Robben Ford Discussion

Mikka · Member Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 33 Location: Nirvana

Hi !

I wonder if Robben ever used a TS before he begin to use the Zendrive ?
I saw some videos from the 90's where we can see Robben playing on Fender Twin amps and we can see him switching on a OD pedal for his lead parts.

So I ask myself about what brand of pedal it is ?
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PierreL · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

I indeed think it was a TS type pedal at the time, when not using the Dumble.

Mikka · Member Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 33 Location: Nirvana

Hi Pierre,

It's my opinion too, 'cause he sounds like.

Here are two videos from 96' where we can see him on stage playing on Fender Twins :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7GKpp5OKE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz1QnP53esc

Cool

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PierreL · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:38 am Post subject:

Actually I was at that concert in Paris. His tone was HUGE, yet no Dumble in sight. I have read since that for that tour he was using a TS 808 I think.
Incredible concert by the way, Robben was at the top of his game that day, you can see that on the videos. And funnily enough, those videos also come from me, I taped the thing on French cable TV some years ago, then converted it a few years back to share with some other Robben fans, it had to end up on Youtube someday Smile

Sampo · Member Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 42 Location: Finland

I saw Robben here in Finland 1994 playing in Puistoblues-festival -- I remember he had then solidbody version of Fender signature model, two rented redknob-twins and pedalboard with TWO Tube Screamers. Did not sound as good as he did a couple of years earlier with Dumble.

For recorded example, I have Sanne Salomonsen CD called "In New York Minute", in which Robben plays solo to Little Wing and I definitely hear Tube Scremer -type tone there. Great CD, btw.

Mikka · Member Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 33 Location: Nirvana

Thanx for the feedback guys !

So now it's sure, he used and still uses tube screamer.

Cool

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Bluelobster · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:21 am Post subject: yes

I've seen a blue line concert around 92-94, 2 Fender Redknobs, a Boss chorus (probably to split the signal) & the famous tube screamer (1st generation). The awful green with the square button.
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PierreL · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:55 am Post subject:

Mikka · Member Joined: 03 Dec 2008 Posts: 33 Location: Nirvana

Daved · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:02 am Post subject:

Robben no longer uses (nor has he used in many years) a TS.

It's, with very rare exceptions, always a Zen these days.
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Red Suede · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:34 am Post subject:

Robben is flat amazing. I got to hang with him and help him pick out the sunburst Les Paul he used to use. I told him one of my favorite tones was the tone he got on "The Work Song". He looked at me quizzically and said "really" and proceeded to tell me he used none of his own gear, that he used Garth Webber's Super, the Japanese yellow Fender RF that he gave Garth, and Garth's yellow Boss overdrive. Another time I witnessed him at a soundcheck at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz some 20 years ago where he brought just his guitar and used the equipment of a friend of mine named Jerry Cortez (killer player). I watched while Jerry explained the equipment (Boogie, volume pedal, Boss chorus). He fooled with it for a minute or two and proceeded to kill that night. He always figures out a way to come close to his tone.

frank0936 · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:48 am Post subject: tone quest?

Exactly right, RS. When I saw him he ran the Tele directly into a Fender amp (possibly a DR), apologized for not being much of a solo player, and then proceeded to blow us all away!
Frank

bongofury · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:05 am Post subject:

it's all in the fingers, isn't it Wink

frank0936 · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:54 am Post subject: the tone

From that experience - I would have to say yes. I saw Ronnie Earl at the same time and he plugged straight in, too, and made a Strat sound as fat as any guitar I've ever heard.
Frank

bongofury · Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject:

something simular... I few weeks ago I saw John Scofield play with his Piety street band. During a song Scofield broke a string and he didn't have no back-up guitar. He really wanted to finish the song and the only guitar available was some fender strat (used by the keyboard player for a few songs).
So he just picked up the strat and finished the song. I never heard a strat sound so big, fat and so "scofield-ish"

after the song finished he changed the broken string on stage himself (wich took about 10 minutes) saying 'were is my rock-guitar roadie?!?' Laughing