TonesMatch
Come As You Are — Nirvana1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

Come As You Are Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana

Nirvana · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1965 Fender Jaguar (left-handed, sunburst, with DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker in bridge and DiMarzio PAF in neck)
Pickups
DiMarzio Super Distortion (bridge), DiMarzio PAF (neck)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio 22 Preamp into Crown Power Base-2 power amp, Marshall 4x12 cabinets
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (DiMarzio PAF), likely for smoother, rounder tone in solo

Studio recording for Nevermind (1991); solo section. Guitar confirmed by multiple sources as main studio instrument for this song. Amp setup is studio-specific, not live. Pedals used for distortion and modulation; amp set clean.

Amp Settings

Mids
5
Bass
5
Gain
4.5
Reverb
2
Treble
6
Presence
5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus · chorus
  • Boss DS-1 Distortion · distortion

Guitar → Boss DS-1 Distortion → Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus → Mesa/Boogie Studio 22 Preamp → Crown Power Base-2 → Marshall 4x12 cabinets

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Tone Character

  • watery and swirling modulation
  • slightly gritty edge
  • clear and articulate single notes
  • lush chorus shimmer
  • medium output humbucker warmth
  • not heavily compressed
  • studio-clean with pedal coloration
  • distinct modulation swirl
  • not overly bright or scooped
  • moderate sustain

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Exact amp knob settings for the solo are not documented; settings are estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Studio 22 clean usage and cited values for 'clean amp' from Source 1.
  • ⚠️Pickup selection for the solo is not explicitly stated in sources, but neck pickup is inferred from the rounder, smoother solo tone.
  • ⚠️No evidence of delay, reverb, or other time-based effects in the solo; only chorus and distortion are confirmed.
  • ⚠️Presence and reverb settings are estimated as moderate/low, since the amp was set clean and most of the effect comes from pedals.
  • ⚠️No evidence of effects loop usage in studio setup.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain used a moderate gain setting for a crunchy, slightly fuzzy tone, with balanced EQ (slightly boosted bass, flat mids, modest treble) typical of early 90s grunge. The solo is not overly saturated, and the reverb is subtle, matching the dry, direct production style of 'Nevermind.'

Sources