Cherub Rock

The recording

Billy Corgan built a massive wall of sound on "Cherub Rock" by overdubbing dozens of guitar tracks. Each part was recorded on his half‑step‑down 1988 Strat, routed through an Op‑Amp Big Muff and a cranked Marshall JCM800, then panned and blended to create a cathedral‑like texture while the rhythm sections lock in with tight palm‑muted chugs and soaring leads.

Tuning E♭ Standard

Reported gear

1988 Fender Stratocaster (#2 Strat)

Guitar

Corgan recorded the rhythm and lead parts on his 1988 Fender Stratocaster, nicknamed #2 Strat, tuned a half‑step down to E♭ to drive the Big Muff.

Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi (Op‑Amp)

Fuzz

The Op‑Amp Big Muff was placed directly after the Strat to generate the thick, sustaining fuzz that forms the core of the Cherub Rock chorus.

Marshall JCM800 2203

Amplifier

Corgan cranked a Marshall JCM800 2203 into high gain, using its tight mid‑forward crunch to shape the fuzz‑laden chords that drive the track.

Alternatives

Fender Player Stratocaster

Modern equivalent · for the 1988 Fender Stratocaster (#2 Strat)

$700 to $800

Marshall JCM800 2203 reissue

Reissue · for the Marshall JCM800 2203

$1,500 to $2,000

Electro‑Harmonix Nano Big Muff

Modern equivalent · for the Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff Pi (Op‑Amp)

$80 to $100

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Tune all strings down a half‑step to E♭ Standard before you start.
2. 2.Select the Stratocaster’s bridge pickup and set the tone knob high for maximum brightness.
3. 3.Attack the chords with aggressive downstrokes and let the fuzz sustain, then layer multiple rhythm tracks for a wall‑of‑sound effect.