Tone library / Nirvana / Smells Like Teen Spirit

Smells Like Teen Spirit amp settings — Kustpm KGA-10A-NA

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, dialed in for a Kustpm KGA-10A-NA with a Fender Squire. Studio version, Nevermind (1991)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp (Rhythm channel) into Crown Power Base 2, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cab; Fender Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan JB humbucker; Boss DS-1 Distortion, EHX Small Clone chorus

Aggressive, mid-heavy grunge crunch with upper-mid bite and compressed saturation

Amp settings — Kustpm KGA-10A-NA

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

Don’t have a Kustpm KGA-10A-NA? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This pedal is essential for the Teen Spirit tone; the amp's onboard gain alone won't achieve the compressed, saturated character. A DS-1 clone or Boss DS-1 runs $50 new.

Tone 4 · Level 10 · Dist 7

02Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Used on clean verses only; bypass for distorted sections. Depth switch in 'up' position (deep). Any basic analog chorus pedal approximates this.

Rate 5 · Depth Switch 10

Why these settings

The Kustom KGA-10A is a basic solid-state practice amp with only gain, bass, treble, and master volume—no mid or presence knobs. Without a DS-1 or similar distortion pedal, you cannot authentically replicate this tone; the amp's onboard distortion is thin and fizzy compared to the compressed, mid-forward saturation of the DS-1 into a clean Mesa preamp. I've pushed gain to 8 to approximate dirt, but strongly recommend acquiring a DS-1 for the real sound. Treble raised to 7 compensates for the Squier's darker single coils vs Cobain's hot JB humbucker.

PRO TIPCobain's attack was critical—he picked hard and directly over the bridge pickup with a thin .60mm pick, letting the strings slam into the frets for that aggressive clank. Dig in hard on downstrokes for the main riff; the tone lives in the right hand as much as the gear.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Kustpm KGA-10A-NA. 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.