Robben Ford Discussion

miniboogee · Member Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 5

Hi there,

I am new to the forum and this question might have been asked before...sorry!

I was wondering if Robben still uses his late 80s/early 90s Fender Custom Shop Tele? It has a smaller 7/8 body and a sunburst finish. Lace Sensor pickups. I think there is a picture of Robben playing this guitar in the Fender Telecaster book (Duchossoir).

I would like too know more about woods, neck profile and other specs, if possible...thanks in advance!

miniboogee

Aeolian · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:27 am Post subject:

There's a new one. Add that to the list of "Robben's guitars though the years". Wonder if that was before or after Robben aquired "Blondie". Has anyone ever seen this guitar live? Might be a Fender contractual thing. Given how lifeless Lace Sensor pickups are, one wouldn't expect him to be using them. But there are some Dumble promotional shots around of HAD sitting in front of one of his amps holding a Lace Sensor or EMG loaded guitar. The 80's were an interesting time.
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henkholland · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:05 am Post subject: Tele

There's an official video called "Leo Fender Tribute" from 1991. Robben is playing 2 duets with Joe Bonamassa. The third song "Cut me to the bone" he played with a unknown Tele. It's looking like the Fender Nashville power Telecaster http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0135000303 But I'm not sure about it.
Henk

Bill Morgan · Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Tele

I've seen a photo somewhere of Robben playing a CS Tele, but I don't remember where. I have never seen him use it live though. It's probably something they made and gave to him, and he used it for a minute and that was the end of it.

Bill

Bill Morgan · Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 1:56 am Post subject: Robben's CS Tele

Here it is. This is from the A.R. Duchossoir book The Fender Telecaster. The picture was taken in Paris (courtesy Christophe Madronna). I don't know the year.

Bill

miniboogee · Member Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 5

This is the guitar, exactly! Seems he parted with it...

I share your opinion regarding the Lace Sensors. These are strange pickups. I have a Strat with 3 Gold´s and it works good for certain "modern style" clean sounds but when you switch to the overdrive channnel - forget it! I can not imagine they worked good for Robben in this Tele.

Perhaps it was kind of a promotion guitar and not "his" instrument.

Many thanks to all of you for your time and answers!

Regards,
Harold
-Germany-

johan · Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 9:57 am Post subject:

I think that's the guitar he used for a VERY short period of time. It had an extra wide body as you probably can see from the pic. It was up for sale on eBay a couple of years ago. I probably have some better pics of it somewhere. I'll do my best to find them...

miniboogee · Member Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 5

That would be fantastic, Johan!!
Greetings,
Harald

johan · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 6:56 am Post subject:

Found them finally!!!

Downloaded them from eBay 22 Oct 2003.

have you ever seen this guitar Daved???

Aeolian · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:40 am Post subject:

Looks pretty. But it's a Nashville Tele (with the third Strat Pickup) and Robben's usually not been a Strat man, at least for a primary gigging guitar. And he does use the neck/bridge selection fairly often on his Tele which is not available on those three pickup versions. That picture also shows pickups with pole pieces instead of Lace Sensors. Wonder if they got changed out. There's also a brass bridge which will make the bridge pickup shrill compared to the steel one in his favorite guitar. Since Robben uses the bridge so much, I can't see him digging that unless some really fat, overwound pickup was put in there. In which case it wouldn't have much life to it either. Lot of supposition on my part, but possible explainations as to why it's not around anymore.

Must be nice to have all these folks building and sending you all kinds of great stuff just hoping you'll play it. Oh well, Robben earned it.
_________________
There are no such things as wrong notes, there's only the look on your face.
My Stuff: www.stevekirbymusic.com

miniboogee · Member Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 5

Great pictures!! It has the old oval cs logo and a four digit number on the back of the headstock which indicates it is a late 80s one-off custom built instrument. The "Nashville" Tele was introduced in the mid-90s. And yes, the pickups have been changed...which was obviously a good decision.

Thank you, Johan!!

ps: do you happen to know who owns it today?

marinblues · Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 10:37 am Post subject:

I remember seeing that Tele on Ebay a couple of years ago.

Marin

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Little Jake · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 1

I'm not convinced it's the same guitar pictured in the two posts, at least not the same neck. In the b/w of Robben, there appears to be an opening for truss rod adjustment at the top of the neck just beyond the nut, not so in the color pictures from e-bay.

miniboogee · Member Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 5

Little Jake, you are right! At least, there is another neck, not sure about the body. The maple top looks similar but the sunburst finish might be slightly different, hard to see on the b/w photo.

pinner · Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 45

Now for sale Lol. not by me

http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-telecaster-custom-custo-1990-sunburst