GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Still Of The Night (2017 Remaster) Guitar Tone Settings
Whitesnake · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (1978, black, with chrome hardware, used by John Sykes)
Pickups
Gibson Dirty Fingers humbuckers (original, high output, ceramic magnet)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (studio recording, 1986-1987)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'Still Of The Night' (1987 album, 2017 remaster is the same take). John Sykes used his black 1978 Les Paul Custom with Dirty Fingers pickups into a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head, likely boosted with a Boss DS-1 Distortion for extra gain. No evidence of modulation or time-based pedals in the riff section; the tone is dry, tight, and high-gain. These settings are for the studio recording, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Boss DS-1 Distortion · distortion
Guitar → Boss DS-1 Distortion → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (low spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive palm muting
- saturated high-gain distortion
- articulate pick attack
- chunky low end
- cutting upper mids
- minimal ambience
- fast note decay
- high-output humbucker clarity
- studio-polished heaviness
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Still Of The Night' found; amp and pedal choices are confirmed by Equipboard and multiple interviews, but settings are estimated based on typical Mark IIC+ usage for 1980s hard rock/metal and John Sykes' known preferences.
- No evidence of modulation or time-based effects (chorus, delay, flanger, etc.) in the riff section; the tone is dry and focused.
- Pedal use (Boss DS-1 Distortion) is cited as part of Sykes' rig for this era, but not confirmed for every song—however, it is widely accepted for the 1987 album rhythm tones.
- Pickup selector is inferred as bridge based on the bright, aggressive tone and Sykes' typical usage.
- Reverb is set low, as the riff section is notably dry; any ambience is likely from studio room mics, not amp or pedal.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. John Sykes' tone on 'Still Of The Night' is a classic 80s British hard rock sound: high gain but not modern metal, with pronounced mids and a tight, punchy low end. The treble and presence are set to cut through the mix without harshness, and the reverb is minimal, as the production is dry and focused. These settings reflect typical Marshall JCM800 usage with Sykes' aggressive playing and the era's production style.