Real AmpTuning: Eb StandardPickup: MiddleClean ToneAmbient

Synchronicity Arpeggio Shimmer — Compressed Clean Chorus

The Police — Every Breath You Take
N

ndever

Jul 12, 2026

Andy Summers built the song around a compressed clean guitar, with the bright arpeggio widened by Roland chorus and subtle Echoplex-style ambience. Contemporary reconstructions cite a Stratocaster-family guitar, MXR Dyna Comp and Roland JC-120, while the precise studio guitar and control positions remain debated. Settings are approximated from the documented Police-era rig and the recording’s restrained modulation. Source: Sound on Sound’s Classic Tracks feature, Line 6’s Andy Summers tone template, and Premier Guitar.

Signal Chain

Fender Stratocaster-style guitar→MXR Dyna Comp→Roland JC-120→Roland JC-120 2x12→Roland Stereo Chorus→Echoplex-Style Delay→Output
GuitarFender Stratocaster-style guitar
Tone
8.5
PickupMiddle
TuningEb Standard
Volume
10
PedalMXR Dyna Comp
Output6.5
Sensitivity6
AmpRoland JC-120
Bass
5
Mids
5.5
Reverb
2
Treble
6.5
Volume
4
Cab / IRRoland JC-120 2x12
MicRepresentative stereo condenser pair
Mic PositionOne mic per speaker, slightly off-axis
EffectRoland Stereo Chorus
Mix
4
Rate2
Depth
4
EffectEchoplex-Style Delay
Mix
1.5
Time110 ms
Feedback
1

Notes

Use firm compression but keep the chorus slow and subtle. The difficult part is maintaining even dynamics and clean separation through the long chord stretches.

Don't have this gear?

See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.

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