Fender Hot Rod Deluxe settings
Lithium settings for Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, set Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Reverb 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-11-03
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1
- Bright Switch
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to add depth without washing out the fuzz.
- Keep the guitar volume at 8-9 to maintain saturation and punch in the riff.
- Engage the Bright Switch for a bit more clarity if needed, but start with it off to match the original tone.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 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 Fender Hot Rod Deluxe settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Reverb 1.
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 Hot Rod Deluxe
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Back In Black · AC/DC
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
- Walk · Pantera
- Killing in the Name · Rage Against the Machine
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.