Marshall MG50DFX settings
Lithium settings for Marshall MG50DFX
Nirvana · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Lithium" riff tone on a Marshall MG50DFX, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1, Fdd 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-07-27
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall MG50DFX knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1
- Fdd
- 1
- Contour
- 5
- Clean volume
- 5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to add some depth to the tone.
- Experiment with picking dynamics to achieve the thumping, darker sound characteristic of the original riff.
- Consider palm muting for a punchier attack on the notes.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG50DFX 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 MG50DFX settings for Lithium?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1, Fdd 1.
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 Fender 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 MG50DFX
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Raining Blood · Slayer
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.