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Sultans of Swing — Dire Straits1 / 2
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Sultans of Swing Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits

Dire Straits · 1970s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1971 Fender Stratocaster
Pickups
Stock Fender single-coil pickups
Amp
Fender Vibrolux (early 1960s brownface 6G11/6G11-A)
Pickup Position
Position 2 (bridge + middle)

Studio recording, 1978. No evidence of pedals used for the riff section; amp is confirmed by multiple sources. Some sources mention Roland JC-120 and Ampeg VT-22 in Knopfler's experimentation, but the studio recording for the main riff is widely attributed to the brownface Vibrolux. No evidence of chorus or delay on the riff section; chorus was only available via JC-120, which is not confirmed for the main riff. All info is for the original studio version.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
5.5
Gain
0
Reverb
3
Treble
7.5
Presence
5.5

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Tone Character

  • bright and articulate
  • clean with slight edge
  • touch-sensitive
  • dynamic and percussive
  • warm but clear
  • slightly compressed
  • no audible effects
  • single-coil clarity
  • snappy attack
  • open and airy

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No specific numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical Fender Vibrolux clean setup for classic rock/1970s.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or outboard effects used on the riff section; chorus and delay are not audible in the main riff.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from Knopfler's fingerstyle sound and common knowledge; some debate exists, but most sources and isolated tracks confirm Position 2 (bridge + middle).
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Knopfler's 'Sultans of Swing' tone is famously clean but bright and articulate, with a touch of warmth and reverb; his typical late-70s Fender amp settings favor low gain, moderate bass, forward mids, and high treble for clarity, matching the song's sparkling, dynamic Strat sound.

Sources