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Territorial Pissings Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Nirvana
Nirvana · 1990s · punk
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Mustang (likely Japanese model, as used on Nevermind sessions)
Pickups
Stock single-coil (bridge position, Mustang type)
Amp
Direct into Neve console (no amp used on studio recording); live: Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp into Crown/Carver power amp and Marshall 1960A/B 4x12 cabinets
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording (Nevermind, 1991): Guitar plugged directly into Neve mixing desk with ProCo Rat distortion pedal; no amp or cab. Live: Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp, Marshall cabs. Settings below refer to the studio recording. Year: 1991.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- ProCo Rat · distortion
Fender Mustang → ProCo Rat → Neve console (direct-in, no amp/cab)
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Tone Character
- extremely aggressive and biting
- hard-clipped, fuzzy edge
- raw, uncompressed attack
- mid-forward, cutting presence
- abrasive, punk-inspired grind
- no audible reverb or ambience
- direct, in-your-face sound
- chaotic, saturated texture
- loud, dynamic pick attack
- very little low-end muddiness
Notes & Caveats
- Studio recording for 'Territorial Pissings' used direct-in (no amp/cab), so amp settings are estimated for comparable tone.
- No numeric pedal or amp settings are available from sources; settings estimated based on typical ProCo Rat usage and direct-in punk tones.
- Live gear differs: live, a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp and Marshall cabs were used, but the studio track is direct-in.
- Pickup model is inferred from known Mustang specs; exact pickup wiring for this session is not documented.
- No reverb or time-based effects are present; the sound is extremely dry and direct.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kurt Cobain used a high-gain, mid-forward, raw tone for 'Territorial Pissings,' likely with a DS-1/DS-2 into a cranked Marshall, with little to no reverb and presence up for aggression. The tone is aggressive, cutting, and dry, with pronounced mids and moderate bass.