Solo Tone

Pennyroyal Tea

Nirvana

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarHarmony Stella 12-string acoustic (mic'd and/or with piezo pickup, possibly double-tracked with lefty Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy electric for solo)

AmpFender Twin Reverb (1977-1982, Blackface, studio recording)

PickupsPiezo (acoustic) or stock Ibanez humbuckers (if electric overdub used)

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass6

mid7.5

treble6.5

reverb3

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1993, In Utero sessions. Solo section likely features the same acoustic (Stella 12-string) but some sources suggest possible electric overdub with lefty Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy. No evidence of live/tour rig or alternate amps for this song's solo. No pedalboard in signal chain for this section.

Tone Character(10)

raw and mid-heavyslightly overdriven acoustic/electric blendaggressive, percussive strumminglo-fi, gritty attackunpolished and organic breakupdynamic, responds to picking intensitybiting midrange presencenot high-gain, but clearly drivenvintage amp breakupdistinct, cutting solo tone

Difficulty

The solo is not technically complex but requires strong rhythmic control, dynamic picking, and the ability to maintain clarity during aggressive strumming. No advanced lead techniques, but energy and consistency are key.

Sources

Nirvana – MTV Unplugged In New York - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard Nirvana: Super Fuzz Big Muff | Guitar World

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Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarHarmony Stella 12-string acoustic (mic'd and/or with piezo pickup, possibly double-tracked with lefty Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy electric for solo)

AmpFender Twin Reverb (1977-1982, Blackface, studio recording)

PickupsPiezo (acoustic) or stock Ibanez humbuckers (if electric overdub used)