Riff Tone
About a Girl (Live at Pier 48, Seattle, WA, 12/13/93)
Nirvana
Guitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Mustang (early 70s, Competition Blue, modded with Seymour Duncan JB in bridge)
AmpFender Quad Reverb (Silverface, 4x12, 1970s)
PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge humbucker), stock Mustang single coil (neck)
Amp Settings
gain3.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb1.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Live performance at Pier 48, Seattle, 12/13/1993. Guitar is confirmed by video and Equipboard. Amp confirmed by Equipboard and MusicRadar as primary live amp for In Utero/Live & Loud era. Settings are for live, not studio.
Tone Character(10)
bright and janglyslightly grittyarticulate attackclear note separationpercussive strummingdynamic and openminimal sustainnot heavily compressedslight breakup on hard strumsuncompressed, lively
Difficulty
The riff requires steady, energetic strumming and clean chord transitions, but no advanced techniques or complex rhythms.
Sources
Nirvana – Live And Loud - Gear & Equipment Used on the AlbumNeed help finding the best settings to sound like nirvana (on guitar)"It sounds exactly like the record" – guitarist nails Kurt Cobain's Nirvana In Utero distorted tones with two pedals, a Fender amp and some insider information | MusicRadar
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Original Gear
GuitarFender Mustang (early 70s, Competition Blue, modded with Seymour Duncan JB in bridge)
AmpFender Quad Reverb (Silverface, 4x12, 1970s)
PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge humbucker), stock Mustang single coil (neck)
Amp Settings
gain3.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb1.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Sources
Nirvana – Live And Loud - Gear & Equipment Used on the AlbumNeed help finding the best settings to sound like nirvana (on guitar)"It sounds exactly like the record" – guitarist nails Kurt Cobain's Nirvana In Utero distorted tones with two pedals, a Fender amp and some insider information | MusicRadar
Notes
Live performance at Pier 48, Seattle, 12/13/1993. Guitar is confirmed by video and Equipboard. Amp confirmed by Equipboard and MusicRadar as primary live amp for In Utero/Live & Loud era. Settings are for live, not studio.
Tone Character(10)
bright and janglyslightly grittyarticulate attackclear note separationpercussive strummingdynamic and openminimal sustainnot heavily compressedslight breakup on hard strumsuncompressed, lively
Difficulty
The riff requires steady, energetic strumming and clean chord transitions, but no advanced techniques or complex rhythms.
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