HERE'S A LOOK AT THE SOUND THAT CHANGED ROCK MUSIC FOREVER: KURT COBAIN'S EFFECTS
1). Roland (BOSS) DS-1 Distortion pedal (9) - Kurt always referred to these as "Roland" pedals, rather than BOSS. Seen throughout "Bleach" and "Nevermind"-eras. The settings on this were about the same as on his DS-2 (see #2). Used until February 1992 when it was replaced with:
2). Roland (BOSS) DS-2 Turbo Distortion pedal (19)(20). Used on "Unplugged" ("Unplugged" 21) and the "Nevermind" tour. This pedal was first used in February of 1992 (57). Kurt's settings are as follows: Level: all the way up, tone: at about 11 to 1 o'clock (usually at 11), distortion: usually all the way up but occasionally came down to about 1 or 2 o'clock in the studio, and the last knob was set to position one, the non-turbo setting (59). The DS-1 was set similarly. Eventually it was probably only used on "The Man Who Sold the World" live. Another picture.
3). Tech 21 Sans Amp Classic amp-simulator box (seen 7). This was Kurt's MAIN distortion during the "In Utero" tour despite popular beliefs, and was used throughout the entire tour. Pat also had a SansAmp but preferred his Rat. His settings on the DIP switches were, from left to right: three-up, three down (Jim said he remembered its settings as "Three-up, three-down"(40)), two-up, and all of the knobs were turned all the way up except for the high control which was at about 12 o'clock. Jim doesn't recall where the SansAmp's three-position selector switch's setting was, but thinks it was the Normal (center) setting (57). This pedal was certainly NOT used on Nevermind, like some magazines claim (59).
4), Electro-Harmonix Small Clone chorus, purchased sometime in 1990 from Guitar Maniacs. This pedal was used extensively throughout most of Kurt's career and was one of his favorites until his death (57). It is visible in most any concert footage (including "Unplugged" ("Unplugged" 21)) which catches a glimpse of the floor by Kurt's feet. It's visible on the black-and-white side under the track listing "6 Dumb 2:29" ("In Utero" 8) and also in a huge picture in "Circus" magazine (39). According to Earnie, the switch was almost always in the up position, so much that Earnie hardwired it "up." (57)(59).
Kurt never used a Electro-Harmonix Small Stone phase shifter pedal (56).
7). Orange MXR Phase 100 which was used for "Curmudgeon." This was owned by Kurt (59) and supposedly purchased at Voltage Guitars at the same time as his Fender XII and blue Mosrite (60).
8). MXR Distortion + (59).
8). DOD Grunge pedal. This was just a joke (40). At one show, it was thrown into the crowd! (10). Jim Vincent said it wasn't thrown,really (40).
9). Kurt never used a Dunlop Rotovibe (26)(10) despite what the "In Utero" tab book says. Someone told me they saw Kurt use one at a show, but I doubt it. Supposedly, the only time Kurt ever "had" a rotovibe was from January 28-30 of 1994 at Bob Lang's North Seattle studio when Kurt forgot his pedals and used a pedalboard of Earnie's. The rotovibe in the pedalboard was not used, though. The effects it had were: a Boss flanger, a Boss vibrato, a Boss delay, a rotovibe, and an Ibanez Supermetal. Kurt recorded one song, "You Got No Right" ("On the Mountain")(on bootlegs, etc.) where the Ibanez Supermetal and maybe the Boss flanger were used (41)(57).
..........I'LL POST MORE LATER
