GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
It's Not Love Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dokken
Dokken · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Kamikaze (Skull & Bones) custom
Pickups
Seymour Duncan 'Dokken-era' Distortion humbucker (bridge)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1985; George Lynch used his custom ESP Skull & Bones guitar with a high-output Seymour Duncan humbucker into a Marshall JCM800. No evidence of pedal effects for the riff section; effects are likely from the amp or post-production. Live rigs and later gear are not relevant for this recording.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain7.5
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive and saturated
- bright and articulate
- focused midrange punch
- cutting upper mids
- controlled low-end
- slight amp reverb for space
- high-output humbucker clarity
- British-voiced crunch
- minimal modulation
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for the studio recording; settings estimated based on typical 1980s Marshall JCM800 usage for metal and George Lynch's known tone.
- No evidence of pedal effects used on the riff section in the studio; chorus and delay are not audible in the riff, only slight amp reverb.
- Pickup and guitar model confirmed by multiple sources for this era and song.
- Live rigs and later Dokken albums use different amps/pedals; not relevant for this specific recording.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. George Lynch's 'It's Not Love' tone is classic mid-80s LA metal: high gain but not extreme, with tight low end, slightly scooped mids, and bright, cutting treble/presence for clarity. The reverb is minimal, as was typical for tight, punchy 80s metal rhythm tracks.