Robben Ford Discussion

[Redback]

Now we all know Robben could play an old fruit crate and sound like Robben, right? Though over time, we all notice changes in Robben's sound. This thread is an opportunity to discuss your favorite guitars over the years.

To focus the discussion we can assume out a few constants for contribution to Robben's sound. At the margin, if you take the Dumble to be a constant for his amp tone, his Tele has always been awesome and they are still in use today, so arguably that era is still with us. Also, wanting to avoid the whole "tone is in the fingers' discussion, we can assume Robben's still using his own fingers as well. Then I'm particularly interested in the contribution from the different guitars he has played such as the 80's Fenders, to the Bakers, Sakashta, Larry's Goldtop LP, the latest 335: which you like best and why.

So the question is: What do you consider the Golden Era for Robben's Guitar tone and why?

For me, it is the Fender 80's era guitars based on the John Carruthers prototypes. This was the "A Team of Tone" that produced some amazing guitars that really defined the Robben Ford guitar sound. Those guitars, particularly the Sunburst and Tobacco Burst produced that exquisite and complex sound that first stopped me in my tracks and ask.. Who is that?

Those guitars had all the meat of a solid body, but unlike the ubiquitous blues tone of the day, the chambers liberated the highs which bloomed to produce rich complex characters, enhancing the liveliness of the lines, while providing outstanding dynamic response to touch that gave up so much music in Robben's expert hands. That tone has been much imitated, but never replicated and facsimiles of which can still be heard today on stages large and small all around the world.

Not to diminish any of Robben's other guitars, they are all great in their own right, but nothing since has produced the same uplifting energy of those wonderful instruments.

The caveat: Of course this is very subjective and just one personal view, so please let's all enjoy each other's perspectives and celebrate some great sounds, whatever the comments.
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Creativity is more important than knowledge..

[johan]

Different guitars in the same Dumble amp at gigs get slightly different but similar amazing tones. If you've been to a concert you have probably noticed this.
Through the years, guitars have come and gone but one of the two (?) Dumble amps have always been there. The thing is, they have been through some minor and major changes and sound different today than they did on Talk to your daughter for example.

I like all Blue Line era tones up til Tiger Walk. Some buzzy tones around Blue Moon I never liked but now it's getting better again I think.

[Redback]

Yeah, I am basing my thoughts on hearing Robben live and also on much of the live video, (you can't always be sure what guitar was used on a studio recording). I totally agree the TTYD tones were awesome.

I remember an interview where Robben described the strain on the Fender relationship was at least in part due to the fact he wanted further development of the guitar and Fender held it back.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Robben sat down with John Carruthers until he had all his ideas incorporated and was happy with the build. Tell you one thing for sure, the instrument that would result would produce some amazing music in Robben's hands.. and there would be a line around the block to buy the second one!
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Creativity is more important than knowledge..

[masque]

i dont really know for sure what guitar was being used at what times on his stuido releases but for me I saw him live a year or two ago in nashville and his used his tele most of the night and it was one of the best guitar tones I had ever heard in my life before or since.

[yebdox]

I was just thinking how much I loved Robben's tone in the 80's in clubs in LA when he was playing a strat pretty exclusively for a couple of years. In retrospect, I think there was a Dumble on stage at the time (who knew what THAT was in 1985? - Not me.) with a 2 x12 cab and a rack mount DBX compressor of some kind, and a wah... not sure what else, I think just a boost switch for the dumble, maybe. He had a sparkling, slightly compressed sound that just was so cool, nothing like it ever and not a tone I've ever heard on any of his recorded stuff. I snuck a little stereo Sony microcassette into the clubs most of the time and tried to cop some licks and tunes, still get a sense of that tone from a cheap recording. I just asked Russ Ferrante on his website about a tune I always liked that was never recorded and he remembers it, but didn't recall the name... he was going to check with Robben for me :-)

Anyway, for any fans of Robben who heard him live back then (At My Place, Hop Singh's, etc. around LA) what do you recall about that time period? I thought it was great, but he sounds good, no matter what his set up. I really like that tone on the old black and white outdoor gig on Youtube with a young Landau playing in the band, too... classic early Yellowjackets tone, that was, I think, through a Mesa Mark 1 that I saw him use in Portland on the Inside Story tour in 1980 or so. It must be painful to be so gifted!

[PierreL]

I like the Blue Line Era tones, but the Jing Chi ones are certainly my faves now, particularly the first studio album and the live CD. They are dynamic, sensual, gnarly...well they are alive.
But some recent (live) tones are really cool as well, such as the Leverkusen concert where he plays an old 335, that sounds really great. I also have a recent boot with Larry Carlton that smokes.
I'm not that crazy about the TTYD tones, and the post Tiger Walk ones I was rather disappointed with in general, except for Truth. They sounded more generic than before, less...rich.

[roadwarriorfortheblues]

I think other instruments bring out the real flavor of Robben's guitar tone. Harmonica, played by Andy Just and Mark Ford, adds distinct flavor and influences what is heard beyond what is coming out of Robben's amp. Hearing Robben play live, or on a recording with either of these great harmonica players, is what I consider my favorite RF tone.
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Travelling by train of thought

[mike789]

Maybe I am a lightweight RF fan, but the TigerWalk album to me is the golden tone. Especially the song "Freedom." Listening to that song and hear the clean to the smooth transition to distortion and back to clean is the top to tone control in one song.

[diatonicdude]

[PierreL]

Life Song was just awesome.

[pinner]

These vids have some sweet tone. Two Dumbles and 2 2x12 cabs. Don't see that anymore. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBMC6BHSucY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqn1AnA4CMQ

[roadwarriorfortheblues]

I love the "Ain't Got Nothing But the Blues" video you've linked! Looks like the old Bottom Line Club (RIP).

I've never found the entire show online, but that would be fun to see.
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Travelling by train of thought

[henkholland]

In these days it's easy to find this show on internet. For example:
http://www.rapidshare.net/dl/349512/Robben-Ford---Live-From-Bottom-Line-1990.html

[tedro]

my reply is short: Robben's golden era of tone is NOW. it's never been better.

[ayan]

That was 1984 or so, and the amp was a Dumble in suede covering back then. Agreed, one of his best tones ever, he played a couple of Strats (a vintage one and a modern one with a black pickguard, if I recall correctly). There is a DVD of a couple of concerts at GIT from that era where he's playing with Russell Ferrante, Vinnie Colaiuta and Roscoe Beck, and they sound great. RF switches back and forth between a 335 and a Strat, sounds so good on either one. His playing was way more "lick-based" at that time, and while I have heard him say he prefers his approach these days (which he referred to as "finger painting" or something like that), there's something to be said for the old Robben. He hardly sounds like the same guy if you listed to that VS his contemporary material. Now, at least on that video, on the Strat you can tell he's got the compressor on and pumping hard, big time. He talked about the dBX at the 198X Guitar Player cover story.

Gil