Robben Ford Discussion

OOF! · Member Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 12

i've got a mid 70's goldtop deluxe that is pretty dark- not due to pickups, it's dark unplugged. any suggestions on a different bridge i could try that would bring out some of the higher frequencies and "ring"? the guitar needs more clarity in the low end. it's probably just the wood, but it has such a nice feel, i want to try to save it. thanks for your help,
david

Bill Morgan

OOF! · Member Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 12

i checked out the pots and found this info. when off, the vol. pots read .108 and .140 ohms (neck/bridge). the tone pots read .042 and .051.
vol. pots have code 1377902 70-034 while the tone pots have code 1377822 71-079
my other lp deluxe -1976- which really really sings has pots that read:
vol. both read .036 ohms
tone both rad .022 ohms
and all 4 have the code 1377605 70-034

maybe i have some funky pots? if the imp. is higher, could it be choking the top end?
thanks for the help,
david

Bill Morgan · Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:46 pm Post subject:

Daved · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:45 am Post subject:

All seems like good advice from Bill, to me.

Modifying tonalities on guitars can be a real can of worms as there are so many variables with some elements being difficult (if not impossible to change- like woods and such).

I am currently working on Derek Trucks backup SG trying to get it in the ballpark tonally with his main show SG. I've gotten the action close (that's the easy part actually Wink

), removed the vibrato mechanism, installed a stop bar tailpeice, and am now working on the electronics as everything else about the two guitars is now very similar.

They play similar now, but still sound radically different.
_________________
B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

JackD · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:55 pm Post subject:

Daved:

It still blows me away that you are working with both Robben and now Derek Trucks. I've known Robben for 22 years, but I just recently (in the last 2-3 years) became hip to Derek. I just love his playing, feel and sound. I think I've seen him perform live 5 times in the last 2 years. He also seems like a good guy. I got the chance to meet him last year.

His wife Susan Tedeschi also kills me--what a voice!! I can only imagine what kind of talent their kids are going to have.

OOF! · Member Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 12

thanks for the tips. i went to the rs website and will order the electronics upgrade as well as a push/pull pot to add coil split. i may be wasting time, because i know the wood is the main cause of the dark sound (it lacks top end when unplugged) but anything i can do to clear it up is worth it- the guitar plays incredibly. 2 questions:
do the cap upgrades make that much of a difference compared to the cheap ones in my 79 deluxe?
shouldn't all 4 pots have the same ID code? i think the tones might be linear, because they don't really brighten until you're halfway thru the travel, until my other deluxe which gets much brighter when the tone goes past 2 (like the volumes). any, thanks very much for your help-
david

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

OOF! · Member Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 12

the RS electronics upgrade made a huge difference - thanks for the tip.
the pots inside were actually 300K for the vol. and 100k for the tones!
the guitar is much brighter now ,( but sadly a bit louder in output- i liked the way the lower output hit my fulldrive pedal). just takes getting used to working the volumes differently.
the guitar still doesn't have that open top-end, but that's clearly the wood. it's really full-bodied now with the new electronics, though.
thanks for the great tip. the guys at RS were very helpful- and they've got a mod for the neck vol. pot that keeps it from getting muddy when you turn down. a cap. with 2 resistors. works great.
david lawrence

UncleSalty · Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 6:38 pm Post subject:

Which RS kit did you get? I'm thinking of doing a similar upgrade on my LP but was kind of overwhelmed by the choices on the RS website.

Cheers

Salty

Bill Morgan · Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 7:50 pm Post subject:

Aeolian · Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 8:35 pm Post subject:

Bill Morgan · Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:18 pm Post subject:

UncleSalty · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject:

Thanks very much, Bill. That's cleared it up. What kind of caps did you find here?

Cheers

Salty

Bill Morgan · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 5:19 pm Post subject: