Come as you are amp settings — Harley Benton HB-10G
The Nirvana guitar tone for “Come as you are”, dialed in for a Harley Benton HB-10G with a Harley Benton St20. Studio version, Nevermind (1991)
1965 Fender Jaguar (DiMarzio PAF neck pickup) → EHX Small Clone → Boss DS-1 → Mesa Boogie Studio .22 preamp → Crown Power Base 2 → Marshall 4x12
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 2 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 6 |
| Treble | 5 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 4 |
01Electro-Harmonix Small Clone (or any chorus pedal)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This pedal IS the tone. Depth switch must be UP (full depth). Without chorus, this song sounds completely wrong. A TC Electronic Corona, Boss CE-5, or budget Donner Tutti Love will work.
02Boss DS-1 (or any distortion pedal)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Only engaged for the loud chorus sections ('come as you are...'). Keep amp clean, pedal provides all dirt. A Joyo Vintage Overdrive or Behringer TO800 is a cheap substitute for the main riff's clean tone; DS-1 clone needed for heavy sections.
The HB-10G is a basic solid-state practice amp with limited EQ range and no onboard modulation. I dropped treble from the original's 6 to 5 because small solid-state amps get harsh quickly, and pushed mids to 6 to compensate for the amp's naturally scooped voicing. Gain stays low at 2 because the original tone is a clean platform. Without the Small Clone chorus, you cannot get this tone—it is non-negotiable for this song.
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These settings are for a Harley Benton HB-10G. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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