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Nirvana - Come As You Are - Guitar Tab

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Nirvana - Come As You Are - Guitar Tab

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Nevermind (Remastered) album cover
Nevermind (Remastered)
1991 3:39
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Nirvana Grunge 1991 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Come As You Are

"Come As You Are" is a song by Nirvana, written by Kurt Cobain and released as the second single from the band's landmark 1991 album Nevermind. The track became an international hit, reaching the Top 10 in eight countries. For electric guitar players, it is an essential study in Cobain's signature use of chorus-drenched clean tones, a deceptively simple yet hypnotic main riff, and the grunge-era approach to dynamics that made Nirvana so influential.

  • The iconic opening riff uses a heavy chorus effect, making pedal selection an important part of nailing the authentic tone.
  • "Come As You Are" was the second and final Nirvana single to crack the American Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, peaking at number 32.
  • As the second single from Nevermind, it also reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's second UK Top 10 hit.
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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