lead guitar from “all apologies” by nirvana | ToneDB
all apologies
nirvana
lead guitar
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.
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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 JaguarShop on Reverb
Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22Shop on Reverb
Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb
Processing: Tech 21 SansAmp ClassicShop on Reverb
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
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Fender Jaguar
Budget-friendly option with the same short-scale length and pickup configuration that gives the Jaguar its distinctive midrange growl
Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22
Modern Mesa amp that captures the warm tube compression and midrange saturation of the vintage Studio .22
Alternative to: Tech 21 SansAmp Classic
Still in production and provides the same tube amp saturation and EQ shaping used on the original recording
Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22
Digital option that excels at thick, compressed grunge tones with similar midrange character to cranked Mesa amps
Alternative to: Shure SM57
Industry standard dynamic mic still in production, captures the same aggressive midrange and controlled proximity effect as the original
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