GuitarDistortedRiff60% confidence
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Mustang (early 70s, Competition Blue, stock pickups, as used by Kurt Cobain on In Utero sessions)
Pickups
Stock Fender single-coil pickups (Mustang type)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp into Crown Power Amp and Marshall 4x12 cabinet (as used in In Utero sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1993. Guitar and amp confirmed for In Utero sessions. PolyChorus pedal confirmed for this song's riff. No evidence of other pedals or effects in the riff section. No amp reverb or delay used on this track.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix PolyChorus · modulation
Fender Mustang → Electro-Harmonix PolyChorus → Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp → Crown Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 cabinet
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.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- abrasive and raw
- swirling, metallic modulation
- alien, spaceship-like textures
- jagged and industrial
- high-gain saturation
- pronounced feedback
- dry, no reverb
- cutting upper mids
- chaotic, unpredictable modulation
- tight, percussive attack
Notes & Caveats
- No exact amp knob settings for this song's studio recording found; values estimated based on typical In Utero-era Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 settings and genre/era.
- PolyChorus pedal confirmed for riff section, but no hand-written settings for this specific song found; settings inferred from typical Kurt Cobain usage.
- No evidence of amp reverb or delay used on this track.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Cobain usage for aggressive riffing.
- No evidence of other pedals (distortion/fuzz) in the riff section; distortion likely from amp/preamp gain.
- If new evidence emerges for different amp or pedal use, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain used high gain (DS-1/DS-2 into a cranked amp) for a raw, abrasive tone with scooped mids, tight bass, and biting treble. The 'In Utero' production is dry and aggressive, so reverb is off, and presence is boosted for clarity.