Duke Robillard

Yes. The Zephyr Deluxe Regent is sitting here right next to me. That''s one of my favorite guitars. It''s really an incredible instrument.

• excerpt from an interview with Premier Guitar, done in 2007

Except for a ‘58 Les Paul, I’ve had nearly every desirable vintage guitar. I’ve had ’57 and ‘54 Stratocasters and a Broadcaster. I had an early goldtop Les Paul. I’ve had an L5 and a Super 400. I’ve had nearly every classic guitar and I don’t think I paid over $500 for any of them.

This comes from an interview done for Premier Guitar in 2007.

Except for a ‘58 Les Paul, I’ve had nearly every desirable vintage guitar. I’ve had ’57 and ‘54 Stratocasters and a Broadcaster. I had an early goldtop Les Paul. I’ve had an L5 and a Super 400. I’ve had nearly every classic guitar and I don’t think I paid over $500 for any of them.

• Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I’m also using a ‘57 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue, as well as an Epiphone John Lee Hooker Sheraton, which is an incredible guitar.

Premier guitar interview, 2007.

I’m also using a ‘57 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue, as well as an Epiphone John Lee Hooker Sheraton, which is an incredible guitar.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I also have a Strat that I built myself out of Warmoth parts, and an Esquire.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I also use a contemporary Les Paul Junior and an Explorer that sounds amazing.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I also use a contemporary Les Paul Junior and an Explorer that sounds amazing. The Explorer is a great guitar – there’s something about that massive piece of wood. Those are the guitars I use these days for recording and playing live.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I’ve also got a lot of cool archtop guitars. I’ve got a cool ES-350 from 1952, a 1946 Epiphone Emporer, a 1939 Epiphone Broadway, a 1944 Epiphone Blackstone and a 1938 Gibson L7.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

The guitar was also used on the solo for the song "Frankie and Johnny", according to the Guitar Player interview.

I’ve also got a lot of cool archtop guitars. I’ve got a cool ES-350 from 1952, a 1946 Epiphone Emporer, a 1939 Epiphone Broadway, a 1944 Epiphone Blackstone and a 1938 Gibson L7.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I’ve also got a lot of cool archtop guitars. I’ve got a cool ES-350 from 1952, a 1946 Epiphone Emporer, a 1939 Epiphone Broadway, a 1944 Epiphone Blackstone and a 1938 Gibson L7.

Premier Guitar interview, 2007.

I think the Airline Twin Tone is one of the coolest guitars out there. Seeing a photo of Little Walter play it's identical counterpart, the Supro Dual Tone got me excited about it. It's a beautiful design and I've always love looking at the original ones in the Montgomery Ward catalog when I was a boy.

Gibson Tal Farlow reissue This Tuxedo Black guitar is used in the studio and on stage. “I love the sound of the big archtops,” Duke says. “And because this one has a laminated top, it’s a good stage guitar.”

Epiphone ES-295 An import reissue of the ’50s Gibson favorite. Used on stage and in the studio.

Soon after, I convinced my dad that I couldn’t be in a band playing this homemade guitar, so he bought me a Gibson Melody Maker. And that was okay, but I really wanted a Stratocaster. Buddy Holly played a Strat, and that was enough for me.

D’Angelico New Yorker A new imported reissue that Duke likes. “I use this for some of the jazz gigs I’m doing, softly amplified. And I use it for recording with a Dearmond pickup.”

Epiphone Riveria [sic] Another recent reissue (Robillard is an Epiphone endorser), Duke says this guitar, “…has Seth Lover pickups and is one of my main stage axes.”

Orpheum Imperial Archtop Probably made by Gretsch in the ’30s or early ’40s. “Great sound and big neck, a one-piece maple back and an added Lindy Fralin jazz pickup.”

When I was working, I was trying out lots of guitars. I had a Gibson SG, a gold top Les Paul, a Gretsch 6120, a Gibson ES-345, and more early Strats.

When I was working, I was trying out lots of guitars. I had a Gibson SG, a gold top Les Paul, a Gretsch 6120, a Gibson ES-345, and more early Strats.

I played a lot of Gibsons – an L-7, ES-300, ES-5, and they were great. But somewhere along the line, I got an Epiphone Deluxe. What a sound!

I played a lot of Gibsons – an L-7, ES-300, ES-5, and they were great. But somewhere along the line, I got an Epiphone Deluxe. What a sound!

I played a lot of Gibsons – an L-7, ES-300, ES-5, and they were great. But somewhere along the line, I got an Epiphone Deluxe. What a sound!

Epiphone Grenada Mid-’60s Epi made by Gibson, this was Epiphones analogue to the Gibson ES-120T. However, Epiphone’s model was available with a cutaway. “Nice, clean one,” says Duke.

Epiphone Royal archtop. A 1933 example with the rare Masterbilt headstock. Another clean, original example of Robillard’s enthusiasm for Epiphone archtops. “Only made for three years,” he notes.

I believe I’m using a pick on that, but yeah, it’s a repeated riff. I stuck with the part played on the original recording of that song even though it kind of interferes a bit with the bass, because it works for every change. I find that line to be fairly hypnotic, and as simple as the part is, it can be a challenge to play it all the way through the song without varying it. I think I played an Epiphone Casino on that track.

I’ll typically use an archtop. You don’t hear enough of that sound today and I really love it. I’ve got several archtop acoustics, but my Gretsch Synchromatic and some Epiphone Broadways and Triumphs are among my favorites.