Top 5Has said they use
Fender
Telecaster“I had played Telecaster for years, starting back with Ronnie Hawkins, because we had to play long hours and it was one of the lighter guitars.”
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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by The Band. Every item links to its public source.
31 items · Last checked What gear does The Band use?
Robbie Robertson has said he played a bronzed 1954 Fender Stratocaster through a tweed Fender Twin at The Last Waltz, after years on Telecasters. Rick Danko played an Ampeg fretless bass, Garth Hudson was seen with a modified Lowrey organ and Hohner Clavinet, and Levon Helm played Gretsch drums.
Top 5
Where to start with The Band's gear.
01
02
Top 5Seen using
Hohner
ClavinetSeen in Garth Hudson, the Band's Keyboardist and Professor of Rock, Dead at 87, January 2025
No store page for this one.
03
Fender
Stratocaster, bronzed (1954)
Top 5Has said they love
“I got the guitar from Norm’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles. Norman Harris always had spectacular guitars.”
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
04
Fender
Twin, tweed
Top 5Has said they use
Fender
Twin, tweed“It is a Fender Twin. I still have that amp. I still have that guitar.”
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
05
Fender
Stratocaster, sunburst hardtail
Top 5Has said they use
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
What gear The Band uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Robbie Robertson: guitar
Fender
Stratocaster, bronzed (1954)
Has said they love
“I got the guitar from Norm’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles. Norman Harris always had spectacular guitars.”
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
Fender
Twin, tweed
Has said they use
Fender
Twin, tweed“It is a Fender Twin. I still have that amp. I still have that guitar.”
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster, sunburst hardtail
Has said they use
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
Fender
Custom Shop Last Waltz Stratocaster
Has said they use
Said in Classic interview: Robbie Robertson on The Last Waltz, his bronze Strat and playing in the eye of the storm with Dylan, August 2023
No store page for this one.
Has said they use
Fender
Telecaster“I had played Telecaster for years, starting back with Ronnie Hawkins, because we had to play long hours and it was one of the lighter guitars.”
Fender
Telecaster (1965, PAF and Bigsby)
Seen using
Seen in Remembering Robbie Robertson, 1943-2023, October 2023
No store page for this one.
Music Man
210 HD and 212 HD
Has said they use
Music Man
210 HD and 212 HDSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
National
Fingerpicks
Has said they use
National
FingerpicksSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Howard Roberts
Has said they use
Gibson
Howard RobertsSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Fender
Broadcaster
Has said they use
Fender
BroadcasterSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Kalb
Custom acoustic
Has said they use
Kalb
Custom acousticSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Martin
00-42 (1903)
Has said they use
Martin
00-42 (1903)Said in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Harmony
H44 Stratotone (first electric)
Has said they use
Said in Robbie Robertson, October 2015
Martin
000-45 12-fret (1927)
Has said they love
Martin
000-45 12-fret (1927)“It’s a 1927 12-fret Martin OOO-45. It has a beautiful feel, beautiful tonality, and a beautiful balance to it.”
Said in Robbie Robertson, October 2015
No store page for this one.
Martin
Custom OM-42 "Showdog Workhorse"
Has said they use
Said in Robbie Robertson, October 2015
No store page for this one.
Martin
00-45K (1919)
Has said they use
Gibson
Style O (1920)
Has said they use
Fender
Robbie Robertson Stratocaster
Has said they use
Said in Robbie Robertson, October 2015
No store page for this one.
Martin
00-42K2 Robbie Robertson
Seen using
Rick Danko: bass
Ampeg
AUB-1 fretless
Has said they use
Ampeg
AUB-1 fretlessSaid in Manning the world's first production fretless bass, Rick Danko had to be laser-sharp in the Band, August 2026
No store page for this one.
Ampeg
Standup bass
Has said they use
Ampeg
Standup bass“I've got an Ampeg standup bass, an Ampeg fretless, and an Ampeg fretted.”
Said in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Ripper
Has said they use
Gibson
RipperSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Fender
Precision Bass, fretless
Has said they use
Fender
Precision Bass, fretlessSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Ampeg
SBT bass amps
Has said they love
Ampeg
SBT bass amps“I have two Ampeg SBT bass amps, and they're great.”
Said in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Traynor
Amps (Rick Danko)
Has said they use
Traynor
Amps (Rick Danko)Said in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Fender
Heavy pick
Has said they use
Fender
Heavy pickSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Guild
6-string acoustic
Has said they love
Guild
6-string acousticSaid in Interviewed in late 1976, just prior to their split, The Band's Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko look back, April 2025
No store page for this one.
Levon Helm: drums and mandolin
Gretsch Drums
USA Custom kit
Seen using
Gretsch Drums
USA Custom kitSeen in Keith Langford from the Gourds, September 2011
No store page for this one.
Ludwig
Toms (gift from Ringo Starr)
Seen using
Seen in Keith Langford from the Gourds, September 2011
No store page for this one.
Garth Hudson: organ and keys
Lowrey
Organ (modified)
Seen using
Lowrey
Organ (modified)Seen in Garth Hudson, the Band's Keyboardist and Professor of Rock, Dead at 87, January 2025
No store page for this one.
Seen using
Hohner
ClavinetSeen in Garth Hudson, the Band's Keyboardist and Professor of Rock, Dead at 87, January 2025
No store page for this one.
Questions
About The Band's gear.
What guitar did Robbie Robertson play at The Last Waltz?
A 1954 Fender Stratocaster from Norm's Rare Guitars, originally red, that was bronzed for The Last Waltz. Robertson said it took on a more metallic sound and that he played it through a tweed Fender Twin he still owned. Fender later made a Custom Shop replica.
What guitar did Robbie Robertson play before the Strat?
Telecasters. Robertson said he played Telecaster for years starting with Ronnie Hawkins, because it was one of the lighter guitars for long sets. His 1965 Telecaster, shared with Dylan, was later fitted with a Gibson PAF and a Bigsby. In 1976 he used two Music Man amps together.
What bass did Rick Danko play?
An Ampeg fretless, which he slid up to notes on as if playing slide guitar. In 1976 he said he owned an Ampeg standup, Ampeg fretless and fretted basses, a Gibson Ripper and fretless and fretted Fender Precisions, through two Ampeg bass amps he called great.
What organ did Garth Hudson play?
A Lowrey organ that he constantly modified, heard on the Chest Fever intro, plus an early Hohner Clavinet with a wah-wah pedal on Up on Cripple Creek. He also played accordion and saxophones.
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TB
The Band
About this guide · Last checked
The Band were Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson, behind The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and The Last Waltz. This guide covers the whole band's documented gear: Robertson's bronzed 1954 Stratocaster, Telecasters and Martins, Danko's Ampeg fretless bass, Helm's Gretsch and Ludwig drums, and Hudson's Lowrey organ and Hohner Clavinet.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. The Band didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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