Robben Ford Discussion

EastMark · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:11 am Post subject: Daved's ABB Gig

Daved,
Going to see ABB 8-20 in Mansfeild Mass as we do yearly. Hows the gig going for you ? Must be totally different from the GA & F's gig Im sure.
EastMark

Daved · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:55 am Post subject:

The gig goes well. Gregg, Derek, and I are all getting along nicely so it feels comfortable.

Derek & Gregg's personalities are much similar to Robben's, which means things are usually easy going and pleasurable.

Briefly had some sustain pedal problem's with Gregg's Kurzweil, but fixed that and all goes smoothly with the keys.

Gregg uses his Taylor/Crate guitar rig only for "Melissa", which usually only gets played once every 3 or 4 shows. I never really know when he is actually going to play the song, so I always test the setup everyday, and you can usually see it sitting either onstage in the backline or off to the side somewhere, just in case.

Derek has had some tube problems in his amps (2 Fender Super Six's), but with the gratious help of Alexander (Dumble) I've been gradually getting that cleared up. We may start trying some other rigs next leg out tho, because Derek is having a hard time cutting thru the volume of Warren's mega-decible playing.

I've gotten his backup SG to a place where he now actually uses it during the shows on occassion.
Basically, a little at a time, I gutted it, cleaned up the electronics, modded capacitors, replaced the neck pickup (which proved to be 'open') with a new classic 57 along with some worn components, till we're now not only "in the ballpark", but also "on the playing field" with it.

From the audience you can tell the 2 apart in that the main ax originally had a vibrato bar which I hacked off and replaced with a stop-bar, but I cleaned up the remains of the vibrato base and reinstalled it on the guitar for visual athetics so you can plainly see the big chrome plate on the body of the guitar. The backup ax never had a vibrato so it only has the stock stop-bar tailpiece on it.

Now that we have a backup guitar that he'll actually use (which now frees up some available downtime on his main ax), I plan to dress the frets and saddles on his primary SG, build a new nut, and basically get it back to where it quits breaking strings excessively and is again dependable.
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EastMark · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:59 am Post subject:

Sounds like your pretty busy with some housekeeping there Daved ! Derek is a great player.I'll look forward to some good sound it seems at the show.
They're backed up at the Mass show by a big jam band Moe so that will be cool to check out too. Theyre supposed to be fun live.
As always...your responsiveness on questions is amazing.
Thanks! See you in Mansfeild !
EastMark

JohnnyZ · Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:31 am Post subject:

I was at the Manchester, NH show on 7/9, and Derek smoked. And, the setlist was just awesome- like an "olden days" ABB show. Sorry, but the "newer" stuff doesn't do much for me. When they played Hoochie Coochie Man early on, I knew it was going to be a fun night, and it was. Unfortunately, the sound sucked in the Verizon Arena, which is nothing but a concrete and steel hockey rink, but I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent sound quality of the Instant Live cds. Definitely, buy one- you won't regret it.

I'll be at the Mansfield show too. I vowed a couple of years ago never to go back there again because it's a total zoo (the young kids have discovered what a great party an ABB show is at the Tweeter), but I just can't resist, especially after the Manchester show. I think I'll get a Rent-A-Wreck for the night, and wear a football helmet... Smile

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telefunk1 · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 11:26 am Post subject:

Derek uses Super Sixes? Wow - those are hernias waiting to happen! What was Fender thinking when they designed those and the Quad Reverb? What speakers is he putting in those things?

Aeolian · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:20 pm Post subject:

Supposedly, Dereck uses a hodgepodge of speakers in there. Including some Pyle thing that EMI just cloned.
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Buffaloe · Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 6:11 am Post subject:

telefunk1 · Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 6:17 am Post subject:

Buffaloe - I am sure he does not, but someone has to!

A - with 12 speakers to experiment with (using 2 Super Six amps) I bet he could come up with some amazing combinations.

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191

johan · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 5:40 am Post subject:

So Derek is only using a SG straight into a Fender Super Six? Amazing he can get that much dirt and sustain out of that set-up.

I think his Super Six' have the Weber DT-10's. Webers take on the old Pyle (car-speakers) Derek has used for his Super Reverb.

Daved · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:20 pm Post subject:

Daved · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:27 pm Post subject:

Daved · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 4:36 pm Post subject:

FatTeleTom · Senior Member Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 191