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rhythm guitar from “come as you are” by nirvana | ToneDB

come as you are

nirvana

rhythm guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A dark and swirling chorus-drenched rhythm guitar, with a slightly fuzzy edge. The tone is thick and syrupy, creating a hypnotic and unsettling atmosphere.

Gear

Fender Jaguarinstrument
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Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preampamp
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Shure SM57microphone
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Electro-Harmonix Small Cloneprocessing
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The Story

Kurt Cobain's rhythm guitar on "Come As You Are" was recorded using a Fender Jaguar through a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp, with the distinctive swirling sound created by an Electro-Harmonix Small Clone chorus pedal. The track was recorded at Sound City Studios during the Nevermind sessions with producer Butch Vig. The guitar was captured using a close-miked Shure SM57 microphone, and the prominent chorus effect gives the riff its characteristic dark, hypnotic quality.

Production Credits

Producer: Butch Vig

Engineer: Butch Vig

Recorded at: Sound City Studios

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Jaguar

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Fender Jaguar or similar guitar with humbucker pickups.
  • Use a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp or similar amplifier known for its clean and slightly crunchy tones.
  • Apply a generous amount of chorus using an Electro-Harmonix Small Clone or similar chorus pedal.
  • Experiment with the depth and rate of the chorus to match the swirling effect in the original recording.
  • Use an SM57 close to the speaker, adjusting placement to capture the amp's tone and avoid excessive harshness.
  • Consider double-tracking the guitar part and panning each track slightly to enhance the thickness and width of the sound.

Original Gear

  • Fender Jaguar(guitar)
  • Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp(amp)
  • Electro-Harmonix Small Clone(pedal)
  • Shure SM57(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jaguar$400-450

Alternative to: Fender Jaguar

Delivers the Jaguar's unique pickup configuration and switching options that contribute to the darker tone on this track

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Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25$1400-1600

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp

Modern Mesa preamp section with similar clean-to-edge-of-breakup tones that defined the original Studio .22

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Orange Crush Pro 60$300-400

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 Preamp

Budget option that provides clean headroom and slight compression similar to the Studio .22's character

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Electro-Harmonix Small Clone$70-90

Alternative to: Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

The exact same chorus pedal used on the original recording, still manufactured today

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Neural DSP Archetype: Kurt Cobain$100-120

Alternative to: Complete signal chain

Plugin specifically modeled after Kurt's entire rig including the Small Clone chorus and amp tones

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Sources

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