Riff Tone
So Far Away
Sultans Of Swing (dire Straits Sound-a-like)
Guitarrock1970s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (1977-1979, maple neck, stock single coils)
AmpFender Vibrolux Reverb (silverface, late 1970s)
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (stock 1970s Stratocaster)
Amp Settings
gain2.5
bass6
mid6
treble7
reverb3
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
compressionDan Armstrong Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer
delayMXR MXR Analog Delay
Notes
Studio recording, 1978 era. Guitar and amp confirmed for original Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing' riff section; this is a sound-a-like, so same gear is assumed for accuracy. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section. No evidence of live/tour-specific substitutions.
Tone Character(10)
clean and glassybright and articulateslightly compresseddynamic and touch-sensitivepercussive attackwarm with clear highsfat but not muddydistinct Stratocaster 'quack'responsive to fingerstyleno audible distortion
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, syncopated picking, and dynamic control to achieve the signature clean and articulate tone, making it challenging for most intermediate players.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (1977-1979, maple neck, stock single coils)
AmpFender Vibrolux Reverb (silverface, late 1970s)
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (stock 1970s Stratocaster)
Amp Settings
gain2.5
bass6
mid6
treble7
reverb3
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
compressionDan Armstrong Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer
delayMXR MXR Analog Delay
Notes
Studio recording, 1978 era. Guitar and amp confirmed for original Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing' riff section; this is a sound-a-like, so same gear is assumed for accuracy. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section. No evidence of live/tour-specific substitutions.
Tone Character(10)
clean and glassybright and articulateslightly compresseddynamic and touch-sensitivepercussive attackwarm with clear highsfat but not muddydistinct Stratocaster 'quack'responsive to fingerstyleno audible distortion
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, syncopated picking, and dynamic control to achieve the signature clean and articulate tone, making it challenging for most intermediate players.