GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Money for Nothing Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits
Dire Straits · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
Pickups
Gibson PAF humbuckers
Amp
Laney amplifier (exact model not specified, likely late-70s/early-80s solid-state or tube head)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'Money for Nothing' solo, 1984-1985. Mark Knopfler used a 1958 Les Paul with bridge-position PAF humbucker into a Laney amp. The tone was shaped by a wah pedal set in a fixed position (half-cocked), and possibly additional EQ/filtering. The exact amp model is not confirmed in sources, but all agree on Laney for the studio recording. Live recreations used different gear.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass4.5
Gain6.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Wah pedal (model unknown, set to fixed/half-cocked position) · wah
Guitar → Wah pedal (half-cocked) → Laney amp (with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- midrange-forward
- nasal and vocal-like
- percussive attack
- crunchy drive
- bright but not harsh
- compressed
- singing sustain
- distinctive half-cocked wah filter
- tight and focused
- fingerstyle articulation
Notes & Caveats
- Exact Laney amp model not specified in any source; settings estimated based on typical 1980s Laney/Marshall-style amp and forum suggestions.
- No official pedal model for wah is confirmed; 'wah pedal set to a fixed position' is universally cited.
- EQ/filter effect is mentioned in some sources, but not confirmed as a pedal or rack unit for the original studio solo.
- Settings are averaged from forum posts and typical classic rock amp settings for this genre/era.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or reverb beyond possible light amp reverb for the solo section.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Knopfler's 'Money for Nothing' solo tone is famously mid-forward, with moderate gain for a saturated but not overly distorted sound, using a Marshall amp with the mids and presence boosted for cut and clarity. Bass is moderate to avoid muddiness, treble is present but not harsh, and reverb is minimal as most ambience is from the room or post-production.