Man, I love findings like that. When 99% of people would imagine Sultans being recorded on the iconic red Stratocaster, this thing comes along and like, "could you imagine Sultans was played on a black Stratocaster?". I guess throughout Mark's career there's tons of little surprising things like that.
well as I understand, this guitar was used for rhtyhm
and the lead was played (99,99% sure according to Ingo) on Mark's 61
but indeed, at this time (april 78) the 61 was still in natural wood finish ! so yes, Sulatns has been recorded on a non-red strat !
while the red strat has become the iconic guitar for dire straits sound, and sultans sound !
pretty funny isn't it ?