Tone library / Nirvana / Lake of fire

Lake of fire amp settings — Vox VT40X

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Lake of fire”, dialed in for a Vox VT40X with a Epiphone SG Standard. Live acoustic performance, MTV Unplugged in New York (1993)

Original rig

Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar with DeArmond pickups plugged direct/clean amp, no pedals

Warm, woody acoustic-electric clean with subtle room reverb and dynamic midrange
Amp settings — Vox VT40X
CHANNELDELUXE CL (Clean Fender model)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 2 BASS 5 MID 6 TREBLE 5 REVERB 3 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain2
Bass5
Mid6
Treble5
Reverb3
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck+middle TONE8 VOLUME9
Why these settings

The Vox VT40X's DELUXE CL model provides the high-headroom, uncompressed clean platform needed to simulate Kurt's acoustic-electric pickup tone. To compensate for the Epiphone SG's solidbody humbuckers, the middle pickup position with tone rolled back to 8 softens the attack into an acoustic-like woody timbre. Adding a touch of onboard hall reverb replicates the intimate acoustics of the Sony Music Studios soundstage.

PRO TIPStrum with a medium-thin flexible pick near the bridge for acoustic-like percussive snap, but ease up on pick velocity to keep the humbuckers from driving the clean amp model into breakup.

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These settings are for a Vox VT40X. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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