Tone library / Pink Floyd / Comfortably Numb

Comfortably Numb amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Pink Floyd guitar tone for “Comfortably Numb”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, The Wall (1979) — Outro Solo

Original rig

1969 Black Stratocaster (DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup) -> EHX Ram's Head Big Muff Pi -> MXR Dyna Comp -> Pete Cornish ST-2 Boost -> Hiwatt DR103 (linked channels) + Yamaha RA-200 rotary cabinet

Singing, violin-like high-sustain fuzz lead with smooth top-end and lush space

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELHiwatt DR103 model (Spark 'Custom Hiway 103')BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	6
Mid	7
Treble	5
Reverb	4
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Compressor block (Red Comp / Dyna Comp)

Evens out pick attack and increases sustain into the fuzz

Output 7 · Sensitivity 6

02Drive block (Fuzz / Russian or Ram's Head Muff model)

Primary gain source for the singing violin-like fuzz lead

Sustain 7 · Tone 5 · Volume 7

03Modulation block (Chorus / Flanger or Rotary)

Emulates Gilmour's blended Yamaha RA-200 rotary speaker

Speed 3 · Depth 5 · Level 5

04Delay block (Digital Delay / Echo)

Quarter-note delay around 370ms to create Gilmour's signature expansive lead dimension

Time 4 · Feedback 4 · Level 4

Why these settings

The Spark 40's Custom Hiway 103 model provides the clean, high-headroom platform required for David Gilmour's fuzz-first sound. Running the onboard Big Muff fuzz model into a clean amp setting keeps the gain singing without harsh clipping. Rolling the Strat bridge tone knob back to 8 removes the bite of standard Player Strat pickups to match Gilmour's fatter DiMarzio FS-1.

PRO TIPPick smoothly near the neck joint rather than close to the bridge to capture Gilmour's round, flute-like attack while maintaining full sustain.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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