Tone Report Weekly Issue 101 | Page 33

a similar orange box of distortion with a wider range of gain and tone options. He also began using a Tech 21 Sansamp Classic for some distortion tones in later years, at least in a live context. The only other effects Kurt used with any regularity were modulation effects, primarily chorus, via the Electro-Harmonix Small Clone. The Small Clone was used all over Nevermind, and as such, has become very closely associated with Nirvana and its idiosyncratic guitarist. He also used an EHX Polychorus along with the Small Clone in later years (because one just can't have too many chorus pedals, I guess). For In Utero, Cobain is also said to have employed the lush vibrato built into his Fender Twin, particularly for the "Heart-Shaped Box" solo section, where its distinctive warble can be readily detected. Nirvana's influence on modern music and popular culture is unquestionable, and no band working today can claim to have had such a lasting, and utterly transformative, effect on the music business in general, and on rock n’ roll specifically. For guitarists, Kurt Cobain's influence is just as lasting and powerful, despite the fact that the late guitarist was notoriously apathetic in regards to normal guitar player concerns like technique and tone. He deserves much of the credit (or blame, if you prefer) for sparking the commercial resurgence of stompboxes, pawn shop guitars, and especially, Fender offset models. His influence extends to just about any postNirvana guitarist that has ever stepped on a Boss DS-1 to rock out a big chorus, a category which probably contains most of us. ToneReport.com 33