🎸 Rock · 1970s

So Far Away by Sultans Of Swing (dire Straits Sound-a-like) (Riff · Clean) — Guitar Tone

by Sultans Of Swing (dire Straits Sound-a-like) · riff

The So Far Away by Sultans Of Swing (dire Straits Sound-a-like) guitar tone is built on a Fender Vibrolux Reverb, dialed in at gain 2.5/10, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7, presence 5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

2.5

GAIN

BASS

MID

TREBLE

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 2.5 sits well below the rock average (4.8) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical rock; mids at 6 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (1977-1979, maple neck, stock single coils) · Amp: Fender Vibrolux Reverb (silverface, late 1970s)

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.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Fender Stratocaster songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →

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Pickups

Position 2 (bridge + middle, Stratocaster 'quack' setting)

Signal chain

Fender Stratocaster (1977-1979, maple neck, stock single coils) → Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer → MXR Analog Delay → Fender Vibrolux Reverb (silverface, late 1970s)

Effects

compression, delay, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 3)

Tone character

clean and glassy, bright and articulate, slightly compressed, dynamic and touch-sensitive, percussive attack, warm with clear highs, fat but not muddy, distinct Stratocaster 'quack', responsive to fingerstyle, no audible distortion

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, medium dynamics · clean distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the So Far Away sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

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.

Worth knowing

No direct numeric amp settings for the original studio recording found; settings estimated based on typical Fender Vibrolux/Stratocaster clean setup and corroborated by user-provided settings for 'Sultans of Swing' sound-a-like.
Pedal use is based on period-correct gear and audible effects; no explicit studio notes for this specific sound-a-like recording.
Pickup position inferred from classic 'Sultans of Swing' tone and multiple sources describing the 'quack' sound of Strat position 2.
Presence and reverb settings are estimated; Vibrolux has no presence knob, so value is neutral.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. This tone closely emulates the Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing' clean, chimey sound with just a touch more warmth and edge-of-breakup for the riff, using moderate bass, forward mids, and bright treble. Reverb is present but subtle, matching the era's production and Mark Knopfler's amp preferences.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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So Far Away guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the So Far Away guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 2.5, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7, presence 5, reverb 3. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the So Far Away tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (1977-1979, maple neck, stock single coils) · Amp: Fender Vibrolux Reverb (silverface, late 1970s); compression, delay, reverb.

Can I get the So Far Away tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Sultans Of Swing (dire Straits Sound-a-like) on So Far Away — what gear and pedals?

Start with Position 2 (bridge + middle, Stratocaster 'quack' setting), the amp EQ above (gain 2.5, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7, presence 5, reverb 3), and compression, delay, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com