Robben Ford Discussion

[lemonjefferson]

what happened to Robbens Esprit that he used on TTYD, Blue Line album and Mystic Mile?

quote from Robben about the Signature models: "I only have one today - a much later model."

All I know is that it was the prototype made by Dan Smith and John Carruthers and that it had a Nitro finish as opossed to the poly finish that the Esprit Ultra and later Robben Ford signatures had. Also I heard from one source it was actually handmade by Carruthers as the template for the Ibanez factory to make esprt ultra models in Japan.

[richardmca]

I don't know if we are talking about the same thing here, but I have a RF Ultra FM signature model from the Corona shop, serial 004. It was built by Gene Baker, and Gene told me that Robben took 002 and 003, which he also built. 004 was used by Fender at shows, then bought and kept under the stairs until I got it. Gene didn't say what happened to 001, but by implication it didn't go to Robben.

So according to both John Page and Gene, not all the RF models in the Corona shop were built by Greg Fessler (as wrongly stated by a current listing for a 2010 model on ebay). In fact Gene told me some interesting things about the carving on the models he made, and about what happened to the quality later in the run.

None of this tells you 'what happened' to the guitar but maybe it was either 002 or 003?
_________________
'Think of a note, then don't play it' - Miles Davis on the art of improvisation. Or, as adapted for my own use: 'Think of a note, then realise you can't play it.'

[lemonjefferson]

many thanks for this info this is quite interesting!

I was actually referring to his first Ultra/SP the one that kicked of the japanese/ibanez made ones.

I think he used that on all the albums up until Handful of Blues or Supernatural.

many thanks indeed