Smells like teen spirit amp settings — Aroma Ag 04
The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells like teen spirit”, dialed in for a Aroma Ag 04 with a Blueberry R 701. Studio version, Nevermind (1987), Sound City Studios
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 preamp (Rhythm channel, clean) + Crown Power Base 2 power amp + Marshall 1960B 4x12 (Celestion G12T-75s), Boss DS-1 distortion pedal, early-'90s Fender Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 2 |
| Bass | 6 |
| Treble | 5 |
| Master | 7 |
01Boss DS-1 Distortion (or clone)
RECOMMENDED — not owned. This tone is pedal-driven; the Aroma AG-04 lacks the gain structure to reproduce it without an external distortion pedal. The amp must stay clean (gain 2) to avoid stacking distortion. A DS-1, Rat, or similar high-gain distortion pedal is essential.
The Aroma AG-04 is a 5W practice amp with bass/treble only (no mid control) and minimal clean headroom — it cannot replicate the Mesa's scooped EQ curve or the Crown power amp's clean volume. The original tone used the Mesa preamp set clean (rhythm channel, gain low) with ALL distortion from the Boss DS-1 pedal. Without a distortion pedal, the AG-04's onboard gain produces fizzy breakup, not the thick, scooped grunge chunk of the DS-1 into a clean power amp. Bass is set high (6) to preserve low-end; treble at 5 compensates for the AG-04's naturally bright voice and lack of presence control. Gain at 2 keeps the amp as a clean platform. A Boss DS-1 or clone is non-negotiable for this tone.
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These settings are for a Aroma Ag 04. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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