Marshall MG15 settings
Lithium settings for Marshall MG15
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Marshall MG15, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Clean volume 0, Overdrive gain 5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a HSS Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-06
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall MG15 knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Clean volume
- 0
- Overdrive gain
- 5
- Overdrive volume
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use a strong picking attack to emphasize the punchy nature of the riff.
- Incorporate palm muting for a tighter sound during transitions.
- Experiment with dynamics to create a more aggressive feel.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG15 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 MG15 settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Clean volume 0, Overdrive gain 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 HSS Stratocaster. 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 MG15
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
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.