Tone library / Nirvana / Very ape

Very ape amp settings — Randall Randall RB 125

The Nirvana guitar tone for “Very ape”, dialed in for a Randall Randall RB 125 with a Fender Jay Turser JT-300 Vintage Series. Studio version, In Utero (1993) - Main Riff

Original rig

Steve Albini's aluminum Veleno guitar (bridge pickup) straight into a partially broken 1970s Fender Quad Reverb (missing power tubes, ragged breakup) with Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

Raspy, metallic, raw mid-bite punk riff with abrasive treble attack
Amp settings — Randall Randall RB 125
BRIGHToff
GAIN 2 BASS 5 MID 7 TREBLE 7 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain2
Bass5
Mid7
Treble7
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Gain source — run in Turbo mode I (Standard) to capture the sharp, abrasive rasp of the track.

Level 7 · Tone 6 · Dist 8 · Turbo 1
Why these settings

The original recording got its metallic bite from an all-aluminum Veleno guitar plugged into a broken Fender Quad Reverb. Using your Jay Turser Strat copy's single-coil bridge pickup replicates that bright string clang; running the Boss DS-2 as the primary gain source into the clean, flat-response Randall RB125 power section prevents solid-state clipping fizziness while delivering the aggressive In Utero rasp. We push the amp's mids to 7 to replicate the boxy, strained midrange of Albini's mic setup.

PRO TIPPick aggressively near the bridge saddles using downstrokes only to emphasize the metallic transient 'clank' that defined Albini's Veleno guitar on this track.

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These settings are for a Randall Randall RB 125. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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