Roland Micro Cube settings
Heart-Shaped Box settings for Roland Micro Cube
Nirvana · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Nirvana "Heart-Shaped Box" riff tone on a Roland Micro Cube, select the BLACK PANEL preset, then set Gain 6.5, Volume 7, Reverb 0.5, Tone 6, Efx type 0, Tuning fork 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-10-19
- Preset / mode
- BLACK PANEL
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Roland Micro Cube knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 7
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Tone
- 6
- Efx type
- 0
- Tuning fork
- 0
- Delay reverb
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (Spring) · 0.5
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting for chugging sections to achieve a punchy sound.
- Focus on dynamic picking to enhance the percussive attack of the notes.
- Keep your attack aggressive to maintain clarity and presence in the riff.
The original rig
What Nirvana used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Roland Micro Cube 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
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 preset should I use on the Roland Micro Cube for Heart-Shaped Box?
Start from the BLACK PANEL preset, then set Gain 6.5, Volume 7, Reverb 0.5, Tone 6, Efx type 0, Tuning fork 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.
Heart-Shaped Box on other amps
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Mustang LT25 · 165
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 10G · 67
- Heart-Shaped Box on Boss Katana · 62
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Champion 20 · 30
- Heart-Shaped Box on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 20
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 20G · 19
- Heart-Shaped Box on Fender Frontman 15G · 18
- Heart-Shaped Box on Orange Crush 12 · 17
Popular songs on the Roland Micro Cube
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Creep · Radiohead
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Do I Wanna Know? · Arctic Monkeys
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Mr. Brightside · The Killers
- Take Me Out · Franz Ferdinand
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.