Tone library / Whitesnake / Is this love

Is this love amp settings — Marshall JCM800 2203

The Whitesnake guitar tone for “Is this love”, dialed in for a Marshall JCM800 2203 with a Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster. Studio version, Whitesnake (1987) — clean chorus verse/intro rhythm

Original rig

1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Dirty Fingers humbuckers) into Jose Arredondo-modded Marshall JCM800 2204 + Roland Dimension D chorus, Yamaha SPX90, Lexicon 224 reverb

Lush, glossy 80s studio-polished clean with warm mids and shimmering chorus

Amp settings — Marshall JCM800 2203

CHANNELLow Sensitivity Input

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	7
Mid	6
Treble	5
Presence	4
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPneck+middle TONE8 VOLUME9

Signal chain

01Boss CE-2W Chorus

RECOMMENDED — not owned (essential for the signature 80s shimmer)

Rate 4 · Depth 7

02Digital Delay

RECOMMENDED — not owned (set ~455ms quarter-note delay)

Time 5 · Feedback 4 · Level 4

Why these settings

Plug into the JCM800 2203's Low Sensitivity input to keep the preamp totally clean and maximize headroom. Because the Clapton Strat uses single-coil-voiced Vintage Noiseless pickups compared to Sykes' hot Dirty Fingers humbuckers, push the amp's bass and mids to add body, and keep the mid-boost active control on the guitar around 2-3 to round out the highs without pushing the amp into breakup. The JCM800 lacks onboard reverb, so an external chorus and delay/reverb are strongly recommended to capture the wide studio production.

PRO TIPSelect the neck+middle (position 4) pickup selector setting on your Strat and dial the active mid-boost knob to about 2.5—it thickens the single-coil quack into the smooth, polished 80s studio sheen without triggering preamp crunch.

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These settings are for a Marshall JCM800 2203. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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