Tone library / Nirvana / Aneurysm (Live at The Paramount, 1991)

Aneurysm (Live at The Paramount, 1991) amp settings — Mesa Boogie Mark IV

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Aneurysm (Live at The Paramount, 1991)”, dialed in for a Mesa Boogie Mark IV with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Live at the Paramount, Seattle (Halloween 1991)

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster (bridge humbucker) -> Boss DS-1 Distortion -> Mesa Boogie Studio .22 / Crest 4801 Power Amp + Marshall 4x12 cabs

Aggressive, fizzy grunge dirt with abrasive upper-mid bite and tight low end

Amp settings — Mesa Boogie Mark IV

CHANNELRhythm 1 (Clean)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Mid	5
Treble	5
Presence	4
Reverb	0
Master	4

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss MT-2 Metal Zone

Gain source (run direct into amp input)

Level 7 · Low 5 · High 6 · Middle 7 · Mid Freq 6 · Dist 7

02Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Rate 4 · Depth 10

Why these settings

Because you own the Boss MT-2 as your dirt source, the Mesa Mark IV is parked on its pristine Rhythm 1 clean channel with gain dropped to 2 to prevent muddy double-gain staging. The MT-2's Mid is set around 7 with Mid Freq around 6 (approx 1-1.5kHz) to emulate Kurt's jagged Boss DS-1 bite rather than modern scooped metal. For the watery intro hook and chorus modulation, adding an analog chorus like the Small Clone completes the live Paramount rig. Clean verse switch: bypass the MT-2 for the intro/verse cleans.

PRO TIPDig in heavily with pick attack right over the bridge pickup and let unmuted strings ring during open chord transitions to capture Kurt's raw, chaotic live energy.

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