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

Pink Floyd · 1970s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1970s Fender Stratocaster (Black, maple neck, stock single coils)
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (1970s stock)
Amp
Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 Head with WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, The Wall sessions (1979). This is for the main riff section, not the solo. Gilmour used his black Stratocaster with stock single coils, into a Hiwatt DR103 head and WEM cab. Pedals and effects are based on studio-era sources and audible effects in the riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6.5
Gain
4.5
Reverb
3
Treble
6.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • MXR Dyna Comp (script logo) · compression
  • Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix · flanger

Fender Stratocaster (neck pickup) → MXR Dyna Comp → Electric Mistress Flanger → Hiwatt DR103 amp (with plate reverb, no delay)

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Tone Character

  • warm and smooth
  • rounded neck pickup sound
  • slightly compressed
  • clear and articulate
  • mild sustain
  • touch-sensitive
  • classic rock clarity
  • not heavily distorted
  • intimate and bluesy
  • dynamic response

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings for the riff section found; settings estimated based on typical Hiwatt/Strat setup for classic rock and Gilmour's known preferences.
  • ⚠️Pedal and effect models are based on era-correct sources and what is clearly audible in the riff section; some effects (like delay) are not used in the riff, only in solos.
  • ⚠️Exact pedal order in the studio may vary; this reflects the most likely chain for the riff section per available evidence.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. David Gilmour's 'Comfortably Numb' riff tone is classic edge-of-breakup with a creamy sustain, using a Hiwatt amp, Big Muff, and Strat; mids are pushed for British rock presence, bass is warm but not boomy, treble is smooth to avoid harshness, and moderate reverb adds space typical of late 70s Floyd production.

Sources