Song
Comfortably Numb
Pink Floyd · The Wall · 1979
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100
- Guitar
- 1969 Fender Stratocaster 'The Black Strat'
- Tuning
- E standard
On the record, David Gilmour played a 1969 Fender Stratocaster 'The Black Strat' through a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100. It's in E standard.
The original rig
David Gilmour achieves his soaring lead tone by feeding an EHX Ram's Head Big Muff and subtle flanging into a loud, clean Hiwatt DR103 paired with a Yamaha rotating speaker cabinet. Rich tape delay, plate reverb, and layered Nashville-tuned acoustic rhythm tracks complete the expansive sound.
David Gilmour · Rhythm and solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup selector
- Bridge
- Bridge pickup
- DiMarzio FS-1
Equipped with a high-output DiMarzio FS-1 single-coil bridge pickup during The Wall sessions.
Settings Commonly cited
- Tuning
- Nashville tuning
High-strung acoustic guitar used to layer shimmering rhythm tracks.
Settings Estimated
- Output
- 2:00
- Sensitivity
- 10:00
Used to even out pick attack and increase sustain before drive pedals.
Settings Estimated
- Volume
- 1:00
- Tone
- 11:00
- Sustain
- 2:00
Core fuzz pedal providing the singing, saturated sustain of the iconic solos.
Settings Estimated
- Rate
- 10:00
- Range
- 10:00
- Color
- 9:00
Provides gentle flanging to add movement and chorusing texture to the fuzz tone.
Settings Estimated
- Delay Time
- 370 ms
- Repeats
- 3:00
- Volume
- 2:00
Tape echo unit providing warm, rhythmic solo repeats.
Settings Estimated
- Bass
- 12:00
- Middle
- 1:00
- Treble
- 12:00
- Presence
- 11:00
- Normal Volume
- 11:00
- Brilliant Volume
- 11:00
- Master Volume
- 1:00
Loud, high-headroom clean platform that preserves clarity and punch under heavy fuzz.
Speaker cabinet loaded with Fane Crescendo 12-inch speakers.
Settings Estimated
- Speed
- Slow
Blended alongside the Hiwatt cabinet to add three-dimensional rotary movement.
Settings Estimated
- Type
- Plate, medium
Outboard plate reverb applied during mixing for spatial depth.
- 1.pink-floyd.org · pink-floyd.org · source
- 2.kitrae.net · kitrae.net · source
- 3.pfco.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk · pfco.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk · source
- 4.guitar.com · guitar.com · magazine
- 5.ultimate-guitar.com · ultimate-guitar.com · compilation
Have the real gear, or another modeller? Start from these. Studio knob positions are rarely written down; these are a starting point.
Researched Oct 2026 · 5 sources · How ToneSheet researches a song
Tuning
The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E. Tune your guitar the same way, or tell ToneSheet how it's tuned and your device shifts the tone to match.
Questions about the Comfortably Numb guitar tone
What amp did David Gilmour use on Comfortably Numb?
David Gilmour played through a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 (an estimate), with Normal Volume 11:00, Brilliant Volume 11:00, Bass 12:00, Middle 1:00, Treble 12:00, Presence 11:00 (settings estimated).
What guitar did David Gilmour play on Comfortably Numb?
David Gilmour played a 1969 Fender Stratocaster 'The Black Strat' (commonly cited), with Pickup selector Bridge, Bridge pickup DiMarzio FS-1 (settings commonly cited); and an Ovation Custom Legend 1619-4 (commonly cited), with Tuning Nashville tuning (settings commonly cited).
What effects did David Gilmour use on Comfortably Numb?
A MXR Dyna Comp (an estimate), an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Ram's Head) (an estimate), an Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress (an estimate) and a Maestro Echoplex (an estimate).
What tuning is Comfortably Numb in?
E standard: low to high, E A D G B E.
How do I get the Comfortably Numb guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100, set like the original (Normal Volume 11:00, Brilliant Volume 11:00, Bass 12:00, Middle 1:00), with a guitar like a 1969 Fender Stratocaster 'The Black Strat', tuned to E standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Comfortably Numb
Tones players shared for their amp modellers, each with every setting, block by block.
HOTONE Pulze Mini1 version
All Pulze Mini presetsMake it for your guitar
Name your guitar and how it's tuned, and ToneSheet makes the tone for it: the pickup and knob settings, and every block on your device.
Different guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)Updated