4 songs, each with a starting point and the rig from its sources
Tonelify's library has 4 Nirvana songs, each with the rig reported in interviews and articles and a reference starting point on a generic five-knob amp. There is no single Nirvana setting. Come As You Are starts at Gain 2 and In Bloom at Gain 6, so set the amp for the song, not for the artist.
The numbers below are the same ones each song page gives. The rig for each song is on its own page with the sources it comes from.
Raw fuzzy grunge power chords.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
Watery, chorus-drenched riff, murky and hypnotic.
Start at Gain 2, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3, with the neck or middle position.
Brooding verse into a thick, corrosive chorus.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
Restrained verse guitar that erupts into a thick, double-tracked chorus fuzz.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
These are positions on a generic five-knob amp with gain, bass, middle, treble and presence, each running 0 to 10. They are a starting point, not the settings used on the record, and they will not transfer unchanged to an amp with a different gain structure or EQ voicing.
| Song | Guitar and amp |
|---|---|
| Smells Like Teen Spirit | Fender Mustang or Jaguar, Boss DS-1Mesa/Boogie, Fender Bassman or Vox AC30 |
| Come As You Are | Fender Mustang or JaguarVox AC30 (likely), Small Clone chorus |
| Heart-Shaped Box | Fender Jaguar or MustangTech 21 SansAmp, Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp live |
| In Bloom | Fender Mustang or JaguarMesa/Boogie (verses), Fender Bassman (choruses) |
Tonelify reads each of these chains and translates it to the amp and guitar you already own. Adapt one to your gear →
It depends on the song. On a generic five-knob amp, Smells Like Teen Spirit starts at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2; Come As You Are starts at Gain 2, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3; Heart-Shaped Box starts at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2; In Bloom starts at Gain 6, Bass 6, Middle 4, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 2. These are starting points, not the settings used on the records.
Smells Like Teen Spirit: Fender Mustang or Jaguar, Boss DS-1; Mesa/Boogie, Fender Bassman or Vox AC30. Come As You Are: Fender Mustang or Jaguar; Vox AC30 (likely), Small Clone chorus. Heart-Shaped Box: Fender Jaguar or Mustang; Tech 21 SansAmp, Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp live. In Bloom: Fender Mustang or Jaguar; Mesa/Boogie (verses), Fender Bassman (choruses). Each song page lists the sources behind its rig.
Yes. What carries these sounds is the gain structure, the EQ curve, the pickup position and the order of the effects, and all four can be rebuilt on other equipment. Tonelify rewrites each starting point for the amp and guitar you own.
