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Boss Katana Mini settings

Heart-Shaped Box settings for Boss Katana Mini

Nirvana · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt

To get the Nirvana "Heart-Shaped Box" riff tone on a Boss Katana Mini, set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Delay time 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.

Riff settings

Adapted for a Squier Telecaster · updated 2026-10-07

Pickup
Bridge pickup
Guitar knobs
Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9

Boss Katana Mini knobs

Gain
6.5
Bass
5
Mid
7
Treble
6
Delay time
0

Built-in effects

  • Reverb off

Playing tips

  • Use tight palm muting for chugging sections to maintain punch.
  • Focus on a percussive attack to emphasize the gritty edge of breakup.
  • Experiment with dynamic picking to achieve a raw and aggressive sound.

The original rig

What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana Mini actually has.

Guitar
Fender Jaguar (early 1960s, modified with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup and black Seymour Duncan Hot Rails neck pickup)
Amp
Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, late 1970s)
Gain
6.5
Bass
6
Mid
7
Treble
6
Presence
5
Reverb
2
Full Heart-Shaped Box tone breakdown, effects and sources →

Different guitar or pedals? Get Heart-Shaped Box adapted to your exact rig

These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Nirvana's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Boss Katana Mini settings for Heart-Shaped Box?

Set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Delay time 0.

Which pickup should I use for Heart-Shaped Box?

Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.

What gear did Nirvana use on Heart-Shaped Box?

Guitar: Fender Jaguar (early 1960s, modified with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup and black Seymour Duncan Hot Rails neck pickup). Amp: Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, late 1970s).

Will these settings work with my guitar?

These settings were adapted for a Squier Telecaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.

Popular songs on the Boss Katana Mini

All 68 songs for the Boss Katana Mini →

Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.