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Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana) guitar tone and amp settings

Heart-Shaped Box guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), even mids (Middle 6), smooth top (Treble 6), bridge pickup.

Tuning: Drop D

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

The song has distinct sounds: Chorus, Solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.

Heart-Shaped Box settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypeCrunch
Gain6.5
Volume6Balances the amp section while keeping the drive response firm.
Bass5
Middle6
Treble6
Booster0
Mod0
FX0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output for a strong, consistently driven sound.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
6.5
Volume
6
Bass
5
Middle
6
Treble
6
Booster
0
Mod
0
FX
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Master
Set to your room
Power Control
Set to your room

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A ring-modulator/overdrive pedal best approximates Pedal X’s ratchety solo sound.

Heart-Shaped Box settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeCrunch
Gain6.5
Bass5
Mid6.5
Treble6.5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelPlexiglasin the app, optional
App DriveOffin the app, optional
App Comp/WahOffin the app, optional
App Mod/EQOffin the app, optional
App DelayOffin the app, optional
App ReverbOffin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output to drive the amp into crunchy distortion.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
6.5
Bass
5
Mid
6.5
Treble
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
Plexiglas
App Drive
Off
App Comp/Wah
Off
App Mod/EQ
Off
App Delay
Off
App Reverb
Off

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A ring modulator is needed to better reproduce the solo’s ratchety character.

Heart-Shaped Box settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp Model70S UK CLNin the menu
Gain6
Volume6Sets preset level while feeding the next stage.
Treble6.5
Bass5.5
Middle6.5in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
StompROCK DIRTin the menu
ModNonein the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbNonein the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output to drive the amp and distortion.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
70S UK CLN
Gain
6
Volume
6
Treble
6.5
Bass
5.5
Middle
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
ROCK DIRT
Mod
None
Delay
None
Reverb
None

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

A ring modulator would better approximate the solo’s bespoke Pedal X sound.

Heart-Shaped Box settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

These settings play the chorus.

Amp

Gain7.5
Bass5
Mid6
Treble7

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output drives the amp into a rougher crunch.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
7.5
Bass
5
Mid
6
Treble
7

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

Add a ring-modulator/overdrive pedal for the brittle, ratchety solo.

Song parts

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

  1. Solo:

    Booster Color Orange, Booster 5

    .

    Engage distortion for a brittle, ratchety solo tone.

Song parts

Positive Grid Spark 40

  1. Chorus:

    Mod 3, App Mod/EQ Vibrato

    .

    Add subtle vibrato for the chorus.

  2. Solo:

    App Drive Over Drive

    .

    Use the overdrive for a rougher, brittle solo tone.

Song parts

Fender Mustang LT25

  1. Chorus:

    Mod VIBRATONE

    .

    Engage VIBRATONE for a subtle wavering texture.

  2. Solo:

    Gain 5.5, Treble 7.2, Stomp FUZZ

    .

    Use the brighter, brittle fuzz setting for the solo.

Song parts

Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

  1. Solo:

    Gain 8.5, Treble 8

    .

    Use clipped, aggressive picking for a brittle attack.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Kurt wanted a wild, uncontrolled solo that would snap into the pretty tremolo, so it ran through Pedal X, a box that was a tremolo at its lowest settings and a ring modulator at its highest, with gain that could overdrive it. He found a brittle, ratchety sound with it. Which guitar he played on this song is disputed.

What gear did Kurt Cobain use on Heart-Shaped Box?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Kurt Cobain · Solo

Effects
Pedal X[1]
  • Solo: Albini said the Heart-Shaped Box solo used Pedal X, a box his friend Mr Bill made as a ring modulator and overdrive pedal. (on this song)[1]
  • Solo: Albini said Kurt found a brittle, ratchety sound with Pedal X for the Heart-Shaped Box solo. (on this song)[1]
  • Accounts differ: MusicRadar reports Albini said his Veleno aluminium guitar was used on Heart-Shaped Box, but Aaron Rash says it was not the Veleno. (on this song)[2][3]
  • MusicRadar lists Heart-Shaped Box among well-known songs played in drop D tuning. (on this song)[4]

Questions

What gear did Kurt Cobain use on Heart-Shaped Box?

The sources on this page document Kurt Cobain's gear on Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana (solo): effects, Pedal X [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Heart-Shaped Box settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Heart-Shaped Box guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Volume 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Heart-Shaped Box settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Heart-Shaped Box guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Heart-Shaped Box settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Heart-Shaped Box guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 70S UK CLN, Gain 6, Volume 6, Treble 6.5, Bass 5.5, Middle 6.5, Stomp ROCK DIRT, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What tuning is Heart-Shaped Box in?

Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana is played in Drop D, according to the cited source [4]. Tune to it before you set the amp, or the riff will not sit right against the record.

Can I get the Heart-Shaped Box tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Heart-Shaped Box, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.

Download KnobMaster on the App Store