Riff Tone
Black Hole Sun
Soundgarden
Guitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarGuild S-100
AmpLate-Seventies Marshall Model 1987 JMP 50-watt Lead head + Marshall Model 1960 4x12 angled cabinet with Celestion G12H 30-watt Greenbacks
PickupsGuild HB-1 humbuckers (microphonic, vintage spec)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5.5
mid7.5
treble6
reverb1
presence4.5
Effects & Signal Chain
modulationLeslie or Hughes & Kettner or Boss Leslie Model 16 rotating speaker cabinet (or Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere, or Boss CE-2W in vibrato mode as substitute)
Notes
Studio recording, 1993-1994. Clean riff section. Guitar confirmed by Kim Thayil interview for the riff. Amp confirmed by Guitar World and Premier Guitar. Effects include Leslie rotary speaker emulation (Leslie Model 16 or Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere).
Tone Character(10)
bright and chimeydistinctive rotary/Leslie modulationclear note separationambient, swirling movementopen-string resonancedynamic and expressivenot compressed or fuzzyslightly glassy top endorganic, microphonic pickup responseno audible reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate technique due to open-string drones, precise picking, and playing cleanly through a heavy rotary modulation effect. Microphonic pickups add to the challenge of controlling dynamics and feedback.
Sources
This tone has been researched 4 times by the community
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarGuild S-100
AmpLate-Seventies Marshall Model 1987 JMP 50-watt Lead head + Marshall Model 1960 4x12 angled cabinet with Celestion G12H 30-watt Greenbacks
PickupsGuild HB-1 humbuckers (microphonic, vintage spec)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5.5
mid7.5
treble6
reverb1
presence4.5
Effects & Signal Chain
modulationLeslie or Hughes & Kettner or Boss Leslie Model 16 rotating speaker cabinet (or Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere, or Boss CE-2W in vibrato mode as substitute)
This tone has been researched 4 times by the community
Notes
Studio recording, 1993-1994. Clean riff section. Guitar confirmed by Kim Thayil interview for the riff. Amp confirmed by Guitar World and Premier Guitar. Effects include Leslie rotary speaker emulation (Leslie Model 16 or Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere).
Tone Character(10)
bright and chimeydistinctive rotary/Leslie modulationclear note separationambient, swirling movementopen-string resonancedynamic and expressivenot compressed or fuzzyslightly glassy top endorganic, microphonic pickup responseno audible reverb
Difficulty
The riff requires intermediate technique due to open-string drones, precise picking, and playing cleanly through a heavy rotary modulation effect. Microphonic pickups add to the challenge of controlling dynamics and feedback.
Black Hole Sun settings for your amp
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.
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