Donner DA-10 settings
Lithium settings for Donner DA-10
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Donner DA-10, set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson Les Paul · updated 2026-11-13
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Donner DA-10 knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use palm muting for a punchy attack on the riff.
- Focus on a steady strumming pattern to maintain the thumping rhythm.
- Experiment with dynamics; play softer for verses and harder for choruses.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Donner DA-10 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 Donner DA-10 settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.
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?
These settings were adapted for a Gibson Les Paul. 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 Donner DA-10
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Do I Wanna Know? · Arctic Monkeys
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Hotel California · Eagles
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Walk · Pantera
- Creep · Radiohead
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.