Marshall MG100FX settings
Heart-Shaped Box settings for Marshall MG100FX
Nirvana · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Heart-Shaped Box" riff tone on a Marshall MG100FX, set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Contour 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 7-8.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Jackson Warrior JS32 · updated 2026-10-09
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 7-8
Marshall MG100FX knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Contour
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 4.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Play with a light touch to maintain clarity and articulation in the notes.
- Focus on the dynamics of your picking to achieve the gritty edge of breakup tone.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG100FX actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Jaguar (early 1960s, modified with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup and black Seymour Duncan Hot Rails neck pickup)
- Amp
- Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, late 1970s)
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 2
Different guitar or pedals? Get Heart-Shaped Box 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 MG100FX settings for Heart-Shaped Box?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Contour 6.
Which pickup should I use for Heart-Shaped Box?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 7-8.
What gear did Nirvana use on Heart-Shaped Box?
Guitar: Fender Jaguar (early 1960s, modified with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup and black Seymour Duncan Hot Rails neck pickup). Amp: Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, late 1970s).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Jackson Warrior JS32. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Heart-Shaped Box on other amps
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Mustang LT25 · 165
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 10G · 67
- Heart-Shaped Box on Boss Katana · 62
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Champion 20 · 30
- Heart-Shaped Box on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 20
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 20G · 19
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 15G · 18
- Heart-Shaped Box on Orange Crush 12 · 17
Popular songs on the Marshall MG100FX
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Smoke on the Water · Deep Purple
- War Pigs · Black Sabbath
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Unholy Confessions · Avenged Sevenfold
- Tomorrow (Remastered) · Silverchair
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.