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Calling Elvis — Dire Straits1 / 2
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Calling Elvis Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits

Dire Straits · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (early 1960s, likely Schecter Strat-style for this era)
Pickups
Schecter F500T single-coil pickups
Amp
Soldano SLO-100 (Super Lead Overdrive 100W head) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Position 2 (bridge + middle)

Studio recording, 1990-1991, 'Calling Elvis' riff section. Mark Knopfler was known to use Schecter Strats with F500T pickups and Soldano SLO-100 amps for the On Every Street album sessions. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate guitars for this riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6.5
Gain
3.5
Reverb
2.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
6

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Tone Character

  • articulate and dynamic
  • slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
  • warm midrange
  • chiming Stratocaster highs
  • clear note separation
  • touch-sensitive response
  • tight low end
  • mild amp breakup
  • not heavily compressed
  • subtle studio ambience

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source lists exact knob settings for 'Calling Elvis' studio riff; amp and guitar inferred from era and session documentation.
  • ⚠️No explicit pedal or effect model confirmed for this riff section; effects inferred from audio and Knopfler's typical studio setup.
  • ⚠️Pickup position estimated based on Knopfler's signature sound and typical Strat usage for this era.
  • ⚠️Settings estimated based on typical Soldano SLO-100 usage for edge-of-breakup tones in early 1990s rock.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Knopfler's 'Calling Elvis' riff is clean but with a hint of breakup, using his typical Strat into a clean/edge-of-breakup amp (likely a Soldano or JCM800 set clean). The tone is mid-forward and warm, with enough bass for body, moderate treble for clarity, and subtle reverb for space, matching his 90s production style.

Sources