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Fender '65 Twin Reverb settings

Smells Like Teen Spirit settings for Fender '65 Twin Reverb

Nirvana · adapted 10 times on ToneAdapt

To get the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" riff tone on a Fender '65 Twin Reverb, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Bright switch 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.

Riff settings

updated 2026-11-04

Pickup
Bridge pickup
Guitar knobs
Tone 10 · Volume 10

Fender '65 Twin Reverb knobs

Gain
7
Bass
5
Mid
6
Treble
6
Reverb
0
Bright switch
1
Vibrato speed
0
Vibrato intensity
0

Playing tips

  • Use aggressive palm muting for a tight sound.
  • Strum with a strong attack to emphasize the percussive nature of the riff.
  • Experiment with dynamic picking to add variation to the riff.

The original rig

What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender '65 Twin Reverb actually has.

Guitar
Early-'90s Japanese Fender Stratocaster (rosewood neck, Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Rhythm channel) into Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12T-75 speakers
Gain
7
Bass
4.5
Mid
6.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
3
Reverb
0
Full Smells Like Teen Spirit tone breakdown, effects and sources →

Different guitar or pedals? Get Smells Like Teen Spirit 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 Fender '65 Twin Reverb settings for Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Bright switch 1.

Which pickup should I use for Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.

What gear did Nirvana use on Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Guitar: Early-'90s Japanese Fender Stratocaster (rosewood neck, Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Rhythm channel) into Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12T-75 speakers.

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.

Popular songs on the Fender '65 Twin Reverb

All 32 songs for the Fender '65 Twin Reverb →

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.