Recording is a compromise of time and energy, and when "Saltpeter" was mixed it was decided that tracks laid down for the guitar solo were technically correct but sonically dull. They would have been acceptable if an older recording in the church, from a year or two back, hadn't been preserved. That prior session, Gabe chose to use acoustic strings on his electric guitar, resulting in a peculiarly thick — and haunting — sound. A few splices were made to account for different tempos, and the insertion was complete.