GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Smells Like Teen Spirit Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1965 Fender Jaguar (left-handed, DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge, DiMarzio PAF neck)
Pickups
DiMarzio Super Distortion (bridge), DiMarzio PAF (neck)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp → Crown Power Base 2 Power Amp → Marshall 4x12 Cabinets
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (DiMarzio Super Distortion)
Studio recording, 1991, Nevermind album. Guitar and amp confirmed for studio session. Pedals confirmed for solo section. Pickup mods pre-date recording. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this solo.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass4.5
Gain7
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Boss DS-1 Distortion · distortion
- Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus · chorus
Guitar → Boss DS-1 Distortion → Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus → Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp → Crown Power Base 2 → Marshall 4x12 Cabinets
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Tone Character
- aggressive and saturated
- bright and cutting attack
- slightly scooped low end
- pronounced midrange focus
- shimmering chorus modulation
- raw and edgy grunge
- tight and compressed
- singing sustain on single notes
- percussive pick attack
- studio-recorded clarity
Notes & Caveats
- Amp settings are from Ultimate-Guitar Wiki and may be generalized for the Nevermind sessions, but are consistent with genre and era.
- Presence setting is estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie/Marshall setups; no explicit value found.
- Guitar knob settings are estimated based on typical Cobain usage and genre.
- No evidence of delay, flanger, phaser, or wah in the solo; only distortion and chorus are confirmed.
- No evidence of effects loop use in studio; assumed straight in.
- No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the solo section; all sources confirm Jaguar and Mesa/Boogie/Marshall rig.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain used a high-gain grunge tone for the solo, likely with a DS-1 or DS-2 into a clean-ish amp (often a Fender or Mesa/Boogie), with mids slightly scooped, moderate bass, and cutting treble/presence; the recording is very dry with no audible reverb.