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rhythm guitar from “black hole sun” by soundgarden | ToneDB

black hole sun

soundgarden

rhythm guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A thick, slightly fuzzy, and swirling rhythm guitar tone that's both heavy and psychedelic. It’s defined by its detuned sound and prominent use of modulation effects.

Gear

Gretsch Duo Jetinstrument
Reverb$2200Sweetwater
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifieramp
ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Arbiter Fuzz Faceprocessing
Reverb$772Sweetwater
Leslie Speakerprocessing
Reverb$109Sweetwater

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The Story

The rhythm guitar tone on "Black Hole Sun" comes from Kim Thayil's setup featuring a Gretsch Duo Jet through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, tuned to C# standard. The characteristic swirling quality comes from running the signal through a Leslie speaker cabinet, while an Arbiter Fuzz Face adds the saturated, slightly gated distortion. The track was recorded at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle with producer Michael Beinhorn.

Production Credits

Producer: Michael Beinhorn

Engineer: Matt Bayles

Recorded at: Bad Animals Studio, Seattle

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gretsch Duo Jet

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Arbiter Fuzz Face, Leslie Speaker

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a guitar equipped with humbucker pickups for a thick sound.
  • Tune your guitar to C# standard tuning.
  • Use a fuzz pedal to achieve a saturated and slightly gated distortion. Experiment with different fuzz pedals to find one that suits your taste.
  • Route your signal through a Leslie speaker (or a Leslie simulator pedal) to get the swirling modulation effect.
  • Use a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amp model (or a similar high-gain amp) to achieve the core distorted tone.
  • Blend the fuzz and Leslie signals to taste. Experiment with different levels and panning to find the right balance.
  • Use a dynamic microphone like the Shure SM57 to capture the amp's sound.

Original Gear

  • Gretsch Duo Jet(guitar)
  • Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Arbiter Fuzz Face(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone G-400 Pro$400-$500

Alternative to: Gretsch Duo Jet

Provides similar humbucker thickness for the heavy, detuned rhythm tone at a budget-friendly price

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Archetype Petrucci$100-$120

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Includes excellent Dual Rectifier modeling that captures the tight, saturated high-gain character

ReverbSweetwater
Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini$180-$200

Alternative to: Arbiter Fuzz Face

Modern recreation of the classic Fuzz Face circuit that provides the gated, saturated fuzz texture

ReverbSweetwater
Boss RT-20 Rotary Sound Processor$300-$350

Alternative to: Leslie Speaker

Accurately recreates the swirling Leslie speaker modulation essential to the song's psychedelic character

ReverbSweetwater
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier$2800-$3200

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

The exact same amp model used on the recording for authentic high-gain Rectifier tone

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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