Tone library / Nirvana / Milk It (Live In Seattle, WA., January 5, 1994)

Milk It (Live In Seattle, WA., January 5, 1994) amp settings — Fender Champion 20

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Milk It (Live In Seattle, WA., January 5, 1994)”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 20 with a Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS. Live in Seattle, WA (January 5, 1994), From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah

Original rig

Fender Jag-Stang / Univox Hi-Flier (bridge humbucker) -> Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion -> SansAmp Classic -> Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp / Crest 4801 power amp -> Marshall 4x12 cabs

Abrasive, screaming high-gain grunge distortion with aggressive upper-mid cut and harsh feedback
Amp settings — Fender Champion 20
CHANNELVoice: Metal (2000s / EVH-style voice)BOOSToff
GAIN 2 BASS 6 TREBLE 5 REVERB 0 MASTER 4
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain2
Bass6
Treble5
Reverb0
Master4
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Set Turbo to I mode (standard Cobain live setting); pedal is the primary gain source

Level 8 · Tone 6 · Dist 9 · Turbo 1

02Boss DS-1 Distortion

Leave bypassed

Tone 0 · Level 0 · Dist 0
Why these settings

The Fender Champion 20 lacks mid and presence controls, so mid-range shaping is controlled entirely by the Boss DS-2 tone knob and the selected amp voice. Setting the Voice knob to the Metal voicing provides the low-end punch and tight cabinet emulation of Cobain's Mesa/Crest touring rig, but amp gain is kept low at 2 to prevent muddy double-gain stacking with the DS-2. For the quiet feedback-drenched verse, click off the DS-2 and play directly through the amp voice with guitar volume slightly rolled down.

PRO TIPKurt achieved the piercing squeals in the intro and between chorus bars by leaning his bridge humbucker directly into the speaker cone while holding an unmuted open G and B string shape with high DS-2 output.

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These settings are for a Fender Champion 20. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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