Tone library / Pink Floyd / Confortably numb

Confortably numb amp settings — Fender Deluxe Reverb

The Pink Floyd guitar tone for “Confortably numb”, dialed in for a Fender Deluxe Reverb with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, The Wall (1979) — second solo, iconic sustained lead tone

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster (Black Strat) with '71 Fender neck pickup, Hiwatt DR103 100W head into Fane-loaded 4x12, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (Ram's Head era), MXR Digital Delay

Singing, sustained lead with rich mid-focus, creamy compression, and ambient delay wash
Amp settings — Fender Deluxe Reverb
CHANNELNormal (single channel amp)BRIGHToff
GAIN 3 BASS 4 MID 6 TREBLE 5 PRESENCE 0 REVERB 3 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain3
Bass4
Mid6
Treble5
Presence0
Reverb3
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Big Muff Pi (or EHX Green Russian / Tone Wicker)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This pedal is essential for the singing sustain and compression of the solo. A Big Muff clone (Mooer Triangle Buff, EHX Nano Big Muff) will work. Without it, the tone will lack the signature creamy sustain.

Volume 7 · Tone 5 · Sustain 7

02Analog or Digital Delay

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Set delay time to ~440ms. A Boss DD-3, TC Electronic Flashback, or MXR Carbon Copy would work. The delay adds the atmospheric depth critical to this tone.

Time 4 · Feedback 4 · Mix 5
Why these settings

The Hiwatt is clean, loud, and mid-present — your Deluxe Reverb shares the clean headroom but is brighter and more scooped. I raised mid to 6 (vs Hiwatt's ~5) to compensate for Fender's natural mid-scoop, and kept treble moderate at 5 to avoid icepick highs. Amp gain stays low at 3 because the Big Muff is the gain source — without it, you cannot achieve this tone. The Deluxe Reverb's spring reverb is acceptable as a subtle ambience but the delay is non-negotiable.

PRO TIPGilmour's secret weapon is his right-hand dynamics and slow, wide vibrato. Dig in hard on the attack, then let the Big Muff's compression bloom. Roll your guitar's tone knob to 7 to tame the Strat's bridge-adjacent brightness on the neck pickup and get that vocal, rounded sustain.

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

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