GuitarDistortedRiff
Bad Boys (2017 Remaster) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Whitesnake
Whitesnake · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (John Sykes' main guitar on Whitesnake 1987 album)
Pickups
Original Gibson humbuckers (likely Tim Shaw-era PAF-style, high output)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and/or Mark III Coliseum head (studio recording, 1986-87)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for Whitesnake's 1987 album (remastered 2017). John Sykes used his white Les Paul Custom into Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and Mark III Coliseum heads, sometimes with a Kasha Rockmod preamp. No evidence of live rig or other guitars for this riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and saturated
- aggressive palm-muting
- harmonically rich
- articulate pick attack
- thick, punchy midrange
- high-output humbucker bite
- British-American hybrid amp voicing
- percussive and driving
- minimal ambience
- dry, focused distortion