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Boss KatanaCleanSoloRock

Sultans of Swing on a Boss Katana

Dire Straits

Written for the Katana 50 MkII and the Katana 50 Gen 3, which share these knobs. The Katana 100 adds a Presence knob, and its value is given under the panel.

Sultans of Swing Boss Katana settings: a starting point

On a Boss Katana, select the Clean amp type and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6 and Reverb about 3, with the in-between position, probably neck and middle together.

Clean amp typeSultans of Swing on the Katana
  • Gain 2
  • Bass 5
  • Middle 6
  • Treble 6
  • Reverb about 3

The Katana 50 has no Presence knob. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 5.

Positions on a 0 to 10 scale, with 5 at twelve o'clock. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Picked by gain range

Which Boss Katana amp type for Sultans of Swing?

Clean. Knopfler says he played a Fender Twin, clean. BOSS names no real amp behind the Katana's types and describes Clean as a clean and natural sound, which is all this part asks of the amp. The snap comes from the guitar: a Stratocaster with its selector between two positions, played with the fingers.

Pick the amp type first: it changes the gain structure more than any knob does, so the same Gain position gives far more distortion on Lead or Brown than on Crunch. Gain sets the amount of distortion, Volume the level of that sound and Master the overall volume. Neither Katana 50 has a Presence knob, so on a 50 the top end is the Treble's job.

Boss Katana effects for Sultans of Swing

Booster
OffThe part is clean: nothing drives the amp but the guitar.Leave it out.
Reverb
Spring ReverbThe spring reverb in the starting point.Red in bank A on a MkII as shipped. Knob about 3.

The Katana runs five effects at once, one each on Booster, Mod, FX, Delay and Reverb. Each button cycles green, red and orange, and each colour holds its own effect. The colours below are the ones BOSS's MkII manual lists from the factory. On a Gen 3 the factory effects differ from channel to channel, so check what a colour holds before you rely on it; BOSS Tone Studio, over USB, can change any of them.

Does it sound off on your Katana?

Pick what you hear. You get the knobs to turn on the Katana from the settings above, and how far.

What the Katana cannot do for Sultans of Swing

Most of this sound is not in the amp. Knopfler has said it comes from the Strat's switch sitting between two positions, so on a guitar with no in-between setting the Katana cannot supply the quack. Find the pickup position first, then set the amp.

How to store it on the Katana

Hold CH1 or CH2 for one second. It stores every knob and button except Master, so use Volume to balance stored sounds and Master for the room.

What Dire Straits used on Sultans of Swing

Mark Knopfler's 1961 Fender Stratocaster with its three-way selector jammed between two positions, into a Fender Twin by his own account, recorded at Basing Street Studios in London in February 1978.

Rig sources: Guitar World: Mark Knopfler on his '61 Strat and Sultans of Swing, Wikipedia: Sultans of Swing, Mark Knopfler Guitar Site: gear on the album Dire Straits

Boss Katana facts checked against BOSS's own documents on : BOSS: KATANA Mk II Owner's Manual (PDF), BOSS: KATANA Gen 3 Reference Manual (PDF)

Dire Straits' rig and the generic five-knob settings for the Sultans of Swing tone →

A different guitar, or pedals in front?

This page sets the Katana on its own. Name your guitar and your pedals and Tonelify rewrites the settings for that whole rig, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account, and needs no card.

Match Sultans of Swing to my rig

Sultans of Swing on the Katana: questions

What Boss Katana settings do you need for Sultans of Swing?

Select the Clean amp type and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6 and Reverb about 3. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 5. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Which Boss Katana amp type is closest to the amp on Sultans of Swing?

Clean. Knopfler says he played a Fender Twin, clean. BOSS names no real amp behind the Katana's types and describes Clean as a clean and natural sound, which is all this part asks of the amp. The snap comes from the guitar: a Stratocaster with its selector between two positions, played with the fingers.

Which Boss Katana effects does Sultans of Swing use?

Reverb: Spring Reverb. The spring reverb in the starting point.

What can the Katana not do for Sultans of Swing?

Most of this sound is not in the amp. Knopfler has said it comes from the Strat's switch sitting between two positions, so on a guitar with no in-between setting the Katana cannot supply the quack. Find the pickup position first, then set the amp.

Does it matter for Sultans of Swing that the Katana 50 has no Presence knob?

Not much. Neither the Katana 50 MkII nor the Katana 50 Gen 3 has a Presence knob, so the Treble at 6 sets the top end on its own. On a Katana 100, which has the knob, set Presence to 5.

Is there a Sultans of Swing patch for the Boss Katana?

Tonelify does not offer a patch file. The settings on this page are dialled in by hand, which takes a couple of minutes and needs no computer. Hold a channel button for one second to store them.

What if you have a different guitar or pedals in front of the Katana?

These settings assume the unit on its own. Tonelify's matcher rewrites them for the guitar, pedals and amp you name, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account and needs no card.

More for the Katana

Sultans of Swing on a Fender Mustang LT25Boss Katana settings cheat sheetBoss Katana 50 MkIIBoss Katana 50 Gen 3Boss Katana 100 MkII