Marshall DSL20 settings
Money for Nothing settings for Marshall DSL20
Dire Straits · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Dire Straits "Money for Nothing" riff tone on a Marshall DSL20, set Gain 4.5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 5, Presence 6, Resonance 5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 0 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-08-06
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 0 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL20 knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 5
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (hall) · 4
- Delay off
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Experiment with the resonance control to enhance low-end punch during the riff.
- Consider using a wah pedal to mimic the cocked wah effect for added character.
The original rig
What Dire Straits used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL20 actually has.
- Guitar
- 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
- Amp
- Laney amplifier (exact model not confirmed, but cited as used in studio); some sources mention Ampeg SVT-VR or Marshall JTM45, but Laney is most directly cited for the studio riff recording
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 6.5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 3
Different guitar or pedals? Get Money for Nothing adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Dire Straits's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall DSL20 settings for Money for Nothing?
Set Gain 4.5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 5, Presence 6, Resonance 5.
Which pickup should I use for Money for Nothing?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 0 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Dire Straits use on Money for Nothing?
Guitar: 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Amp: Laney amplifier (exact model not confirmed, but cited as used in studio); some sources mention Ampeg SVT-VR or Marshall JTM45, but Laney is most directly cited for the studio riff recording.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Money for Nothing on other amps
- Money for Nothing on Fender Mustang LT25 · 25
- Money for Nothing on Boss Katana · 15
- Money for Nothing on Fender Frontman 10G · 4
- Money for Nothing on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 4
- Money for Nothing on Fender Champion 20 · 3
- Money for Nothing on Fender Champion II 25 · 3
- Money for Nothing on Line 6 Spider · 3
- Money for Nothing on Positive Grid Spark 2 · 3
Popular songs on the Marshall DSL20
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- War Pigs · Black Sabbath
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.