Vox AC15 settings
Sultans of Swing settings for Vox AC15
Dire Straits · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" solo tone on a Vox AC15, set Gain 1.5, Bass 6, Treble 7.5, Presence 4, Reverb 3, Tone cut 5. Use the bridge + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-28
- Pickup
- Bridge + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Vox AC15 knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 6
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 4
- Reverb
- 3
- Tone cut
- 5
- Tremolo depth
- 0
- Tremolo speed
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 3
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Maintain a light touch on the strings for a dynamic, touch-sensitive response.
- Experiment with fingerstyle techniques to achieve the percussive attack characteristic of the original solo.
The original rig
What Dire Straits used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Vox AC15 actually has.
- Guitar
- 1978 Fender Stratocaster
- Amp
- Fender Silverface Vibrolux Reverb
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 3
Different guitar or pedals? Get Sultans of Swing 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 Vox AC15 settings for Sultans of Swing?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 6, Treble 7.5, Presence 4, Reverb 3, Tone cut 5.
Which pickup should I use for Sultans of Swing?
Bridge + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Dire Straits use on Sultans of Swing?
Guitar: 1978 Fender Stratocaster. Amp: Fender Silverface Vibrolux Reverb.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Sultans of Swing on other amps
- Sultans of Swing on Fender Mustang LT25 · 130
- Sultans of Swing on Boss Katana · 104
- Sultans of Swing on Fender Frontman 10G · 40
- Sultans of Swing on Fender Champion 20 · 31
- Sultans of Swing on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 30
- Sultans of Swing on Boss Katana 50 MkII · 25
- Sultans of Swing on Fender Frontman 15G · 23
- Sultans of Swing on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 21
Popular songs on the Vox AC15
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Take Me Out · Franz Ferdinand
- Creep · Radiohead
- Smoke on the Water · Deep Purple
- Mr. Brightside · The Killers
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.