3 Ways a Broken Amp Defined R.E.M.'s Murmur

Peter Buck used a borrowed Ampeg Gemini II instead of his broken Fender Twin Reverb. This amp gave the album a cleaner, janglier tone than Buck’s usual setup.

Buck played Mitch Easter’s Fender Electric XII, not his own Rickenbacker 360. The twelve-string guitar added a shimmering, layered sound to the record.

The gear limitations forced a less distorted, more open guitar sound. This became a signature of R.E.M.’s early style.