Cort CM15R settings
Lithium settings for Cort CM15R
Nirvana · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Cort CM15R, set Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-11-09
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Cort CM15R knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Dial in the fuzz effect using a pedal if available, as the original tone was heavily reliant on fuzz.
- Experiment with picking dynamics to achieve a thumping, punchy sound characteristic of the original riff.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Cort CM15R actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Japanese Stratocaster (likely 1989-1991, black, with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge)
- Amp
- Fender Bassman (studio recording, Nevermind sessions)
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1
Different guitar or pedals? Get Lithium 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 Cort CM15R settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1.
Which pickup should I use for Lithium?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Nirvana use on Lithium?
Guitar: Fender Japanese Stratocaster (likely 1989-1991, black, with Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge). Amp: Fender Bassman (studio recording, Nevermind sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Lithium on other amps
Popular songs on the Cort CM15R
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Creep · Radiohead
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
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.