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Marshall MG15R Gold settings

Heart-Shaped Box settings for Marshall MG15R Gold

Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt

To get the Nirvana "Heart-Shaped Box" riff tone on a Marshall MG15R Gold, set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Reverb 0.5, Clean volume 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.

Riff settings

updated 2026-10-09

Pickup
Bridge pickup
Guitar knobs
Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9

Marshall MG15R Gold knobs

Gain
6
Bass
5
Mid
7
Treble
6
Reverb
0.5
Clean volume
0
Overdrive volume
6

Built-in effects

  • Reverb on (spring) · 3

Playing tips

  • Use a tight picking attack for percussive palm muting.
  • Keep your picking hand close to the bridge for added clarity.
  • Experiment with dynamics; play harder for aggressive chugs and softer for melodic lines.

The original rig

What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG15R Gold 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
Full Heart-Shaped Box tone breakdown, effects and sources →

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 MG15R Gold settings for Heart-Shaped Box?

Set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Reverb 0.5, Clean volume 0.

Which pickup should I use for Heart-Shaped Box?

Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.

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?

Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.

Popular songs on the Marshall MG15R Gold

All 22 songs for the Marshall MG15R Gold →

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.