Harley Benton HB-20R settings
Lithium settings for Harley Benton HB-20R
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Harley Benton HB-20R, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, 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 Ibanez GIO GRX70QA · updated 2026-11-10
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Harley Benton HB-20R knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use the dirty channel for a more saturated sound that matches the original fuzz tone.
- Set the amp's reverb to a low level to add some depth without overpowering the fuzz.
- Keep your picking dynamics aggressive to achieve that punchy, thumping sound characteristic of the riff.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Harley Benton HB-20R 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 Harley Benton HB-20R settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, 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 Ibanez GIO GRX70QA. 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 Harley Benton HB-20R
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Creep · Radiohead
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
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.