Robben Ford Discussion

Red Suede · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 8:20 pm Post subject:

[quote="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

[quote="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![/quote][/quote]

I've not heard of this GIT concert DVD. Any way to get it?

jconstant · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:00 pm Post subject:

Bluelobster · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:42 am Post subject:

Yes that was great music . The Strat in between tone. I remember a tape
with a chuck berry cover :talkin' about you... and some great instrumentals.

I too , like very much this périod.

roadwarriorfortheblues · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 6:47 am Post subject:

Bluelobster · Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 10:07 pm Post subject:

Yes , i think so, there was a sentence with these words and " sending a letter to you"before the break. and a great riff. Wink

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Red Suede · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:47 am Post subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jO_0EPTwjM

yebdox · Member Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Posts: 38

[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. ]

It WAS a cool sound... one of the better uses of compression, to my mind, really allowed that strat to sing. (I only recall a standard looking burst with white pickguard (?). Anyway, great playing from that era.

I too, wonder where one could find that DVD (!).

kirk95 · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:10 pm Post subject:

Ok let's try this.... when did Robben have a not so golden tone?

I love the 80's Talk to ya Daughter tones.

I love the all the Blue Line tones.

Tigerwalk is off the freakin charts amazing tones.

All the solo CDs since....

Jing Chi Studio tones amazing.

Jing Chi Live... OMG - I sat right in front of his amp...

Renegade sounds golden to me...

Ok his tone sucked on those early instructional videos - let's admit it... but other than that?
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diatonicdude · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:46 am Post subject:

hipbluescat · Member Joined: 29 Dec 2010 Posts: 7

If you look at the last few years Robben really plays a bunch of vintage guitars with his Dumble.

The Fender Elite based guitars are simply not used anymore. I wonder why he walked away from that style of guitar!