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Chris Cornell may not be synonymous with the Fender Jazzmaster, but the classic offset played a pivotal role in the creation of Soundgarden’s iconic Superunknown album – and now that very guitar is up for sale.
Listed by Gotta Have Rock and Roll auctions, the well-worn Candy Apple Red 1966 Jazzmaster not only appears on the album, but was also used for live performances during 1993 and 1994, where it was tuned to EEBBBB to perform My Wave and The Day I Tried to Live.
(Image credit: Gotta Have Rock and Roll)
According to producer Michael Beinhorn, Cornell played just three guitars on Superunknown: a Gretsch Duo Jet, double-cutaway Gretsch Silver Jet and a Fender Jazzmaster, which he used on single Fell on Black Days.
“It was one of the best-sounding Jazzmasters I’ve ever used in my life,” Beinhorn told Music Tech.
The guitar was lost in Cornell’s divorce to first wife Susan Silver, and subsequently ended up with his childhood friend, Chris Bond, who supplies a letter of provenance with the sale.
Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has been writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist for over 15 years, and recording and performing in original and function bands for two decades-plus. During his career, he has interviewed everyone from John Frusciante to Chris Cornell, Matt Bellamy and Billy Corgan. His writing also appears in The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.
