GuitarDistortedSolo
Once Upon a Time In the West Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits
Dire Straits · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1961, stock or with DiMarzio FS-1 in bridge)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock or DiMarzio FS-1 in bridge)
Amp
Music Man HD-130 212
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (likely), possibly position 4 (neck + middle)
Studio recording, 1978-1979. Mark Knopfler used a Fender Stratocaster into a Music Man HD-130 amp for the 'Once Upon a Time In the West' solo. Effects were minimal but included analog delay and volume pedal. No evidence of chorus, flanger, or phaser on the studio recording. Live rigs from later eras (1985+) used more Boss pedals, but these are not relevant to the original studio solo.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain3.5
Reverb3
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- MXR Analog Delay · delay
- Morley Volume Pedal · other
Fender Stratocaster → Morley Volume Pedal → MXR Analog Delay → Music Man HD-130 212 (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- clear and bell-like
- warm and singing sustain
- slightly compressed
- touch-sensitive and dynamic
- articulate and expressive
- edge-of-breakup amp tone
- mild analog delay for depth
- clean but with a hint of grit
- dynamic swells with volume pedal
- no heavy modulation