Dire Straits Sultans of swing

Dynamic1022

Dynamic1022

Inspired
Tried to get the preset as close as possible like the original.
So i kept it very simple. Did some research on the internet. And with help from the forum.

Mark Knopler's reaction in a interview: It’s just a Fender Twin and the Strat, with its three-way selector switch jammed into a middle position. That gives the song its sound, and I think there were quite a few five-way switches installed as a result of that song.”

So i tried the same.
Just a Fender twin and a 1x8 tweed cab and a little spring reverb.
And the switch selector in te middle on my Fender Stratocaster. (Just like Mark Said)
I recorded it with a pick because my fingers are not fast enough. :)oops: yet)
And its not flawless to. i just learned the solo from my music teacher. Still practicing.:cool:
Dont judge me on that.:rolleyes:



Gear used

Fractal AXE FX2+ Firmware 9.04
Fender USA Stratocaster HSS with cusom flat 50,s
Audacity

The preset can be found in the link below

http://axechange.fractalaudio.com/search-results.php?search=sultans&fields=all&products=6&setups=0
 
I could be wrong but I don't think he meant the middle position of a 5 position switch. I think he had only 3 positions and used the position between neck and middle position. Or between middle and bridge, but I think not. On the old Strats you had to get the selector switch to stop in the middle of those positions, much easier to install a 5-way switch as he mentioned
 
Yep - what Edgewannabe says.

When MK says 'jammed in the middle' he means that on old strats there was a 3 position pickup selector and a trick was to find the sweet spot 'in the middle' between those 1-2-3 (bridge-middle-neck) positions on the switch to get the funky out of phase 'quack' tones.

So with a modern 5 way switch (which I assume your strat has) those positions are now less precariously found at 2 and 4.

With a HSS strat of course your position '2' (by that I mean between bridge and middle) will have a slightly different tone from a SSS strat because of the different ways that bridge humbucker can be split. If HSS strats maybe have a 'Super Switch' fitted and possibly even a reverse wound middle pickup (to give hum cancelling when combined with a regular wound pickup) then they'd get somewhat close to getting a vintage 'in between 1 and 2 position' tone as you'd be using the (regular wound) single coil in the humbucker nearest the bridge - which is nearer to the position the bridge pickup would be in a SSS strat.

MK maybe used the position 4 between neck and middle though? So maybe try it to see what it sounds like on your strat?

Not that the science really matters at the end of the day - you just use what sounds best to you with what you've got ..... chasing a recorded tone could take up the rest of your life due to so many variables in equipment, recording techniques, fingers, mastering eq .... blah blah.

Bottom line is: If I was standing in front of a band listening then your tone as recorded above would sound fine to me.

When it comes to live playing I'm no tone snob .... well actually the only time I got a bit floored was when many years ago I walked into a club where a band was playing a Boston cover - the guitarist sounded just like the recorded tone. Turned out he was using a full Tom Scholz Sustainer, Distortion Generator, EQs, Chorus etc etc built rig - complete with the OctoMidi or whatever it was called footswitch system. Sounded great until the song ended and the band started playing the next cover by a different artist ...... the guitar still sounded like Boston ...... by the end of the gig I was definitely sick of that tone!
 
Edgewannabe said:
I could be wrong but I don't think he meant the middle position of a 5 position switch. I think he had only 3 positions and used the position between neck and middle position. Or between middle and bridge, but I think not. On the old Strats you had to get the selector switch to stop in the middle of those positions, much easier to install a 5-way switch as he mentioned
Click to expand...

Thank you for your feedback. Maybe it's true. i dont have a old strat or experience with one. maybe someone on the forum has.
i know mark uses between the neck and middel pickup ore between the middle and bridge pickup very often in the early days.
 
You're right Maxdown it does not have to sound like the real thing. Thanks for the nice info.
In the beginning i was using a lot of effects tried to get close to the sound but than realise.They probably didnt had the money to use so
many effects so i went back to basics. just using a amp,cab and a little reverb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom