Riff Tone
Money For Nothing (Live)
Dire Straits
Guitarrock1980s
Original Gear
GuitarGibson Les Paul Standard 1958 (used live for riff section)
AmpMarshall-style amp (exact model not confirmed, likely JCM800 or similar, used live)
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain6
bass4
mid6.5
treble7
reverb2
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
wahUnknown Wah pedal (set to fixed/cocked position, model unknown)
Notes
Live performance, not the studio recording; Knopfler used his 1958 Les Paul with humbuckers for the riff, with a Marshall-style amp and a wah pedal set to a fixed position to approximate the studio tone. Year: mid-1980s (Brothers in Arms tour).
Tone Character(10)
mid-heavy and nasalcocked-wah filteredbiting and compressedpercussive fingerstyle attackdistinctive, almost synthetic drivenot overly saturatedtight and focusedslightly rolled-off highsaggressive bridge pickup punchZZ Top-like crunch
Difficulty
The riff is technically demanding due to its unique fingerstyle technique, syncopated rhythm, and the need for precise muting and dynamic control, all while maintaining a consistent filtered tone with the wah pedal.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1980s
Original Gear
GuitarGibson Les Paul Standard 1958 (used live for riff section)
AmpMarshall-style amp (exact model not confirmed, likely JCM800 or similar, used live)
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain6
bass4
mid6.5
treble7
reverb2
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
wahUnknown Wah pedal (set to fixed/cocked position, model unknown)
Notes
Live performance, not the studio recording; Knopfler used his 1958 Les Paul with humbuckers for the riff, with a Marshall-style amp and a wah pedal set to a fixed position to approximate the studio tone. Year: mid-1980s (Brothers in Arms tour).
Tone Character(10)
mid-heavy and nasalcocked-wah filteredbiting and compressedpercussive fingerstyle attackdistinctive, almost synthetic drivenot overly saturatedtight and focusedslightly rolled-off highsaggressive bridge pickup punchZZ Top-like crunch
Difficulty
The riff is technically demanding due to its unique fingerstyle technique, syncopated rhythm, and the need for precise muting and dynamic control, all while maintaining a consistent filtered tone with the wah pedal.
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