Tone library / Dire Straits / Money for nothing

Money for nothing amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25

The Dire Straits guitar tone for “Money for nothing”, dialed in for a Fender Mustang LT25 with a Gibson ES-335. Main riff and solo, Studio version, Brothers in Arms (1985)

Original rig

1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard into a Laney Pro-Tube AOR head, captured with out-of-phase Shure SM57 and Neumann U87/floor mics creating a comb-filtered cocked-wah resonance

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

Amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25

CHANNEL80S ROCK amp model

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	4
Mid	9
Treble	5
Master	6

Don’t have a Fender Mustang LT25? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

015-BAND EQ

Set via encoder in stomp slot: boost 800Hz and 1.6kHz bands significantly while pulling 100Hz and 6.4kHz down to recreate the acoustic out-of-phase comb filter honk

Level 6

02SMALL ROOM

Subtle room ambience mimicking the tight Air Studios live room

Decay 3 · Tone 5 · Level 2

Why these settings

The iconic cocked-wah honk came from accidental mic phase cancellation rather than an actual pedal, so the 80S ROCK model is pushed with mid at 9 and the onboard 5-BAND EQ focusing the 800Hz-1.6kHz range. The ES-335 provides similar PAF humbucker warmth to Knopfler's Les Paul, but rolling the guitar tone knob down to 7 trims the semi-hollow body's acoustic top-end snap. Bass is kept lean at 4 to prevent the ES-335 low end from muddying the tight crunch. Middle has no knob on the LT25: press the encoder to open the preset, press it again on the amp model, then select MIDDLE on the display and turn the encoder.

PRO TIPDitch the pick completely: pluck down with your thumb on the lower notes and snap upward with your index and middle fingers to get Knopfler's percussive, popping attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Mustang LT25. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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