What guitar did Billy Corgan use on Mayonaise?

Billy Corgan used Fender Stratocasters for the rhythm guitars on "Mayonaise." During the Siamese Dream sessions, he primarily relied on vintage Stratocasters for their versatile pickup combinations and ability to work well with his layered recording approach.

How to get Smashing Pumpkins Mayonaise guitar tone?

The key is layering multiple guitar tracks using a Stratocaster through both an ADA MP-1 preamp and Marshall JCM800, with an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi for fuzz and MXR Phase 90 for modulation. Each layer should have slightly different gain settings to create the thick, chorus-like effect.

What amp did Billy Corgan use on Siamese Dream?

Billy Corgan used multiple amps on Siamese Dream, including the ADA MP-1 preamp and Marshall JCM800 head. He would often layer different amp sounds on the same part to create his signature thick, wall-of-sound guitar tone.

What Big Muff did Smashing Pumpkins use?

Billy Corgan used the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, specifically the op-amp version from the late 1980s. This particular variant had a more scooped midrange character that became integral to the Smashing Pumpkins' signature guitar sound.

Who produced Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream?

Siamese Dream was produced by Butch Vig, who also engineered the album. The recording took place at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, where Vig had previously worked with Nirvana on Nevermind.

rhythm guitar from "mayonaise" by smashing pumpkins

mayonaise

smashing pumpkins

rhythm guitar

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Tone Profile

This rhythm guitar tone is characterized by its thick, layered distortion and a slightly scooped midrange, providing a powerful and atmospheric backdrop. It has a dreamy and ethereal quality due to the subtle modulation effects.

Shop This Rig

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Fender Stratocaster(instrument)
ADA MP-1(amp)
MXR Phase 90(processing)
Marshall JCM800(amp)
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi(pedal)

The Story

The rhythm guitar on "Mayonaise" was recorded using Billy Corgan's signature approach of layering multiple guitar tracks with different amp and effect combinations. The main tones came from Fender Stratocasters running through an ADA MP-1 preamp and Marshall JCM800, with effects including an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and MXR Phase 90. The track was recorded at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, with Butch Vig producing, and the layered approach created the song's characteristic thick, swirling guitar sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Butch Vig, Billy Corgan

Engineer: Butch Vig

Recorded at: Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb

Amp: ADA MP-1Shop on Reverb

Processing: MXR Phase 90Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Fender Stratocaster for its versatile tonal range.
Use a combination of a high-gain amp and a fuzz pedal to achieve the desired level of distortion.
Experiment with different phaser settings to add a subtle swirling effect to the tone.
Layer multiple guitar tracks, each with slightly different settings, to create a thick, chorus-like sound.
Consider using a graphic EQ to scoop out some of the midrange frequencies, emphasizing the low and high frequencies.

Original Gear

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Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb(guitar)
ADA MP-1Shop on Reverb(amp)
Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb(amp)
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff PiShop on Reverb(pedal)
MXR Phase 90Shop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Synergy ADA MP-1 Reissue ModuleShop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: ADA MP-1 preamp

Official reissue of the exact preamp used by Corgan, providing the authentic high-gain character and tonal shaping of the original

Marshall Studio Classic SC20HShop on Reverb$650-$750

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

20-watt version of the classic JCM800 circuit that delivers the same aggressive midrange and saturation at manageable volumes

Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big MuffShop on Reverb$80-$100

Alternative to: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

Reissue of the specific late-80s Big Muff variant used during the Siamese Dream era, with the scooped midrange and thick sustain

MXR Phase 90Shop on Reverb$80-$100

Alternative to: MXR Phase 90

Still in production and unchanged from the original design, providing the same subtle swirling modulation

Neural DSP Archetype NollyPlugin Boutique$130-$150

Alternative to: Complete signal chain

Includes high-quality amp sims and layering capabilities that can recreate the multi-amp approach with built-in effects

Sources

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rhythm guitar from “mayonaise” by smashing pumpkins | ToneDB