Tone library / Nirvana / Friendly radio unit shifter

Friendly radio unit shifter amp settings — Samick LA30R

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Friendly radio unit shifter”, dialed in for a Samick LA30R with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, In Utero (1993) - 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter'

Original rig

Fender Jaguar/Mustang with humbuckers, Fender Twin Reverb / Quad Reverb / Marshall, Tech 21 SansAmp Classic, Electro-Harmonix Small Clone & PolyChorus

Abrasive, screeching feedback-heavy grunge distortion with biting upper midrange
Amp settings — Samick LA30R
CHANNELOverdrive channel
GAIN 8 BASS 6 MID 7 TREBLE 5 REVERB 2 MASTER 4
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass6
Mid7
Treble5
Reverb2
Master4
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Tech 21 SansAmp Classic (or Boss DS-2)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Drive 8 · Tone 6 · Level 7

02Electro-Harmonix PolyChorus / Small Clone

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Rate 7 · Depth 8
Why these settings

The Samick LA30R is an analog solid-state combo with Bass, Middle, Treble, and Reverb controls, but lacks a presence knob. Since Cobain achieved this track's aggressive grind using a SansAmp into clean power sections, dial your LA30R's overdrive channel to gain 8 to provide maximum bite and saturation without an external pedal. Keep the mid control pushed to 7 to compensate for single-coil Strat thinness while rolling treble to 5 to avoid solid-state fizz. If you acquire a SansAmp or distortion pedal, switch the amp to Clean and drop amp gain to 2.

PRO TIPPosition your Strat directly in front of the speaker cone between chord stabs to induce Kurt's harmonic runaway feedback on the opening bars.

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These settings are for a Samick LA30R. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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