🎸 Metal · 1980s

In My Dreams by Dokken (Solo · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Dokken · solo

The In My Dreams by Dokken guitar tone is built on a Marshall JCM800 2203, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 5, mid 5, treble 6, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

7.5

GAIN

BASS

MID

TREBLE

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7.5 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: ESP Kamikaze (custom shop, Dokken era, maple neck, poplar body, Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Distortion humbucker) · Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 (modded, 100-watt head, Marshall 4x12 cab, 1985-86 studio recording)

Studio recording, 1985-86. George Lynch used his ESP Kamikaze with a Seymour Duncan Distortion humbucker into a modded Marshall JCM800 2203 head and Marshall 4x12 cab. No evidence of live rig or later gear being used on this recording. No evidence of rack effects or advanced pedalboard in the studio for this track.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall JCM800 songs & tones →🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Tube Screamer songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →🎚️ Seymour Duncan pickups songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

ESP Kamikaze (custom shop, Dokken era, maple neck, poplar body, Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Distortion humbucker) → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Marshall JCM800 2203 (modded, 100-watt head, Marshall 4x12 cab, 1985-86 studio recording)

Effects

overdrive, delay, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

singing sustain, tight and percussive attack, aggressive midrange focus, harmonic overtones, fluid legato runs, pinch harmonics, articulate single-note clarity, punchy palm-muted chugs, cutting lead presence, classic 80s LA metal solo tone

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the In My Dreams sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Solo

The solo demands advanced control of legato, fast picking, expressive vibrato, and harmonics, making it challenging for most intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No direct studio documentation of exact pedal models or amp knob positions for this specific solo; settings are estimated based on period-correct Marshall JCM800 usage, genre, and forum advice.
No evidence of rack effects or advanced pedalboard in the studio for this track; later live rigs (Soldano, JCM900, stereo rigs, etc.) are not relevant to this recording.
Pedal/effects info is inferred from audio and typical Lynch/Dokken studio setups of the era; no explicit mention of delay or chorus pedals for this solo in available sources.
Forum advice suggests mid-forward tone with moderate bass and treble; settings averaged from forum suggestions and typical 80s Marshall tones.
If more accurate studio notes or isolated track analysis become available, settings may need revision.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. George Lynch's solo tone on 'In My Dreams' is classic mid-80s LA metal: high gain but not saturated, slightly scooped mids for clarity, tight but not boomy lows, and enough treble/presence for cut. The reverb is subtle, typical of 80s production, and these settings reflect his probable Marshall/JCM800 setup and era-appropriate EQ choices.

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In My Dreams guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the In My Dreams guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 7.5, bass 5, mid 5, treble 6, presence 6, reverb 2. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the In My Dreams tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: ESP Kamikaze (custom shop, Dokken era, maple neck, poplar body, Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan Distortion humbucker) · Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 (modded, 100-watt head, Marshall 4x12 cab, 1985-86 studio recording); overdrive, delay, reverb.

Can I get the In My Dreams tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Dokken on In My Dreams — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 7.5, bass 5, mid 5, treble 6, presence 6, reverb 2), and overdrive, delay, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

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More like this

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com