Marshall CODE 25 settings
Drain You settings for Marshall CODE 25
Nirvana · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Drain You" riff tone on a Marshall CODE 25, set Gain 1.5, Volume 5, Master 5, Bass 5.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7. Use the bridge + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-11-12
- Pickup
- Bridge + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall CODE 25 knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Volume
- 5
- Master
- 5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (Spring) · 1
- Cabinet on (1936 (2x12, G12-T75))
- Power amp on (American Class A/B (6L6))
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the subtle spring reverb ambience.
- Pick with a clear and percussive attack to maintain the articulate single-coil clarity.
- Ensure your volume is set high enough to allow the clean tone to shine through without distortion.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall CODE 25 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar (1991-1992, custom modded, DiMarzio pickups)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp into Crown Power Amp and Marshall 4x12 cabinet
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 1
Different guitar or pedals? Get Drain You 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 Marshall CODE 25 settings for Drain You?
Set Gain 1.5, Volume 5, Master 5, Bass 5.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7.
Which pickup should I use for Drain You?
Bridge + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Nirvana use on Drain You?
Guitar: Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar (1991-1992, custom modded, DiMarzio pickups). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp into Crown Power Amp and Marshall 4x12 cabinet.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Drain You on other amps
Popular songs on the Marshall CODE 25
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Raining Blood · Slayer
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.