Kim Thayil - Guitar Setup & Tunings
Soundgarden
Quick Facts
- Primary Tuning
- Drop D
- String Gauge
- .009-.046 (heavier strings for lower tunings)
- String Brand
- GHS
- Genre
- Grunge / Alternative Rock
About Kim Thayil's Sound
Kim Anand Thayil (born 1960) brought an experimental approach to heavy metal guitar that influenced countless alternative and metal guitarists. As Soundgarden's lead guitarist, he explored unconventional tunings, dissonant harmonies, and feedback as compositional elements. His style combined Black Sabbath heaviness with punk attitude and art-rock intellectualism. Thayil's trademark Guild and Gibson SG guitars through Marshall amplifiers created Soundgarden's thick, churning guitar tone. He was often criticized by purists for his 'sloppy' style, but his unpredictable playing added to Soundgarden's unsettling atmosphere.
Tunings Used
Drop D - 2 songs
- Jesus Christ PoseTry this tuning →
- Black Hole SunTry this tuning →
CGCGGE - 2 songs
- 4th of July
- Boot Camp
EEBBBB - 1 song
- Limo Wreck
CGDGGC - 1 song
- Head Down
BADGBE - 1 song
- Mailman
DADGBE - 1 song
- Fell on Black Days
String Setup
Primary Strings
GHS
.009-.046 (heavier strings for lower tunings)
Why Kim Thayil uses these
Thayil used approximately eight different tunings on Superunknown alone, requiring multiple guitars at shows. His approach to alternate tunings was to 'throw patterns and scales out the window' and find new voicings. The band embraced Drop D before it became ubiquitous in metal, and Thayil defended the tuning against purists who called it 'cheating.' His Guild S-100 guitars became associated with his sound. For lower tunings, he uses heavier gauge strings to maintain tension. Thayil's intentionally loose approach to playing - letting notes buzz and sustain unpredictably - contributed to Soundgarden's dark atmosphere.