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lead guitar from “shine on you crazy diamond” by pink floyd | ToneDB

shine on you crazy diamond

pink floyd

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone is characterized by its smooth, sustained notes with a subtle, almost vocal-like quality, achieved through careful use of compression and delay. It’s a warm, slightly overdriven sound with a haunting, ethereal vibe.

Gear

Fender Stratocasterinstrument
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Hiwatt DR103amp
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Neumann U67microphone
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Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Faceprocessing
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Colorsound Power Boostprocessing
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Binson Echorec 2processing
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The Story

David Gilmour's iconic lead tone on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" was built around his Fender Stratocaster fed through a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face and Colorsound Power Boost into a Hiwatt DR103 amplifier. The signature spacious delay came from his Binson Echorec 2, an Italian-made magnetic drum echo unit that was central to many of Gilmour's most memorable tones. The track was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with engineer Brian Humphries, who captured the sound with what was likely a Neumann U67 microphone positioned to capture both the amp's direct sound and some room ambience.

Production Credits

Producer: Pink Floyd

Engineer: Brian Humphries

Recorded at: Abbey Road Studios

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Stratocaster

Amp: Hiwatt DR103

Microphone: Neumann U67

Processing: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, Colorsound Power Boost, Binson Echorec 2

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a clean amp setting and add a fuzz face with moderate gain to simulate the initial overdrive.
  • Use a Colorsound Power Boost or similar clean boost pedal to push the amp and add sustain.
  • Experiment with the Binson Echorec or a tape delay emulator plugin to get the distinct echo patterns.
  • Adjust the EQ to emphasize the midrange frequencies for a vocal-like quality.
  • Use a compressor to even out the dynamics and enhance sustain, paying attention to the attack and release settings.

Original Gear

  • Fender Stratocaster(guitar)
  • Hiwatt DR103(amp)
  • Neumann U67(mic)
  • Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face(pedal)
  • Colorsound Power Boost(pedal)
  • Binson Echorec 2(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Dunlop FFM3 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face Mini$80-$100

Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

Provides the same silicon transistor fuzz character as Gilmour's original, in a reliable modern package

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Catalinbread Naga Viper$150-$180

Alternative to: Colorsound Power Boost

Accurately recreates the treble booster circuit that gave Gilmour's tone its cutting sustain and midrange focus

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Strymon El Capistan$300-$350

Alternative to: Binson Echorec 2

Captures the warm, modulated delay character of the original Binson with multiple playback heads

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Soundtoys EchoBoy$150-$200

Alternative to: Binson Echorec 2

Software emulation includes specific Binson models and allows precise control over the complex echo patterns

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Reeves Custom 100$2000-$2500

Alternative to: Hiwatt DR103

Hand-wired recreation of the Hiwatt circuit by former Hiwatt engineer Dave Reeves' company, delivering the same clean headroom and punch

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Universal Audio Hiwatt Custom 100 plugin$150-$200

Alternative to: Hiwatt DR103

Digital model of the exact Hiwatt amplifier used by Gilmour, with matched cabinet simulations for recording

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Sources

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