TonesMatch
When the Children Cry — White Lion1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

When the Children Cry Solo Guitar Tone Settings — White Lion

White Lion · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
White Lion Custom ESP Strat-style (Vito Bratta signature, HSS configuration, Floyd Rose)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB (bridge humbucker), stock single coils (middle/neck)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 Head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1987-88)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan JB humbucker)

Studio recording for 'Pride' album (1987-88); all gear and settings refer to the original studio solo, not live or covers. No evidence of additional preamp or distortion pedals in the studio chain; overdrive/distortion from amp. Effects are rack-based or studio post-processing.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
6
Gain
5
Reverb
3.5
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Delay pedal (model unknown, likely rack delay such as Lexicon PCM-41 or Roland SDE-3000) · delay
  • Chorus pedal (model unknown, likely rack chorus such as Roland Dimension D or Boss CE-1) · chorus

Guitar (ESP Strat-style, bridge humbucker) → Marshall JCM800 (cranked for edge-of-breakup lead) → Rack delay → Rack chorus → Marshall 4x12 cab (studio plate reverb added in mix)

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

  • singing sustain
  • smooth legato phrasing
  • crystal-clear note separation
  • slightly compressed attack
  • warm, vocal-like lead tone
  • touch-sensitive dynamics
  • not overly saturated
  • delicate delay repeats
  • subtle stereo spread
  • articulate high end

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio knob settings found; amp and EQ settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 usage for 80s melodic rock solos and Vito Bratta's known tone.
  • ⚠️No evidence of drive/distortion pedals in the studio chain; all gain from amp.
  • ⚠️Delay and reverb are clearly audible in the solo, but exact rack units or pedal models are not confirmed for the original studio recording.
  • ⚠️Some modern covers use different gear (e.g., Dann V. uses Fender/Marshall hybrid rigs and rack processors), but these are not representative of the original studio recording.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Vito Bratta's solo tone on 'When the Children Cry' is clean with a touch of breakup, smooth mids, and a bright but not harsh top end, typical of late-80s melodic rock ballads. The amp is likely set just above clean, with moderate bass and mids, slightly boosted treble and presence for clarity, and moderate reverb for space.

Sources