MK guitar effects

[Richie 123]

Hi  what  effect pedals does mk use   what compression pedal does he use ??thanks

[shangri la 1]

  Hi Richie 123. Welcome to AMIT! 
Try the links above 6/7. Ingo's page is THE most comprehensive MK guitar gear page on the net.

Cheers
SL1

[yontwocrows]

Hi Richie,

yeah there is no better website for MK Gear than mk-guitar.com. Here some quicklinks:
volume pedal: http://www.mk-guitar.com/2008/09/10/knopflers-ernie-ball-volume-pedal-and-how-i-use-mine/
effect gear, pedals and rag: http://www.mk-guitar.com/category/gear/effects-gear/

Check it out! You'll find many more informations on his site, 'cause Ingo has been doing his profound researchs for many years now.

[Richie 123]

Ok thanks guys

[3Strats]

Guy has said on more than one occasion that Mark doesn't use a compressor in his signal chain (nowadays) but at the volumes he plays/records at, the natural compression of the amps will affect the sound. At "bedroom volumes" any reasonable compressor, delay and reverb pedal will get you in the ballpark for a clean sound.  (or if you have a modelling amp, just play around with the effects).  When it comes to a distorted sound, you would be better off with an Overdrive pedal than a distortion pedal for most of Mark's "distorted" songs. (and a Les Paul of course).

[JF]

I think that rebdud tree has some little compression for the solo sound

compression is not always a stompbox in the guitar signal chain. it can also be after micing the amp, or sometimes directly on the sounddesk.
so when Guy says that mark doesn't use compression nowadays, I think he means as a pedal, but in studio recording there are always compressor or limiter here and there

and of course Mark used a comp stompbox in early DS days
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2008/10/09/the-dan-armstrong-orange-squeezer-compressor-did-mark-knopfler-really-use-it/

his clean tone, even in the 810ies, is obviously compressed. it gives him this sustain that you can't have with a normal clean sound.

in recent recordings, I hear a clean comp sound in e.g. occupation blues, redbud tree, beachcombing, time in the sun, postcards, etc...

[Ingo]

I 2nd to what JF is saying: clean electric guitars are almost always compressed (just like vocals and many percussive instruments are). This is done to embed them more easily in the final mix.

When Guy says that Mark does not use a compressor device, it means that compression is added after the amp, which is in the mixing desk - both in the studio and live I think.