GuitarCleanSolo
Smells Like Teen Spirit Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely Japanese, black, with Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB Model SH-4 (bridge humbucker)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp into Crown Power Base 2 power amp and Marshall 4x12 cabinets
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan JB humbucker)
Studio recording, 1991, Nevermind album. Clean tone sections (verses) used the amp's clean channel with pedals for modulation. The solo section is not fully clean but is less distorted than the main riff; however, the user requested the cleanest solo tone. Effects chain included chorus pedal. Pickup selection is inferred from typical Cobain setup for clean/chorus parts.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb1.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus · chorus
Fender Stratocaster (Seymour Duncan JB bridge) → Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus → Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (clean channel) → Crown Power Base 2 → Marshall 4x12 cabinets
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Tone Character
- watery and modulated
- clear and glassy
- bright and articulate
- slightly compressed
- dynamic and responsive
- shimmering chorus effect
- not harsh or brittle
- full-bodied clean
- studio-polished
- distinct modulation swirl