🎸 Rock · 1990s

High Hopes by Pink Floyd (Solo · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Pink Floyd · solo

The High Hopes by Pink Floyd guitar tone is built on a Hiwatt Custom 100, dialed in at gain 5/10, bass 6.5, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

GAIN

6.5

BASS

MID

6.5

TREBLE

5.5

PRESENCE

4.5

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 5 sits right around the rock average (4.8); mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster (Black Strat, fitted with EMG SA pickups, used for slide on 'High Hopes' solo) · Amp: Hiwatt Custom 100 (DR103) head into WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cab

Studio recording, 1993, Olympic Studios for The Division Bell. Slide guitar solo. Gear confirmed by Equipboard and Gilmourish. Not live/tour rig.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Fender Stratocaster songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Tube Screamer songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →🎚️ Hiwatt songs & tones →🎚️ EMG active pickups songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Neck pickup (EMG SA, for smooth slide tone)

Signal chain

Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster (Black Strat, fitted with EMG SA pickups, used for slide on 'High Hopes' solo) → Ibanez TS10 Tube Screamer Classic → Tube Works 901 Real Tube Overdrive → Roland AP-7 Jet Phaser → Boss BF-1 Flanger → Demeter Amplification TRM-1 Tremulator → Hiwatt Custom 100 (DR103) head into WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cab

Effects

overdrive, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delay, reverb

Amp effects: Delay (digital, 450ms, mix 6) · Reverb (plate, level 5)

Tone character

singing sustain, smooth and glassy slide tone, lush ambient delay, rich modulation (flanger/phaser), ambient, atmospheric reverb, liquid, vocal-like phrasing, wide dynamic range, clear note definition, touch-sensitive response, long, expressive bends

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, slow tempo, loud dynamics · edge distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the High Hopes sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Solo

The solo requires precise slide technique, expressive vibrato, and control of dynamics and sustain, making it challenging for most players.

Worth knowing

No source provides exact amp knob settings; values estimated based on typical Hiwatt settings for Gilmour's 1990s studio tones and genre/era.
Pedal order and settings inferred from Equipboard and Gilmourish, as no direct studio session sheet is available.
Exact delay/flanger/phaser pedal settings not found; effect presence and likely models confirmed by multiple sources.
Pickup selector inferred from slide tone and Gilmour's typical usage for solos on this song.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. David Gilmour's 'High Hopes' solo tone is smooth, sustaining, and mid-forward, typical of his Hiwatt + Big Muff setup with moderate gain, strong mids, and rounded highs. The era's production and Gilmour's style favor a warm, ambient reverb and balanced EQ, with presence set neutral to avoid harshness.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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High Hopes guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the High Hopes guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 5, bass 6.5, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 4.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the High Hopes tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster (Black Strat, fitted with EMG SA pickups, used for slide on 'High Hopes' solo) · Amp: Hiwatt Custom 100 (DR103) head into WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cab; overdrive, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delay, reverb.

Can I get the High Hopes tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Pink Floyd on High Hopes — what gear and pedals?

Start with Neck pickup (EMG SA, for smooth slide tone), the amp EQ above (gain 5, bass 6.5, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 4.5), and overdrive, phaser, flanger, tremolo, delay, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

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More like this

🎸 How to get Pink Floyd’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎚️ Hiwatt settings → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar solos → · 🎚️ Delay tone guide → · 🎯 more singing sustain tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com