Tone library / Nirvana / Smells Like Teen Spirit

Smells Like Teen Spirit amp settings — GD Music KA-20

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, dialed in for a GD Music KA-20 with a GD music Stratocaster. Studio version, Nevermind (1991) — iconic main chorus riff

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster with bridge humbucker, Boss DS-1 Distortion, Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp clean channel into Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cab, EHX Small Clone

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

Amp settings — GD Music KA-20

CHANNELCleanBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Behringer HM300 Heavy Metal

Primary gain source; roll High back to approximate a DS-1 curve instead of the chainsaw buzz

Level 7 · Low 6 · High 4 · Dist 8

Why these settings

The KA-20 practice amp must run on its clean channel with gain set low (2) so the Behringer HM300 serves as the sole distortion engine without muddy double-gain. Because the HM300 is naturally sharper and more aggressive than Kurt's Boss DS-1, pull the High knob down to 4 to tame extreme fizz on a single-coil Strat. If playing the clean verse parts, stomp the HM300 off and engage your UC200 Ultra Chorus.

PRO TIPHit the muted percussive strums with aggressive down-up forearm motion right over the bridge pickup, allowing natural string scrape and pick-edge contact to create Kurt's signature rhythmic bite.

Get this tone on your amp

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

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