Nirvana across 14 famous tones — mostly through Fender Bassman, Mesa/Boogie Studio, Ampeg SVT, Vox AC30, with humbuckers. Here is where to start, then adapt any of it to the guitar and amp you actually own.
Starting point (averaged): gain 5 · bass 6 · mid 6 · treble 6.5 · presence 5.5 (out of 10)
Fender Bassman ×3Mesa/Boogie Studio ×1Ampeg SVT ×1Vox AC30 ×1
Nirvana's tuning & guitars
Tuning: Mostly Eb standard (a half-step down) — the tuning on Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are — with Drop D on a handful of songs. Guitars: Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang and Jaguar.
Tune to match with our free tuning chart, then dial any tone below in on your own amp — GuitarToneAdapt handles the rest, free.
Mostly Eb standard (a half-step down) — the tuning on Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are — with Drop D on a handful of songs. Kurt Cobain’s Fender Mustang and Jaguar.
What amp settings does Nirvana use?
Averaged across 14 of their tones: gain 5, bass 6, mid 6, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (out of 10). Adapt to your own amp.
What gear do I need to sound like Nirvana?
They favour Fender Bassman, Mesa/Boogie Studio, Ampeg SVT, Vox AC30 with humbuckers. You do not need the exact rig — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials their tones for the guitar and amp you already own, free.
How do I get Nirvana's guitar tone?
Start with their go-to gear (Fender Bassman, Mesa/Boogie Studio, Ampeg SVT, Vox AC30 and humbuckers) and a starting EQ of gain 5, bass 6, mid 6, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (out of 10), then dial in any of the 14 songs below. GuitarToneAdapt adapts each one to the exact amp and guitar you own, free.
Can I get Nirvana's tone on a different amp or guitar?
Yes. You do not need their exact rig — GuitarToneAdapt models how their gear shapes the sound and compensates for whatever amp, guitar and pedals you already have, free in the browser.