Solo Tone

Black Hole Sun

Soundgarden

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGretsch Duo Jet (single-cutaway, likely 1990s reissue, as used by Chris Cornell on Superunknown sessions)

AmpMarshall Model 1987 JMP 50-watt Lead head (late 1970s) blended with Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo head (1993), both into 4x12 cabinets

PickupsGretsch Filter'Tron humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain0

bass6

mid7

treble6

reverb2

presence4.5

Effects & Signal Chain

modulationLeslie Leslie Model 16 Rotating Speaker Cabinet

Notes

Studio recording, 1993-1994 Superunknown sessions. Clean tone sections (verse/intro/solo) used Gretsch Duo Jet into Marshall JMP 50 and Mesa Dual Rectifier, both set for moderate overdrive but played clean with guitar volume rolled back. Leslie Model 16 rotating speaker cabinet used for modulation. Settings below are for the clean section, not the distorted chorus/riff. Pickup selector likely in neck or middle position for warmer, rounder tone.

Tone Character(10)

warbling vibrato modulationorgan-like swirling texturebright and articulatedefined string attackwarm and smoothlush and spacioustrippy and psychedelicsparse and airyrounded highsnot heavily distorted

Difficulty

The solo's difficulty is intermediate due to its use of modulation effects, phrasing, and dynamic control, but does not require advanced speed or complex techniques.

Sources

Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun Chris Cornell's guitar tone on Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun: secrets behind the sound | Guitar World

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