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Brothers In Arms — Dire Straits1 / 2
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Brothers In Arms Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits

Dire Straits · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (1983, sunburst, likely stock humbuckers)
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head into Marshall 1960AHW 4x12 Cabinet
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 1984-1985. Gear confirmed for album session, not just live. No evidence of Strat or other guitars on this solo. Amp and cab confirmed by multiple sources for Brothers in Arms album sessions.

Amp Settings

Mids
5.5
Bass
7
Gain
4.5
Reverb
3.5
Treble
6
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Boss CE-2 Chorus · chorus
  • Boss DM-2 Delay · delay
  • Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer · compression

Guitar → Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer → Boss CE-2 Chorus → Boss DM-2 Delay → Marshall JTM45 → Marshall 1960AHW 4x12 (amp spring reverb on)

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Tone Character

  • warm and smooth
  • singing sustain
  • lush, spatial ambience
  • clear note separation
  • slightly compressed
  • vocal-like lead tone
  • touch-sensitive dynamics
  • chorus shimmer
  • ambient delay trails
  • fingerstyle articulation

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio pedalboard photo for this exact solo, but multiple sources confirm Boss CE-2 Chorus and Boss DM-2 Delay were used by Knopfler in this era and are clearly audible in the solo.
  • ⚠️Amp settings are estimated based on Guitar World lesson and typical Marshall JTM45 usage for this genre/era.
  • ⚠️Presence setting is inferred (not directly cited).
  • ⚠️Guitar volume/tone knob settings are estimated based on typical Knopfler approach and tone in recording.
  • ⚠️No evidence of Strat or other guitars for this solo; Les Paul is confirmed for the studio recording.
  • ⚠️No evidence of amp-based effects except possible mild reverb; all modulation/time effects are from pedals.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mark Knopfler's 'Brothers In Arms' solo tone is warm, smooth, and mid-forward with just a touch of breakup, likely from a Soldano SLO-100 or Mesa/Boogie, with moderate bass and reverb for space. The presence and treble are restrained to avoid harshness, matching the song's atmospheric, emotive style.

Sources