page_title: John Sykes
section_title: Equipment
hierarchical_section_title: John Sykes / Equipment
caption_attribution_description: English: John Sykes of Thin Lizzy at the Music Hall in Aberdeen Scotland on 1st December 2007
context_page_description: John Sykes is an English musician and songwriter, best known as a member of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy and Tygers of Pan Tang. He also fronted the hard rock group Blue Murder, and has released several solo albums.
  Following a stint in the heavy metal group Tygers of Pan Tang in the early 1980s, Sykes joined the Irish hard rock group Thin Lizzy for their 1983 album Thunder and Lightining. Sykes then joined Whitesnake, with whom he released the multi-platinum selling 1987 album. However, Sykes was let go from the group before the album's release and thus decided to form his own band Blue Murder. After three albums, Sykes embarked on a solo career before reforming Thin Lizzy in the 1990s as a tribute to the group's deceased frontman Phil Lynott. Sykes continued to front the group until 2009 when he left the band to continue his solo career.
  In 2006, Gibson released a limited line of signature John Sykes Les Pauls, which were modeled after his 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom, that he has used throughout most of his career.
context_section_description: Sykes has used a 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom throughout most of his career. The guitar is fitted with chrome hardware (which were added at Phil Lynott's suggestion), Grover tuners and a brass nut. The guitar featured a Gibson Dirty Fingers pick-up in the bridge position, that has since then been swapped out for a Gibson PAF reissue. In 2006, Gibson produced a limited number of Les Pauls based on Sykes' Custom model. The line quickly sold out. Other guitars Sykes has used include a  sunburst 1959 Gibson Les Paul (which is featured on the cover of his album Loveland), a 1961 Fender Stratocaster, an EVH Frankenstein and a Joe Satriani model Ibanez.
  Sykes mainly uses EVH 5150 III amplifiers and cabinets. He previously used a Marshall JCM800 for live performances. For Whitesnake's 1987 album and the first Blue Murder record, Sykes used two Mesa Boogie Coliseum heads with Mark III pre-amp sections and six 6L6 power tubes. Sykes also uses Ernie Ball strings, gauged at .010 to .046, and Dunlop 1.14mm Tortex picks.
caption: Sykes performing in 2007 with his 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom
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