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Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World - Guitar Lesson

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Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World - Guitar Lesson

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Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World guitar lesson video
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The Man Who Sold The World

"The Man Who Sold The World" is Nirvana's acoustic-electric cover of David Bowie's 1970 title track, performed live on MTV Unplugged in New York in 1993. Nirvana's stripped-down rendition introduced the song to a new generation of rock listeners. For electric guitar players, it offers a rewarding study in clean tone, restrained dynamics, and Kurt Cobain's understated approach to covering a classic rock piece.

  • The original song was written by David Bowie and released in November 1970 in the US on Mercury Records.
  • Nirvana performed this cover using a semi-hollow electric guitar through a clean channel, making tone control essential.
  • The song's chord structure is straightforward, making it accessible for intermediate guitarists exploring classic rock repertoire.
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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