Tone library / Nirvana / Rape Me (Live & Loud)

Rape Me (Live & Loud) amp settings — Fender Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Rape Me (Live & Loud)”, dialed in for a Fender Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed with a Fender Fender Jag-Stang 2021. Live at Pier 48, Seattle (Live and Loud, December 13, 1993) - Clean intro and verse rhythm

Original rig

Fender Jag-Stang prototype / 1969 Fender Mustang into Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (clean channel, pushed midrange) and Crest power amps driving Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabs

Punchy, dry, mid-forward clean with warm humbucker fundamental and chimey top end

Amp settings — Fender Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed

BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	5
Reverb	2
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Blues Junior is naturally scooped compared to Kurt's mid-heavy Mesa Studio Preamp live rack, so Mid is pushed to 7 with the Fat switch left off for clean headroom. Preamp Volume/Gain is kept low at 3 to prevent early EL84 breakup from the hot bridge humbucker, with the DS-2 and Small Clone bypassed during this intro part.

PRO TIPUse firm, percussive down-and-up strumming directly over the bridge pickup with the side of a heavy pick to get the distinctive hollow 'snap' and palm-muted chug of Kurt's clean riff.

Get this tone on your amp

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

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