Come as You Are by Nirvana — Amp Settings & Guitar Tone
Reference tone dialed on a Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster into a Fender Mustang LT25. Settings below are cited from real sources; open the page in a browser for the interactive version, or get this tone dialed for your exact gear.
To capture the haunting, chorus-drenched clean tone of 'Come as You Are,' we'll use the Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster with its neck pickup to emulate the Jaguar's warmth. The Fender Mustang LT25 will serve as our amp, using the 'CHICAGO BLUES' preset to approximate the Mesa/Boogie Studio .22's clean channel. We'll adjust the amp's EQ to compensate for the Strat's natural brightness and add a subtle chorus effect to mimic the Small Clone pedal.
Signal chain settings
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster — main rhythm and lead
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Selector | Neck Pickup | Select the neck pickup to emulate the Jaguar's warm tone. |
| Master Volume | 7 | Set to 7 for a balanced output that maintains clarity without overpowering the chorus effect. |
| Tone 1 | 7 | Roll the tone back to ~7 to soften the highs for this song's darker voicing. |
| Tone 2 | 7 | Roll the tone back to ~7 to soften the highs for this song's darker voicing. |
Fender Mustang LT25 — amplification
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Preset | [03] CHICAGO BLUES | Closest preset to the Mesa/Boogie Studio .22's clean channel with slight edge-of-breakup. |
| Gain | 4 | Set to 4 to achieve the slight edge-of-breakup characteristic of the recording. |
| Volume | 5 | Set to 5 to maintain a moderate output level, allowing the chorus effect to shine. |
| Treble | 6 | Set to 6 to tame the Strat's natural brightness while keeping the tone articulate. |
| Bass | 6 | Set to 6 to provide a balanced low end without overpowering the mids. |
| Master | 5 | Set to 5 to maintain overall volume consistency and headroom. |
| Cabinet build | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
| Amp Models | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
What Nirvana actually used
Recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, during the 'Nevermind' sessions in early 1991. Producer Butch Vig worked closely with the band to achieve the song's distinctive sound, notably utilizing the Electro-Harmonix Small Clone pedal to create the 'watery' guitar tone.
- 1965 Fender Jaguar — main rhythm and lead. neck pickup
- Electro-Harmonix Small Clone — chorus effect. used throughout main riff
- Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp — amplification. clean channel
- Crown Power Base 2 — power amplification
- Marshall 1960B 4x12 Cabinet — speaker cabinet
Tuning: Standard
Sources
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/classic-vibe-stratocaster-60s/0303010500.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1547905/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/guitar-amplifiers/contemporary-digital/mustang-lt25/2311100000.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3126493/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCrazeZDECA
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_as_You_Are_(Nirvana_song)
- https://guitar.com/features/artist-rigs/the-humble-gear-used-by-kurt-cobain-on-nirvana-nevermind/
- https://musicteacher.com/resources/kurt-cobain-guitar-rig-1991