as the acoustic instrument of choice. (http://www.guitarcloud.org/era/diamonds-and-pearls)

OldFriends4Sal e	I love a large number of Prince's guitars and styles This is one that is simple but I'm visually drawn to it
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OldFriends4Sal e	Jeff Levin’s late-1960s business cards, found buried in an envelope that also contained a June 9, 1971, Byrds backstage pass to the Fillmore East. Photo courtesy of Matt Umanov
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emesem	The best thing is the Prince was not a guitar snob. He basically played whatever he thought looked cool. Telecaster copies, Vox guitar, off the rack Strats with a floyd no less. Sure once he got famous he had the custom jobs done for him (cloud and symbol) but again it was just about the look. He'd laugh at anyone who spends $$$$ for a cloud or mad cat replica.....which of course I have.
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OldFriends4Sal e	Did Prince ever play that heart shaped guitar live?
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OldFriends4Sal e	nayroo2002 said: The "Cloud" is the most iconic (4 Prince) THE MOST!!
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