Fender Champion 50 settings
Lithium settings for Fender Champion 50
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Fender Champion 50, select the BASSBREAKER 15 preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Treble 4.5, Fx level 7, Fx select 12. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Ibanez Gio · updated 2026-09-10
- Preset / mode
- BASSBREAKER 15
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Champion 50 knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5.5
- Treble
- 4.5
- Fx level
- 7
- Fx select
- 12
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level for added depth.
- Set the FX Level to 7 to enhance the fuzz effect for the riff.
- Play with a strong attack to emphasize the punchy, saturated tone.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Champion 50 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 preset should I use on the Fender Champion 50 for Lithium?
Start from the BASSBREAKER 15 preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Treble 4.5, Fx level 7, Fx select 12.
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 Ibanez Gio. 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 Fender Champion 50
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Mr. Brightside · The Killers
- Killing in the Name · Rage Against the Machine
- Black Hole Sun · Soundgarden
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
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.