All Apologies amp settings — Fender Champion II 50

The Nirvana guitar tone for “All Apologies”, dialed in for a Fender Champion II 50 with a Ibanez GIO GRG170DX. Studio version, In Utero (1993)

Original rig

Fender Quad Reverb (broken power tube/Utah speakers), Univox Hi-Flier Phase II / Fender Mustang, Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

Raw, jangly, slightly broken-up clean rhythm tone in Drop D tuned down half a step

Amp settings — Fender Champion II 50

CHANNEL'65 Twin Clean voiceBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	6
Treble	6
Reverb	3
Master	5

Don’t have a Fender Champion II 50? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE8 VOLUME9

Signal chain

01Behringer TM300 Tube Amp Modeler

Set switches: Amp: TWEED, Mod: CLN, Mic: CLASSIC (acts as the Tech 21 SansAmp character simulator into the clean amp)

Level 6 · Low 6 · High 5 · Drive 3

Why these settings

The studio cut tracked a quirky, raspy clean from a 1974 Fender Quad Reverb using a Tech 21 SansAmp for subtle harmonic texture. The Behringer TM300 (a SansAmp clone) on Tweed/Clean mode accurately emulates that slightly gritty, immediate preamp break-up in front of the Champion II's clean Twin voice. The Champion II 50 lacks a dedicated mid knob and presence control, so mids are shaped via the TM300's tone controls while keeping the amp's Bass and Treble balanced. For the louder chorus sections, step harder into the strings or nudge the TM300 Drive up to 6.

PRO TIPTune to Drop D tuned down a half step (Db-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb) and pick near the neck pickup with a medium-thin pick to recreate Kurt's open-string drone bounce and acoustic-like percussive snap.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Champion II 50. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Fender Champion II 50

Enter SandmanMetallica ToxicitySystem Of A Down

Find your amp

Browse

Fender Champion II 50 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP All Apologies on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Nirvana tonesALL SONGS Ibanez GIO GRG170DX tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.