Kim Thayil Gear Guide
Associated groups: Soundgarden.
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil built a heavy, psychedelic style around unusual tunings, feedback, Guild guitars, amp gain and selective effects.
A quick-reference inventory of documented guitars, amplification, effects and recording-era gear. Equipment can differ by song, session, venue and tour.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Guild S-100 | Black 1990s reissue became his main guitar from early 1990s. | Badmotorfinger / Superunknown |
| Guild S-100 (1974) | Vintage S-100 in historical rig references. | Early Soundgarden |
| Hamer guitars | Earlier instrument in band’s guitar history. | Early period |
| Guild Polara | Related Guild solid-body in broader rotation. | Selected use |
| Alternate tunings | Drop/open tunings create low, resonant riffs. | Soundgarden catalog |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Peavey amps and cabinets | Peavey supplied touring gear during early major-label period. | Louder Than Love |
| Mesa/Boogie Rectifier | Used after Peavey; modes adjusted for warmer response. | Badmotorfinger onward |
| Mesa/Boogie Trem-o-Verb combo | Documented component of King Animal touring rig. | 2012 tour |
| Mesa/Boogie Electradyne head | Paired with Trem-o-Verb in later touring setup. | King Animal tour |
| Ampeg B-15 bass combo | Used in some early recording situations for a dark character. | Early recordings |
Effects and playing approach
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Wah-wah pedal | Used with distortion for noisy, vocal-like leads, not standard sweep. | Badmotorfinger onward |
| Chorus | Swirling chorus contributes to feedback textures. | Early and later |
| T-Rex Reptile delay | Delay documented in touring rig rundown. | King Animal tour |
| No Ultradrive | Transparent boost for sustain in documented setup. | Selected live |
| Menatone King of the Britains | Overdrive/distortion pedal in touring setup. | Selected live |
| Feedback control | Sustained amp feedback used as musical texture. | Soundgarden |
| Drop tunings | Drop D and lower variants widen riff register. | Across catalog |
Group / album references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Louder Than Love | Peavey-era touring and early heavy guitar sounds. | 1989 |
| Badmotorfinger | Drop tunings, wah, gain and angular riffs. | 1991 |
| Superunknown | Guild guitars, complex tunings and psychedelic textures. | 1994 |
| King Animal | Later Mesa/Boogie touring configuration. | 2012 |
| Soundgarden live | Often centered on guitar into amp, with selective effects. | Various tours |