Tone library / Nirvana / Heart-Shaped Box

Heart-Shaped Box amp settings — Epiphone Studio 10s

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Heart-Shaped Box”, dialed in for a Epiphone Studio 10s with a Ibanez GIO GRG170DX. Studio version, In Utero (1993) — iconic heavy chorus/riff tone

Original rig

Univox Hi-Flier / Fender Mustang (bridge humbucker) + Tech 21 SansAmp Classic / Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion into Fender Quad Reverb / Marshall studio blend

Raw, aggressive mid-pushed grunge distortion with tight low-end and biting upper mids

Amp settings — Epiphone Studio 10s

CHANNELOverdrive switch ONBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	7
Treble	6
Master	5

Don’t have a Epiphone Studio 10s? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Tech 21 SansAmp Classic or Boss DS-2

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with this pedal, switch amp OD off and run clean gain at 2

Level 7 · Tone 6 · Dist / Drive 8

Why these settings

The Epiphone Studio 10s is a small solid-state practice amp with an Overdrive button and a 3-band EQ, but lacks presence or reverb controls. To approximate Cobain's SansAmp grind without pedals, engage the onboard Overdrive switch and push the Gain to 8 while keeping mids forward at 7 to capture the abrasive In Utero crunch. Keep the bridge humbucker on the Ibanez GIO wide open to push the front-end hard.

PRO TIPDrop your low E string down to D (Drop D tuning) and dig in hard with a medium-heavy pick right near the bridge to accentuate the percussive string rattle.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Epiphone Studio 10s. 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.