Robben Ford Discussion

Bad Juju · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA

I just saw Robben at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, PA on 2/6/09. What an incredible show...

I got a shot of his pedals - bare bones setup, yet toneful as all get out! There was:

Volume pedal (tuner out to Dean Markley tuner) > Cry Baby > MXR ?

Here's the unknown MXR pedal Robben was using at the concert. MXR does not have a pedal that matches it's appearance on their site, however, with the advent of their custom shop, maybe it is a one-off for Robben?

It looks like a Super Comp box, but the script around the button and no name makes me think otherwise.

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frank0936 · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:42 am Post subject: MXR

Possibly a delay - maybe a custom version of their Carbon Copy delay pedal?
Frank

Bad Juju · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA

frank0936 · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:37 am Post subject: MXR

Hmmmm. Robben usually uses the Zendrive when he doesn't have the Dumble. I wonder if this might be a new overdrive pedal he's trying? I see that the LED is in the wrong place for the Carbon Copy delay and on the knob that would be Robben's lower right it looks like a word that might be "Drive ".
Frank

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

It's also weird that the Dumble has been "now you see it, now you don't" on this tour. Wonder what's up--maybe the Dumble has having issues?

Daved · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:07 pm Post subject:

Have no clue as to what is going on.
I DO know that yesterday Robben e-mailed me and asked me to contact Alf about getting a couple of ZenDrives for Jorma and his tech.
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frank0936 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:55 am Post subject: missing pedal

But isn't it strange that Robben didn't have the Zendrive? That's what makes me think that the MXR pedal is an overdrive pedal, although if that one knob is "drive", Robben has it cranked!
Frank

frank0936 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:56 am Post subject: No name?

I just looked at the photo again. The name is covered up by the Gaffer's tape holding it in position.
Frank

Bad Juju · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA

I emailed Dunlop/MXR, though I don't know if I should expect to hear back or not.

I think you're right, the tape is covering up the name, but I couldn't find an MXR pedal with the fancy pinstriping around the button.
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frank0936 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:12 am Post subject: mystery

I think the scripting is because it's an older pedal. I seem to remember that MXR used to do some of that.

Bad Juju · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA

From Dunlop/MXR, it's an MXR M86 Classic Distortion, released in low numbers right before Christmas.

There's a few on eBay, check the pics:
http://cgi.ebay.com/MXR-M-86-Classic-Distortion-Pedal-M86-Rare-NIB_W0QQitemZ260358590654QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090207?IMSfp=TL090207133009r36043
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SuperReverb2 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject:

Just a thought on the use of the MXR pedal instead of the Zendrive. While I've noticed that Robben can switch effortlessly (when using his Dumble rig) between his Tele and whatever humbucking equipped guitar he is using, (his Sakashta the last two times I saw him), I've noticed that his Tele tone when using the Zendrive/Super Reverb/Twin Reverb rig is noticeably thinner than the Sakashta with the same rig. I also noticed that his P-90 equipped Gold Top was a quite a bit thinner with his Zendrive/Super Reverb rig, (Jazzbones in Tacoma with the brothers) than it was when I saw him use it last year at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle with his Dumble rig. Considering that the reviews I have read for this current tour have stated that he is only using his Tele and or his P-90 equipped Gold Top, maybe Robben is experimenting with a pedal that is a little "thicker" sounding with the single coil guitars he's using. It's certainly been my experience that the Zendrive seems to favour humbuckers over single coils.

Just a thought. (??)

Smile

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Bad Juju · Member Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA

Sounds like a reasonable explanation to me - his sound was definitely thick with the pedal kicked on.
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frank0936 · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:07 am Post subject: Found!

That's it. I looked on ebay yesterday but I missed the pedal beside that huge box! And it's even reasonably priced.
Thanks,
Frank

wokkel · Member Joined: 31 Jul 2006 Posts: 5

According to a forum specialized in stompboxes..., the pedal is equivalent to the MXR Distortion III, only the enclosure is different.
(And the Zakk Wylde box is almost similar, except for the LED switching)

Nonetheless, thank you for the find and the effort of inquiring MXR.

Harald