Nirvana Guitar & Amp Settings

Kurt famously used:

  • Fender Jaguar or Mustang (single-coil pickups)
  • Boss DS-1 or DS-2 distortion pedal
  • Small combo amps (often Fender or cheap solid-states)
  • Chorus effect (especially on “Come As You Are”)

Using a Strat HSS and Mustang Micro:

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Guitar Settings:

Pickup Selection:

  • Bridge humbucker (the thicker pickup near the bridge)
  • This gives you more output and aggression than single coils

Volume:

  • 10 (full power for maximum drive)

Tone:

  • 8-9 (bright enough to cut, but not ice-picky)
  • Kurt’s tone had bite but wasn’t overly bright

Fender Micro Settings:

Amp Model:

  • British 80s (Marshall JCM800) – This is your best bet
  • Alternative: American 90s if you want slightly more scoop

Gain/Drive:

  • 7-8 (heavy distortion, but still defined)
  • Kurt’s tone was distorted but not completely saturated

Tone/EQ:

  • Mids: 6-7 (present but not overwhelming)
  • Treble: 7-8 (cut and aggression)
  • Bass: 5-6 (tight, not boomy)

Effects:

  • Minimal or none for the main riff
  • The raw distortion IS the sound

Playing Technique:

The Intro/Main Riff (clean-ish):

  • Actually, Kurt plays this part relatively clean at the start
  • Try: Neck pickup, Tone at 6, ’65 Deluxe Reverb amp with light crunch
  • OR just roll your volume back to 5-6 with the distorted setting

The Chorus (LOUD):

  • Switch to your distorted setting (settings above)
  • Power chords, palm muted during verses
  • Open strumming on chorus
  • Hit it HARD – Kurt’s dynamics came from pick attack

The “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Sound in Practice:

Verse (quiet, clean-ish):

  • Neck or middle pickup
  • Volume at 5-6 OR use cleaner amp
  • Light touch on the strings

Pre-chorus build:

  • Start raising volume or switch pickup

CHORUS (explosive):

  • Bridge humbucker
  • Volume at 10
  • British 80s amp, gain at 7-8
  • Attack those strings!

This dynamic shift is KEY to the song.

“Come As You Are”

This one’s totally different – it’s all about that dark, haunting chorus tone.

Guitar Settings:

Pickup Selection:

  • Neck pickup (warmest, darkest option)
  • This approximates Kurt’s single-coils rolled off

Volume:

  • 8-9 (not quite maxed, you want some control)

Tone:

  • 4-5 (significantly rolled back)
  • This is crucial – the tone needs to be DARK

Fender Micro Settings:

Amp Model:

  • ’65 Deluxe Reverb (surprisingly, a cleaner amp works better here)
  • OR British 60s for slightly more grit

Gain/Drive:

  • 3-4 (just barely breaking up, mostly clean)
  • The distortion is MINIMAL on this song

Tone/EQ:

  • Mids: 5-6
  • Treble: 4-5 (definitely rolled back)
  • Bass: 6-7 (warmer, fuller)

Effects (ESSENTIAL):

  • Chorus: ON – This is the signature sound of the song
  • Set chorus to moderate depth and rate
  • This creates that swirly, underwater quality

If your Mustang Micro has adjustable chorus:

  • Depth: 6-7 (present but not overwhelming)
  • Rate: 4-5 (slow to moderate speed)

Optional:

  • Light reverb can add to the haunting vibe

Playing Technique:

  • Play cleanly and precisely – every note matters
  • The riff is hypnotic and repetitive
  • Let notes ring out (don’t palm mute)
  • Slight vibrato on sustained notes adds emotion

The “Come As You Are” Sound in Practice:

Think: Dark, swirly, hypnotic, slightly menacing

The rolled-back tone knob + chorus effect = that signature Nirvana clean sound

Quick Comparison Chart

SongPickupVolumeToneAmpGainKey Effect
Teen Spirit (chorus)Bridge HB108-9British 80s7-8Raw power
Teen Spirit (verse)Neck/Mid5-66-7Deluxe Reverb2-3Dynamics
Come As You AreNeck8-94-5Deluxe Reverb3-4CHORUS

Troubleshooting

“Teen Spirit sounds too muddy”:

  • Turn tone knob UP to 8-9
  • Make sure you’re using bridge pickup
  • Increase treble on amp

“Teen Spirit doesn’t sound heavy enough”:

  • Make sure volume is at 10
  • Try American 90s amp instead
  • Hit the strings HARDER (seriously, pick attack matters)

“Come As You Are” sounds too bright/thin:

  • Roll tone knob DOWN more (try 3-4)
  • Make sure you’re on neck pickup
  • Reduce amp treble

“Come As You Are” doesn’t sound swirly enough:

  • Make sure chorus effect is ON
  • Increase chorus depth
  • Experiment with slower chorus rate

The Missing Piece: Kurt’s Secret

Kurt’s tone wasn’t just about settings – it was about attitude and dynamics. He played:

  • Aggressively on heavy parts (literal pick attack)
  • Loosely on clean parts (slightly sloppy but intentional)
  • Dynamically (huge volume swings between sections)

Don’t be afraid to hit the strings hard on power chords. That physical energy is part of the sound.

Final Settings Summary

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – CHORUS:

  • Guitar: Bridge HB, Vol 10, Tone 8-9
  • Micro: British 80s, Gain 7-8, Treble 7-8
  • Play HARD

“Come As You Are”:

  • Guitar: Neck pickup, Vol 8-9, Tone 4-5
  • Micro: ’65 Deluxe Reverb, Gain 3-4, Chorus ON
  • Play hypnotically

The tone knob setting on “Come As You Are” is especially important – that rolled-back darkness is essential to the vibe.

Tags

Related