Marshall MG15 settings
Smells Like Teen Spirit settings for Marshall MG15
Nirvana · adapted 12 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" riff tone on a Marshall MG15, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Clean volume 0, Overdrive gain 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
updated 2026-10-30
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall MG15 knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Clean volume
- 0
- Overdrive gain
- 6
- Overdrive volume
- 7
Playing tips
- Use palm muting for a tight, percussive attack on power chords.
- Strum aggressively to achieve a raw, saturated sound.
- Focus on dynamic playing to capture the grunge essence.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-08-12
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall MG15 knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use a light touch for dynamic response.
- Incorporate subtle picking variations to enhance articulation.
- Maintain consistent picking speed for a smooth modulation effect.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG15 actually has.
- Guitar
- Early-'90s Japanese Fender Stratocaster (rosewood neck, Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Rhythm channel) into Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12T-75 speakers
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 3
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Smells Like Teen Spirit 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 Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Clean volume 0, Overdrive gain 6.
Which pickup should I use for Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Nirvana use on Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Guitar: Early-'90s Japanese Fender Stratocaster (rosewood neck, Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Rhythm channel) into Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12T-75 speakers.
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.
Smells Like Teen Spirit on other amps
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Mustang LT25 · 447
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Frontman 10G · 208
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Boss Katana · 186
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Frontman 15G · 80
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Champion II 25 · 66
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 61
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Champion 20 · 60
- Smells Like Teen Spirit on Fender Frontman 20G · 53
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.