Riff Tone

Paper Cuts

Nirvana

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarUnivox Hi-Flier Phase 3

AmpRandall RG-120 solid-state head

PickupsUnivox P-90 style single coils

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid6

treble6.5

reverb0

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1988-1989, Bleach album sessions. Guitar and amp confirmed for 'Paper Cuts' riff section. No evidence of additional pedals or effects beyond distortion from amp. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this recording.

Tone Character(10)

raw and aggressiveheavy fuzz-like distortionsludgy and thickpercussive low endscratchy attackunpolished, abrasive textureminimal claritycompressed and saturatedloose, gritty soundmid-scooped but not hollow

Difficulty

The riff is not technically complex but requires aggressive picking, tight palm muting, and control of noise/feedback due to the high-gain, raw amp tone.

Sources

Song specific gear : r/Nirvana - Reddit Nirvana – Bleach - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album How do I make my squier strat sound more like Kurts tone ... - Reddit

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