Riff Tone

Tourette's

Nirvana

Guitarpunk1990s

Original Gear

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

AmpFender Quad Reverb (1970s, silverface, 4x12 combo)

PickupsStock Fender single-coil pickups

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid6.5

treble7

reverb1

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionBoss Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

distortionTech 21 Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

Notes

Studio recording, 1993. Used for In Utero sessions. The Randall RG-120 was not used for this track; the Quad Reverb was the main amp for the album. DS-2 and SansAmp pedals both used in series for this song's riff section.

Tone Character(10)

very bitey and aggressiveraw, abrasive distortionbright and cuttingcompressed and saturatedminimal clarity, maximum attackpushed amp distortionfuzz-like breakupmid-heavy with pronounced trebleslightly scooped lowsin-your-face punk energy

Difficulty

While the riff is based on simple power chords and punk strumming, the extremely fast tempo and aggressive attack require stamina and tight right-hand technique, making it moderately challenging for beginners.

Sources

"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 Nirvana – In Utero - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard Does anyone know what amps Kurt used for what albums? : r/Nirvana

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account