Robert Smith’s Gear
Back in the late 80s and 90s I was a huge Cure fan. Loved the textures that band was able to put together. I started to move on after the Wish album, but recently starting to get back into them again. I just picked up the Disintegration re-issue box set, and that is absolutely amazing. Now all I’m thinking about is buying a Fender Bass VI (if that’s even possible) and working out some fun melodic lead lines. Love that sound.. and especially the mood of Robert’s playing style and tone.
I was curious what exactly he used or uses today, and it’s surprisingly not that well know. I figured there would be tons of sites or photos of his pedal board. I always remembered he used Boss pedals (especially in those 80-90 years). I was able to find some of the older Boss pedals he used. Please, if you know more.. please let me know.
Boss GE-7 Equalizer
Boss Chorus CE-3
Boss Overdrive OD-1
Boss Flanger BF-2
Apparently he used Boss DM-2, Boss DD-2 and Boss DD-3 for delays at different points.
I found a great page at Guitar Tone Overload which talks about replicating some of Robert Smith’s tone. You can read it here.
I also found a couple of fairly recent photos of Robert with his gear. Let’s see if we can name these pedals in the comments below.
Going down this memory-lane has been fun!
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June 11th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
I spy a blues driver and super overdrive in there. Crybay vwah phaser etc. Weird. On head on the door they used a Dimension C and on disintegration there was some studio post production flange. Bass VI was used more on KMKMKM for descending lead lines but you can get the same sound with a hollowbody and some EQing. Love old Cure stuff. Originators of Post Rock as far as I’m concerned. And Robert and Porl definitely got their moneys worth outta those BF-2s and DD-3s.
June 11th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Rather than a way overpriced Fender Bass VI you’d be much better off getting a Schecter Hellcat VI ($599) and modifying it if you wish. It is very good right out of the box as well. You will be more than able to nail the sound you are looking for. Much of his Bass VI and later his custom Schecter VI sound made use primarily of 80’s Boss delay and chorus as well as a noise gate,
Check out the Schecter Hellcat VI Players Facebook Group, The Bass VI Players Group on FB as well as…..
This thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=658449&page=8
This post: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9202749&postcount=97
Have fun….
June 12th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Thank you for the mention. Really cool website!
Romain´s last [type] ..Soundblox Pro Classic Distortion by Source Audio
June 4th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
He is still using Boss, live at least. These pictures are from the recording sessions of the 2004 album, and in studio he uses a few more different things, like the Memory Man (?) seen in this pic. There’s also an analog delay by Boss, the red one? Recently he is using a Blues Driver but the other effects are still the same, maybe in their updated versions (BF-3, etc.).
January 13th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Here is a diagram of Smith’s live setup circa 1996: http://vintage.guitargeek.com/rigview/149/
January 18th, 2012 at 6:57 am
the biggest part of recreating that Cure sound for me is one nobody has mentioned yet. very visible on the close up pic is the EH Deluxe Electric Mistress. That is the best flange IMHO out there. I have had mine for a couple of years, and it just oozes that great thick warm flange that is such a staple of Cure tone.
January 22nd, 2012 at 1:45 am
Great pic. Outside the board from the top, Digitech Whammy, a Snarling Dogs Wah – looks like a purple Bootzilla! Then the BOSS PW-10 Power Wah, BOSS TU-2 Tuner. Nice BOSS BCB-6 board, with the green phaser being a PH-2.