GuitarCleanRiff
Heart-Shaped Box Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Jaguar (early 1960s, modified)
Pickups
DiMarzio DP103 PAF (neck), DiMarzio Super Distortion (bridge)
Amp
Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, late 1970s)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'In Utero' (1993). Clean riff sections tracked with Jaguar into Fender Twin Reverb. No evidence of pedals or additional effects for clean verse. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and amp model. Pickup choice inferred from typical Cobain usage for clean parts.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain4
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- clean and haunting
- slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
- articulate single notes
- subtle amp reverb ambience
- no modulation or delay
- bright but not harsh
- clear attack with pick
- dynamic response to picking
- not compressed or processed
- open, uncompressed feel