Robben Ford Discussion

[LVC]

Does anybody know the following

1) type of guitar
2) amp
3) pedals

Robben actually used in the recording of the Miller's Son? I can get pretty close with my Fuchs ODS and the ZenDrive -- it would be interesting to know what was actually used on that recording.

For me (and a lot of other folks) -- that is the definitive OD sound -- the holy grail if you will of the RF OD tone.

[Sweet_emotion16]

what kind of guitar are you using?
i really don't know much about the tone he gets there for two reasons: one, is that i dont own anything besides a les paul that Robben uses or has a similarity to Robbens gear and Two, i've never heard that one yet i don't think.

Sorry i couldn't help but my guess it would have to be the guitar, or EQ settings.... could have something to do with the ambience of the room your in as well, if you got really deep into it.
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[LVC]

[llemtt2]

I am not completely sure but in a GP interview more then 10 years ago he said it was a 335 and his ODS (#1), recorded dry with effects (reverb,...) added later at mixdown

teo

[Sweet_emotion16]

whoa man , thats some nice equipment , you got everything besides the delay...
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[Aeolian]

LVC, I don't know if Daved can answer that question. He wasn't with Robben when that track was recorded. And when folks ask Robben at various public appearances, he usually doesn't remember specific set ups unless there is some unique thing to a session that triggers his memory. He has a large quiver of instruments and picks the one that sits in the mix the way he likes at that moment. My vote for that song is the 54 Goldtop Les Paul that along with the Tele is his go-to recording axe. There's a possiblity that it was one of a couple of 345s that he has and used in that era. For instance, he did remember once that Misdirected Blues was a particular 345 because the string falls off the bridge saddle on that guitar and he remembered it happening on that cut. Or it could have been some other obsure piece of wood that Robben may not even have any more.

My guess is that if Robben were to try and walk up to your rig and recreate that tone, he'd probably use the Baker with the coil tap engaged on the bridge pickup, the amp's OD and mid boost on, brite and deep switches off, rock switch on and the tones roughly centered depending on what kind of speaker set up you have. On my Fuch's ODS it would be mids and bass about 1:00 and treble about 12:00. This will result in a fairly bright sound, not like the record at all unless you damp the strings slightly and do some of the other things Robben does that fatten up the sound. Rolling off the highs will result in a static timbre more similar to the record, but the "life" will be gone. It is this combination of a bright rig and his technique that allows Robben to "vowelize" the notes and make the whole song sing.
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