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Nirvana - Polly - Guitar Lesson

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Nirvana - Polly - Guitar Lesson

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Nirvana - Polly guitar lesson video
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Nevermind (Remastered) album cover
Nevermind (Remastered)
1991 2:54
Listen on Spotify
Nirvana Grunge 1991 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Polly

"Polly" is a song by Nirvana, written by Kurt Cobain and featured as the sixth track on the band's second album, Nevermind, released in September 1991. The song stands out within Nirvana's catalog for its sparse, acoustic-driven arrangement, making it an accessible yet musically meaningful piece for electric guitar players to study. Its stripped-down chord structure and fingerpicking approach offer a useful contrast to the heavier material on the same record.

  • "Polly" appears sixth on Nevermind, Nirvana's landmark 1991 album released through DGC Records.
  • Kurt Cobain wrote the song, showcasing his ability to craft intensity through minimalist guitar arrangements.
  • The song's simple open chord structure makes it a practical study piece for beginner and intermediate guitarists.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Cobain used the Stratocaster on several Nevermind tracks, leveraging its bright single-coils to cut through dense arrangements. Though less iconic than his Mustang, the Strat provided tonal clarity for melodic passages within Nirvana's heavy sonic framework.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Cobain deployed the Twin Reverb's clean headroom and natural breakup for softer verses and intros, creating dynamic contrast against his saturated Mesa preamp tones. The amp's warm response complemented his sparse, dry-focused signal chain.

DiMarzio Super Distortion
Pickup

DiMarzio Super Distortion

Cobain swapped DiMarzio humbuckers into his Jaguars and Mustangs to fatten their typically bright single-coils, pushing harder into his Mesa preamp for compressed, fuzzy sustain. This high-output bridge pickup was essential to Nirvana's thick, aggressive midrange distortion.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Pedal

Boss DS-1 Distortion

The DS-1 functioned as Cobain's heavy-hitting boost pedal, slamming the front end of his already-overdriven Mesa preamp to intensify saturation during explosive chorus sections. Its gritty character helped define Nirvana's raw, in-your-face distortion tone.

Electro-Harmonix Small Clone
Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Small Clone

Cobain's signature chorus voice, heard prominently on Come As You Are and clean passages of Smells Like Teen Spirit, added subtle wobble and width. The Small Clone's lush modulation provided dynamic relief against his otherwise aggressive, compressed overdriven tones.

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