"Comfortably Numb" is on Pink Floyd's 1979 album The Wall, and David Gilmour's two solos are often named among the greatest in rock. The tone is thick and smooth but still clear, with notes that sustain for ages and float in a cloud of echo. The first solo is gentler; the closing one is bigger, more saturated and soars over the band.
What was used
Be careful with any "exact rig" you read online: Gilmour's gear for this song is described differently from source to source, and he changed things often. A few points come up again and again. An Electro-Harmonix Big Muff is commonly cited as the main sustain for the solos. Delay is clearly part of the sound. He's strongly associated with Hiwatt amps and a Stratocaster in this period. A Yamaha rotary speaker cabinet, similar in idea to a Leslie, is reportedly used for some parts.
The rig below is an approximation: a common way to get close to this sound, not the exact original gear or settings.
Playing it
- Phrase slowly. Leave space, and let the delay fill it.
- Bend in tune and take your time getting there. Slow bends are a big part of this style.
- Use a steady, relaxed vibrato on long notes. Rushing it sounds nervous.
- Roll the guitar volume back a little for the first solo and up to full for the last one.