Fender Mustang III settings
Lithium settings for Fender Mustang III
Nirvana · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Fender Mustang III, select the Super-Sonic (Burn) preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 5, Reverb 1.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Telecaster · updated 2026-08-18
- Preset / mode
- Super-Sonic (Burn)
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Mustang III knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 5
- Treble
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level for added depth.
- Play with a heavier attack to emphasize the punchy, saturated tone.
- Experiment with palm muting to enhance 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 Mustang III 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 Mustang III for Lithium?
Start from the Super-Sonic (Burn) preset, then set Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 5, Reverb 1.5.
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?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Telecaster. 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 Mustang III
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Black Hole Sun · Soundgarden
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.