Even if you have the same amp, guitar, and pedals as Kurt, it is still impossible to replicate his sound and playing. One of the most unique musicians to ever live.
For beginner players, self awareness that you are not your idol is enough, but thinking that you are never sound like someone or that the sound is in your idols fingers is...wasting your time playin guitar in first place. I agree Kurt is very musical and unique.
Lovely video! that 91 tone is so accurate, small clone is such a wonderful sounding chorus though. I love that you recreated the 93 tone It’s personally one of my favourite nirvana tone
Thank you! Same here, Skystang to Sansamp is my favorite Kurt tone. Just Recently got the Sansamp and I love it! Working on some In Utero tour tone vids 😁
Oh man! Where was this video 20 years ago when I was trying to recreate these tones in my bedroom. Such a fun walk down memory lane. Thanks for the flashback.
I’ve been a nirvana fan for many years and have seen countless of this style of video and I have to say that you did an absolutely fantastic job. You really nailed it. Kurts pedal/amp setup is pretty generic by most standards and I’m a believer that to really nail it you gotta have “the feel.” And you have it sir. You have a new sub and I’m eager to see your future videos.
Thank you. This is everything I really wanted to know in one video. The timing when you stomped the pedals was spot on. Hard to find those individual player progressions visualized.
Great demo! I love how simple Kurt's live setup was, especially early on. Like, any kid could get those pedals and a clean amp, and it will take them a long way.
Graat channel, I’m new but 48 yr old Life long nirvana fan..very interesting content, I also like to recreate Kurt’s tones for certain songs, u do good work keep it up man
The scentless apprentice was dead on. Like wow that sans amp is pretty interesting. What's the order of the pedals/inputs for that one? It was kind of hard to tell. Man that sounded sweet. Thanks.
Awesome video but I think he used a DS1 for the early sounds Nevermind and such. I have that blue racing stripe mustang also and I love it. Japanese 97.
Got a question first though sorry for very long comment. I see you have a Stereo PolyChorus in the singal chain and the re-issue SansAmp. Both pedals "suggested settings" in their respective user manuals are close but no Cigar when follwoing those settings. I noticed your SansAmp is in the "Lead/first" position not the "normal/middle" position, that's how I have been playing along recently. SansAmp recommends leaving that as last Distortion pedal in signal chain before mod effects and the Stereo PolyChorus manual says to put before the Distortion. So.... ***here is my question *** What is the Signal Chain you routing your pedals to from Guitar 》 Amp?? I paused and looked at your cables and it looks like your chain is going Guitar 》 PolyChorus 》 DS-2 》 SansAmp 》 Small Clone 》 Eleven Rack?? It's hard to say because I can't see the loops of the cables I am speculating by the color of cable going from Output of the PolyChorus into the Input of the SansAmp... OR.... is your Singal Path how you have it listed in Description of the video Guitar 》 PolyChorus 》 SansAmp 》 Small Clone》 DS-2 》 Amp? The new release of SansAmp pedal is great but the Stereo PolyChorus is a pain in the a$$ to dial in the settings. Especially after going down the rabbit hole and finding out there is 10 internal trim pots that are "calibrated" but this is something that EHX does not recommend anyone doing themselves. I took the back off of my PolyChorus wrote down settings for all trim pots that are labeled and even tried looking up the settings but I couldnt find anything all. I did buy my PolyChorus used and I believe the internal trim pots had to be messed with long before I owned it. The sound is different compaired to others I've heard and the overload LED comes on easily (depending on playing levls) even with my clean channel if I am playing it at louder levels. Again apologize about the Novel of a comment, sir. You're doing a great Job keep up the good work!!! Cheers 🍻 -Phil
Hey Phillip! I had to revisit this video to answer your question. It’s not that old, but I now do almost everything different. Everything from my set up to how I record my videos has improved since February! I always have the sansamp in the middle/normal position. The angle in this video is deceiving, so I understand why you thought it was in the lead position. If I remember correctly, my signal chain here was guitar -> small clone -> polychorus -> sansamp -> DS2 -> eleven rack. BUT I wanted the pedals physically laid out the same way Kurt had them, so it was a big mess to have my routing but the pedals laid out the way they are haha! I at first tried routing them in the order they’re laid out (DS2 being the first and small clone being the last) but I found having distortion before chorus sounds pretty bad when you have both on. Significantly improved when I went through the choruses first
Thank you!! My eleven rack settings for Paramount and Reading 92 are at shown at the end of the videos where I cover those shows. I'll have a In Utero tour tone video soon and those settings will be shown there!
Man, all the research you have done and your channel is amazing. I wish I knew you years before because I wanted to know all these little things and I just couldn't figure it out. Also, pre-pandemic these pedals were cheaper and not so hard to find. Thanks a lot!
Here's something weirder. Two weeks before Kurt was born, Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) was born. Two weeks after Kurt was born, Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) was born.
Do you think it's also that amp cause I have these pedals and it's close but not quite. I'm running them threw a positive grid spark that has really good pre made nirvana tones
I just got a vintage Small Clone mini chorus and I feel its way more sensitive compared to my modern one. Some mini chorus clones were made with the SAD chip but the one I got has the MN3007 chip so I thought it’d sound basically the same as my modern one. Like you have your small clone pretty much maxed out to replicate the correct setting sonI have to dial the mini at just before 3 o’clock because any further and it tries to sound like a polychorus lol Good job on the work you did here!
Thank you, and that is super interesting! I do have to basically max it out, especially for the live Nevermind era tone. I didn’t know about the SAD chip, that is fascinating. I’d love to try a vintage small clone
@@NirvanaGuitars I’ve heard the SAD chip on the mini chorus is pretty thin, not as strong as the MN3007 chip. I’ll try to get my hands on one with the SAD chip and an 80’s full chorus with the MN3007 chip someday for a full shootout!
Paddle and effect distortion Kurt Cobain is very simple...But the sound of Kurt Cobain's Guitar is very hard and unique..Different from my friend who uses an ifect paddle as big as an Acoustic Guitar but it sounds like someone wants to dream
Thanks! My 91 and 92 eleven rack settings are shown at the end of the videos where I cover those tones. I just posted my In Utero tour settings as a community post on my channel
what do you think of the three selector (lead / normal / bass) on sansamp for kurt settings, kurtequipment said certainly normal mode and you an advice ?
I love your videos so incredibly much you have no idea, you inspired me to get all of Kurt’s pedals and I just Bought his Jaguar! Your videos make me so happy, I’ve been trying to get his tone correct and you have helped tremendously, so thank you!!! I was also wondering what are the amp settings Youre using for each era? Sorry if it’s a lot to ask for I’m just really trying to get that tone. Thanks again love your videos. Keep up the good work!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I cannot tell you how much that meant to me, it makes me so happy that you're enjoying my videos and that it's helping you 🙂 I'm trying to make the kind of videos I wish I could've found when I first started playing guitar! In this video I used my Eleven rack amp sim, but in my more recent videos I use my Twin Reverb. Amp Settings are shown at the end of these videos: Late 91 live tone (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/E9pWBOpK4SU/видео.html In Utero tour (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/PTLM8iNzu-k/видео.html Bleach album tone (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/kSV-EHqpYJM/видео.html Reading 92 (Eleven Rack): ruclips.net/video/ib0dX30gn6k/видео.html Reading 91 (Eleven Rack): ruclips.net/video/ByEoA23fpgs/видео.html
cool tones brother, one problem I have is that if I put my ds2 level at max, my clean sound will not sound loud enough compare to when the ds2 is on, I have to set the level at half. I just got my 1st amp head/cab and wonder how i could make the clean tone louder while the ds2 level is at max. thanks
i find that it just depends on how high you have your clean volume set to. i have the tone master twin reverb and i use the second input on it (which is generally for high gain pickups) and crank the volume. i find that when the volumes cranked i can get the ds-2 to max and have it match the same volume as the clean.
with ds2 and small clone at the beginning of the video do you plug your guitar in ds2 or small clone first ?? or for in utero settings ? Because on electro harmonix website they say to plug the polychorus before distortion this is wrong no ?
I have ds-2, after watching several videos, including yours, I'm thinking about buying sansamp. I play not only grunge, more post - grunge even. Would you recommend buying a sansamp?
I was curious - on your Vandalism copy Strat you said use a Duncan '59 - I've never seen Ernie Bailey mention anything other than JBs and Super Distortions for Kurt's full size HBs ?
I wish I could find the exact quote again, but Earnie has verified that the Vandalism Strat had the 59n in the bridge position. It definitely has the sound, especially on clean it’s completely that high&jangly strat tone Kurt had!
@@NirvanaGuitars it also seems to be a luck of the draw which guitars keep the pots stock 250k or had 500k installed for humbuckers - the JB sounds much better to my ears on a 250k volume than a 500k like typical humbuckers - less fizz in the upper mids (have one in my 78 mustang)
Am i the only one who uses the flange mode for the HSB solo? Sounds a lot closer to the album version than the chorus mode imo. Otherwise great video bro.
Bro this guy deserves way more subs than he has!! I would watch this over MrBeast any day because you are just so entertaining with all your Nirvana vids! SUBSCRIBE!!!!!!!!!
The first models are from 1987. Kurt necessarily had the Japanese model. I have two models of the DS2: one, recent from the 2000's (made in Taiwan) and one made in Japan from 1989. The sound is better for MIJ...
I’d love to cover the Rio show! And wow that’s the first I’m hearing about Polychorus being used on Unplugged. Mind me asking where you read that? I’ve never heard of that
He wanted to use it, and they tried to set it up, but they were getting buzz and hum with it that was too risky for the recording. Some very faint pictures of the DS2 and Small Clone set up in front of him for the show if you search and look for it.
The secret of secrets, for true Nevermind tone you gotta tune to A=444hz (not a=440). change your tuner settings, tune like that and feel the magic. You’re welcome
Wow in all my years of obsessively absorbing every piece of information I can find about Kurt’s playing and gear, I have never seen anything about tuning to 444hz! I’m gonna try it
@@NirvanaGuitars 4 is an unlucky number in japan (why boss wont release pedals with the 4th gen designation), fact kurt used a boss pedal and then the unlucky# x3 seems fitting. :(
i had think he didt'n like the DS-2 and going back to DS1..... this gone distroyed and he was pushed to use the DS2 Little FanFact: he used the DS1 Taiwan 83 / 85 model (black labled on the back) because it sound a littlebit more crunchy / agressive
Hey buddy how much of a difference is between Japanese or Taiwan DS 1 & 2 should I care? Or can you describe the sounds difference in your words..!? Thanks 🤟
@@ladadugan5799 ds-1 early years, ds-2 probably about the halfway mark and forward. I think somewhere around 91 he switched to the ds-2. He got plenty of use out of it. You can watch him stomp on that thing in countless shows. Thing is, they're very similar mid scooped hard clipped distortions when you stay in mode 1 on ds-2.
Although the attempt is really well appreciated you have to remember that the tones has EQ, COMPRESSION AND CHAIN PROCRSSING that changes the original sound about 70 to 90%. On top of that whoever is the SOUND ENGINEER (In this case Andy Wallace for NEVERMIND) also has A HUGE IMPACT. ALMOST 100% on the sound because the engineer ALSO adds thier flavor to the mix. You're trying to recreat the FINAL sound here. (Enginnering, mix, amd mastering) I say a 6, maybe 7/10. It's well put together though. The in utero sound is very very lovely though. Pretty good 8.5/10. 👍
I would agree with you if I was trying to recreate studio tones but I am not in this video. These are all live tones, completely different animal processing wise then studio tones. Especially in the early 90s where digital studio recording was in its infancy, but live was still analog. Andy Wallace did not mix and master any live Nirvana shows such as the paramount or Reading 92, which are what I’m referencing here in regards to the Nevermind era.
Thank you! The pic at 0:10 is a screenshot of Live at The Paramount DVD and you can see it’s a DS2 with its 4 controls, the one all the way on the left is just missing the knob
it is always the same error; the most important thing is the amplifier and it is with a slight crunch, otherwise you hear a screeching mass. Surely in the video it is directly connected or uses a low-end or poorly configured amplifier.
Are you referring to all 3 clean tones or 1 in particular? For 91, I do have some subtle overdrive in the cleans in attempt to replicate the saturation Kurt had. Dialing that in was probably the trickiest part
My eleven rack settings for my in utero tour clean will be in an upcoming video, and my settings for 91 and 92 cleans are shown at the end of these videos: Paramount: ruclips.net/video/Wk3AedQMWrs/видео.html Reading 92: ruclips.net/video/ib0dX30gn6k/видео.html
If you’re looking to buy an amp, I just got a Tone Master Twin Reverb and it gets pretty damn close to his live clean sound! I’d recommend that or a Mesa Boogie 22 studio or a Mesa Boogie 50 caliber
@@NirvanaGuitars I strongly suggest getting a JHS Coulourbox V2. Its supposed to be the Neve console in a stomp box. I have one on my board at the end of my effects loop. Its a very versatile pedal, you can even add a bit of grit similar to the Mesa Studio Preamp which is how Kurt liked his rig dialed in for most songs.
@@XxStonedImmaculatexX I had never heard of that pedal before, but just watched reverb’s demo video for it and holy shit do I want one now! They 100% nail Territorial Pissings tone with it I’m able to get that subtle grit with my new tone master twin reverb when I dial in the breakup just right, but to have control through a pedal sounds amazing
@@NirvanaGuitars I have quite a few amps, mostly KC amps like a Randall RG 120 head, Sunn Beta Lead, Mesa Studio Preamp with either Crest 4801 or Crown power Base 2 to power it and a .22 Mesa which is my main practice amp and I also have a Bullfrog 4x12 cab. The only thing I really wanna get now is a 90's Marshall 1960A cab with the correct speakers Yea man once I heard the JHS pedal was a Neve console in a box I knew I wanted it as part of my "Nirvana" stuff, but it is a mainstay on my gigging board as well.
Used it in the early years, then switched to the ds-2 and sansamp in the mid through later years. Mode 1 on ds-2 is very similar to the ds-1 distortion sound.
Kurt use at the most songs the DS-1 80's Thai version (very Rare, and have e bit more Gain or more agressive). He used the DS-2 only for some Songs to tried out. But in the most songs he use the DS-1
@@NirvanaGuitars Good point, are there any picture of him 'actually' using the DS1 live during the Nevermind tours? I have only seen him perform with it live during the Bleach era.
Even if you have the same amp, guitar, and pedals as Kurt, it is still impossible to replicate his sound and playing. One of the most unique musicians to ever live.
Very true! But it’s fun to try and see how close you can get 🙂
For beginner players, self awareness that you are not your idol is enough, but thinking that you are never sound like someone or that the sound is in your idols fingers is...wasting your time playin guitar in first place. I agree Kurt is very musical and unique.
I'm not sure you know what "unique" means...
@@boofert.washington2499 something that makes us different from each other?
Same as angus
Looking at it this way, Kurt had fun playing with the effectors in a variety of ways.
This is the definition of "Nailed it". Wow. Fantastic job
thank you so much!
Lovely video! that 91 tone is so accurate, small clone is such a wonderful sounding chorus though. I love that you recreated the 93 tone It’s personally one of my favourite nirvana tone
Thank you! Same here, Skystang to Sansamp is my favorite Kurt tone. Just Recently got the Sansamp and I love it! Working on some In Utero tour tone vids 😁
Well done man ! That poly chorus pedal sounds great I WANT ONE!!! Thanks for making & sharing
Oh man! Where was this video 20 years ago when I was trying to recreate these tones in my bedroom. Such a fun walk down memory lane. Thanks for the flashback.
Thank you! I’m trying to make the kind of videos I wish I could’ve found when I first started playing 😁
@@NirvanaGuitars I subscribed to your channel and I've watched most of your vids at this point. Great content.
@@musicalmiscellany I sincerely appreciate that, thank you so much 🙏🏻
I’ve been a nirvana fan for many years and have seen countless of this style of video and I have to say that you did an absolutely fantastic job. You really nailed it. Kurts pedal/amp setup is pretty generic by most standards and I’m a believer that to really nail it you gotta have “the feel.” And you have it sir. You have a new sub and I’m eager to see your future videos.
Wow I cannot thank you enough for the kind words 🙏🏻 Happy you enjoyed it, thanks for subscribing!
Yeah man i agree with you.
Please buy a big muff or at least use a real amp.
Thanks
Thank you. This is everything I really wanted to know in one video. The timing when you stomped the pedals was spot on. Hard to find those individual player progressions visualized.
Great demo! I love how simple Kurt's live setup was, especially early on. Like, any kid could get those pedals and a clean amp, and it will take them a long way.
Wow buddy, you pretty much nailed it. Like I'm seriously impressed.
Thank you so much!
I love that you click off the distortion at the end of HSB to hit that last chord just like on the record.
Thanks!! It’s the little details that are sometimes the most exciting to replicate 😁
dude the tone its so perfect, congrats
Thank you so much!
Freakin awesome job!
Graat channel, I’m new but 48 yr old
Life long nirvana fan..very interesting content, I also like to recreate Kurt’s tones for certain songs, u do good work keep it up man
Wow, spot on for all of the tones you recreated! I really haven't listened to as much of the In Utero era songs as I should.
Great video man. Ty!!!
Yesterday you’re thanking me and today you’re calling me ridiculous? What did I do?
Kurt had the depth switch on the small clone hard wired to the "up" position.
The scentless apprentice was dead on. Like wow that sans amp is pretty interesting. What's the order of the pedals/inputs for that one? It was kind of hard to tell. Man that sounded sweet. Thanks.
Awesome video but I think he used a DS1 for the early sounds Nevermind and such. I have that blue racing stripe mustang also and I love it. Japanese 97.
Is 4:20-4:32 riff pennyroyal tea?
Goodness your vandalism clean tones and dirty tones are amazing
Very useful, I'm very glad with you, thanks
Thanks for watching!
Wow. What a set up. Awesome
I always thought Kurts distortion came from that boss ds 2. Sounds like most of his iconic tone came from that Sans Amp.
I was 15 when they came out so cool I see all these kids wearing Nirvana T-shirts even black girls seem to like them its cool to see!!!
Excellent work.
Thank you!
Tks for info bro🤘🏼
Got a question first though sorry for very long comment. I see you have a Stereo PolyChorus in the singal chain and the re-issue SansAmp. Both pedals "suggested settings" in their respective user manuals are close but no Cigar when follwoing those settings. I noticed your SansAmp is in the "Lead/first" position not the "normal/middle" position, that's how I have been playing along recently. SansAmp recommends leaving that as last Distortion pedal in signal chain before mod effects and the Stereo PolyChorus manual says to put before the Distortion. So....
***here is my question *** What is the Signal Chain you routing your pedals to from Guitar 》 Amp?? I paused and looked at your cables and it looks like your chain is going Guitar 》 PolyChorus 》 DS-2 》 SansAmp 》 Small Clone 》 Eleven Rack?? It's hard to say because I can't see the loops of the cables I am speculating by the color of cable going from Output of the PolyChorus into the Input of the SansAmp... OR.... is your Singal Path how you have it listed in Description of the video Guitar 》 PolyChorus 》 SansAmp 》 Small Clone》 DS-2 》 Amp?
The new release of SansAmp pedal is great but the Stereo PolyChorus is a pain in the a$$ to dial in the settings. Especially after going down the rabbit hole and finding out there is 10 internal trim pots that are "calibrated" but this is something that EHX does not recommend anyone doing themselves. I took the back off of my PolyChorus wrote down settings for all trim pots that are labeled and even tried looking up the settings but I couldnt find anything all. I did buy my PolyChorus used and I believe the internal trim pots had to be messed with long before I owned it. The sound is different compaired to others I've heard and the overload LED comes on easily (depending on playing levls) even with my clean channel if I am playing it at louder levels.
Again apologize about the Novel of a comment, sir. You're doing a great Job keep up the good work!!!
Cheers 🍻
-Phil
Hey Phillip! I had to revisit this video to answer your question. It’s not that old, but I now do almost everything different. Everything from my set up to how I record my videos has improved since February!
I always have the sansamp in the middle/normal position. The angle in this video is deceiving, so I understand why you thought it was in the lead position.
If I remember correctly, my signal chain here was guitar -> small clone -> polychorus -> sansamp -> DS2 -> eleven rack. BUT I wanted the pedals physically laid out the same way Kurt had them, so it was a big mess to have my routing but the pedals laid out the way they are haha! I at first tried routing them in the order they’re laid out (DS2 being the first and small clone being the last) but I found having distortion before chorus sounds pretty bad when you have both on. Significantly improved when I went through the choruses first
This as close as you going too get without kurt great work On all of it sounds awsome
Awesome sounds!
I would love to see the Eleven Rack settings!
Thank you!! My eleven rack settings for Paramount and Reading 92 are at shown at the end of the videos where I cover those shows. I'll have a In Utero tour tone video soon and those settings will be shown there!
Paramount: ruclips.net/video/Wk3AedQMWrs/видео.html
Reading 92: ruclips.net/video/ib0dX30gn6k/видео.html
Hey Nick, I just posted my In Utero tour eleven rack setting as a community post on my channel!
Touché…wow….superb…I’m a guitarist for 30 plus years…I grew up with this sound…
Nice video. I wonder if he ever used a tremolo or delay..as can be heard during heart shaped box solo live.. 🤔
brilliant stuff nice one
Thank you!
Man, all the research you have done and your channel is amazing. I wish I knew you years before because I wanted to know all these little things and I just couldn't figure it out. Also, pre-pandemic these pedals were cheaper and not so hard to find. Thanks a lot!
I’m born February 20, 1967. Same day as kurt. I don’t play too many Nirvana songs. I know them all. But it just feels a bit weird
Here's something weirder. Two weeks before Kurt was born, Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) was born. Two weeks after Kurt was born, Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) was born.
@@djefferson5669 good company
Amazing vidéo 👏👏
Thank you!
Do you think it's also that amp cause I have these pedals and it's close but not quite. I'm running them threw a positive grid spark that has really good pre made nirvana tones
Amazing!!
Thanks
🔥 Good Job 👍
Thanks!
Hey man, can you tell us the exact pedal chain that you used in this video, cuz I couldn’t find the pedal routing Kurt used?
I just got a vintage Small Clone mini chorus and I feel its way more sensitive compared to my modern one.
Some mini chorus clones were made with the SAD chip but the one I got has the MN3007 chip so I thought it’d sound basically the same as my modern one.
Like you have your small clone pretty much maxed out to replicate the correct setting sonI have to dial the mini at just before 3 o’clock because any further and it tries to sound like a polychorus lol
Good job on the work you did here!
Thank you, and that is super interesting! I do have to basically max it out, especially for the live Nevermind era tone. I didn’t know about the SAD chip, that is fascinating. I’d love to try a vintage small clone
@@NirvanaGuitars I’ve heard the SAD chip on the mini chorus is pretty thin, not as strong as the MN3007 chip. I’ll try to get my hands on one with the SAD chip and an 80’s full chorus with the MN3007 chip someday for a full shootout!
My Small Clone is set up this way :
Depth : up
Rate : 3 o'clock
Paddle and effect distortion
Kurt Cobain is very simple...But the sound of Kurt Cobain's Guitar is very hard and unique..Different from my friend who uses an ifect paddle as big as an Acoustic Guitar but it sounds like someone wants to dream
Hey i have a ds1 and want to have heart shaped box tone with it.which settings do you recommend for it?
I'd recommend tone at about 11 o'clock, level maxed, and distortion around 4 o'clock to max
Tone 11
Level 12
Dist full
Great tone can you share the nirvana 11 rack presets ?
Thanks! My 91 and 92 eleven rack settings are shown at the end of the videos where I cover those tones. I just posted my In Utero tour settings as a community post on my channel
What are your clean settings ? Though which amp is it going ? It's super close...
Whats your take on using the Big muff pedal on lithium
In the live and loud show Kurt didn’t have his DS2 pedal so for most of his songs he used a sansamp pedal and sometimes grunge
True! He used the DOD Grunge pedal in place of the DS2 for 7 seven shows, Live & Loud being one of them
The Sansamp sounds great
Polychorus and small clone after ou before the distorsion ??Thx
The chorus is going into fx loop ? (GREAT VIDEO MAN)
Sounds great to me man.
Thank you!
what do you think of the three selector (lead / normal / bass) on sansamp for kurt settings, kurtequipment said certainly normal mode and you an advice ?
Could the polychorus break with overload going too long?
The sansamp is a beast
Agreed! My favorite distortion
5:59 for a second i thought that was Kurt singing "memoryyyeah"
I love your videos so incredibly much you have no idea, you inspired me to get all of Kurt’s pedals and I just Bought his Jaguar! Your videos make me so happy, I’ve been trying to get his tone correct and you have helped tremendously, so thank you!!! I was also wondering what are the amp settings Youre using for each era? Sorry if it’s a lot to ask for I’m just really trying to get that tone. Thanks again love your videos. Keep up the good work!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
I cannot tell you how much that meant to me, it makes me so happy that you're enjoying my videos and that it's helping you 🙂 I'm trying to make the kind of videos I wish I could've found when I first started playing guitar!
In this video I used my Eleven rack amp sim, but in my more recent videos I use my Twin Reverb. Amp Settings are shown at the end of these videos:
Late 91 live tone (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/E9pWBOpK4SU/видео.html
In Utero tour (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/PTLM8iNzu-k/видео.html
Bleach album tone (Twin Reverb): ruclips.net/video/kSV-EHqpYJM/видео.html
Reading 92 (Eleven Rack): ruclips.net/video/ib0dX30gn6k/видео.html
Reading 91 (Eleven Rack): ruclips.net/video/ByEoA23fpgs/видео.html
cool tones brother, one problem I have is that if I put my ds2 level at max, my clean sound will not sound loud enough compare to when the ds2 is on, I have to set the level at half. I just got my 1st amp head/cab and wonder how i could make the clean tone louder while the ds2 level is at max. thanks
i find that it just depends on how high you have your clean volume set to. i have the tone master twin reverb and i use the second input on it (which is generally for high gain pickups) and crank the volume. i find that when the volumes cranked i can get the ds-2 to max and have it match the same volume as the clean.
Awesome
Thx
with ds2 and small clone at the beginning of the video do you plug your guitar in ds2 or small clone first ?? or for in utero settings ? Because on electro harmonix website they say to plug the polychorus before distortion this is wrong no ?
Please any informations? 🙏
@@DaveWire what you plug into first doesn't matter much for the tone unless your using both pedals, and if you are, just try both.
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter …. Money 💵
I have ds-2, after watching several videos, including yours, I'm thinking about buying sansamp. I play not only grunge, more post - grunge even. Would you recommend buying a sansamp?
Definitely, it’s hands down my favorite distortion pedal I’ve owned
@@NirvanaGuitars haha, i really meant gt2 sansamp. Can't get the classic. but, it seems like they sound +/- like
I was curious - on your Vandalism copy Strat you said use a Duncan '59 - I've never seen Ernie Bailey mention anything other than JBs and Super Distortions for Kurt's full size HBs ?
I heard in an a video recently he used a neck 59 in the bridge position for the vandalism strat
@@gloryxkid interesting ... sounds a bit like the neck hot rail in the bridge of his recently auctioned Mustang 🤔
I wish I could find the exact quote again, but Earnie has verified that the Vandalism Strat had the 59n in the bridge position. It definitely has the sound, especially on clean it’s completely that high&jangly strat tone Kurt had!
@@NirvanaGuitars it also seems to be a luck of the draw which guitars keep the pots stock 250k or had 500k installed for humbuckers - the JB sounds much better to my ears on a 250k volume than a 500k like typical humbuckers - less fizz in the upper mids (have one in my 78 mustang)
I use a Boss CE-2 best chorus ever made with exception of the CE-1
Am i the only one who uses the flange mode for the HSB solo? Sounds a lot closer to the album version than the chorus mode imo. Otherwise great video bro.
Dat reading tone 👌 sorry if it’s a dumb question, what amp are you using?
Late but he’s using a fender twin reverb. Check t other videos and you’ll see
"I'm alot of.. hell if I know.. I'm a scared of.. my libido"
Good video.
What Amp do you have?
Thank you! In this video I used my eleven rack
@@NirvanaGuitars thx.
For the Live at a reading concert, what is the clean tone setting? How did you create that tone?
I created it on my eleven rack. The settings for that one are shown at the end of my Reading 92 Jaguar Tone video
5:14 can anyone tell me pls which song is this love it a LOT
Come as you are
@@NirvanaGuitars TYSM man you're the best👍👍
Bro this guy deserves way more subs than he has!! I would watch this over MrBeast any day because you are just so entertaining with all your Nirvana vids!
SUBSCRIBE!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much!! 🙏🏻
Do you know why at 4.:21 power wasn't plugged on small clone? ty for all your videos
I dont know, but it has a true bypass so without power you still have your signal going on
That picture was taken at soundcheck, so maybe it just wasn't plugged in yet? That's a complete guess though I'm not sure
Anyone have any idea what year Kurt’s DS2 was produced? (Was it a Japan or Taiwan) Are all the Made in Taiwan builds the same?
The first models are from 1987. Kurt necessarily had the Japanese model. I have two models of the DS2: one, recent from the 2000's (made in Taiwan) and one made in Japan from 1989. The sound is better for MIJ...
Wow! Amazing! Can you find Rio'93 polychorus sound? And for Unplugged too (Kurt used it through the whole show)
I’d love to cover the Rio show! And wow that’s the first I’m hearing about Polychorus being used on Unplugged. Mind me asking where you read that? I’ve never heard of that
@@NirvanaGuitars I don't remember where I heard that. Perhaps this is not true.
@@TonyFather85 I have doubts that it was used on Unplugged but that’d be an interesting rabbit hole to dive into!
@@NirvanaGuitars what year is your small clone? the vintage ones sound a lot better than reissues
He wanted to use it, and they tried to set it up, but they were getting buzz and hum with it that was too risky for the recording. Some very faint pictures of the DS2 and Small Clone set up in front of him for the show if you search and look for it.
The secret of secrets, for true Nevermind tone you gotta tune to A=444hz (not a=440). change your tuner settings, tune like that and feel the magic. You’re welcome
Wow in all my years of obsessively absorbing every piece of information I can find about Kurt’s playing and gear, I have never seen anything about tuning to 444hz! I’m gonna try it
@@NirvanaGuitars 4 is an unlucky number in japan (why boss wont release pedals with the 4th gen designation), fact kurt used a boss pedal and then the unlucky# x3 seems fitting. :(
@@otakuholly8885 dices puras mamadas padrino
Where is the Hi-flier??
How does the level and distortion at max not hurt your ears?
This was recorded through my eleven rack, i was using headphones
i had think he didt'n like the DS-2 and going back to DS1..... this gone distroyed and he was pushed to use the DS2
Little FanFact: he used the DS1 Taiwan 83 / 85 model (black labled on the back) because it sound a littlebit more crunchy / agressive
Hey buddy how much of a difference is between Japanese or Taiwan DS 1 & 2 should I care? Or can you describe the sounds difference in your words..!? Thanks 🤟
idrk and this probs doesn’t answer ur question but i’m pretty sure kurt mostly used the ds 1 and he rarely used the ds 2. that’s all i’m
@@ladadugan5799 ds-1 early years, ds-2 probably about the halfway mark and forward. I think somewhere around 91 he switched to the ds-2. He got plenty of use out of it. You can watch him stomp on that thing in countless shows. Thing is, they're very similar mid scooped hard clipped distortions when you stay in mode 1 on ds-2.
Is that polychorus a reissue?
Yup! a 90's stereo reissue
In utero songs only sansamp?
Sorry i’m asian not good at english.
hi.....i already subbed You.......awesome sound good for you bro..greetings from indonesia
Thanks for subscribing! 🤩
Suena demasiado digital ese simulador de amplificadores
What amp did you use? was it a preamp
Eleven Rack
@@NirvanaGuitars is an eleven rack like a kemper profiing amp?
Muito Bom esse Vídeo. 👍
The senseless apprentice came in hard
Although the attempt is really well appreciated you have to remember that the tones has EQ, COMPRESSION AND CHAIN PROCRSSING that changes the original sound about 70 to 90%.
On top of that whoever is the SOUND ENGINEER (In this case Andy Wallace for NEVERMIND) also has A HUGE IMPACT. ALMOST 100% on the sound because the engineer ALSO adds thier flavor to the mix.
You're trying to recreat the FINAL sound here. (Enginnering, mix, amd mastering) I say a 6, maybe 7/10.
It's well put together though.
The in utero sound is very very lovely though. Pretty good 8.5/10. 👍
I would agree with you if I was trying to recreate studio tones but I am not in this video. These are all live tones, completely different animal processing wise then studio tones. Especially in the early 90s where digital studio recording was in its infancy, but live was still analog. Andy Wallace did not mix and master any live Nirvana shows such as the paramount or Reading 92, which are what I’m referencing here in regards to the Nevermind era.
@@NirvanaGuitars ahhhhhh....I see. Pretty good I guess then? It's not bad at all. I definitely enjoy these vids for sure.
live paramount he used for nevermind tour a DS1, nice video and sound !
Thank you! The pic at 0:10 is a screenshot of Live at The Paramount DVD and you can see it’s a DS2 with its 4 controls, the one all the way on the left is just missing the knob
@@NirvanaGuitars hey you're right sorry !! good job
@@DaveWire haha no need to apologize! I thought he used a DS1 on the Nevermind tour too for a long time. Just sharing the information 🙂
it is always the same error; the most important thing is the amplifier and it is with a slight crunch, otherwise you hear a screeching mass. Surely in the video it is directly connected or uses a low-end or poorly configured amplifier.
I used my eleven rack, as it states in the video.
LEVEL TO THE MAX my mum wouldn't approve
I thought he used a Big Muff for fuzz tones.
He didn’t use a big muff live. I’ve heard of him using it for recording Lithium
Amp?
Eleven rack. All gear is written out in the video and description
Sounds good, but to my ears, your clean tone has a little too much hair/breakup compared to Kurt's.
Are you referring to all 3 clean tones or 1 in particular? For 91, I do have some subtle overdrive in the cleans in attempt to replicate the saturation Kurt had. Dialing that in was probably the trickiest part
Don't hate, I like the clone....
👌
I wish I could just nail the clean tone 😔
My eleven rack settings for my in utero tour clean will be in an upcoming video, and my settings for 91 and 92 cleans are shown at the end of these videos:
Paramount: ruclips.net/video/Wk3AedQMWrs/видео.html
Reading 92: ruclips.net/video/ib0dX30gn6k/видео.html
If you’re looking to buy an amp, I just got a Tone Master Twin Reverb and it gets pretty damn close to his live clean sound! I’d recommend that or a Mesa Boogie 22 studio or a Mesa Boogie 50 caliber
@@NirvanaGuitars I strongly suggest getting a JHS Coulourbox V2. Its supposed to be the Neve console in a stomp box. I have one on my board at the end of my effects loop. Its a very versatile pedal, you can even add a bit of grit similar to the Mesa Studio Preamp which is how Kurt liked his rig dialed in for most songs.
@@XxStonedImmaculatexX I had never heard of that pedal before, but just watched reverb’s demo video for it and holy shit do I want one now! They 100% nail Territorial Pissings tone with it
I’m able to get that subtle grit with my new tone master twin reverb when I dial in the breakup just right, but to have control through a pedal sounds amazing
@@NirvanaGuitars I have quite a few amps, mostly KC amps like a Randall RG 120 head, Sunn Beta Lead, Mesa Studio Preamp with either Crest 4801 or Crown power Base 2 to power it and a .22 Mesa which is my main practice amp and I also have a Bullfrog 4x12 cab. The only thing I really wanna get now is a 90's Marshall 1960A cab with the correct speakers
Yea man once I heard the JHS pedal was a Neve console in a box I knew I wanted it as part of my "Nirvana" stuff, but it is a mainstay on my gigging board as well.
I thought he used a DS1
Used it in the early years, then switched to the ds-2 and sansamp in the mid through later years. Mode 1 on ds-2 is very similar to the ds-1 distortion sound.
Kurt use at the most songs the DS-1 80's Thai version (very Rare, and have e bit more Gain or more agressive). He used the DS-2 only for some Songs to tried out. But in the most songs he use the DS-1
I thought so, that's why I've bought that pedal 3 times the first time in 92
From the fall 91 tour and on, he’s using a DS2. It’s easily seen in many live pics
@@NirvanaGuitars Good point, are there any picture of him 'actually' using the DS1 live during the Nevermind tours? I have only seen him perform with it live during the Bleach era.
amp? or virtual amp?
Eleven Rack amp simulator