What amp did Kurt Cobain use on Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Cobain used a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp run through a Crown Power Base power amp into Marshall 1960B cabinets. It's an unconventional setup that gives a unique, aggressive character.

What distortion pedal is on Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Cobain used a Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal with the distortion set high. He also used a Small Clone chorus for the clean verses.

How to get the Smells Like Teen Spirit tone?

Use a DS-1 or similar distortion pedal with gain cranked high. Scoop the mids slightly. The key is the dynamic contrast: clean with chorus for verses, full distortion for choruses. Don't overthink it — Cobain valued rawness.

Grunge & Alternative1991Nevermind

Smells Like Teen Spirit Amp Settings

by Nirvana

Smells Like Teen Spirit changed music forever with a raw, aggressive tone that valued attitude over precision. Kurt Cobain's setup — a Mesa/Boogie preamp, Boss DS-1 distortion, and a cheap guitar — proved that iconic tone doesn't require expensive gear.

Adapt to Your AmpFree — no account needed

What Makes This Tone Iconic

Cobain's tone is the anti-guitar-hero statement. It's deliberately rough, fuzzy, and unpolished — a Boss DS-1 pushed to its limits through a Mesa preamp creates a wall of distortion that's more about energy than clarity. The dynamic contrast between whispered clean verses and screaming distorted choruses became grunge's signature move. It proved that feel and songwriting mattered more than gear or technique.

Key Tone Elements

Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp for base amplification
Boss DS-1 distortion pedal cranked for aggressive fuzz-like distortion
Small Polychorus for subtle chorus on clean parts
Clean/dirty dynamic contrast — quiet verses, loud choruses
Humbucker-equipped guitars (Jaguar/Mustang hybrid)

Original Recording Settings

VerifiedResearched tone data for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana

Original Gear

Guitar: 1969 Fender Mustang Competition (Lake Placid Blue)
Pickups: Stock Fender Mustang single coils (both pickups on)
Amplifier: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp > Crown Power Base 2 > Marshall 1960B 4x12 (G12T-75)
Channel: Rhythm channel (clean)
Tuning: standard
Pickup Selector: both pickups
Strings: 0.010-0.052 (Dean Markley)

Cobain played through clean Rhythm channel, using DS-1 as dirty channel. Fender Bassman also used on some tracks.

Amp Settings

Bass

3.0

Mid

8.0

Treble

6.0

Master Volume

5.0

Volume

6.0

Effects Chain

→

Boss DS-1

distortion

→

Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

chorus

→

1.Boss DS-1 — THE key pedal. Used as 'dirty channel' - on for heavy sections, off for clean verses. Settings from Guitar World.

2.Electro-Harmonix Small Clone — Pre-chorus and solo for watery modulated sound. Butch Vig confirmed.

Playing Technique

Aggressive percussive strumming. Dynamic quiet/loud contrast (Pixies influence). Power chords played loosely. Pick: Dunlop Tortex 0.60mm. Guitar volume at 10.

Sources+