What guitar did Dave Sabo use on 18 and Life?

Dave 'Snake' Sabo used a Gibson Les Paul for the lead guitar parts on "18 and Life." The humbucker pickups and mahogany body construction of the Les Paul were essential for achieving the thick, sustaining tone heard on the track.

How to get Skid Row guitar tone from 18 and Life?

Start with a Les Paul-style guitar through a Marshall JCM800 amp with moderate gain settings. Boost the signal with an Ibanez Tube Screamer set to low-to-mid drive and high level. Double-track the guitar parts and use close-miking techniques to capture the direct amp sound.

What amp did Skid Row use on their first album?

Skid Row used Marshall JCM800 amplifiers for their self-titled debut album, which includes "18 and Life." The JCM800's aggressive midrange character and tight low-end response were perfect for their hard rock sound.

What overdrive pedal did Dave Sabo use?

Dave Sabo used an Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer to boost his Marshall JCM800 amp. The Tube Screamer added sustain and saturation while tightening up the amp's natural distortion, creating that focused lead guitar attack.

Who produced Skid Row 18 and Life?

"18 and Life" was produced by Michael Wagener at A&M Studios in Hollywood. Wagener was known for his powerful, close-miked guitar sounds and worked with many hard rock and metal bands during the late 80s and early 90s.

lead guitar from "18 and life" by skidrow

18 and life

skidrow

lead guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

Aggressive and harmonically rich hard rock lead tone. Characterized by a bright, articulate attack with a tight low-end and searing sustain.

Shop This Rig

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Gibson Les Paul(instrument)
Marshall JCM800(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer(processing)

The Story

Dave 'Snake' Sabo's lead guitar tone on "18 and Life" was built around a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall JCM800 amp, boosted with an Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer. The album was recorded at A&M Studios in Hollywood and produced by Michael Wagener, who was known for his punchy, close-miked guitar sounds. The leads were double-tracked and recorded with minimal room ambience to achieve that tight, focused attack.

Production Credits

Producer: Michael Wagener

Engineer: Michael Wagener

Recorded at: A&M Studios, Los Angeles

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb

Amp: Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Ibanez TS808 Tube ScreamerShop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Les Paul style guitar with humbucker pickups.
Use a Marshall JCM800 amp as a base, with the gain set to a moderate level.
Add an Ibanez Tube Screamer with the drive set low to mid, and the level set to boost the signal.
Position a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis.
Double-track the guitar part, panning each track slightly to create a wider stereo image.
Use a compressor to even out the dynamics and enhance sustain.

Original Gear

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Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb(guitar)
Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb(amp)
Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)
Ibanez TS808 Tube ScreamerShop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Boss OD-3 OverDriveShop on Reverb$50-$70

Alternative to: Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer

Budget-friendly overdrive that provides similar mid-focused boost and compression as the TS808 for tightening up Marshall amp distortion

Marshall Studio Classic SC20HShop on Reverb$600-$700

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

20-watt version of the JCM800 circuit that delivers the same aggressive midrange bite and crunch at manageable volumes

Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50sShop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul

Features similar humbucker pickups and mahogany body construction as vintage Les Pauls, providing the thick, sustaining tone needed for this style

Neural DSP Fortin Nameless SuitePlugin Boutique$120-$150

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

Digital amp plugin that accurately models high-gain Marshall tones with built-in overdrive modeling for the complete Skid Row guitar sound

Ibanez TS9 Tube ScreamerShop on Reverb$100-$130