Marshall MG10 settings
Lithium settings for Marshall MG10
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Marshall MG10, set Gain 7, Contour 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-09-03
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall MG10 knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Contour
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Focus on palm muting for a punchy attack.
- Use a heavy pick for a thicker sound.
- Experiment with dynamics; play harder for more aggression.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG10 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 MG10 settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Contour 6.
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 Marshall MG10
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Walk · Pantera
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Layla · Derek and the Dominos
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
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.