Cowboy Song amp settings — Blackstar Core Id

The Thin Lizzy guitar tone for “Cowboy Song”, dialed in for a Blackstar Core Id with a Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s. Studio version, Jailbreak (1976) — twin guitar harmonies, Marshall crunch

Original rig

Gibson Les Paul Custom/Standard/Deluxe → Marshall full stacks (likely JMP 50/100W heads) cranked, Colorsound wah, MXR Phase 90, WEM Copycat tape echo

Crunchy, mid-forward British rock with harmonic bite, warm low-mids, singing sustain on leads

Amp settings — Blackstar Core Id

CHANNELCrunch (OD1)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	1
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Why these settings

Set ISF to 8 (fully clockwise/British) to nail the Marshall voicing — this shifts the EQ curve toward that mid-forward bark Gorham and Robertson got from cranked Marshalls. The original tone came from power tube saturation at high volume; the ID:Core's Crunch channel at gain 6 with ISF British approximates that pushed-stack sound. Mid at 7 compensates for the Blackstar's slightly scooped default compared to a real JMP.

PRO TIPRoll your guitar volume to 7-8 for the cleaner rhythm passages in the intro and verses, then slam it to 10 for the twin-harmony lead breaks — Gorham and Robertson used volume knob cleanup constantly to shift between rhythm grit and lead sustain without touching the amp.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar Core Id. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.