Tone library / Nirvana / Scentless apprentice

Scentless apprentice amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Scentless apprentice”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Epiphone Les paul model 100. Studio version, In Utero (1993) — main riff and verse sludge drive

Original rig

Univox Hi-Flier Phase 2 / Veleno -> Tech 21 SansAmp Classic -> EHX EchoFlanger/PolyChorus -> Fender Quad Reverb

Massive, raw, abrasive sludge-grunge distortion with abrasive bite and sub-harmonic low-end grind

Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

CHANNELCleanBRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Gain source — set Turbo switch to Mode I (or off) for raw, cutting bite

Level 8 · Tone 7 · Dist 10 · Turbo 1

Why these settings

The studio tone relies on a SansAmp slamming a clean Fender Quad Reverb, so your Boss Katana is set to the Clean channel with low preamp gain to avoid muddy double-gain staging. Your Boss DS-2 acts as the sole distortion engine, maxed out to simulate the extreme saturation and jagged upper-mid transient spike of the original recording. The Epiphone Les Paul's bridge humbucker supplies the necessary low-end weight while the amp treble is lifted to maintain Cobain's harsh bite.

PRO TIPDrop tune your low E string down to C# (tuning the whole guitar to C# standard or Drop D tuned down a half step depending on the arrangement) and strike the open strings with an aggressive, downward pick stroke close to the bridge to capture the signature rattling cabinet thud.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss Katana 50 MkII. 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.