Replicating the Iconic Grunge Sound with Kurt Cobain’s Amp Settings
Widely recognized as a Gen X figurehead and a musical revolutionary, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana epitomize the grunge music genre for many different reasons, but their signature guitar sound ranks very highly among them. Rising from the Seattle underground, they stood at the forefront of a movement that dominated the music and popular culture of the 1990s.
Understanding Kurt Cobain's Signature Sound
While some may debate Nirvana’s place at the very top of the grunge genre, there is little doubt that Kurt Cobain’s grungy guitar was the bedrock of Nirvana’s signature sound. As the sole guitarist in the three-piece band, he became a master of dynamics who often employed distortion, which not only strengthened his tone but made it far gritter.
The Grunge Aesthetic
Sub Pop co-founder Bruce Pavitt first used the term "grunge" in July 1987 to describe a Green River EP. It was an apt description for much of the music that came out of Seattle in the late 1980s and 1990s, which bridged the gap between hard rock/heavy metal and alternative rock/postunk. Often described as raw, dirty, and murky, the distorted guitar in grunge songs gave them much of their distinctive flavor.
Key Elements of Cobain’s Tone
When he played with distortion, Kurt Cobain certainly represented the classic grunge guitar sound. But he also used a clean, warm, almost twangy tone quite often. In fact, the loud/soft dynamic on many Nirvana songs lends them much of their emotional impact.
The Essential Amp Settings Used by Kurt Cobain
Cobain might cycle through a range of guitar tones from song to song, but his default setting on his amplifier was around 5 for the bass and between 7 and 8 for both the treble and the mid-range. For the loudest parts of his songs (generally the choruses), he often pegged his distortion level at the highest possible level.
Specific Amp Settings for Iconic Nirvana Tracks
Unsurprisingly, Cobain routinely varied his amp settings from song to song. Here is a rough approximation of the settings that he used on some of his most iconic hits.
1. “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Unless you want to use a distortion pedal, you’ll need to seriously crank the gain on your amp to get enough power for the chorus on Nirvana’s most well-known song. Give the following settings a try:
- Bass: 4
- Mid: 8
- Treble: 8
- Gain: 1 on the verse and 9 on the chorus
2. “Come As You Are”
While it wasn’t as big of a hit as “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the follow-up “Come As You Are” often outranks it on critical lists of Nirvana’s best songs. You can begin to tune in this song’s guitar sound with these settings:
- Bass: 6
- Mid: 7
- Treble: 6
- Gain: 1 on the verse and 7 on the chorus
3. "Lithium"
The third single from Nirvana’s groundbreaking album Nevermind, “Lithium” is far more even keeled with the following settings:
- Bass: 6
- Mid: 8
- Treble: 6
- Gain: 1 on the verse and 6 on the chorus
Amplifier Models and Types
While Kurt Cobain used different amplifiers in different songs, he gravitated toward Fender amps just as he favored Fender guitars. He typically used a Fender Bassman head with a variety of cabinets.
How to Achieve Kurt Cobain’s Tone
When it came to guitars, Cobain famously loved both the Fender Mustang and the Fender Jaguar. In fact, he loved these two models so much that he talked Fender into combining them in a prototype that was built to his exact specifications. The result of this partnership is the Jag-Stang, a blended Fender model that is widely available today for anyone who wants to replicate Cobain’s unique sound.
Replicating Kurt Cobain’s Amp Settings
Beyond playing with a Mustang, a Jaguar, or a Jag-Stang, you will probably want to replicate Cobain’s specific amp settings if you want to sound like him. Beyond the specific amp settings outlined above, it is important to note that Cobain likely left amp reverb off at all times. The same thing held true for amp gain whenever he used a pedal.
Essential Effects and Pedals for the Grunge Sound
Like many other grunge guitarists, Kurt Cobain often used distortion pedals by Boss. He also used various effects pedals by Electro-Harmonix. To recreate Cobain’s distinctively grunge sound with a Boss distortion pedal, try setting its level to 10, its tone to 5, and its distortion to 8.
Explore Guitars, Amplifiers, and Pedals at Brian's Guitars
If you are looking to recreate Kurt Cobain’s signature sound, you should explore the various Mustang, Jaguar, and Jag-Stang options in the guitar collection at Brian's Guitars. We have guitars to match the playing styles and desired tones of a broad spectrum of guitarists. If you want to fine tune a grunge sound or any other, you can find a variety of valuable guitar accessories in our carefully curated collections of amplifiers and effects pedals.
