The Plump by Hole guitar tone is built on a Marshall JCM900, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.
Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.
Original gear
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 1990s Japanese or American, as used by Courtney Love in this era) · Amp: Marshall JCM900 (most commonly used by Courtney Love in the studio and live for 'Live Through This' era, including 'Plump')
Pickups
Bridge pickup
Effects / signal chain
Fender Stratocaster → Marshall JCM900 (amp gain, spring reverb low)
Tone character
thick and saturated, aggressive and crunchy, tight and percussive, mid-heavy punch, raw grunge texture, articulate pick attack, minimal ambience, no modulation or delay, slightly scooped but not thin, classic 90s alternative distortion
Recording context
studio
How it’s played
straight, fast tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Plump sound.
What makes the Plump part tricky
fast power chord changes, tight palm muting, aggressive pick attack. GuitarToneAdapt gets the tone right so you can focus on the playing.
Note: No direct source confirms exact amp or pedal settings for 'Plump' riff; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM900 usage in 1990s alternative rock., No evidence of pedals or effects used in the riff section; distortion is likely from amp only., Guitar model inferred from period photos and interviews; Courtney Love used Fender Stratocasters with Marshall amps during 'Live Through This' sessions., Pickup type and selector position inferred from typical grunge/alternative rhythm tones and live footage., Settings are estimated based on genre, era, and amp type; no explicit numeric values found in sources., Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Courtney Love's tone on 'Plump' is aggressive, mid-forward, and crunchy, typical of 90s alternative/grunge. She often used high gain Marshall amps (JCM800/900), with mids pushed, moderate bass, and not much reverb for a dry, punchy sound. The presence and treble are set to cut but not harsh, matching the era's production style.