Royal Albert Hall and Gdansk settings and setups

Read more: gear run-down

Keep in mind that all effect settings and setups are based on pictures and video from a certain date and/or interviews and 3rd hand transcriptions that are subject to interpretation. David often make adjustments and may not even be consequent in how he’s using the equipment. This feature should therefore only be used as a guideline for your own setup and not as a gospel. It’s also wise to acknowledge that technique, place and time, studio trickery and who knows what plays a role in David’s tones in addition to the equipment.

Demeter Compulator
– compression 1:00, volume 3:00 (o’clock)

Pete Cornish G-2
– sustain 100%, tone 10:30, volume 1:00 (o’clock)

Pete Cornish P-1
– sustain 1:00, tone 10:00, volume 11:00 (o’clock)

Note: David added a triangle Big Muff for the Albert Hall shows. It’s not known on which songs it was used, so I’ll stick to naming the main distortion P-1.

Tube Driver #1 (volume boost)
– level 2:00, hi 2:00, low 2:00, drive 8:00 (o’clock)

Tube Driver #2 (overdrive)
– level 11:30, hi 11:30, low 3:00, drive 4:00 (o’clock)

Uni-Vibe
– volume 2:00, intensity 12:00, slow speed 2:00, fast speed 4:00 (o’clock), mode: chorus

Note: This is an original UniVox Uni-Vibe customized into a rack unit by Phil Taylor for David’s PULSE rack. The unit has a toggle switch for fast and slow speed to compensate for the expression pedal. The speed can be adjusted with separate controls.

Delays times
Breathe: 960ms (slide solo)
Time intro: 450ms and 120ms
Shine On: 370ms
Echoes: 300ms (MXR)
General On an Island songs times: 680ms
General Floyd songs times: 300ms and 370ms

Please note:
The settings below are based on a picture of David’s board taken just before a show at the Kodak Theatre in L.A. USA, April 19th 2006 by Tony Farinella/Evidence Audio.

– David is seen switching on and off the Compulator compressor during solos and between rhythm parts and solos to create dynamics. This Heaven is one example.
– Although the Tube Drivers are set individually for clean boost and hard overdrive, David is adjusting the gain for some songs that needs something in between. Again, This Heaven is one example, where he’s using a very mild overdrive.
– The P-1 is set with a fairly low gain (about 60%) so that David can combine the pedal with the Tube Driver (set for overdrive) for a fatter, slightly dirtier tone.
– David is often using two different delays at once. Time is an example, where he’s using both a slap-back echo and a long delay on the intro.

Note: PU is a short for pickups. Middle/bridge pickup is the 4. position on the pickup switcher, second from the bottom. Fingers means that David is strumming without a pick.

Breathe (Breathe rep)
Stratocaster (black), middle/bridge PU
Fender Lap Steel (blonde)
– slide solo: clean signal with delay
– rhythms; Tube Driver (mild OD), Uni-Vibe and delay

Time
Stratocaster (black)
– intro (middle PU); Compulator, Tube Driver (mild OD), delay (slap-back), delay (long)
– rhythms (middle/bridge PU); Tube Driver (OD)
– solo (bridge PU); P-1, Tube Driver (OD), Uni-Vibe, delay

Note: The solo starts with neck/bridge combo and about halfway David switch to only the bridge pickup.

Castellorizon
Stratocaster (black)
– solo; Compulator, G-2

Note: David is switching between neck and bridge PUs, – neck – bridge (mid song climax) – neck.

On an Island
Stratocaster (black)
– rhythms (middle/bridge PU, fingers); clean signal
– solo 1 (bridge PU); P-1 and delay
– solo 2 (bridge PU); P-1, Tube Driver (OD) and delay

The Blue
Stratocaster (black)
– rhythms (middle/bridge PU, strumming with fingers); clean signal
– rhythms bridge (middle/bridge PU, fingers); Tube Driver (OD)
– solo (guitar volume rolled off for milder tone); Tube Driver (OD), Whammy, delay

Note: David is switching between the neck and bridge PU’s. There was also an UniVibe used on early spring dates.

This Heaven
Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, RAH
Stratocaster (black), Gdansk
– rhythms and solos; Tube Driver (OD)
– outtro solo; Compulator, Tube Driver (OD), delay

Then I Close My Eyes
Stratocaster (black)
Cumbus
Weissenborn acoustic slide guitar
Fender Lap Steel (blonde) Gdansk only
– electric solo 1 (neck PU, fingers); Compulator, Tube Driver (mild OD) and delay
– electric solo 2 (middle PU); Compulator, Tube Driver (mild OD) and delay
– slide solo (Gdansk only); Tube Driver (mild OD) and delay

Smile
Gibson acoustic steel string guitar
Weissenborn acoustic slide guitar

Take a Breath
Stratocaster (black)
– main riff (bridge PU); Tube Driver (OD) and delay
– mid section; Tube Driver (OD) and delay (long)
– solo; P-1, Tube Driver (OD) and delay

A Pocket Full of Stones
Stratocaster (black), bridge PU
– solos; G-2 and delay
– rhythm picking (adjusting gain with guitar volume); G-2

Where We Start
Gretsch Duo Jet
– rhythms (both PU switchers up, fingers); Compulator
– solos (both PU switchers up, fingers); Compulator and Tube Driver (mild OD)

Note: David is switching on and off the delay during the outtro solo.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Stratocaster (red)
– intro (neck PU with SPC mid-booster); Compulator and delay (Sound on Sound unit)
– solo 2; Compulator, Tube Driver (OD) and delay
– rhythms; Compulator, Tube Driver (clean) and delay

Astronomy Domine (Gdansk only)
Telecaster Custom Shop
– rhythms and solos (bridge PU); Tube Driver (OD) and delay

Fat Old Sun
Gibson acoustic steel string guitar
Telecaster (blonde) Custom Shop
– solo (bridge PU); Compulator, G-2

Coming Back to Life (RAH only)
Stratocaster (black)
– intro solo (neck and bridge PUs); Compulator, Tube Driver (clean), delay
– rhythms (middle PU, adjusting gain with guitar volume); Compulator, Tube Driver (OD)
– solo 2 (neck PU); Compulator, Tube Driver (OD) and delay
– solo 3 (bridge PU); Compulator, Tube Driver (OD) and delay

High Hopes
Taylor acoustic nylon string guitar
Jedson lap steel (red)
– solo; P-1 and delay

Wot’s Uh the Deal
Gibson acoustic steel string guitar
Fender lap steel (blonde)
– solo; G-2 and delay

Dominoes (RAH only)
Gibson acoustic steel string guitar

Wearing the Inside Out (RAH only)
Stratocaster (black)
– rhythms (middle PU); Tube Driver (mild OD)
– solos (neck PU); Compulator, Tube Driver (mild OD), delay

Echoes
Stratocaster (black)
– intro solo (neck PU); Compulator and delay
– rhythms (middle PU, adjusting gain with guitar volume); Compulator, Tube Driver (OD) and delay
– solo (bridge PU, adjusting gain with guitar volume); G-2, Tube Driver (OD) and delay
– funky rhythms (middle PU); clean signal
– funky fills (middle PU); G-2 and delay
– seagull screams (see below); reversed wah wah and delay
– build up and echo picking (bridge PU); tube driver (OD) and delay

See this video tutorial for how to set up the Seagull effect.

      Wish You Were Here
      Gibson acoustic steel string guitar

      Arnold Layne (RAH only)
      Telecaster Custom Shop
      – rhythms (bridge PU); Tube Driver (clean)

      A Great Day For Freedom (Gdansk only)
      Stratocaster (black)
      – rhythms and solo (neck/bridge PU); G-2, Tube Driver (OD) and delay

      Comfortably Numb
      Stratocaster (black)
      – rhythms (bridge PU, adjusting gain with guitar volume); P-1
      – solo 1 (bridge PU with neck/bridge combo); P-1 and delay
      – solo 2 (bridge PU); P-1, Tube Driver (OD) and delay