Fender Frontman 20G settings
Smells Like Teen Spirit settings for Fender Frontman 20G
Nirvana · adapted 53 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" riff tone on a Fender Frontman 20G, set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Drive select 1, Drive volume 7. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-11-10
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Fender Frontman 20G knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Drive select
- 1
- Drive volume
- 7
- Normal volume
- 0
Playing tips
- Use palm muting for tight, percussive power chords.
- Strum aggressively to achieve a raw, saturated tone.
- Focus on dynamic playing to capture the grunge feel.
Solo settings
updated 2026-03-21
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Frontman 20G knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
Playing tips
- Use aggressive picking to enhance dynamics and sustain.
- Incorporate slides and bends for expressive phrasing.
- Focus on palm muting for a tighter sound when needed.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Frontman 20G 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
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 Frontman 20G settings for Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Drive select 1, Drive volume 7.
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?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Smells Like Teen Spirit on other amps
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Mustang LT25 · 447
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Frontman 10G · 208
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Boss Katana · 186
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Frontman 15G · 80
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Champion II 25 · 66
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 61
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Champion 20 · 60
Popular songs on the Fender Frontman 20G
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Creep · Radiohead
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Mr. Brightside · The Killers
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.