Fender Champion II 50 settings
Lithium settings for Fender Champion II 50
Nirvana · adapted 7 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Fender Champion II 50, select the Fender Classic: Bassman preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 6, Treble 5, Reverb 1.5, TAP 0, Modify 5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-11-04
- Preset / mode
- Fender Classic: Bassman
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Champion II 50 knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 6
- Treble
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- TAP
- 0
- Modify
- 5
- FX Level
- 0
- FX Select
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (Spring) · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level for a subtle spaciousness.
- Play with a heavier attack to emphasize the punchy, saturated tone.
- Experiment with palm muting to accentuate the thumping sound of the riff.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Champion II 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 II 50 for Lithium?
Start from the Fender Classic: Bassman preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 6, Treble 5, Reverb 1.5, TAP 0, Modify 5.
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 Fender Champion II 50
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Layla · Derek & The Dominos
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Take Me Out · Franz Ferdinand
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
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.