Tone library / Nirvana / Smells Like Teen Spirit

Smells Like Teen Spirit amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30CFX with a Fender Jaguar. Studio version, Nevermind (1991) — iconic main riff / heavy chorus tone

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster (Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker) / 1969 Mustang, Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp clean channel into Crown Power Base 2, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cab, Boss DS-1 Distortion, EHX Small Clone

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

Amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

CHANNELOD2

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

Don’t have a Marshall MG30CFX? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Tone 6 · Level 7 · Dist 8

02Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (for verse tone)

Rate 5 · Depth 10

Why these settings

Because you lack the Boss DS-1, use the MG30CFX's OD2 channel at gain 8 to generate the aggressive saturation directly from the preamp. Single-coil Jaguar pickups have less output than Cobain's bridge humbucker, so keep treble at 7 and bass at 6 with a slight mid-scoop to preserve low-end weight without getting overly piercing. Clean verse: switch amp to Clean channel and roll guitar volume to 8.

PRO TIPHit the muted 16th-note strums in the main riff with aggressive, loose-wristed down-up strokes across all six strings while fretting hand rests flat across the fretboard to kill ring.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG30CFX. 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.