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Fell On Black Days Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Soundgarden
Soundgarden · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Guild S-100
Pickups
Guild HB-1 humbuckers (microphonic, vintage spec)
Amp
Marshall JMP 50 half stack blended with Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo half stack
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1993-1994 (Superunknown sessions). Kim Thayil used the Guild S-100 with bridge pickup for the main riff. Amps were blended Marshall JMP 50 and Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier. Chorus effect was used in the studio for the riff. No evidence of fuzz/distortion pedals for the riff section; gain from amp. Drop D tuning.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2
Treble6
Presence4.5
Effects Chain
- Chorus pedal (likely Ibanez CS9 Stereo Chorus) · chorus
Guild S-100 (bridge pickup) → Chorus pedal (likely Ibanez CS9) → Marshall JMP 50 half stack + Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo half stack (blended, with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- thick and warm
- organic, full-bodied crunch
- brighter bridge pickup attack
- ambient, sitar-like overtones from microphonic pickups
- chorus shimmer
- droning open strings
- dynamic and riff-oriented
- not compressed or squashed
- not thin or clean
- slightly ambient due to chorus effect
Notes & Caveats
- No exact numeric amp settings for 'Fell On Black Days' riff found; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JMP 50 and Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier usage in 1990s rock and partial settings from similar Soundgarden tracks.
- Chorus pedal confirmed by Kim Thayil for the studio riff, but specific model not named; likely Ibanez CS9 Stereo Chorus based on era and his interview.
- No evidence of fuzz, distortion, or overdrive pedals for the riff section; amp gain provides crunch.
- No evidence of delay, flanger, phaser, or wah in the riff section.
- Presence and reverb settings estimated based on typical Marshall JMP 50 and Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier studio use.
- Pickup choice (bridge) confirmed by Kim Thayil for the riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kim Thayil's tone on 'Fell On Black Days' is classic 90s grunge: mid-forward, moderate gain for a thick, chewy crunch, with a warm but not overly dark EQ. The amp settings reflect his likely use of a Marshall or Mesa with mids pushed, bass solid but not boomy, and subtle reverb for space, matching the album's production style.