Tone library / Dire Straits / Money for Nothing

Money for Nothing amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Dire Straits guitar tone for “Money for Nothing”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Fender American Ultra Stratocaster. Studio version, Brothers in Arms (1985) — main riff

Original rig

1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard into Laney tube amp with accidental out-of-phase mic placement producing a fixed cocked-wah resonance

Mid-focused, honky, cocked-wah style crunch with compressed attack and tight low end

Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

CHANNELLead amp typeBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	4
Mid	9
Treble	5
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge+middle TONE6 VOLUME9

Signal chain

01Onboard FX: Auto Wah / Fixed Wah block

Set as a stationary/parked mid peak filter to replicate the phase-cancelled microphone honk

Drive 0 · Tone 7 · Level 5

Why these settings

To emulate the humbucker crunch and famous out-of-phase mic resonance on a single-coil Strat, use the 'in-between' bridge+middle position with tone rolled back slightly to simulate humbucker thickness. The Katana's Lead amp type provides the Laney-style British gain, while pushing the amp midrange to 9 mimics the severe phase notch of the studio room mics. Presence is null because the Katana 50 MkII faceplate does not feature a physical presence control.

PRO TIPDitch the pick entirely — Mark Knopfler plucked the main riff using his bare thumb and index/middle fingers, snapping upward against the fretboard to create the percussive, sharp initial attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss Katana 50 MkII. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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