Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject: Is Robben using Dr. Z cabinets?
I read a post from Daved back on 8/15/05 that said Robben wasn't using Dr. Z cabinets at that time. This was in response to someone who noticed Dr.Z's web site had Robben's picture on thier cabinet page. It seems this pic was from a show where Robben's cabinet had a bad speaker and they subbed a Z cab for that night.
Well, because I was considering buying a Z amp and because I like working with folks who are completely above board, I emailed Dr. Z. I mentioned what I read here and asked for an explaination. His reply was completely un business like, rude and inflammatory but... He did say this.
"Robben just finished a tour with John Mayall and a back line of Z's.
Please shop else where..." (I'll spared you all the rest of his rant.)
So this begs the question: Is Robben now a Z cab user?
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 943 Location: Terra Firma, Ether Sea
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:12 pm Post subject:
Robben is using his Fender Super Reverb on the John Mayall tour. I just shipped it out a few days ago in its brand new roadcase that I picked up the day Robben performed at M.I. in L.A..
I know not what amps anyone else is using on that tour, but Robben is using a Zen pedal thru his Fender.
As far as I am aware, Robben still owns no Z-gear. There definitely is none in his equipment storage. _________________ B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)
John Mayall's guitar player, Buddy Whittington, IS a Dr. Z player. I think I saw somewhere (a show review on this forum or over at thegearpage.net) that Robben did have a problem with a (rental?) Super Reverb and on one of the Mayall tour outings, and finished the show that night with a borrowed Dr. Z rig.
But every other report simply confirms what Daved (who would be the one to know) said above--i.e. that Robben's playing a Super Reverb on this gig.
So, I find the comment from "Dr." Z disappointing. I've admired, and been tempted by, some of his amps, and certainly enjoy the tones Brad Paisley gets out of them.
But from what you've described of his comments, it sounds like at best he's not being real precise about who is or isn't using his products, which is disturbing.
Well, here's the good news: I'm leaving in just a few minutes to head out to Elgin, IL, to see Robben on the John Mayall tour!!!!
Thank you for clarifying this for me. I did not think Robben was using the Zs and I am quite troubled by Dr. Z's lack of a respectful answer to a valid question.
FatTeleTom,
I'm jealous! Hope you have a great time at the concert. Yes, the Dr's tactics are disturbing. I'd still consider buying a Z amp but then what if I have to deal with him for support... It could get ugly.
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:23 am Post subject:
I've owned a DrZ MAZ-Jr 2x12 for almost a year now, and I think it's a great amp. And, yes, I've had a few email correspondences with DrZ (Mike Zaite), and although they were mostly short, he at least answered every one of my questions. My guess is that he's an extremely busy man, tries his best, but after a long hard day, can easily be agitated and may say something that he otherwise might not. Again, just a guess. And, again, his amps are top quality.
Buddy Whitington is a DrZ amp/cab user. I haven't been on the DrZ website in a while, but I'm pretty sure Buddy is a featured endorser, as is Brad Paisley. _________________ Soul on Eleven
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:37 am Post subject:
mdc58 wrote:
Yes, the Dr's tactics are disturbing. I'd still consider buying a Z amp but then what if I have to deal with him for support... It could get ugly.
Probably why DrZ doesn't sell direct. But he has a growing list of dealers. I believe Fat Sound Guitars in NC is considered the largest DrZ dealer. I remember while researching what I wanted in my DrZ amp, that the Fat Sound website had lots of great info. One of the best tips was using 2 different Celestion 12's, and I couldn't he happier with the sound.
As far as support, you shouldn't need it- they're built like tanks. But, if you do, your dealer should give all the support you need. And, from all that I've read, DrZ will gladly get involved to solve the problem... _________________ Soul on Eleven
It's a busy morning, so I'll have to save a full review of the show itself for later (probably in the "Robben" section), but briefly, regarding re. equipment/tone/Dr Z stuff:
Buddy played his Dr Z head (I think a Maz 38, but not sure) through a small cab, which was miked up. His tone was AMAZINGLY good--he played a strat with Robben, then his Tele-style guitar (a Lenz I think?) for the second half of the show. Guitar into tuner into amp. That's it. Clean to mean, spank to crunch, up to singing lead, all via volume and tone adjustments on the guitar.
Robben used the Super Reverb, a red Les Paul, and one pedal (presumably the Zen Drive). Robben's amp was NOT miked as far as I can tell, and I think this was a problem.
The Super was obviously cranked up a fair bit, and the tone was pretty good on quieter stuff, but when things got louder, I thought the tone was too thin, too bright, and tended to disappear a bit. It was usually loud enough in absolute terms, but lacking that warm, wonderful, midrange he gets through the Dumble rig. Just didn't blend with the overall mix as well.
The ZenDrive did add a nice singing sustain for leads (note that this was into an already fairly driven amp, so this wasn't indicative of how it would sound through a completely clean amp), but again things were a little bright/shrill.
I don't know how things sounded on the stage, but I have to believe that the sound out front would have been better with the amp turned down and miked up a bit, or, more likely, a smaller amp cranked up and miked.
The sound mix overall was quite good, and so I just think Robben's tone would have been better had the soundman had a chance to fill it out as needed through the PA.
So, no, Robben WASN'T playing through any Dr Z equipment, but I kind of wish he had been.
All that being said, Robben's playing and singing was brilliant, as always--it's a joy to see and hear him perform live!
My guess is that he's an extremely busy man, tries his best, but after a long hard day, can easily be agitated and may say something that he otherwise might not. Again, just a guess.
There's not doubt the Dr. makes a fine amp. My email to him was not mean spirited. I basicaly ask him to explain why he uses Robben's picture to help sell his cabinets. If there was a plausable explaination I'd likely be buying one of his amps soon. This was early Friday morning. He replied within 30 mins. In his reply he accused me of being Holier than Thou, that I sickened him, that I didn't have a clue in my self centered world, and that he wasn't interested in debating this issue with the likes of me. He wasn't just agitated. He'd eaten a bowl of Satan flakes for breakfast. I was upset to have recieved such a flaming and also upset that something I said could have possibly set him off like that.
Why would he so visously defend such a simple issue? I don't know. We all know there's a boat load of guitar players out there that would love to sound like Robben and Robben's picture in front of a product WILL influence buyers. The Dr has a great line of products. He likely sells as much as he can produce. Why would he need to use Robben's pic in that way? We may never know.
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 4:34 pm Post subject:
mdc58 wrote:
[In his reply he accused me of being Holier than Thou, that I sickened him, that I didn't have a clue in my self centered world, and that he wasn't interested in debating this issue with the likes of me. He wasn't just agitated. He'd eaten a bowl of Satan flakes for breakfast. I was upset to have recieved such a flaming and also upset that something I said could have possibly set him off like that.
In that case, I don't think I'd have any further interest... _________________ Soul on Eleven
I sympathise with you, and the reaction you received. I can't understand why some people get so upset, especially with a potential buyer of their product It is also a bit naughty what Dr.Z has done as far as giving the impression that Robben uses Dr.Z amps.
Cheer's,
DD _________________ Music is the universal language; speak it with emotion, listen with a passion.
Sorry to hear about the beyond-cranky communication with Dr. Z.
I don't see Robben's picture on the Dr. Z Web site any more. That's good, because I like DR. Z's amps and want to believe he's above-board in his business practices. My guess would be some Z fan in the audience took the picture and sent it to Z. Z would probably like to believe that Robben Ford uses his gear, so it was an easy assumption to make. It would have been good to check before claiming it on the Web site, but then it was right there in the picture, wasn't it?
It's interesting to hear that Robben doesn't use a Z-Best. I would easily have believed that he would. When I first got my Z-Best and plugged in, I was amazed by its solid lower-midrange power. The first thing I thought of was Robben Ford playing his ES-335 with the Yellowjackets at Montreux 1981, the distinctive tone he had. Did he play a Dumble back then? ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA06F7niviQ )
( . . . ) The first thing I thought of was Robben Ford playing his ES-335 with the Yellowjackets at Montreux 1981, the distinctive tone he had. Did he play a Dumble back then? ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA06F7niviQ )
I suppose it's bad form to quote my own posting, but I just want to say if any of Robben's people read this, please don't make YouTube pull that video clip. It's probably my favorite YouTube clip, and it's been responsible for me buying three of Robben's CDs and one of the Yellowjackets, with more to come. I'd like to see Robben in concert someday. Don't think of it as copyright infringement, think of it as free marketing. I come back to it and watch it and some other Robben clips over again. It's nice that they are available.
Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 32 Location: the Netherlands
Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:54 am Post subject:
No, he didn't.
In the other video on Youtube from the same concert they played Rush Hour (also great playing btw), and somewhere in the middle you can see a Yamaha amp half hidden behind the piano.
For a short time he played a Yamaha 100 watt amp with Electrovoice speakers.
Those Yamaha amps had silvery knobs and a silver coloured grillcloth.
I think Mike
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It is also a bit naughty what Dr.Z has done as far as giving the