No. 0691976·hard-rock·4 blocks

The Boys Are Back in Town

Thin Lizzy's signature is the harmonized twin lead, and The Boys Are Back in Town is its definitive statement. Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson each played a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe through cranked 100-watt non-master-volume Marshalls — gain from sheer volume, not pedals — harmonizing the hook (which started life as Phil Lynott's bass line) mostly in thirds. Gorham's only regular color was an MXR Phase 90; Robertson favored a Colorsound wah. Recorded at Ramport Studios with producer John Alcock.

Jailbreak coverJailbreak
Settings for
Signal path · input → output · 7 blocksLive values · Line 6 Helix
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
Pickups
HH
Tuning
both
Strings
standard
Deluxe Comp
Script Mod Phase
Brit Plexi Brt
4x12 Greenback 25
Plate
Tilt
Deluxe Comp
← Studio compression
Dynamics
Threshold
-34dB
Ratio
2:1
Knee
6dB
Attack
50ms
Release
400ms
Mix
50
Level
0dB
Script Mod Phase
← MXR Phase 90
Modulation
Rate
0.3Hz
Depth
0.5
Mix
40
Level
0
Brit Plexi Brt
← Marshall Super Lead 100 (non-master-volume)
Amp
Drive
6.2
Bass
5
Mid
6.2
Treble
6.8
Presence
6
ChVol
7
Master
10
Bias
5
BiasX
5
Sag
5.5
Hum
5
Ripple
5
4x12 Greenback 25
← Marshall 4x12 (Greenbacks)
Cab
LowCut90Hz
HighCut11000Hz
Level
0dB
Pan
0.5
Delay
0
Plate
← Studio plate (light)
Reverb
LowCut180Hz
HighCut7500Hz
Mix
12
Decay
0.4s
Predelay
20ms
Level
0
Tilt
← Tilt EQ (global brightness)
EQ
Tilt
0.5
CenterFreq
1000Hz
Level
0

What we checked

Computed by a program, on this recipe, every time this page is built. How this works

Preset files — 1 of 3 complete
  • Helix builds complete — every block in the recipe is in the file
  • Quad Cortex 4 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
    Which ones

    Replaced with a stand-in: LA Compressor, 4x12 Greenback, Plate, Tilt EQ. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.

  • Katana 2 blocks replaced with a stand-in model
    Which ones

    Replaced with a stand-in: Crunch, Reverb. These load cleanly but are not the model named above — the file will sound wrong here until we map them. Set these blocks by hand.

Helix DSP
55.6% of one chip — fits
Sources
3 cited, 3 from publications that do original gear reporting
Attribution
Not yet ratedThis recipe predates the attribution-confidence field and hasn't been reviewed for it.
What we didn't check
  • Nobody played this through a real amp. There is no human listening test behind any number on this page.
  • The settings are reasoned from the sources below, not measured off the record.
  • No audio has been rendered for this recipe yet, so you cannot hear it before you load it.
  • 3 platforms on this page (TONEX, Kemper, Fractal) get a model pointer, not a preset file — nothing was built or checked for them.
The mic in this chain

Shure SM57

Still made, still the studio default. The cheapest part of this chain to get right.

Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The mic is listed because the chain uses it, not because anyone paid for the placement.

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