Is This Love

The recording

On the 2017 remaster of "Is This Love" the original 1987 recordings were transferred and subtly remixed, placing John Sykes's guitars more prominently in the mix. Sykes's rhythm tracks were double‑tracked and panned wide, while the solo sits front‑center, preserving the warm, overdriven tone captured through a Marshall JCM800 100‑watt head into a 4×12 cabinet. He performed on a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom tuned a half‑step down (Eb standard), using the bridge humbucker for both clean verses and the soaring lead. The signal was captured with a Shure SM57 close‑miked on the cabinet, giving the guitar its punch and clarity in the remastered version.

Tuning Eb standard (half-step down)

Original gear

1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom

Guitar

John Sykes recorded his rhythm and lead parts on "Is This Love" using a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom with a bridge humbucker, as documented for the 1987 sessions.

Marshall JCM800 100W Head

Amp

The Les Paul was routed into a Marshall JCM800 100‑watt head, providing the thick, saturated tone heard on the track.

Marshall 4x12 Cabinet (Celestion G12T‑75)

Cabinet

The amp was mic'd with a Shure SM57 placed on the speaker cone of a Marshall 4×12 cabinet loaded with Celestion G12T‑75 speakers.

Alternatives

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Use a humbucker‑equipped Les Paul and select the bridge pickup for both rhythm and lead parts.
2. 2.Play in Eb standard (half‑step down) to match the original pitch.
3. 3.Attack the strings with a firm pick for clean verses, then add wrist vibrato on sustained lead notes.
4. 4.Apply light palm‑muting on chordal sections to tighten the rhythm.