Tone library / Pink floyd / Comfortabley numb

Comfortabley numb amp settings — Marshall Code 50

The Pink floyd guitar tone for “Comfortabley numb”, dialed in for a Marshall Code 50 with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, The Wall (1979) — second solo

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster with custom EMG-SA pickups (later), Hiwatt DR103 amp, Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker, Pete Cornish effects board with Big Muff, delay, and compression. Gilmour used neck pickup with tone rolled back for the creamy sustain.

Singing, vocal-like lead tone with smooth compression, warm mids, sustained overdrive, and lush modulation — not high-gain but rich harmonic saturation
Amp settings — Marshall Code 50
CHANNELJTM45 model (closest to Hiwatt clean-to-edge-of-breakup voicing)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 5 BASS 5 MID 7 TREBLE 5 PRESENCE 4 REVERB 3 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain5
Bass5
Mid7
Treble5
Presence4
Reverb3
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Built-in Big Muff model (use Marshall Code's Guvnor or closest fuzz/sustain block)

Enable the amp's built-in fuzz or overdrive effect block — set for smooth sustain, not aggressive buzz

Drive/Sustain 6 · Tone 4 · Level 6

02Built-in Delay (digital or analog model)

Around 380-440ms delay time, moderate repeats for that spacious Gilmour feel

Time 5 · Feedback 4 · Level 4

03Built-in Chorus (CE-style or rotary simulation)

Slow swirl — the original used a rotary speaker, chorus approximates it

Rate 3 · Depth 5 · Level 5
Why these settings

The Marshall Code's JTM45 model gives you the cleanest, most Hiwatt-adjacent voicing — warmer and less mid-scooped than the modern Marshall models. Mid pushed to 7 compensates for the Jackson's bright humbuckers vs Gilmour's Strat single coils. Gain stays moderate because the sustain comes from the Big Muff effect, not amp saturation. Presence lowered to 4 prevents the Code's digital edge from turning harsh.

PRO TIPPlay with your fingers or use very light pick attack on the neck pickup — Gilmour's tone breathes because of his touch dynamics. Let notes bloom into sustain rather than attacking hard. Roll your guitar's tone knob down to 5-6 for that vocal, woman-tone quality on the long bends.

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