Song
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana · Nevermind · 1991
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp
- Guitar
- 1969 Fender Mustang
- Tuning
- Eb standard
On the record, Kurt Cobain played a 1969 Fender Mustang through a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp. It's in Eb standard.
The original rig
Kurt Cobain achieved the song's dynamic contrast using a modified Mustang into an EHX Small Clone for watery verse cleans and a Boss DS-1 pushed into a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp and Marshall 4x12 for explosive, double-tracked choruses.
Kurt Cobain · Rhythm and solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup Selection
- Bridge
- Pickup Type
- Bridge humbucker
Equipped with a modified bridge humbucker.
Settings Commonly cited
- Tone
- 4
- Level
- 10
- Dist
- 7
Engaged for the high-energy chorus and solo sections.
Settings Commonly cited
- Rate
- 5
- Depth
- Up
Used on clean intro and verse parts for watery modulation.
Settings Commonly cited
- Channel
- Rhythm
- Volume
- 6
- Master
- 5
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 3
- Middle
- 8
- Reverb
- 0
- Graphic EQ
- On
- Rhythm Bright
- On
Ran into a Crown power amp using clean/rhythm channel settings.
Settings Commonly cited
- Speakers
- Celestion G12T-75
Straight 4x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion G12T-75 speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Takes
- Double/triple tracked
Producer Butch Vig tracked multiple rhythm passes for a thick wall of sound.
Settings Commonly cited
- Type
- Natural room acoustics
Relied on Sound City Studios live room ambience rather than artificial reverb or delay plugins.
- 1.groundguitar.com · groundguitar.com · source
- 2.guitarworld.com · guitarworld.com · magazine
- 3.ultimate-guitar.com · ultimate-guitar.com · compilation
Have the real gear, or another modeller? Start from these. Studio knob positions are rarely written down; these are a starting point.
Researched Oct 2026 · 3 sources · How ToneSheet researches a song
Tuning
The record is in Eb standard, low to high: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb. Tune your guitar the same way, or tell ToneSheet how it's tuned and your device shifts the tone to match.
Questions about the Smells Like Teen Spirit guitar tone
What amp did Kurt Cobain use on Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Kurt Cobain played through a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (commonly cited), with Channel Rhythm, Volume 6, Master 5, Treble 6, Bass 3, Middle 8 (settings commonly cited).
What guitar did Kurt Cobain play on Smells Like Teen Spirit?
Kurt Cobain played a 1969 Fender Mustang (commonly cited), with Pickup Selection Bridge, Pickup Type Bridge humbucker (settings commonly cited).
What effects did Kurt Cobain use on Smells Like Teen Spirit?
A Boss DS-1 Distortion (commonly cited) and an Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus (commonly cited).
What tuning is Smells Like Teen Spirit in?
Eb standard: low to high, Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.
How do I get the Smells Like Teen Spirit guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp, set like the original (Volume 6, Master 5, Treble 6, Bass 3), with a guitar like a 1969 Fender Mustang, tuned to Eb standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Smells Like Teen Spirit
Tones players shared for their amp modellers, each with every setting, block by block.
HOTONE Pulze Mini1 version
All Pulze Mini presetsMake it for your guitar
Name your guitar and how it's tuned, and ToneSheet makes the tone for it: the pickup and knob settings, and every block on your device.
Different guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)Updated