Riff Tone

Drain You (Live at The Paramount, 1991)

Nirvana

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Japan MG-69 Mustang (Sonic Blue, 'Blue Courtney')

AmpMesa/Boogie Studio Preamp into Crown Power Amp, Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet

PickupsStock Fender Japan Mustang single coils (neck and bridge, likely neck for clean)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass5.5

mid6

treble7

reverb1.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Live performance, October 31, 1991, Paramount Theatre, Seattle. Clean tone used for verse/intro riff. Mustang confirmed by video and multiple sources. Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp and Crown Power Amp into Marshall cab confirmed by forum and Equipboard sources.

Tone Character(10)

jangly high endbright and glassyslightly scooped midsarticulate and percussiveclear note separationminimal breakupdynamic response to strummingdistinctive Mustang clarityopen and airytight low end

Difficulty

The riff requires steady, energetic strumming and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation at a medium-fast tempo, but does not involve advanced techniques or complex chord voicings.

Sources

How to Get Nirvana's 1991 'Paramount' Guitar Tone Nirvana – Live At The Paramount - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard How To Get The Paramount Tone | Equipboard What should I do to get a good live at the paramount 91 tone - Reddit

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

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