GuitarDistortedRiff
Lithium Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (Japanese, left-handed, rosewood fretboard, likely with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails bridge pickup)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (bridge position, humbucker-sized single coil-sized humbucker)
Amp
Fender Bassman (silverface, studio recording, Nevermind sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan Hot Rails)
Studio recording, 1991 Nevermind sessions. Guitar was a Japanese Fender Stratocaster, likely with a Hot Rails bridge pickup. Amp was a Fender Bassman. Effects chain included Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (likely Ram's Head V2 or V3/V6 variant).
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5
Gain6.5
Reverb0.5
Treble7.5
Presence5
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (likely Ram's Head V2 or V3/V6) · fuzz
Fender Stratocaster (bridge pickup) → Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi → Fender Bassman (spring reverb at 1)
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Tone Character
- dark, fuzzy
- thumping low end
- saturated fuzz
- not so bright
- high treble and mids
- tight, punchy attack
- dynamic picking response
- muted strumming
- raw, aggressive
- big, saturated sound
Sources
- Kurt Cobain's Guitar Rig, Gear & Pedalboard - Equipboard
- Nirvana – Lithium - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single
- Kurt Cobain's guitars, amps & pedals: the definitive guide
- Question for any guitarists in here - Lithium chords : r/Nirvana - Reddit
- Kurt Cobain's gear: the Nevermind rig (and how to recreate his ...