Guitar tone · rock

R.E.M. guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 13 R.E.M. songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Rickenbacker 360 12-string (likely, based on era and Buck's studio use) into Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording).

Guitars R.E.M. used

Rickenbacker 360 12-string (likely, based on era and Buck's studio use)1 song
Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck in mid-1980s studio recordings)1 song
Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck on 'Lifes Rich Pageant' era recordings)1 song
Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, possibly 12-string for layering)1 song
Rickenbacker 3601 song
Rickenbacker 360 (likely 1980s model, as used by Peter Buck on Reckoning)1 song
Mandolin1 song
Rickenbacker 360 (likely 1980s model, as used by Peter Buck on the original studio recording)1 song

Amps R.E.M. used

Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during Lifes Rich Pageant era)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during this era)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, early 1980s studio recording)1 song
Vox AC301 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s, as used by Peter Buck in studio era)1 song
Not specified1 song
Vox AC30 (vintage, likely early 1960s JMI or 1970s/80s reissue, as per Peter Buck's known studio rig for this era)1 song

14 R.E.M. tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 1980s model, as used by Peter Buck on Reckoning)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s, as used by Peter Buck in studio era)	0
Bang and Blame (Remastered) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1970s or early 1990s American Standard, as used by Peter Buck on Monster album sessions)	Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface, as used by Peter Buck in studio during Monster era)	4.5
Circus Envy (Remastered) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Jazzmaster	Roland JC-120	5
Crush with Eyeliner · riff	Riff · distorted	Rickenbacker 360	Vox AC30	5
Driver 8 · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, possibly 12-string for overdubs)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s, studio recording)	3
It's the End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine) · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 12-string (likely, based on era and Buck's studio use)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording)	3
Let Me In (Remastered) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Jaguar (Kurt Cobain's, used by Peter Buck on this track)	Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface, studio recording)	5
Losing My Religion · riff	Riff · clean	Mandolin	Not specified	0
Superman · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck on 'Lifes Rich Pageant' era recordings)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during this era)	0
Talk About the Passion · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, possibly 12-string for layering)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, early 1980s studio recording)	0
The One I Love · riff	Riff · distorted	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 1980s model, as used by Peter Buck on the original studio recording)	Vox AC30 (vintage, likely early 1960s JMI or 1970s/80s reissue, as per Peter Buck's known studio rig for this era)	4.5
The One I Love · solo	Solo · distorted	1981 Rickenbacker 360 Jetglo (strung with round-wound strings, .014-.058 custom set)	Vox AC30 (studio, possibly Mesa/Boogie also used for layering)	4.5
These Days · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck in mid-1980s studio recordings)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during Lifes Rich Pageant era)	3.5
What's the Frequency, Kenneth? (Radio Version) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Jag-Stang (left-handed, played upside-down)	Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb 2x12 combo	6.5

R.E.M. songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

The One I Love on Fender Champion 40

Get R.E.M.'s tone on your gear

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did R.E.M. use?

Across 13 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during Lifes Rich Pageant era) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, mid-1960s model, as used by Peter Buck in studio during this era) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, early 1980s studio recording) (1 song).

What guitar did R.E.M. use?

Most often: Rickenbacker 360 12-string (likely, based on era and Buck's studio use) (1 song), Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck in mid-1980s studio recordings) (1 song), Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, as used by Peter Buck on 'Lifes Rich Pageant' era recordings) (1 song), Rickenbacker 360 (likely 6-string, possibly 12-string for layering) (1 song).

How do I get R.E.M.'s tone on my amp?

Open any R.E.M. song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.