Tone library / Nirvana / Come as you are

Come as you are amp settings — IDK 1

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Come as you are”, dialed in for a IDK 1 with a Rogue rr100 rocketeer Rr100. Studio version, Nevermind (1991) — iconic watery clean intro riff

Original rig

1965 Fender Jaguar / 1969 Mustang (neck pickup) -> Electro-Harmonix Small Clone -> Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp / Vox AC30 clean

Warm, watery modulated clean with slight low-end depth and lush detuned chorus

Amp settings — IDK 1

CHANNELCleanBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	6
Treble	5
Reverb	2
Master	6

Don’t have a IDK 1? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (critical for the signature watery modulation)

Rate 6 · Depth 10

Why these settings

The IDK 1 is an unrecognized practice amp, so controls are dialed for standard clean baseline settings with unverifiable EQ knobs set to null. Kurt's studio clean tone comes from a flat, warm preamp with lush analog chorus, so amp gain is kept low at 2 to stay totally clean. Adding a dedicated analog chorus pedal like an EHX Small Clone is essential to achieve the detuned, underwater character of this riff. Chorus chorus chorus chorus; chorus riff switch: engage DS-1 style distortion block/pedal with amp remaining clean.

PRO TIPPick right over the neck pickup with a flexible medium-thin pick to produce the soft, rounded transient attack heard on the opening arpeggio.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a IDK 1. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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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.