Robert Smith Gear Guide
A quick reference to Robert Smith’s guitars, Boss effects and compact Roland amplifier setup with The Cure.
A period-by-period quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and song associations. Specific equipment varies by recording, tour and available documentation.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Jazzmaster | A recurring Cure guitar choice, with a bright, slightly wiry attack. | Selected live eras |
| Fender Bass VI | Six-string bass register for low, chiming parts. | Cure recordings/live |
| Fender Telecaster | A direct, cutting solid-body voice in selected setups. | Selected use |
| Gibson Chet Atkins Country Gentleman | Hollow-body color associated with early Cure years. | Early era |
| Fender Jaguar | Short-scale single-coil option seen in the band’s guitar palette. | Selected eras |
| Schecter UltraCure | Signature-style guitar built around Smith’s familiar single-coil sound. | Later years |
| Rickenbacker 360 | Jangling semi-hollow texture for selected parts. | Selected recordings |
| Guitar volume and pickup selection | Dynamic changes often come from the guitar controls and right-hand touch. | Across catalog |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus | Clean solid-state platform; chorus and stereo width are central to the Cure sound. | Classic/live |
| Roland Cube combos | Compact, readily replaceable amps used in the 2024 touring rig. | 2024 tour |
| Built-in chorus | The JC’s modulation can supply width without a separate chorus pedal. | Clean parts |
| Clean amp platform | Smith’s modern stage setup favors practical clean amplification over large tube stacks. | Recent tours |
| Stereo amplifier output | Two-channel/stereo presentation can widen chorus and delay textures. | Selected rigs |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Boss chorus pedals | Chorus is a defining part of the band’s shimmering guitar textures. | Many eras |
| Boss distortion | Simple distortion boxes provide the edge for heavier rhythm and lead parts. | Selected songs |
| Boss delay | Short repeats and longer echoes add depth to picked patterns. | Selected rigs |
| Boss reverb | Adds space to sparse guitar lines and sustained notes. | Live/studio |
| Boss flanger | Moving modulation for more pronounced sweep effects. | Selected use |
| Boss overdrive | Extra gain option ahead of the clean amp. | Selected use |
| Boss tuner | Practical stage tuning in the streamlined board. | Recent rig |
| Direct, compact pedalboard | Recent setup has been described as almost entirely Boss pedals on simple boards. | 2024 tour |
Songs and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| A Forest | Repeating, atmospheric guitar figures; delay and modulation help the line bloom. | 1980 |
| Just Like Heaven | Bright, layered arpeggios and chorus color. | 1987 |
| Pictures of You | Sustained, spacious guitar layers and carefully shaped ambience. | 1989 |
| Lovesong | Clean, modulated chord texture sits behind the vocal. | 1989 |
| Friday I’m in Love | Bright strumming and layered guitar parts. | 1992 |
| Recent live performances | Roland Cube amps and Boss pedals show how a familiar Cure palette can be delivered with a compact rig. | 2024 |