Smells Like Teen Spirit amp settings — peavey rage 158
The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, dialed in for a peavey rage 158 with a squier sonic mustang SS. Studio version, Nevermind (1991)
Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp + Crown Power Base 2 power amp, Fender Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker, Boss DS-1, EHX Small Clone chorus
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 2 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 6 |
01Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion
Turbo Mode I (switch position I) — closest to DS-1 voicing. Kick on for choruses and solo; off for clean verses.
The Peavey Rage 158 is a solid-state practice amp with limited headroom and a bright, thin voicing compared to the original Mesa tube preamp's thick mids. Amp gain is set low (2) because your DS-2 is the dirt source—stacking amp gain with the pedal will create mud. Mid pushed to 7 compensates for the Rage's scooped character. Your Squier Sonic Mustang's single-coil bridge pickup is lower output and brighter than Cobain's JB humbucker, so the DS-2's Tone at 4 and amp Treble at 6 prevent ice-pick highs.
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These settings are for a peavey rage 158. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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