Tone library / Dire Straits / Money for Nothing

Money for Nothing amp settings — Boss ME-90

The Dire Straits guitar tone for “Money for Nothing”, dialed in for a Boss ME-90 with a PRS Custom 24. Studio version, Brothers in Arms (1985)

Original rig

1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard / Junior into Laney 2x12 combo with accidental phase-shifted mic placement and cranked British crunch

Nasal, cocked-wah midrange honk with rich British saturation and fingerstyle snap

Amp settings — Boss ME-90

CHANNELAIRD Preamp: BRIT STACK (Marshall/Laney voice) + 4x12 Cab IRBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	4
Mid	8
Treble	5
Reverb	3
Master	5

Don’t have a Boss ME-90? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss ME-90 FX1: T-WAH / Parked Filter

ME-90 FX1 block set to simulate the resonant half-cocked wah / out-of-phase mic filter sweep

Tone 4 · Peak 7 · Level 5

02Boss ME-90 OD/DS: CRUNCH

Used as a tight front-end mid push into the British preamp model

Drive 4 · Tone 4 · Level 6

03Boss ME-90 REV: ROOM

Subtle room ambience to mimic the AIR Montserrat live room

Time 3 · Tone 4 · Level 3

Why these settings

The signature hollow honk of the studio cut was caused by accidental out-of-phase microphone angles on Mark Knopflers Laney amp. On the Boss ME-90, we simulate that nasal resonance using a parked bandpass filter in FX1 alongside a boosted midrange on the Brit Stack model. The PRS Custom 24 bridge humbucker matches the output of Knopflers Les Paul, but rolling the guitars tone knob to 7 rounds off modern top-end bite to keep the mids vocal.

PRO TIPDitch the pick completely: pluck down with your thumb on the lower notes while snapping upward with your index and middle fingers against the fretboard to get the percussive attack of Knopflers iconic riff.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss ME-90. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Boss ME-90

Paranoid AndroidRadiohead Chop Suey!System Of A Down Oh pretty womanGary Moore DualitySlipknot SilveraGOJIRA The Trooper (2015 Remaster)Iron Maiden

Find your amp

Browse

Boss ME-90 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Money for Nothing on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Dire Straits tonesALL SONGS PRS Custom 24 tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.