Kim Thayil
Kim Thayil was the lead guitarist and primary sonic architect of Soundgarden from the band's formation in Seattle in 1984. His approach to guitar is the antithesis of the flashy blues-rock phrasing dominant in late 1980s rock — Thayil favours drone, dissonance, unusual time signatures, and heavy de-tuning. He introduced DADGAD and open G tunings to the grunge context and used extreme down-tuning (to B standard and lower) years before it became common practice. His riff-based writing draws on Black Sabbath's low-tuned heaviness, but filtered through art-rock experimentation and the Seattle noise scene, producing something completely original.
Droning, de-tuned heaviness with a dark, mid-forward amp character — Thayil's guitar sits below other instruments in the frequency spectrum rather than above. Riffs are written around drone strings, open tunings, and repetition rather than conventional chord progressions. The Super-Fuzz's thick, layered saturation adds harmonic density to simple riff structures. The result is oppressive, hypnotic, and heavy in a physical sense.
Signal Chain Order
Why Kim Thayil's Rig Works
Choosing the Hiwatt DR103 for its clean headroom, the same reasoning that drives Pete Townshend's rig, serves a genuinely different purpose here — where Townshend needed headroom to survive aggressive picking dynamics, Thayil needs it to keep extremely de-tuned strings (down to B standard and lower) from turning flabby and undefined under gain. A lower-headroom amp pushed into its own breakup at these tunings would lose low-end definition; the Hiwatt's clean ceiling keeps even the lowest, loosest strings articulate before any gain is added.
Using an Ampeg SVT bass amplifier for guitar is a genuinely unconventional but functionally logical choice given how far down Soundgarden's tunings go — a guitar amp's speaker and cabinet design typically rolls off frequencies well below where a heavily de-tuned guitar string's fundamental now sits, while a bass amp is specifically built to reproduce those low frequencies faithfully. Thayil's guitar effectively needed bass-amp frequency response once the tuning dropped low enough.
The Univox Super-Fuzz's specific two-stage octave circuit produces a genuinely different harmonic character from a Big Muff or Fuzz Face — its added octave-up overtone content adds harmonic density and complexity to simple, repetitive riff structures built around open or drone strings, which is exactly the kind of hypnotic, mesmerizing weight Thayil's writing depends on, compensating for the harmonic simplicity of drone-based riffs with the fuzz's own added complexity.
Guitars
Gibson ES-335
1984–1994Thayil's primary early guitar — the semi-hollow ES-335 with humbuckers provides warmth and sustain for his de-tuned riff work. The semi-hollow resonance adds a slightly organic quality to the otherwise crushing gain.
Gibson SG Custom
1990–1997Used through the Badmotorfinger and Superunknown periods — the SG's lighter body and comfortable neck profile suited the physically demanding de-tuned riffing. Three humbuckers give tonal flexibility.
Fender Jazzmaster
1985–1990The Jazzmaster's slab offset body and floating tremolo were used early in Soundgarden's career — the offbeat guitar choice before the Gibson period defined the art-rock experimental phase of their sound.
Guild S-100
1986–1992Solid-body Guild used for studio recording — the S-100 with humbuckers produces a slightly brighter character than the ES-335, useful for cutting through dense, de-tuned mix.
Amplifiers
Hiwatt DR103
1990–1997The Hiwatt DR103 is Thayil's defining amp — like Pete Townshend, he uses its massive clean headroom as a foundation for extreme de-tuned riff work. The Hiwatt's clean ceiling means even fully de-tuned low strings remain defined under gain, not flabby.
Amp guide →Marshall JCM800
1984–1992Used through the early Soundgarden period — the JCM800's tight gain character suits the fast, percussive riffing on Louder Than Love and Badmotorfinger.
Ampeg SVT (for guitar)
1988–1993Thayil famously used an Ampeg SVT bass amplifier for guitar — its low-frequency voicing complements the extreme de-tuning by maintaining bass extension that guitar amps filter out. An unconventional choice that contributes to Soundgarden's unusually deep low-end guitar character.
Effects Pedals
Univox Super-Fuzz
1985–1997The Super-Fuzz is Thayil's signature pedal — its two-stage octave fuzz circuit produces a thick, harmonically saturated tone with a slight octave overtone that gives de-tuned riffs extra harmonic density. Set for full fuzz with the tone knob rolled back for warmth. The Super-Fuzz's character differs from a conventional Big Muff: less mid-scoop, more chaotic harmonic content.
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
1988–1997Big Muff as an alternative to the Super-Fuzz — used for specific songs where a smoother, more conventional sustain is preferable to the Super-Fuzz's jagged harmonic texture.
Pedal guide →Boss BF-2 Flanger
1987–1995BF-2 Flanger for the jet-engine sweep effect on several Soundgarden intros — Thayil uses the flanger at slow speeds for a dramatic, gradually evolving modulation rather than the typical rapid jet-sweep setting.
Pedal guide →Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress
1988–1993Flanger/chorus hybrid used for additional modulation texture — the Electric Mistress's smoother, more chorus-adjacent character differs from the BF-2's metallic edge.
Key Albums & Tone
"Black Hole Sun", "Spoonman", "My Wave", "Fell on Black Days" — Soundgarden's masterpiece. Thayil's guitar spans clean, almost ambient arpeggios through to crushing de-tuned riffery. The Hiwatt/Super-Fuzz combination is most apparent on "My Wave" and "Fresh Tendrils". DADGAD and open tunings throughout.
"Rusty Cage", "Outshined", "Jesus Christ Pose" — the heaviest Soundgarden record. JCM800 and Marshall-driven gain. Extreme de-tuning and odd time signatures. The guitar tone is more aggressive and less refined than Superunknown.
"Loud Love", "Hands All Over" — the first major-label album. JCM800-driven gain, earlier and less de-tuned than later work. The Super-Fuzz is present but the riffing is more straightforward.
Soundgarden's final studio album before the 1997 breakup. More diverse tonal palette than previous records — acoustic passages alongside the heavy guitar work. Thayil's guitar is slightly brighter on some tracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What guitar does Kim Thayil use?
Gibson ES-335 and Gibson SG Custom. Thayil's primary early guitar — the semi-hollow ES-335 with humbuckers provides warmth and sustain for his de-tuned riff work. The semi-hollow resonance adds a slightly organic quality to the otherwise crushing gain.
What amp does Kim Thayil use?
Hiwatt DR103 and Marshall JCM800. The Hiwatt DR103 is Thayil's defining amp — like Pete Townshend, he uses its massive clean headroom as a foundation for extreme de-tuned riff work. The Hiwatt's clean ceiling means even fully de-tuned low strings remain defined under gain, not flabby.
What pedals does Kim Thayil use?
Kim Thayil uses Univox Super-Fuzz, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, Boss BF-2 Flanger and more.
What is Kim Thayil's signature sound?
Droning, de-tuned heaviness with a dark, mid-forward amp character — Thayil's guitar sits below other instruments in the frequency spectrum rather than above. Riffs are written around drone strings, open tunings, and repetition rather than conventional chord progressions. The Super-Fuzz's thick, layered saturation adds harmonic density to simple riff structures. The result is oppressive, hypnotic, and heavy in a physical sense.
About This Data
Gear information for Kim Thayil is compiled from live performance footage, rig-rundown interviews, manufacturer and signature-model documentation, and cross-referenced guitar press coverage — not a single source. Where accounts conflict (a common issue with decades-old gear history), we favour the version corroborated by the most independent sources and note genuine ambiguity in the text rather than presenting a guess as settled fact.
This page is maintained by Alex Hall, last reviewed July 2026. Spotted something out of date or inaccurate? Let us know — corrections are usually made within a few days.