Tone library / Nirvana / Smells like teen spirit

Smells like teen spirit amp settings — Behringer HA-40R

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells like teen spirit”, dialed in for a Behringer HA-40R with a ESP LTD EC-256. Studio version, Nevermind (1991) — iconic main riff and heavy chorus tone

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster (Seymour Duncan JB) / 1969 Mustang, Boss DS-1 Distortion, Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Clean) into Crown Power Base 2, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cab

Aggressive, abrasive high-gain grunge crunch with biting upper-mids and scooped low-mids

Amp settings — Behringer HA-40R

CHANNELOverdrive

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	4
Treble	7
Reverb	1
Master	5

Don’t have a Behringer HA-40R? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with pedal, run on Clean channel with gain at 2

Tone 6 · Level 7 · Dist 9

Why these settings

Because you don't own a DS-1, the HA-40R's Overdrive channel handles the gain with the Drive pushed to 8 and mids pulled back to 4 to replicate the DS-1's aggressive mid-scoop bite. The ESP LTD EC-256 bridge humbucker matches Kurt's Duncan JB punch, but keep treble at 7 to capture the abrasive high-end presence through the Behringer's 10-inch speaker. Clean verse: switch amp to Clean channel with volume at 5.

PRO TIPHit the four-chord progression with aggressive, full-arm downstrokes and let your pick dig into the strings hard while muting the percussive 'chugs' firmly with your fret hand across all six strings.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Behringer HA-40R. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Smells like teen spirit on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Nirvana tonesALL SONGS ESP LTD EC-256 tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.