Marshall MG30CFX settings
Smells Like Teen Spirit settings for Marshall MG30CFX
Nirvana · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" solo tone on a Marshall MG30CFX, set Gain 6.5, Volume 8, Master 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Fender Player II HSS Stratocaster · updated 2026-05-19
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall MG30CFX knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 8
- Master
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Tap
- 0
- Store
- 0
- Contour
- 4
- Fx type level
- 7
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in chorus set to a prominent level to recreate the swirling effect heard in the original solo.
- Engage the OD2 mode on your amp for high-gain saturation that matches the aggressive tone of the original.
- Keep your master volume at a moderate level to ensure the solo cuts through the mix without overwhelming the sound.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson SG · updated 2026-05-09
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall MG30CFX knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Volume
- 8
- Master
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Tap
- 0
- Store
- 0
- Contour
- 4
- Fx type level
- 0
Playing tips
- Use aggressive palm muting for tight, percussive power chords.
- Focus on dynamic strumming to capture the raw energy of the riff.
- Experiment with varying pick attack to enhance the aggressive tone.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG30CFX 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 MG30CFX settings for Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Set Gain 6.5, Volume 8, Master 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 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?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Player II HSS Stratocaster. 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 MG30CFX
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Layla · Derek & The Dominos
- Welcome To The Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Black Hole Sun · Soundgarden
- Killing in the Name · Rage Against the Machine
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.