Thurston Moore - Guitar Setup & Tunings
Sonic Youth
Quick Facts
- Primary Tuning
- Numerous alternate tunings (30+)
- String Gauge
- Variable (often used A strings for both low strings)
- String Brand
- Various (often used two identical strings for 5th and 6th positions)
- Genre
- Grunge / Alternative Rock
About Thurston Moore's Sound
Thurston Joseph Moore (born 1958) co-founded Sonic Youth in 1981 with Lee Ranaldo and Kim Gordon, pioneering noise rock and alternative guitar approaches. Sonic Youth's use of altered tunings, prepared guitars (objects inserted between strings), and controlled feedback created a new guitar vocabulary. Moore's approach rejected traditional technique in favor of texture, atmosphere, and noise as musical elements. The band influenced virtually every alternative act that followed. After Sonic Youth's dissolution in 2011, Moore continued solo work and collaborations. His intellectual approach to guitar expanded what the instrument could express.
Tunings Used
GABDEG - 1 song
- Teenage Riot
F#F#F#F#EB - 3 songs
- Kool Thing
- 100%
- Schizophrenia
DD#A#D#GG - 1 song
- Incinerate
GGDDDD - 1 song
- Bull in the Heather
F#F#GGAA - 1 song
- Silver Rocket
CGDGCD - 1 song
- Sunday
String Setup
Primary Strings
Various (often used two identical strings for 5th and 6th positions)
Variable (often used A strings for both low strings)
Why Thurston Moore uses these
Sonic Youth maintained a fleet of guitars, each permanently in different tunings - retuning between songs was impractical given their extreme variations. Moore often used two identical gauge strings (like two A strings) for the bottom two positions to accommodate his unison tunings. His F#F#F#F#EB tuning became a staple across multiple albums. The band used screwdrivers, drumsticks, and other objects between strings to create prepared guitar sounds. Moore's approach required understanding that traditional scales and patterns don't apply - you must discover new shapes for each tuning. Their Fender Jazzmasters became associated with the Sonic Youth sound.