The life and times of Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett is filled with much mystery and weirdness, so it’s fitting the guitar most closely associated with him also has a similar reputation.
This guitar was a ’60s Fender Esquire often called the “Mirror Disc Telecaster” that Barrett modified by covering the body with silver-colored mylar foil wrap and polished circular metal discs that reflected light (but weren’t actually mirrors).
Pink Floyd guitar enthusiasts often describe this guitar as a 1962 model due to its laminated rosewood fretboard (identifiable by the straight angle of the edge of rosewood protruding past the nut).
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However, highly detailed photos and video that have emerged recently clearly show that the headstock decal has three patent numbers below the “Esquire” (damaged to read “Esquipe”) name, which didn’t appear on the Esquire until 1963.
Allegedly Barrett bought this guitar brand new in either 1964 or ’65, so it’s most likely a 1964 model. The Esquire originally had a stock light blonde (almost white) finish before Barrett covered the body.
Barrett used this Esquire almost exclusively on Pink Floyd’s first singles and debut album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
It became famous in its own right during Pink Floyd’s early concerts, where the metal discs reflected lights and colors from the psychedelic light show. Barrett played it on A Saucerful of Secrets as well, but shortly after the album’s release he stopped using it for shows, preferring a white Tele he recently purchased.
In late 1968, after the release of A Saucerful of Secrets, Barrett traded his “Mirror Disc” Esquire for a black Telecaster Custom. From that point onwards, the guitar’s whereabouts have remained unknown.
It’s possible that Barrett or the person he sold it to removed all of the distinctive modifications, so even if the guitar were discovered today it would be very difficult to verify as actually being the Pink Floyd founder’s guitar.
Syd’s Esquire might be gone forever, but, as he once sang, “Isn’t it good to be lost in the wood?”
