Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:10 am Post subject: Zendrive used with or without Dumble? And assorted questions
Hi,
I searched many places for this answer, and just joined this forum to find out.
The question is, is the Zendrive used in place of the Dumble Amp to get the Dumble tone, or is it used with the Dumble?
I noticed that Robben is said to use a Dumble, and that he uses it with TC electronics, Lexicon devices, as well as a volume pedal, etc. But it also is said he uses some Fender Amps especially when on the road. Is he using the Zendrive to get the Dumble tone out of the Fender Amps? Or does he use it with the Dumble as well?
Is this the Zendrive solid state, or the Zendrive II tube model?
Does anyone know the current wait time on the Zendrives?
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 943 Location: Terra Firma, Ether Sea
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:51 am Post subject:
Buzzer,
Robben's primary rig of almost 20 years now has been the 100w Dumble Overdrive Special, designed by Alexander Dumble with Robben in mind.
He uses it with a Dumble 2-12 cabinet loaded with Celestion G12-65 speakers and a TC-2290 linked to the Dumble OD thru a Dumbleator FX loop. The TC is used exclusively for a miniscule amount of delay, the only onboard processed effect that he uses. The Lexicon has been gone for over a decade now.
On the floor he uses only an Ernie Ball volume pedal and a Dunlop Wah pedal.
Ideally, this is all he desires to use in a perfect world.
However, aside from the floor pedals, it is not always practicle or feasible to use the Dumble/TC setup (often for short runs overseas or for brief fly-in dates in the States) so, after many years of experimentation, he has settled on the ZenDrive (a device created by Alfonso Hermida, again with Robben in mind) to provide him with the tone he desires when using any amp other than the Dumble.
When he must use an amp other than the Dumble, he prefers a Fender Twin Reverb and/or a Fender Super Reverb, set clean with a small bit of reverb, behind the Zen pedal.
He has tried the Zen thru the Dumble and tho he likes it, he feels the Zen is redundent & unnecessary, so he prefers to use one or the other, rarely together.
As for Zendrive wait times, I do not know. Maybe someone else can help you there or you can contact Alfonso himself, a very personable and supportive person, thru his website... www.HermidaAudio.com.
The Zen he uses and prefers is the 4 knob solid state model. _________________ B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:57 am Post subject: Zendrive used with or without Dumble? And assorted questions
Hi Daved!
Really nice that you responded - and fast! I'm originally from Pittsburgh, but have 5 years in Thailand, where it's 2 AM, and you're probably waiting for the Super Bowl!
I guess you summed up what I was thinking in the following statement:
Quote:
He has tried the Zen thru the Dumble and tho he likes it, he feels the Zen is redundent & unnecessary.
I'm a brandee fresh newbie on this site, but not to Robben. I saw him in the Ice House in Pasadena in '74, or thereabouts, and in the Fillmore in '95. I have most of his records, starting with The Inside Story
I should post this on the Robben discussion. Especially the following. I went to MI - the Musician's Institute, and was in the second class to graduate 1973-74. This was when it went by the laughable name - "The Guitar Institute of Technology". Back then many of the students were Robben fans, and apparently, Robben approached the school, and offered to give a seminar. The misled administration at that time said, No. The reason they gave was they felt he had to mature a bit more as an instructor, and player. They just didn't want to pay him! We booed, groaned and moaned, but they never had him come that year.
Well, he and one of the instructors, Don Mock, really threw that one in their face with the cascade of instructional books and videos that they put out. Go Robben! Yay Don!
Well, don't look down on me, but I just bought a Dumble clone and - get this - a "Kleinulator" - from Ceriatone in Kuala Lumpur.
I have a totally different approach to guitar and can't hold a candle to Robben, but I like the sound of his rig, and think the sound of the Ceriatone sits well with my style - seeing as how I can't get the style.
Right now I'm making decisions on what effects to get. I'm not into heavy effects at all, but do some things that require a reverb, and tremolo. Like John Hammond sings in the Tom Waits song, "I'm stickin' with you baby 'til the money runs out" So this is the time to assemble the "Killer Rig" I'm trying to find an all-in-one effects box with pedals incorporated, but they almost all have amp models, and the presets are just dripping with cheesy effects - many of which I would never use. Or, buy individual units, like the TC 2290 (does anyone make a clone of that? Any suggestions are welcome.
I'm having some Thai's build a couple cabs. One a 1x12 for an EVM12L speaker, which will have a Dumble style "racetrack shaped" opening in the back, and another 2x12 for a couple Celestion Greenbacks. Also with the hole.
I'm going at this cab building undertaking with a lot of guesswork, based on measurements I will guess at from looking at photos. Please, if you know where to find plans for Dumble-style cabs let me know. Apparently Larry Carlton's Equipment Tech says he has a particularly nice cab (on video at the mr335.tv site - in case you're interested) but I have no idea about what it is as he talks about a Dumble tuned "cylindrical baffle".
Daved - I had no idea you were going to answer with all the additional information - but I'm delighted you did! When you see Robben tell him the guy from table #5 at the Ice House says, Hi!
Joined: 12 Aug 2008 Posts: 42 Location: Milano, Italy
Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject:
Quote:
I'm having some Thai's build a couple cabs. One a 1x12 for an EVM12L speaker, which will have a Dumble style "racetrack shaped" opening in the back, and another 2x12 for a couple Celestion Greenbacks. Also with the hole
To go with the Ceriatone OD head, my experience is two 1x12" cabs open back instead of one 2x12"s in a closed ported cab.
Robben uses Celestion G12-65 with a good reason: they're the best sounding for that elusive Dumble/Ceriatone tone. I've just got'em for my new Custom amp and they ROCK!
Excellent price and prompt delivery anywhere in the world from this guys:
Personally, I'm not trying to sound like Robben. Wish I could, but...
I just know that it's a great sounding amp - a friend has one, and it will suit my needs. I presently have a EVM12L and 2 Greenbacks, so that's pretty much what I'm going with, and I'll get my sound out of it - This is a new amp, and I've only had a chance to play it with the Squier Tele. I'm in the process of moving house. When I get my music room set up, besides th Squier, i'm going to try it out with an 18 year old Strat Gk 2 (a midi equipped strat) with Kinman double coils, a Guild Bluesbird, a 1973 Ibanez artist EQ (Steve Miller), then a Gibson solid body 8 string mandolin, and a Fender Mandocaster - 4 string mando. Then a 5 string mando. I always hated it - so I had a luthier take out the frets. Finally, I'm going to see what kind of job it does on Blues and country harp. There is a clip of the Ceriatone OTS (my amp) with a guy getting some pretty good sounds with a 212 cab with a Greenback (just one?) Here's the link...
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:23 am Post subject: Ceriatone
Hi
I have the same amp and fx loop.
I use a Rocktron Xpression. It has a few drawbacks (programming is a b****) but it has an internal mixer. that way you can leave the dry signal unchanged (no a/d converting) just the fx get coverted. and you mix them back in with the analog signal.
I use 2 G12-65's in a cab that can be used both open and closed. I think i like open more. The "specialists" seem to go for the oval opening.
Good luck
Steven, Holland
Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Hanover, PA
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:44 am Post subject:
If you're still looking for a delay unit similar to the TC 2290, check out their D-Two. I have one and absolutely love it - close to the 2290 but much cheaper and only a single rackspace. _________________ Live. Love. Jam.
Personally, I'm not trying to sound like Robben. Wish I could, but...
I just know that it's a great sounding amp - a friend has one, and it will suit my needs. I presently have a EVM12L and 2 Greenbacks, so that's pretty much what I'm going with, and I'll get my sound out of it - This is a new amp, and I've only had a chance to play it with the Squier Tele. I'm in the process of moving house. When I get my music room set up, besides th Squier, i'm going to try it out with an 18 year old Strat Gk 2 (a midi equipped strat) with Kinman double coils, a Guild Bluesbird, a 1973 Ibanez artist EQ (Steve Miller), then a Gibson solid body 8 string mandolin, and a Fender Mandocaster - 4 string mando. Then a 5 string mando. I always hated it - so I had a luthier take out the frets. Finally, I'm going to see what kind of job it does on Blues and country harp. There is a clip of the Ceriatone OTS (my amp) with a guy getting some pretty good sounds with a 212 cab with a Greenback (just one?) Here's the link...
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
Any suggestions are welcome.
-> my stuff