Come as you are amp settings — Fender Bassman 59
The Nirvana guitar tone for “Come as you are”, dialed in for a Fender Bassman 59 with a Fender Jaguar. Studio version, Nevermind (1991)
1965 Fender Jaguar with DiMarzio pickups → EHX Small Clone chorus → Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp/Crown Power Base 2 (some sources cite Vox AC30 for clean overdubs)
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 3 |
| Bass | 6 |
| Mid | 5 |
| Treble | 5 |
| Presence | 4 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 5 |
01Electro-Harmonix Small Clone
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The Depth switch MUST be set to the UP/deep position. This is non-negotiable for this tone. Rate stays low (around 10 o'clock). Without this pedal, you will not achieve the signature sound.
Your Bassman 59 is actually closer to the Nevermind recording chain than the Mesa — Butch Vig used a Bassman for heavier overdubs on this album. Keep the gain low for the clean verses; the Bassman's natural warmth replaces the Mesa's tighter voicing, so I dropped treble by 1 and boosted bass by 1 to maintain the dark, wobbly character. The tone is fundamentally unobtainable without a chorus pedal.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Fender Bassman 59. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
Get ToneAdapt on Google PlaySong, 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.