PG's Chris Kies is on location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he talks with the Soundgarden guitar and bass techs, as well as Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd to learn what the band is using live on their King Animal tour.
In this segment, Thayil discusses why he's never looked back after discovering his favorite Guild at age 19 and demonstrates his go-to effect combinations. Plus, learn about Chris Cornell's Divided by 13/Savage amp setup and new Gibson signature model, and why Ben Shepherd's go-to bass is a simple MIM Fender with minimal modifications.
Kim Thayil's Guitars
Kim's main guitar is a black '90s reissue Guild S-100 (left) that he's had since the early '90s. He prefers this model because of the distance between the tailpiece and bridge, as he plays and bends strings behind the bridge. The neck on the guitar is a little thicker than an SG, and everything is stock on the guitar. He uses GHS .009 - .046 strings with low action on the S-100. He has another S-100 used with heavier, doubled strings for lower tunings. The '79 Guild S-300 (middle) has hotter stock DiMarzio pickups and is used for heavier songs and songs where he is the only guitar player and doesn't need the space behind the bridge. Kim's Gibson Firebird is a current production model and has doubled strings in EEBBBE tuning ("My Wave," "Been Away Too Long"). He also travels with the same red Firebird he used in the '90s as a backup, a Tele for a lighter sound, and a thin-bodied Les Paul Custom.
Kim Thayil's Amps
Kim combines a Mesa/Boogie Trem-o-Verb combo and a Mesa/Boogie Electradyne head dialed in to complement each other. The Trem-o-Verb is set quiet with a lot of gain and compression for the midrange and drive. The Electradyne is also set with a lot of gain but has more lows and more sparkle on the top end. The amps blend and run through two 4x12 cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30s for a full, complete sound. The Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere is run through the effects loop of the Electradyne, so there's one wet amp and one dry amp with the effect.
Kim Thayil's Effects
Kim's board is controlled by a Providence PEC-2 Routing System to engage or disengage effects or combinations of effects. He uses an Electro-Harmonix Micro POG for songs like "Halfway There," Custom Audio Electronics Boost/Line Driver is almost always on, and the CAE Boost/Overdrive is kicked in for a little extra dirt. He has a Hughes & Kettner Roto-Sphere used for the Leslie sounds on "Black Hole Sun," an Ibanez Chorus used for darker chorus sounds for arpeggios and harmonics like in "Nothing to Say," "Beyond the Wheel," and other early songs in dropped tunings as well as in conjunction with his behind-the-bridge playing, a new T-Rex Tap Tone delay that he uses to spice up solos and change things up, and a Boss DD-5 set to a backward delay. Other pedals on his board include a Boss NS-3 and Dunlop CAE Wah.
Chris Cornell's Guitars
Chris uses his new Gibson signature ES-335 in army green with aged binding, Bigsby, clear knobs, brushed nickel hardware, and Lollartron pickups. He also uses a black version, which does not have a Bigsby. He also uses a red Gibson ES-335 with Lollar Imperials, black Gibson Les Paul patterned after Neil Young's Old Black guitar with a P-90 in the neck and Seymour Duncan mini-humbucker, a Gibson 1960 VOS with an aftermarket bridge and Micro Farad .02 capacitors, a couple of '90s Gretsch Duo Jets in black and gold sparkle, and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV. His go-to acoustic is a Martin D-28 Marquis with a slightly wider neck for fingerpicking. Chris generally strings his guitars .012 - .052, with some custom gauges based on tunings.
Chris Cornell's Amps
Chris uses a Divided by 13 FTR 37 run at 15 watts with the Volume pulled out for a mid gain boost with two Savage Amps Roar combos with two 10" speakers in each. He uses different amps for different tonal flavors—he usually uses all three at the same time, but one Savage is brighter than the other, so he switches them on or off depending upon his tonal preferences.
Chris Cornell's Effects
Chris uses an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, two Dr. No Ultradrives (used as a transparent boost for more sustain), T-Rex Reptile, and a Menatone King of the Britains pedal.
Ben Shepherd's Basses
Ben's go-to bass is a MIM Fender P-bass nicknamed Baron. It has a Badass bridge and GHS heavy strings that are kept on the basses as long as possible to be as worn-in as possible—they're only changed when one breaks. Lena (middle) is a Fender '62 Reissue American P-bass, also with a Badass bridge.
Ben Shepherd's Amps
Ben uses an Ampeg SVT-VR and Mesa/Boogie Carbine M6. The Mesa is mostly used for stage volume and monitoring. There's an additional Mesa/Boogie combo on the side of the stage to monitor Kim's signal.
This modeling amplifier comes in two colors (White, Black), each of which is paired with its own carefully curated selection of preamp models.
The modulation dial can be adjusted to choose between chorus, phaser, and vibrato effects, whereas the delay dial facilitates analog, tape echo, and digital delay. Also, the reverb unit includes room, hall, and church emulations, making sure that there is an atmosphere and effect chain that works for any practice scenario.
A unique feature of this amplifier is how it can be used in two modes: “Live” and “Preset” mode. When using Live mode, guitarists will be able to browse the device's built-in preamp tones, which they can then enhance if they wish to throw the effect units. In contrast, the "Preset" mode allows users to save these effects and dynamic parameter changes into each preset, enabling them to customize them without overwriting the originals.
As any good amplifier should, the Hornet 15 Li is complete with industry-standard features, such as three-band EQ adjustment dials, volume and gain dials, a 1/4" guitar input, and both an auxiliary input and headphone output. However, MOOER has gone above and beyond to pack the amplifier with several special features; for example, this modeling amp boasts separate tap-tempo buttons for both the modulation and delay units, in addition to a dedicated tuner button and function, allowing guitarists to use the device's screen to ensure their guitar tuning is precise. What's more, the Hornet 15 Li also supports Bluetooth input, meaning that any guitarist can stream their favorite songs and backing tracks directly to the amplifier, making practice sessions and rehearsals easier than ever.
Arguably, the most impressive feature of the Hornet 15 Li is the fact that, in addition to being powered by a mains supply, it can also operate on battery. The device is built with an integrated 4000mA.h lithium battery, empowering guitarists to practice guitar on the go for hours–even when there’s no power source nearby. Combining this with how the amp weighs just 2.9kg and comes with a built-in handle, it’s clear that MOOER had portability and convenience in mind when designing this product.
Features:
- Available in 2 colors (White, Black), each with its own selection of classic preamps
- 9 high-quality preamp models, each captured through MOOER’s MNRS technology (controllable through the 9-way tone rotary switch)
- Modulation effects unit (chorus, phaser, vibrato) and dial
- Delay effects unit (analog, tape echo, digital) and dial
- Reverb effects unit (room, hall, church) and dial
- Three dials for three-band EQ adjustment (treble, mid, bass)
- Gain and master volume dials
- Live/Preset mode toggle switch
- Tap tempo buttons and features for modulation and delay effects
- 15 watts of rated power, ideal for practicing
- Digital screen for displaying functional and tuning information
- Built-in digital tuner
- ¼” guitar input
- 3.5mm auxiliary input
- 3.5mm headphone output
- Bluetooth support for high-quality audio input playback, perfect for backing tracks
- Convenient handle for easy transportation
- Rechargeable 4000mA.h lithium battery for portable play
- Power switch for easy on/off control
The Hornet 15 Li is available from distributors and retailers worldwide now.
A Galloup guitar made from paulownia.
Guitars priced between $1,500 and $4,000 typically utilize domestic woods or other widely accessible alternatives that provide excellent value. However, in recent years, sustainability has become an increasingly critical concern regarding the sourcing of these natural resources. We are committed to ensuring that the materials we select not only deliver superior sound but also align with sustainable practices, helping to preserve the environment for future generations of musicians.
Over the years, I’ve encountered difficulties with alternative, sustainable soundboard options. That is, until I took part in the paulownia experiment initiated by World Tree, an environmental organization “focused on nature-based solutions to some of our biggest global challenges.” This project highlighted wood from the fast-growing paulownia tree, which was cultivated by former President Jimmy Carter. Initially, the prospect of using paulownia appeared impractical. Yet, upon further analysis, we recognized its potential as a viable substitute, though some of its material property characteristics, such as damping and admittance, still require further testing.
Many luthiers understand traditional soundboard materials well. Despite this knowledge, integrating new tonewoods into our repertoire can be an arduous process. Fortunately, advancements in wood testing technology have significantly expedited the evaluation process. Currently, for the assessment of wood, I use the Acousonix Sonic Calculator, a handheld application that enables me to input various wood-property parameters for a thorough evaluation. Upon entering the data, the application delivers a precise rating, considers multiple factors, delineates the wood's sonic characteristics, and then specifies its best use applications.
Fig. 1
My Acousonix analysis of paulownia indicates that its 11.3 sonic rating makes it unexpectedly well-suited for use as a soundboard (see Fig. 1). As my builds with this material progressed, the results were exceedingly promising. Paulownia features well-rounded tonal characteristics, exhibiting a rapid response with a seemingly high admittance, which indicates a lower damping factor. Another noteworthy aspect of paulownia is its sustainability: The tree reaches full maturity in approximately 12 years. Upon harvest, a new sapling can be replanted in the same root system, allowing for accelerated mature growth in around seven years. This cycle can be repeated multiple times, establishing paulownia as a highly renewable resource. But unlike typical spruce, which commonly yields eight to 11 growth rings per inch, paulownia’s growth rings come in at around three to four per inch. But don’t let this fool you. Despite its non-traditional appearance, paulownia has a reputation for being stable and warp-resistant (see Fig. 2).
Fig. 2
“Another noteworthy aspect of paulownia is its sustainability: The tree reaches full maturity in approximately 12 years.”
While testing paulownia for guitar making, we observed that this species yields a highly responsive instrument. It offers a fast musical response similar to many late-1930s Gibson J-35s I have played. It exhibits a quick response with a lower fundamental and a pleasant decay. But, due to its lightweight—around 5 grams per cubic inch—it tends to exhibit lower headroom. Thus, despite being a powerful and enjoyable guitar to play, it tends to distort when pushed to higher volumes. In its defense, most players commonly don’t play hard enough to reach these limits.
Ultimately, the tests I conducted affirm its potential as a substitute tonewood for guitars, possessing desirable acoustic properties. While paulownia has historically been utilized in instruments like the Japanese koto, it stands to reason that the acoustic guitar market should explore this avenue further. To prove a point, we used paulownia for the top, back, sides, bracing, and neck, with the total price tag for all tone woods used coming in at around $70. So, given its low cost, stability, availability, and the grower's commitment to environmental sustainability, paulownia is a resource deserving of serious consideration.
For more information about World Tree, visit worldtree.eco, and to learn more about the Acousonix Sonic Calculator, visit acousonix.com.
