Tone library / Nirvana / Smells Like Teen Spirit

Smells Like Teen Spirit amp settings — Ross Hz-15

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, dialed in for a Ross Hz-15 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Nevermind (1991) — iconic distorted main riff / chorus

Original rig

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

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

Amp settings — Ross Hz-15

CHANNELOverdrive Channel (Drive switch in)BOOSToff

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

Don’t have a Ross Hz-15? 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 Chorus

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Rate 4 · Depth 8

Why these settings

The Ross Hz-15 is a vintage solid-state practice amp with standard 3-band EQ and no presence control. Because you do not own a DS-1 distortion pedal, you must engage the amp's built-in Overdrive channel with gain set high at 8 and treble pushed to 7 to replicate Kurt's aggressive bite on single coils, while pulling mids to 4 for the classic grunge scoop. Clean verse: switch the amp back to the Normal/Clean channel with your guitar volume rolled back to 7.

PRO TIPHit the muted four-stroke scratch between riff phrases hard with the side of your pick hand firmly resting across all six strings to get the percussive, clattering grunge choke.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Ross Hz-15. 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.