Tone library / Pink Floyd / Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb amp settings — Marshall Plexi 1959

The Pink Floyd guitar tone for “Comfortably Numb”, dialed in for a Marshall Plexi 1959 with a Danelectro 59M NOS+. Studio version, The Wall (1979) — Outro Solo

Original rig

1969 Black Stratocaster (DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup) -> MXR Dyna Comp -> 1974 EHX 'Ram's Head' Big Muff Pi -> 100W Hiwatt DR103 linked input into WEM 4x12 (Fane Crescendo speakers) blended with Yamaha RA-200 rotating speaker cabinet and MXR digital delay (~480ms)

Smooth, singing violin-like fuzz lead with rich sustain, rotary/chorus modulation, and ambient delay
Amp settings — Marshall Plexi 1959
CHANNELHigh Treble (Channel 1) or Jumpered (I & II)
GAIN 8 BASS 6 MID 7 TREBLE 5 PRESENCE 4 MASTER 8
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass6
Mid7
Treble5
Presence4
Master8
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01EHX 'Ram's Head' Big Muff Pi

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Volume 7 · Tone 5 · Sustain 8

02Digital Delay (e.g. MXR / Boss DD-3)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (~480ms delay)

E.Level 4 · F.Back 5 · D.Time 6
Why these settings

Because you lack the Ram's Head Big Muff, the Plexi must be pushed hard into power-amp saturation (gain 8) to approximate Gilmour's singing sustain directly from the amp. The Danelectro's lipstick pickups are naturally glassier and brighter than Gilmour's overwound DiMarzio FS-1, so treble and presence are rolled back while keeping mids forward. Adding a dedicated Ram's Head Big Muff clone will let you run the Plexi cleaner and capture the exact scooped, violin-smooth fuzz character.

PRO TIPRoll your Danelectro bridge tone knob down to around 7 or 8 to shave off high-end lipstick sizzle and dig in with a heavy pick angle to mimic the thick, rounded transient attack of Gilmour's FS-1 bridge pickup.

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These settings are for a Marshall Plexi 1959. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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