I'm listening to the album Superunknown right now and all of it just sounds so f-in HUGE that I thought I'd ask you guys how they did it! All I found googling was that Kim Thayil used Peavey amps and at a certain point in Probot someone said he used a Triple Rectifier.. Any thoughts?

Good confident playing number 1.

Number two: all analog signal path (or mostly) and 2" tape! A good "real" studio, ie; an actual 'live' room designed specifically for recording music - go figure.

Number 3. Producer and engineer with actual experience mixing heavy music who liked, and had history with the band.

All this shit makes a difference.

I think I've read that Kim Thayil used a Guild S-1 into a Peavey VTM with a drop D tuning and the low end cranked (along with the volume). I don't know that much about his sound beyond that.

Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that first reply, but it's oh so true.. Thinking about studio's always makes me want to rebuild my whole house basically, but then I find out I have two left hands again..

I'll look into those Peaveys, they've never gotten that much love really though they're great amps. Miss some personality though.. I can't come up with anyone else using Guilds actually, I'll look into them too. Thanks guys

I know that this is a "guitar gear" forum and believe me, I LOVE talking about and buying guitars, amps and pedals, but honestly - they don't mean shit in grand scheme of making music.

Kim Thayil - Peavey amp.
Ty Tabor - Gibson 'Lab' series solid state amp (BB King too for a long time).
Albert King - Acoustic 360 SS amp for much of his career.

All of these are 'generally' considered shit pieces of gear and generally sound like shit in the hands of mere mortals.

Innumerable blues musicians - pick the crappiest gear possible at a pawn shop and make sure it's NOT set up properly. Then make a "landmark" recording with it.

Joe Pass made some classic jazz guitar recordings on a Jaguar (right after he got 'clean' and had long since pawned his jazz box).

Charlie Parker regularly gigged and recorded on pawn shop saxes.

It goes on and on.

Practice ... and think about what makes music "good" ... to you.

Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead uses Fender Tele Deluxes with Lace Sensor pickups into a Fender 85 solidstate amp.

quote:

Originally posted by JOELBYRON:
Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead uses Fender Tele Deluxes with Lace Sensor pickups into a Fender 85 solidstate amp.

Well yeah, but he also used to run an AC30 next to it. I saw the Live at the Basement DVD today and I don't remember seeing that Fender there.

But hey, there are still things that you can do with 'cheap' or 'bad' gear that's cool. I guess you'll have to check out my band's first record for an example of that.. It'll hopefully be out end of the summer, can't wait to start recording..

quote:

Originally posted by NJlo:
... I don't remember seeing that Fender there...

Nevermind, it's there.. xD

Interesting thread, I've been curious about this too. Love "Black Hole Sun."

quote:

Originally posted by rinasings2u:
Interesting thread, I've been curious about this too. Love "Black Hole Sun."

You'd probably have to call Michael Beinhorn for that sound. Soundgarden didn't have that sound before or since.