Robben Ford Discussion

[JohnnyZ]

This is a spin-off from another post about an upcoming magazine article about Robben where he tells what's his favorite *looking* guitar...

...did you know that Robben's favorite looking guitar is the ES 355?

So, asking for one to four answers here:
- What is your favorite looking guitar?
- What is your favorite sounding guitar?
- What is your favorite playing guitar?
- What is your favorite guitar overall (if you only had to have one)?

This should be interesting, I hope...
_________________
Soul on Eleven

[DaveH]

My favorite player is my Ibanez AS193 semi-hollow, but then, I love the sound of the Lollar P90's on my gold top LP, and the Dimarzio and SD pups on my Esprit sound great too. I've had my gibby V for 32 years, so it's hard to imagine it not being around.

Nope, sorry, I can't decide.

[BlueRunner]

My favorite is whichever my wife has pointed to in a store, on stage, or in a magazine, and said, "For your next guitar, you ought to get one of THOSE." Having a fan like that in the house is one of the keys to our success.
_________________
- BlueRunner

[Phil T]

[frank0936]

Same answer for all 4:
My next one!
Frank

[JohnnyZ]

Holy crap! I didn't realize how difficult it is to answer these until I asked myself! And, I also came up with the same answer for all 4:

It's a tie between my Rickenbacker 620 Jetglo and my Ibanez Artcore AS73 Transparent Cherry...
_________________
Soul on Eleven

[FatTeleTom]

I've got one of those Trans Cherry AS73 too, and it's my best-looking guitar. Sounds pretty good too. I seem to be a "single coil" guy when playing live, so it doesn't get much use outside the bedroom, but I do like it.

Favorite sound/playing? Probably my Glendale Tele

Favorite overall?

I'm probably most strongly attached to my '84 Ibanez Roadstar II RS440 (super-strat style) that I bought new as a teenager.

It's been through a bunch of changes, but really came alive when I replaced the original pickups with a set of Fralin Vintage Hot pickups. I've since reverted back to a humbucker in the bridge, that works nicely with the Fralins.

I keep thinking I'll replace it with a real Strat, but that old Ibby compares pretty favorable to the (admittedly quite good) "affordable" Fenders. I think I'd really need to spend $1,500 or more to get a significantly better Strat.

Mostly, though, it just feels like an old friend whenever I pick it up.

[Millibobs]

I own a motley selection of LP Studio with burstbuckers (but great neck), US butterscotch Tele which just looks somehow the perfect guitar but the one I pick up and play a lot is a cheapo Korean PRS SE Soapbar (singlecut) which is beautifully put together for a $750 guitar and sounds fabulous. Nice wide board, chunky frets, great intonation and mostly stable tuning (but not at tonight's rehearsal for some reason...). I'm thinking about putting some bucker-sized P90's in the LP - any suggestions?

Fact is, that my 'favourite' guitar is a mood-driven, moving feast, like my favourite pedal and my favourite amp!

[nineacres]

If you're after P90s try these people: http://www.irongear.co.uk/irongear_002.htm These are very nice pickups, and don't let the price put you off.
_________________
"Creativeness often consists of merely turning up what is already there. Did you know that right and left shoes were only thought up a little more than a century ago?" - Bernice Fitz-Gibbon 1894-1982

[JackD]

I have a number of wonderful guitars:

'93 ES-335 Dot reissue with Fralin Unbuckers
'67 ES-335
'81 Ibanez AS-200 (Scofield type)
PRS Hollowbody II (w/double 10 tops)
'93 ES-775
Cloud 9 '57 Goldtop Les Paul
'64 SG Jr.
K-line '63 Tele (Dakota Red)
'91 MIJ Fender RF

If I could only keep ONE guitar (thereby implying my favorite), it would be my '93 335 Dot Reissue. That guitar plays and sounds amazing and I can do anything I need to do with that guitar!

[Ron S]

- What is your favorite looking guitar?
- What is your favorite sounding guitar?
- What is your favorite playing guitar?
- What is your favorite guitar overall (if you only had to have one)?

I deliberated over all these questions for a while, if one of the categories was the one you had the most sentimental attachment to I would have been able to say my '77 mocha brown strat. I've had that one for about 11 years and it was my main guitar up until last year.

The answer to all of the questions has to be my JV series '52 reissue tele. Although I have quite a collection of vintage guitars this one from the early 80's is by far the best guitar I own on terms of tone, playability, quality etc. It became my go to guitar for everything from pretty much the day it arrived. We are long past the honeymoon period but even when I try to convince myself I must have a better guitar in my collection, a quick A/B brings me full circle back to that tele.

Going slightly off the point here's a question for Phil T (and anyone else with knowledge of vintage Gibsons), I have a late 60's 335 also but can't pin down the year by the serial number (the info shows between 66-69). Is there anyway of finding out the exact year?

Ron

[Millibobs]

hey Mr Nineacres - I did try that website but couldn't see any humbucker sized P90's. Hope all is well in the frozen North East.....

[Tele295]

I like beat up Telecasters, ES-295s, and lately been on a PRS kick
_________________
You got a motor like a brand new car....

[Rob MacKillop]

I've just added my favourite looking guitar to the front page of my website: www.rmguitar.info - scroll down. Like Robben, it's a 335 - well, a great Yamaha clone but with an ebony neck and coil tapping.

My best playing guitar was a 52 reissue American Tele - kicking myself for selling it when I had no money...

Rob
_________________
www.rmguitar.info

[frank0936]

I can see why that's your favorite. What a beautiful guitar! I guess mine would have to be my late 80's Clapton Strat. It's just such a versatile guitar and plays like a dream.
Frank