Robben Ford Discussion

Cheebatone · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:38 am Post subject: Robben's Fender (Red Knob) Twin.

Except for the recent tour where he used a Super Reverb, every time I've seen Robben he's used a red knob Twin. From what I've read, these are definitely not regarded as Fender's finest moment. Any idea why Robben likes 'em so much? What does he see in them that no-one else seems to?
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Bluelobster · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:12 am Post subject: blablabla

balabalablablablab balalaleal
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Filmore · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:56 am Post subject:

Hey Cheebatone,

I use a Fender Red Knob for 15 years now and it's a very good amp and sounds so clear and the overdrive from the amp is, I think, one of the best on tube amps ever ! Come to Brussels and I show ya, man !

Greetings,

Filmore

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Filmore

Daved · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:22 pm Post subject:

I asked Robben for you tonight.
His reply was that he felt that was an intelligent question and after some thought he smiled and said he likes them because GENERALLY they tend to have more headroom and clearer low-end.
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Cheebatone · Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 3:46 am Post subject:

Daved (and Robben) - Thank you.

Filmore - Thank you.

Lobster - Steer clear of the brown acid.

Wink

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I first started to play guitar 35 years ago... Trouble is, I had 20 years off in the middle.

Jon07 · Member Joined: 31 May 2007 Posts: 37

Daved - how are you finding the reliability of newer Fender amps? I did post this question on Robben's page rather than yours a while ago by mistake.

I'm tempted to get a new Twin or 65 Twin reissue (simply due to the price compared with the more 'boutique' amps out there) but have heard a number of horror stories regarding reliability so wanted to know whether you have had good experiences lately.

veldt666 · Member Joined: 29 Jul 2003 Posts: 40 Location: Scotland

I too had heard of major reliability issues re the 65 Twin re issue.
But, I bought a secondhand one a few months ago, & love the tone from this amp.
I own two other Twins, (Rivera II series), which are great amps, Larry Carlton used them for a few years, apparently modded by Dumble, but I prefer the full bodied tone of the 65 re issue. And with a Zendrive in front, it's pure kickass Robben tone, honest.

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191

I may have posted about this elsewhere sometime back, but I had my first real opportunity to play a Twin of any kind earlier this year when our rehearsal studio had one on hand for several weeks.

It was a '65 reissue, and even barely cracked open in a small room, it sounded wonderful. Kicking on my Barber Small Fry pedal gave me a very nice Robben-esque tone. My Tele sounded especially tasty with that combo.

By reputation, I had expected a Twin to be too damn loud, heavily mid-scooped and bright, but that wasn't the case at all.

It sounded great at low volumes, and it was easy to dial in a very nice, big, round punchy clean sound with balanced lows, mids, and highs.

Throw in the sweet sing and mids from the Small Fry, and I felt like I was getting a big chunk of that Dumble recipe. I immediately understood why Robben gravitates to Twins with an overdrive pedal when not traveling with a Dumble.

It's not all that different from what I get with my 40 watt Traynor YCV, but the two 12s and all that headroom add an extra something special.

Granted, this was all at fairly low rehearsal volumes, but I had no doubts that it would translate easily to a stage setting.

A used TRRI is definitely on my wish list.

JackD · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

Actually, I think you can get these red know twins for a reasonable price. I think I might pick one up for fun!

Cheebatone · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:31 am Post subject:

Daved · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 5:14 am Post subject:

Generally I have very little problems with newer Fenders.
If anything, older rental Fenders are usually poorly maintained leaving me with my hands full trying to make them even barely operable.
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B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

Leftbender · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 12:23 am Post subject:

I always loved Twin's and they never let me down. Both Twin Reverbs as Red Knob's and Evil Twins are very reliable. But like Daved noted, they all have to be maintained. I find the Red Knob as one of the finest sounding amps ever been on the market! Robben once noted it would be his second amp of choice after the Dumble. On thing I definitely don't like in every Twin are the standard Fender speakers. They suck! Old Twin Reverbs optional came with the 'orange bell' JBL's that sounded great. In Red Knob's and Evil Twins I prefer to change the standard ones for Celestions (or what you find best).
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ZenOvertone · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:14 am Post subject:

I have a few Fenders and my only problem with the new ones (with the PCB's) has been the tubes failing quickly. My Deluxe RI output tubes failed almost immediately but runs fine with a set of cheaper EH's (apparently the same tube as the GT, which has Electro Harmonix printed under the GT logo...).

The Blues Deville I have has had the input jack design fault corrected with a decent switchcraft model (anyone who has a Deville/Blues Junior will encounter the same problem in time as the jack works it's way loose on the PCB)

maxvsf · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

frank0936 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: New Fenders

Zen if you look on the website that is devoted to Blues Jr. mods, they claim that the Blues Jr. has the bias running way too hot which would cause premature tube failure. That may be true of other models as well. I have a Blues Jr. and have had no trouble with either the input jack or the tubes over several years of gigging with it - but maybe I'm just lucky!
Frank