GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Brothers In Arms Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits
Dire Straits · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul 1959 Reissue (1983 model)
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JTM45 (into Marshall 1960AHW 4x12 cabinet)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1984-1985. Guitar and amp confirmed for Brothers in Arms album sessions. No evidence of pedal use for the riff section; amp reverb likely used. Pickup selector on neck, tone rolled down for smoothness.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3.5
Reverb4.5
Treble6
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- warm and smooth
- rounded highs
- singing sustain
- touch-sensitive
- slightly overdriven
- mellow
- expressive and dynamic
- not harsh or biting
- spacious with subtle reverb
- emotional, lyrical phrasing
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found in sources; values estimated based on typical Marshall JTM45 settings for this genre/era and tone.
- No evidence of pedal use for the riff section; all effects likely from amp.
- Pickup and tone knob settings inferred from interview and tone description.
- If new evidence emerges of pedal use in the studio for this section, update accordingly.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Knopfler's 'Brothers In Arms' riff tone is warm, rounded, and just at the edge of breakup, typical of his mid-80s Les Paul/Marshall or Soldano setup. The mids are forward for vocal sustain, bass is full but not boomy, treble is controlled for smoothness, and reverb is moderate for the song's atmospheric production.