Tone library / Pink Floyd / Comfortably numb

Comfortably numb amp settings — Fender FRFR 12 TONEMASTER

The Pink Floyd guitar tone for “Comfortably numb”, dialed in for a Fender FRFR 12 TONEMASTER with a Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster. Studio version, The Wall (1979) — second solo

Original rig

Modified Hiwatt DR103 100W (linked Normal + Brilliant channels), 1969 Fender Stratocaster with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup, MXR Dyna Comp, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker for subtle modulation

Singing, vocal-like lead with endless sustain, smooth compressed attack, thick midrange with controlled high-end

Amp settings — Fender FRFR 12 TONEMASTER

CHANNELHiwatt amp model (or closest clean British 100W model — '68 Plexi Clean or Bassman for clean headroom)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	5
Mid	4
Treble	5
Presence	6
Reverb	0
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Compressor (Dyna Comp style)

Keeps signal hot and even before the fuzz; essential for Gilmour's consistent attack

Output/Level 7 · Sensitivity/Sustain 4

02Big Muff Pi (or Muff-style fuzz)

This is the primary gain source — amp stays clean to preserve note definition; Headrush Prime has Big Muff models, use the NYC or Triangle variant

Volume 4 · Tone 6 · Sustain 6

03Chorus (CE-2 style or Rotary sim)

Subtle — mimics the Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker; place after dirt

Rate 3 · Depth 4

04Delay (analog or tape style)

Set around 440ms; adds depth and sustain to the lead lines — single repeats, not runaway feedback

Mix/Level 4 · Feedback/Repeats 4 · Time 5

Why these settings

Your Vintera 60s Strat has vintage-output single coils vs Gilmour's hotter FS-1, so push the compressor sensitivity +1 and Big Muff sustain +1 to compensate for lower output. The Tone Master FRFR is neutral — select a clean Hiwatt or Bassman model in Headrush Prime for headroom and let the Muff do all the gain work. Amp gain stays at 3 to avoid double-saturation with the fuzz.

PRO TIPUse your neck pickup with tone at 8 (not 10) to tame the ice-pick highs; pick over the neck pickup itself and let notes ring — Gilmour's sustain comes from the stacked compression and fuzz feeding back into each other, not from heavy picking.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender FRFR 12 TONEMASTER. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.