Song Rig

Boys Don't Cry

Robert Smith · Boys Don't Cry · 1980

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Early Cure jangle — Boys Don't Cry has a bright, almost new wave-jangly guitar tone without the extreme processing of the later gothic period. The Fender Jazzmaster or Mustang through a clean amp with moderate chorus gives a slightly surf-influenced clean tone. Sparse, effective, and very different from the Disintegration-era darkness.

Signal Chain

1Fender Jazzmaster or Mustang (Smith used Jazzmasters in this era)
2Roland JC-120 or small Fender amp
3Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume2

Bass4

Mid6

Treble8

Reverb3

Very bright and clean — treble high for jangle. Bass restrained. This is the new wave guitar tone: bright, clean, chorused. The Jazzmaster's floating vibrato is set to neutral for this track.

Technique

How to Play It

Simple, bright chord strumming with occasional single-note fills — the early Cure sound is not technically demanding. It's about the brightness, the chorus shimmer, and the melancholic chord voicings. Downstroke emphasis for driving energy.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Any bright single-coil guitar (Jazzmaster, Telecaster, Strat) → Boss CE-1 or TC Corona chorus → clean amp with treble forward. The tone is accessible — it's the songwriting that makes this track remarkable.

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