Everlong

The recording

Everlong was recorded in 1997 for The Colour and the Shape. Dave Grohl tracked his rhythm guitars in Drop‑D tuning using a 1978 Gibson RD Standard, routing the signal through an MXR Phase 90 and a Boss DD‑3 before driving a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier into a 4×12 Mesa cabinet loaded with Celestion V30 speakers. Pat Smear added lead parts on a Hagstrom guitar run through Kurt Cobain’s live preamp, a Crown 1 kW power amp, and a Marshall 4×12 cabinet, giving a mid‑range, punk‑ish edge. The guitars were double‑tracked, panned hard left/right, and layered with a centered part, while the clean breakdown uses subtle delay and phase effects. Engineer Bradley Cook captured the sound with close‑miked cabinets that frequently blew speakers during tracking.

Tuning Drop D (D A D G B E)

Reported gear

1978 Gibson RD Standard

Guitar

Dave Grohl used a 1978 Gibson RD Standard for the main rhythm tracks on Everlong, delivering a thick, aggressive tone.

MXR Phase 90

Phaser

Grohl employed an MXR Phase 90 to add subtle movement to the clean arpeggio sections.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Delay

A Boss DD‑3 digital delay was used for the clean breakdown to create the ambient repeats.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Amp

Grohl’s main tone was driven by a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, delivering the thick, high‑gain crunch heard on the verses and choruses.

Mesa/Boogie 412 Cabinet

Cabinet

The amp was paired with a Mesa/Boogie 4×12 cabinet loaded with Celestion V30 speakers, contributing to the tight low end and pronounced mids.

Hagstrom (unknown model)

Guitar

Pat Smear played a Hagstrom guitar on Everlong using Kurt Cobain’s live preamp setup, providing a mid‑range, punk‑ish tone.

Kurt Cobain’s live preamp (unspecified)

Preamp

Pat Smear’s signal passed through Kurt Cobain’s live preamp, though the exact model was never documented.

Crown DCi 1000 Power Amplifier

Power Amp

A Crown 1 kW power amplifier boosted the signal before it hit the Marshall cabinet, contributing to the raw, overdriven edge.

Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabinet

Cabinet

The final stage of Pat Smear’s chain was a Marshall 4×12 speaker cabinet, which was repeatedly blown out during tracking, adding a gritty character to his parts.

Alternatives

Epiphone G-400

Modern equivalent · for the 1978 Gibson RD Standard

$200 to $300

Orange PPC412

Budget alternative · for the Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabinet

$700 to $900

TC Electronic Helix Phaser

Budget alternative · for the MXR Phase 90

$150 to $200

Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster

Budget alternative · for the Hagstrom (unknown model)

$250 to $300

TC Electronic Flashback Delay

Budget alternative · for the Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

$150 to $180

MXR Studio Preamp

Modern equivalent · for the Kurt Cobain’s live preamp (unspecified)

$120 to $150

Peavey 6505

Modern equivalent · for the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

$600 to $800

Behringer EPQ304

Budget alternative · for the Crown DCi 1000 Power Amplifier

$200 to $250

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Tune the guitar to Drop D before tracking.
2. 2.Select the bridge pickup and engage the Phase 90 at a moderate speed.
3. 3.Add a short digital delay (~350 ms) on the clean arpeggio parts.
4. 4.Double‑track the rhythm guitars and pan them hard left and right for a massive stereo spread.