GuitarCleanRiff80% confidence
Us and Them Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (early 1970s, likely black or sunburst, maple neck, stock single-coil pickups)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock 1970s Strat pickups)
Amp
Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 (1970s model, studio recording)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording for 'The Dark Side of the Moon' (1972-1973). David Gilmour used his main Stratocaster into a Hiwatt DR103 head with WEM Super Starfinder 200 cabinets. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical Gilmour studio setup.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain0
Reverb4
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- warm and smooth
- glassy and clean
- rounded, gentle attack
- intimate and dynamic
- spacey, atmospheric
- touch-sensitive
- slightly compressed by studio technique
- no audible distortion
- mild studio reverb
- neck pickup fullness
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct source provides exact amp knob settings for 'Us and Them' riff; settings estimated based on typical Hiwatt/Strat clean setup and era.
- No explicit mention of pedals or effects used on the riff section; all evidence and listening indicate a clean, unprocessed tone.
- No evidence of compression, boost, or modulation pedals in the riff section; all sources and audio suggest pure amp/guitar tone.
- If more specific studio notes or isolated track breakdowns become available, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. David Gilmour's tone on 'Us and Them' is clean with a touch of warmth and sustain, typical of his Hiwatt/DR103 setup with mild breakup. The mids are forward for clarity, bass is full but not boomy, treble is smooth, and reverb is moderate for space, matching the lush, atmospheric mix of early 70s Floyd.