What guitar did John Sykes use on Is This Love?

John Sykes used a Fender Stratocaster for the lead guitar parts on 'Is This Love'. The Stratocaster's bright tone and sustain characteristics were essential to achieving the song's melodic lead guitar sound.

How to get Whitesnake Is This Love guitar tone?

Start with a Stratocaster-style guitar into a Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain amp. Add subtle chorus using a Boss CE-1 or similar pedal for the characteristic '80s shimmer, and use moderate gain settings to maintain clarity while providing sustain.

What amp was used on Whitesnake Is This Love?

A Marshall JCM800 amplifier was used for the lead guitar tone on 'Is This Love'. This amp provided the classic Marshall crunch and sustain that defined much of '80s hard rock.

What chorus pedal did Whitesnake use on Is This Love?

The Boss CE-1 chorus was used to process the guitar signal on 'Is This Love'. This vintage chorus unit provided the lush, shimmering effect that gives the lead guitar its distinctive '80s character.

Where was Whitesnake Is This Love recorded?

'Is This Love' was recorded at Record Plant in Los Angeles, with Mike Stone producing and Nigel Thomas engineering. The professional studio environment contributed to the polished, powerful sound of the final recording.

lead guitar from "is this love" by whitesnake

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Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone is a classic '80s rock sound, characterized by its sustain, moderate gain, and bright, slightly chorus-y edge. It's smooth and melodic, fitting perfectly within the song's power ballad context.

Shop This Rig

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Fender Stratocaster(instrument)
Marshall JCM800(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Boss CE-1(processing)

The Story

The lead guitar tone on 'Is This Love' was recorded at Record Plant in Los Angeles, engineered by Nigel Thomas and produced by Mike Stone. The signal chain featured a Fender Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM800 amplifier, captured with a Shure SM57 microphone and processed with a Boss CE-1 chorus to achieve the characteristic '80s shimmer and sustain.

Production Credits

Producer: Mike Stone

Engineer: Nigel Thomas

Recorded at: Record Plant, Los Angeles

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb

Amp: Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Boss CE-1Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Stratocaster-style guitar with a bridge humbucker for added thickness.
Use a Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain amp model as your base tone.
Add a subtle chorus effect to thicken the sound and provide that classic '80s shimmer.
Experiment with microphone placement on the amp to find the sweet spot for your particular setup. A Shure SM57 is a great starting point.
Use a clean boost or overdrive pedal before the amp to push it into higher gain territories for solos.

Original Gear

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Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb(guitar)
Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb(amp)
Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)
Boss CE-1Shop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Marshall Origin 50HShop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

Provides the classic Marshall crunch and sustain with JCM800-inspired voicing at a more accessible price point

Boss CE-2W Waza CraftShop on Reverb$180-$220

Alternative to: Boss CE-1

Modern recreation of vintage Boss chorus with CE-1 mode, delivering the same lush '80s chorus effect

Neural DSP Fortin Nameless SuitePlugin Boutique$100-$130

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

High-quality amp modeling plugin with excellent Marshall-style high gain tones and built-in effects

Squier Classic Vibe '70s StratocasterShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Affordable Stratocaster with vintage voicing and pickup configuration suitable for this melodic rock tone

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-$130

Alternative to: Shure SM57

The exact same microphone used on the original recording, still the industry standard for guitar cabinets

Sources

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lead guitar from “is this love” by whitesnake | ToneDB