lead guitar from “is this love” by whitesnake | ToneDB
is this love
whitesnake
lead guitar
AI generatedv1.0
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.
Gear
- Fender Stratocasterinstrument
- ReverbSweetwater
- Marshall JCM800amp
- ReverbSweetwater
- Shure SM57microphone
- ReverbSweetwater
- Boss CE-1processing
- Reverb$747Sweetwater
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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 Stratocaster
Amp: Marshall JCM800
Microphone: Shure SM57
Processing: Boss CE-1
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
- Fender Stratocaster(guitar)
- Marshall JCM800(amp)
- Shure SM57(mic)
- Boss CE-1(pedal)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Marshall JCM800
Provides the classic Marshall crunch and sustain with JCM800-inspired voicing at a more accessible price point
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Boss CE-1
Modern recreation of vintage Boss chorus with CE-1 mode, delivering the same lush '80s chorus effect
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Marshall JCM800
High-quality amp modeling plugin with excellent Marshall-style high gain tones and built-in effects
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Fender Stratocaster
Affordable Stratocaster with vintage voicing and pickup configuration suitable for this melodic rock tone
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Shure SM57
The exact same microphone used on the original recording, still the industry standard for guitar cabinets
ReverbSweetwaterFrequently Asked Questions
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