Tone library / Nirvana / Verse Chorus Verse (Outtake)

Verse Chorus Verse (Outtake) amp settings — Boss GT-100

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Verse Chorus Verse (Outtake)”, dialed in for a Boss GT-100 with a Ibanez RG370DX. Studio outtake recorded during Nevermind sessions (Sound City, May 1991), With the Lights Out — chorus/main heavy section

Original rig

Fender Jaguar/Stratocaster (bridge humbucker) into Boss DS-1 Distortion and EHX Small Clone chorus into Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp / Fender Twin Reverb & Marshall 4x12 cab

Aggressive, abrasive grunge crunch with biting upper-mids and scooped low-end boom
Amp settings — Boss GT-100
CHANNELCLEAN TWIN amp model (Fender Twin clean platform)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 3 BASS 5 MID 6 TREBLE 7 PRESENCE 6 REVERB 0 MASTER 7
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain3
Bass5
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6
Reverb0
Master7
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss GT-100 OD/DS Block (DISTORTION model based on DS-1)

Gain source — GT-100 onboard DS-1 emulation running into clean Twin model

Drive 9 · Tone 7 · Level 7

02Boss GT-100 FX/MOD Block (CHORUS model)

Set after OD/DS block; engaged for thick swirling texture on the main riff

Rate 4 · Depth 7 · Level 5
Why these settings

The Boss GT-100's CLEAN TWIN model acts as the neutral, clean power-platform Kurt used for recording, keeping amp gain low so the DS-1 block supplies the signature ragged clipping. The Ibanez RG370DX bridge humbucker matches Kurt's bridge pickup output, but since the Infinity pickups have a tight modern top end, the DS-1 block Tone is set to 7 to retain bite without harshness. Clean verse: bypass the DS-1 block while leaving the chorus block engaged.

PRO TIPDig in hard with a medium-heavy pick directly over the bridge pickup — Kurt's aggressive downstroke attack is what forces the DS-1 circuit into that iconic jagged, compressed saturation.

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