Marshall DSL40C settings
Lithium settings for Marshall DSL40C
Nirvana · adapted 5 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Marshall DSL40C, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 5, Presence 5, Resonance 5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster American Professional II · updated 2026-10-12
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40C knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 5
- Presence
- 5
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Tone shift
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level for added depth.
- Play with a strong attack to emphasize the fuzz character.
- Experiment with palm muting to create a thumping sound.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL40C 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 Marshall DSL40C settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 5, Presence 5, Resonance 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 Fender Stratocaster American Professional II. 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 Marshall DSL40C
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Alive · Pearl Jam
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
- Back in Black · AC/DC
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.