Riff Tone
Sultans of Swing (Live on the BBC 1978)
Dire Straits
Guitarrock1970s
Original Gear
Guitar1961 Fender Stratocaster
AmpFender 'Brownface' Vibrolux Amp 6G11 (1961-1963)
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (original 1961 Stratocaster set)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6
treble7
reverb3
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Live BBC 1978 performance; Mark Knopfler's main guitar and amp for this era; settings inferred from period-correct usage and available interviews. No evidence of additional amp heads or cabs. This is a live performance, not the studio recording.
Tone Character(10)
bright and articulateclean and glassydynamic and touch-sensitivewarm with slight midrange presencepercussive attack from fingerstyleout-of-phase quacksnappy transient responseclear note separationminimal compressionno audible drive or fuzz
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, precise muting, and dynamic control to achieve the clean, articulate sound and rhythmic complexity characteristic of Knopfler's playing.
Sources
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single | EquipboardMark Knopfler's Guitars, Amps, Pedals & Other Gear | EquipboardMark Knopfler 'Sultans of Swing': Why Dire Straits Shuned Disco Trends | Ultimate GuitarMark Knopfler guitar lesson: learn his rhythm & lead secrets | Guitar WorldDire Straits - Sultans of Swing | Wiki @ Ultimate-Guitar.com
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Original Gear
Guitar1961 Fender Stratocaster
AmpFender 'Brownface' Vibrolux Amp 6G11 (1961-1963)
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (original 1961 Stratocaster set)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6
treble7
reverb3
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Sources
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single | EquipboardMark Knopfler's Guitars, Amps, Pedals & Other Gear | EquipboardMark Knopfler 'Sultans of Swing': Why Dire Straits Shuned Disco Trends | Ultimate GuitarMark Knopfler guitar lesson: learn his rhythm & lead secrets | Guitar WorldDire Straits - Sultans of Swing | Wiki @ Ultimate-Guitar.com
Notes
Live BBC 1978 performance; Mark Knopfler's main guitar and amp for this era; settings inferred from period-correct usage and available interviews. No evidence of additional amp heads or cabs. This is a live performance, not the studio recording.
Tone Character(10)
bright and articulateclean and glassydynamic and touch-sensitivewarm with slight midrange presencepercussive attack from fingerstyleout-of-phase quacksnappy transient responseclear note separationminimal compressionno audible drive or fuzz
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, precise muting, and dynamic control to achieve the clean, articulate sound and rhythmic complexity characteristic of Knopfler's playing.
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