Robben Ford Discussion

juspasinby2003 · Senior Member Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 255

Hi Daved,

If you get a moment, could you please explain how you setup Robben's pickup height (particularly humbuckers)? Is Robben at all fussy about his pickup height?

In addition to the overall pickup height, I am very interested in whether Robben likes the individual pickup pole pieces to be set to certain heights, and, if so, what those heights might be.

Thank you, Daved.

Juspasinby2003 (I gotta change my name!)

Bill Morgan

Daved

Daved

juspasinby2003 · Senior Member Joined: 18 Dec 2003 Posts: 255

Vely eeenteresting! Thank you, Daved.

marinblues · Last edited by marinblues on Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:00 am; edited 1 time in total

Daved · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 11:34 am Post subject:

Marin,

Yes, they are the stock p/u's that came with the guitar.

Sorry, I don't know what brand & model they are. When I have a reason to pull them, I'll see if I can tell and then let you know.
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marinblues · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 12:42 pm Post subject:

Thanks Daved,

if it's a recent LP Historic, chances are that they are Burstbuckers:

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/Historic/LesPaulSeries/59LPStd.htm

I've heard good things about them but haven't had the opportunity to check them out.

Is Robben happy with his LP tone these days?

Marin

P.S. hope to be able to say hello at the upcoming Italian tour. I'll be at the Erba concert on the 19th. Smile

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Daved · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:31 pm Post subject:

Flavum · Member Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Posts: 32

I was under the impression that Robben's Les Paul is a bit older - 1999 vintage or thereabouts. That would mean it has Classic '57 pickups, which despite not being "boutique" are thoroughly acceptable. Especially in Robben's hands. Very Happy

Flavum · Member Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Posts: 32

I was under the impression that Robben's Les Paul is a bit older - 1999 vintage or thereabouts. That would mean it has Classic '57 pickups, which despite not being "boutique" are thoroughly acceptable. Especially in Robben's hands. Very Happy

Daved · Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:57 pm Post subject:

Right you are, Flavum. It is a late '90 issue. And, now that you've jogged my memory a bit, I do believe Robben said something about it having "57" pickups in it.
_________________
B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

marinblues · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:55 am Post subject:

Well if it's a 1999 model then they are probably not Burstbbucker which were first used on USA Gibson in 2000/2001.

Interesting....was the guitar in the shop for 5 years?

I actually had the chance of going to the San Jose GC last year, I probably saw it (I ended up playing a Yamaha Pacifica in the end for some reason).
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Aeolian · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:21 am Post subject:

This brings up an interesting idea about "aging" or breaking in of guitars. Aside from the wood drying out, it's been my experience that vibrating the guitar does it a whole lot of good. Obviously the best way to do this is to play it. I have one of those Epiphone archtops where the spruce is formed into shape instead of carved. While nice for the price, it always sounded kind of thin. Because it looked pretty, I set it in my living room inbetween the stereo speaker and the TV where it was fairly constantly assulted with sound. After about 3 years sitting there I took it out on a lark to use durring the first few songs at a wedding gig. What a magical transformation. The thing sounds way better now than it has a right to.
This even extends to the frequencies the guitar is exposed to. My uncle's guitar, who plays cowboy songs in C and G all the time, sounds noticeably better in those keys than in something completely unrelated like Ab, where it sounds almost new.
If you've ever been in the San Jose Guitar Center, you notice the employees wearing ear plugs to deal with the constant battery of folks wailing away on twenty things at once.
I wonder if hanging there for 4 years resonating to 10,000 versions of Stairway to Heaven helped this guitar to break in faster and behave like a vintage instrument.
BTW, the pickups may be stock, but someone had to replace the leads with four conductor wire in order to hook up that push pot coil tab switch.
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Bluelobster · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 10:32 am Post subject: woodden tones

This idea was once stated in an interview with Joe Satriani, for what i recall he said : the way you play shapes the whole woody thing to ring for , that's why he has some favorite guitars.
As a romantic i am really up with this and i like to think i am infesting my 2000 Korean Epi with MY tone , and i think it's coming .
Soon i'll put a JB in treble and a Vintage 57 in Neck.
Then i will continue to hurt the wood.
Wink