Ever dreamed of owning a vintage Juno-106? Now's your chance! Head here for more information on how to enter for your chance to win.
David Gilmour’s guitar tone is as iconic as the music of Pink Floyd itself—soulful, soaring, and steeped in spacious texture. In this installment of Potent Pairings, Joe Shadid takes us on a deep dive through the amp and effects chain behind some of Gilmour’s most legendary sounds—from Meddle to The Wall—and shows how to approximate them with gear you can actually find on Reverb today.
As always, we’re not claiming to exactly replicate Gilmour’s famously elaborate rig. Pink Floyd were, after all, one of the biggest bands in the world, using some of the best studios, engineers, and custom gear in music history. But with the help of research and a few well-chosen pedals, we can get close to the spirit of those tones—whether it’s fuzzed-out sustain, swirling modulation, or cosmic delay.
The Lead Tone: Fuzz + Delay = Sustain for Days
To get that iconic solo tone from “Echoes,” we paired an Analogman BC108 Sun Face (Gilmour’s preferred silicon Fuzz Face style) with a T-Rex Binson Echorec—a modern version of the magnetic disc delay unit Gilmour used to create swirling, rhythmic echoes. Through a Hi-Tone amp based on his modded Hiwatt, the result is that unmistakable soaring sustain.
Other options:
- Fuzz: Dunlop FFM1, ThorpyFX Veteran
- Delay: Catalinbread Echorec, Dawner Prince Boonar
Modulated Clean Tones
Gilmour’s cleans are just as recognizable—lush, evolving, and always moving. Key effects include:
- A Leslie rotating speaker for spatial swirl
- An MXR Univibe for syrupy motion (as heard on "Breathe")
- An MXR Phase 90 for shimmering phasing (try it on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond")
Happy Accidents: The Backwards Wah
Ever plugged your cables in the wrong way? Well, Gilmour did it on purpose. Running a Vox Wah in reverse created a wild, screaming effect used on "Echoes." It’s a great reminder that some of the best tones come from experimentation.
"Run Like Hell" Delay Magic
By The Wall, Gilmour had embraced digital delay and precision layering. "Run Like Hell" features galloping riffs soaked in Boss DD-3-style delay, flanging from an Electric Mistress, and light compression via MXR Dyna Comp. The echoes not only repeat but become part of the part.
Gilmour’s gear is iconic, but his true signature is feel. It’s not just about what’s on the board—it’s how you play into it. Check out the full video for tone demos and head to Reverb to find your own take on these classic sounds.