GuitarDistortedSolo
Tunnel of Love Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Dire Straits
Dire Straits · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Schecter Stratocaster-style (custom, early 80s, Mark Knopfler signature spec)
Pickups
Schecter F500T single-coil pickups
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark II (likely Mark IIB or Mark III, combo 1x12, used for studio and live in 1980-81 era)
Pickup Position
Position 2 (bridge + middle, out-of-phase Strat setting)
Studio recording, 1980 (Making Movies album). Knopfler used a red Schecter Strat-style guitar with F500T single coils for the solo. Amp is a Mesa/Boogie Mark II series combo. Effects are based on confirmed 1980-81 studio/live rig, not later 1985/86 tour gear.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3.5
Reverb3.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer · compression
- Boss CE-2 Chorus · chorus
- Boss BF-2 Flanger · flanger
- Boss DM-2 Delay · delay
Schecter Stratocaster → Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer → Boss CE-2 Chorus → Boss BF-2 Flanger → Boss DM-2 Delay → Mesa/Boogie Mark II Combo (spring reverb on amp)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- clear, glassy top end
- lush modulation swirl
- touch-sensitive and dynamic
- slight breakup under heavy picking
- rich, spatial ambience
- articulate, bell-like attack
- echoed repeats on lead lines
- chorus/flanger shimmer
- notably clean but with edge-of-breakup character