Top 5Seen using
Gibson
ES-335“He also uses a red Gibson ES-335 with Lollar Imperials”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Chris Cornell. Every item links to its public source.
18 items · Last checked What guitar does Chris Cornell play?
On Soundgarden's 2013 tour, Chris Cornell was seen playing Gibson ES-335s, a Gibson 1960 Les Paul VOS, Gretsch Duo Jets and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV through a Divided by 13 FTR 37, with an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man on his board. His monitor engineer said he sang into a Telefunken M80.
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Top 5
Where to start with Chris Cornell's gear.
01
02
Top 5Seen using
“a Gibson 1960 VOS with an aftermarket bridge and Micro Farad .02 capacitors”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
03
Top 5Seen using
Gretsch
Duo Jet“a couple of '90s Gretsch Duo Jets in black and gold sparkle”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
04
Top 5Seen using
Duesenberg
Starplayer TV“and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
No store page for this one.
05
Top 5Seen using
Fender
Jazzmaster“According to producer Michael Beinhorn, Cornell played just three guitars on Superunknown”
Seen in Guitar World: Chris Cornell's Superunknown 1966 Fender Jazzmaster goes up for sale, November 2020
What gear Chris Cornell uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Guitars
Seen using
Gibson
ES-335“He also uses a red Gibson ES-335 with Lollar Imperials”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Seen using
“a Gibson 1960 VOS with an aftermarket bridge and Micro Farad .02 capacitors”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Seen using
Gretsch
Duo Jet“a couple of '90s Gretsch Duo Jets in black and gold sparkle”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Seen using
Duesenberg
Starplayer TV“and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
No store page for this one.
Seen using
Fender
Jazzmaster“According to producer Michael Beinhorn, Cornell played just three guitars on Superunknown”
Seen in Guitar World: Chris Cornell's Superunknown 1966 Fender Jazzmaster goes up for sale, November 2020
Gibson
Chris Cornell ES-335
SponsoredSeen using
Gibson
Les Paul (black, P-90 neck)
Seen using
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
No store page for this one.
Amps and cabinets
Seen using
Divided by 13
FTR 37“Chris uses a Divided by 13 FTR 37 run at 15 watts”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Pedals and effects
Seen using
Electro-Harmonix
Deluxe Memory Man“an Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man”
Seen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Also at
Mics
Seen using
Telefunken
M80“We're using a Telefunken M80 for Chris' vocal mic”
Seen in Mix: All Access, Soundgarden, April 2013
Records that shaped him
Has said they love
Pink Floyd
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn“It connects with me in a way that I just can't describe”
Said in Far Out: The four albums Chris Cornell became obsessed with, June 2025
No store page for this one.
Has said they love
The Beatles
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band“Sgt Pepper's I really got into”
Said in Far Out: The four albums Chris Cornell became obsessed with, June 2025
Acoustic
Martin
D-28 Marquis
Seen using
Martin
D-28 MarquisSeen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
No store page for this one.
Superunknown sessions
Gretsch
Silver Jet
Seen using
Gretsch
Silver JetSeen in Guitar World: Chris Cornell's Superunknown 1966 Fender Jazzmaster goes up for sale, November 2020
No store page for this one.
Amps
Savage Audio
Rohr 15
Seen using
Pedalboard
Dr. No Effects
Ultradrive
Seen using
Dr. No Effects
UltradriveSeen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
No store page for this one.
T. Rex
Reptile
Seen using
T. Rex
ReptileSeen in Premier Guitar: Rig Rundown, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd, February 2013
Menatone
King of the Britains
Seen using
Questions
About Chris Cornell's gear.
What guitar does Chris Cornell play?
Premier Guitar's 2013 Rig Rundown shows Gibson ES-335s, including his army green signature model and a red one with Lollar Imperials, plus a Gibson 1960 Les Paul VOS, '90s Gretsch Duo Jets and a Duesenberg Starplayer TV.
What amp did Chris Cornell use?
On the 2013 King Animal tour he ran a Divided by 13 FTR 37 at 15 watts alongside two Savage combos, according to Premier Guitar and his guitar tech's comments to Mix.
What microphone did Chris Cornell sing into?
Soundgarden's monitor engineer told Mix in 2013 that Cornell's vocal mic was a Telefunken M80, praising its rejection and sound.
What guitars did Chris Cornell play on Superunknown?
Producer Michael Beinhorn has said Cornell played three guitars on Superunknown: a Gretsch Duo Jet, a Gretsch Silver Jet and a Fender Jazzmaster, which he used on Fell on Black Days.
What records inspired Chris Cornell?
He told BBC 6 Music he had the whole Beatles catalogue by age eight and really got into Sgt. Pepper's, and he said Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn connects with him in a way he can't describe.
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Named in this guide
CC
Chris Cornell
About this guide · Last checked
Chris Cornell (1964 to 2017) was the singer and guitarist of Soundgarden, Audioslave and Temple of the Dog, and a solo artist. This legacy guide covers the guitars, amp, pedal and vocal mic from Soundgarden's 2013 King Animal tour rundowns, the Jazzmaster from the Superunknown sessions, and records he named as favorites.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Chris Cornell didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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