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lead guitar from “all apologies” by nirvana | ToneDB

all apologies

nirvana

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A thick, slightly fuzzy and compressed guitar tone with a dark and melancholic vibe, perfect for grunge-era riffs and melodies. It sounds like a cranked tube amp with some added drive and compression.

Gear

Fender Jaguarinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
Mesa/Boogie Studio .22amp
Reverb$825Sweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Tech 21 SansAmp Classicprocessing
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

Kurt Cobain's lead guitar on "All Apologies" was recorded during the In Utero sessions at Pachyderm Studio in February 1993, produced by Steve Albini. The tone comes from Cobain's Fender Jaguar played through a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 amplifier, likely with additional shaping from a Tech 21 SansAmp Classic. Albini used his signature close-miking technique with a Shure SM57 to capture the raw, compressed sound of the cranked tube amp.

Production Credits

Producer: Steve Albini

Engineer: Steve Albini

Recorded at: Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Jaguar

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Fender Jaguar or similar guitar with humbucker pickups.
  • Use a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22, or an amp model that emulates its sound. Turn the gain up to get a good amount of overdrive.
  • Add a Tech 21 SansAmp Classic to thicken the sound and add extra saturation.
  • Use a Shure SM57 to mic the amp.
  • Experiment with EQ and compression to achieve the final tone. A darker EQ curve helps.

Original Gear

  • Fender Jaguar(guitar)
  • Mesa/Boogie Studio .22(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Tech 21 SansAmp Classic(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jaguar$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Jaguar

Budget-friendly option with the same short-scale length and pickup configuration that gives the Jaguar its distinctive midrange growl

ReverbSweetwater
Mesa/Boogie California Tweed$1,800-$2,200

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22

Modern Mesa amp that captures the warm tube compression and midrange saturation of the vintage Studio .22

ReverbSweetwater
Tech 21 SansAmp Classic$180-$220

Alternative to: Tech 21 SansAmp Classic

Still in production and provides the same tube amp saturation and EQ shaping used on the original recording

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Fortin Nameless Suite$100-$120

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22

Digital option that excels at thick, compressed grunge tones with similar midrange character to cranked Mesa amps

ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57$100-$120

Alternative to: Shure SM57

Industry standard dynamic mic still in production, captures the same aggressive midrange and controlled proximity effect as the original

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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