Riff Tone

The Man Who Sold the World (Live & Loud)

Nirvana

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Mustang (early 70s, Competition Blue, left-handed, stock pickups)

AmpMesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp into Crown Power Base 2 Power Amp into Marshall 4x12 cabinet

PickupsStock single-coil pickups (Fender Mustang, likely bridge position for main riff)

Amp Settings

gain5.5

bass6

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb3

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionBoss Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

chorusElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Polychorus

Notes

Live performance, 'Live & Loud' 1993, not the MTV Unplugged version. Gear confirmed by multiple forum sources and visual evidence from the show. DS-2 and Polychorus pedals visible on pedalboard. No evidence of acoustic or Fender Twin for this performance.

Tone Character(9)

raspy, mid-gain crunchbright, cutting attackslightly compressed midsmodulated shimmer from chorustight, percussive rhythmarticulate note separationraw, gritty texturedynamic response to pickingnot overly saturated, retains clarity

Difficulty

The riff requires tight rhythm and palm muting with some dynamic control, but no advanced techniques or fast passages, making it accessible to most intermediate players.

Sources

What Was Kurt's Rig/Equipment Setup for Live and Loud 1993?The Gear Used on Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York album | Guitar.com How to Get Nirvana's 1991 'Paramount' Guitar Tone | Ultimate Guitar

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