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Comfortably Numb (Live) — Pink Floyd1 / 2
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Comfortably Numb (Live) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd · 1970s · rock

live

Original Recording

Guitar
1969 Fender Stratocaster (alder body) with late-'70s Charvel birdseye maple neck
Pickups
DiMarzio FS-1 single-coil (bridge), 1971 Fender Stratocaster single-coils (middle and neck)
Amp
circa 1973-74 custom Hiwatt DR103 100-watt head (linked channel input) with WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cabinet (Fane Crescendo 12A speakers)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Live setup, Pink Floyd, late 1970s/early 1980s era. Settings and gear confirmed for live performances of 'Comfortably Numb' riff section. Pickup engage switch allowed bridge+neck or bridge only; main riff typically bridge pickup. Effects chain includes classic Big Muff fuzz and compression. No chorus/flanger on riff, only on solos. No acoustic guitar in riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
5.5
Bass
6.5
Gain
6
Reverb
3.5
Treble
5.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • MXR Dyna Comp · compression
  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (c. 1974 Ram's Head) · fuzz

Guitar → MXR Dyna Comp → Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi → Hiwatt DR103 head → WEM 4x12 cabinet (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • punchy and articulate
  • mid-gain fuzz with clarity
  • rich sustain
  • British-voiced clean headroom
  • slight compression for even dynamics
  • warm but defined
  • touch-sensitive response
  • clear note separation
  • not overly saturated
  • classic rock rhythm clarity

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Settings are from Guitar World and reflect live-era Hiwatt DR103 usage; minor variations may exist between different live performances.
  • ⚠️No explicit numeric reverb setting found; estimated as moderate (3/10) based on typical Hiwatt use and live ambience.
  • ⚠️Pedal settings for MXR Dyna Comp and Big Muff are from studio/live rig rundowns; actual live pedalboard may have slight setting differences.
  • ⚠️No chorus/flanger or rotary speaker used in riff section—these are reserved for solos per multiple sources.
  • ⚠️All effects and settings are for the riff section only; solo section uses additional modulation and delay.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Gilmour's live 'Comfortably Numb' tone is a classic edge-of-breakup/crunch sound with rich mids and full lows, achieved with Hiwatt amps and Big Muff/overdrive pedals. The amp settings emphasize British rock-forward mids, balanced treble, and a touch of presence for clarity, with moderate reverb for space typical of his live rigs.

Sources