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Smells Like Teen Spirit (Live at Reading, 08/30/92) Guitar Tone Settings
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Japan ST-62 Stratocaster
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (bridge), stock single coils (middle/neck)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp → Crown Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 Cabinet
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (Stratocaster, single coil)
Live at Reading Festival, 1992. Clean tone sections (verse/intro) played on Stratocaster with single coil pickup. Live setup, not studio. No evidence of Jaguar or Mustang for clean parts at this show.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5
Gain0
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus · chorus
Fender Stratocaster → Electro-Harmonix Small Clone → Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp → Crown Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 Cabinet
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Tone Character
- clean and glassy
- bright and articulate
- slightly scooped mids
- percussive attack
- dynamic and responsive
- clear single coil chime
- modulation shimmer (chorus)
- tight, focused low end
- present but not harsh highs
- minimal amp breakup
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct amp knob settings for the clean tone at Reading 1992; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp clean usage and genre/era.
- Guitar model confirmed via video/photo evidence for Reading 1992; pickup selection inferred from typical Cobain clean tone and Stratocaster configuration.
- Amp model and effects chain confirmed for live era, but exact pedal settings not available.
- Presence setting estimated as Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp has presence control, but no direct evidence for live settings.
- If alternate guitars (Jaguar/Mustang) were used for clean, this is not supported by video evidence for Reading 1992.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain at Reading '92 used a high-gain, crunchy, raw tone with moderate bass, slightly scooped mids, and pronounced treble/presence for clarity and aggression. The live sound is dry with no audible reverb, matching his typical amp settings for this era and song.