Tone library / Dire Straits / Brothers In Arms

Brothers In Arms amp settings — Boss GT-1

The Dire Straits guitar tone for “Brothers In Arms”, dialed in for a Boss GT-1 with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, Brothers in Arms (1985)

Original rig

1984 Gibson Les Paul Standard (50s reissue) into Marshall JTM45 with EV-loaded Marshall 4x12 cab, studio plate reverb and compression

Warm, singing vintage edge-of-breakup tone with low-end cut, prominent woody mids, and lush hall/plate ambience
Amp settings — Boss GT-1
CHANNELBoss GT-1 Preamp Block: 'CRUNCH' (or 'CLEAN TWIN' pushed) with 4x12 cabBRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 4 BASS 3 MID 8 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 4 REVERB 6 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain4
Bass3
Mid8
Treble6
Presence4
Reverb6
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME8
Signal chain

01Compressor Block (FX1: CS Compressor)

Placed first to smooth fingerpicking dynamics

Sustain 5 · Attack 4 · Tone 5 · Level 6

02Delay Block (GT-1 Delay)

Subtle analog/tape voiced delay (~380ms) for depth

Time 4 · Feedback 3 · E.Level 3

03Reverb Block (GT-1 Reverb: Hall)

Lush hall reverb to match the AIR Studios ambience

Time 6 · Tone 4 · E.Level 5
Why these settings

The Jackson JS22 ceramic humbuckers are hotter and sharper than vintage PAFs, so rolling the guitar volume to 8 and tone to 6 removes the modern bite. On the Boss GT-1, bass is cut down to 3 and mids pushed to 8 to replicate Knopfler's specific JTM45 setting, which keeps the neck humbucker vocal and clear without turning muddy. The GT-1 compressor evens out fingerstyle volume without needing heavy amp saturation.

PRO TIPDitch the guitar pick entirely—play exclusively with the flesh of your thumb and index/middle fingers, and use the Jackson's volume knob to swell into long sustained notes.

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These settings are for a Boss GT-1. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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