ToneAdapt

Loading...

Back to Community

Riff Tone

Money for Nothing

Dire Straits

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

Guitar1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
AmpLaney 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

Amp Settings

gain4.5
bass6.5

Create an account to see all tone details

Create Free Account

Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

Studio recording, 1984-1985 for 'Brothers in Arms'. The riff tone was achieved with a 1958 Les Paul Standard into a Laney amp, with the bridge humbucker selected and the tone control rolled off. Studio trickery, dual-mic'ing, and a cocked wah pedal were also used. The Ampeg SVT-VR and Marshall JTM45 are sometimes mentioned but are less directly cited for the original studio riff.

Tone Character(10)
distinct 'muddy' guitar soundmid-heavy EQreduced treble for mellowingharmonic-richfiltered, cocked-wah effectfat and thickcompressed and focusedpercussive attacksinging sustainslightly nasal, filtered character

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced fingerstyle technique, precise muting, and dynamic control to achieve the percussive, harmonic-rich sound, making it challenging for most players.

This tone has been researched 77 times by the community

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account