GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Aneurysm (Live at The Paramount, 1991) Guitar Tone Settings
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Japan MG-69 Mustang (Sonic Blue, stock pickups, black pickguard, rosewood fretboard)
Pickups
Stock Fender Japan single-coil Mustang pickups
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp into Crown Power Base 2 Power Amp, Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Live performance, October 31, 1991, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. Kurt Cobain's main guitar for this show was the Sonic Blue Mustang. The amp setup was a Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp (set clean/bright) into a Crown solid-state power amp, running into a Marshall 4x12. Distortion from Boss DS-1/DS-2 pedal. No evidence of modulation or time-based pedals for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Boss DS-1 Distortion · distortion
Fender Mustang → Boss DS-1 Distortion → Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp → Crown Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 Cabinet
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Tone Character
- raspy and biting
- raw and aggressive
- jangly high end
- tight and percussive
- slightly scooped mids
- fuzzy, saturated distortion
- punchy low end
- cutting treble presence
- dynamic and responsive
- unpolished, live energy
Notes & Caveats
- No official amp knob settings found; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp and genre/era.
- Pedal model confirmed as Boss DS-1/DS-2, but exact settings not available.
- No evidence of modulation or time-based effects in the riff section; chorus pedal was not used for this song live.
- Amp reverb likely set low or off; most ambience is from the venue.
- Signal chain and gear confirmed for this specific live performance, not studio or other tours.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain at the Paramount used a high-gain, mid-forward grunge tone typical of his era and gear (DS-1/DS-2 into a clean-ish amp, likely a Mesa/Marshall), with little to no reverb (live, dry sound), moderate bass, strong mids, and balanced treble/presence for aggressive clarity without harshness.