Robben Ford Discussion

Bluelobster · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 7:46 am Post subject: VARIAC , What is that for

Hi Daved, if you have time to answer this question ? I've seen this on your site, if i understand well !!! you use it to match the AC , or frequencies along with countries you're playing in (like in france we are 220 - 50 h)
therefore i wonder if : 1) Is this gear is related to the buzz , fuzz about van halen sound , and in which way, if any ?
2) One of my friend changed something inside my american Seymour Amp
so in don't have to plug anymore in a 110 Transformer, is that good or he must have checked few others things to make it works fine.
Besides the fact this amp was cheap (600) and i played ten years (so he is pretty tired by now) i felt he was not sounding the same way.
Thank You .Blob

marinblues · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:00 am Post subject: Re: VARIAC , What is that for

Bluelobster · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 8:13 am Post subject: Uhhhhhhhhhhh

So, thank u Marin, that's whey i've been told Van Halen was killing his Amps in a very few gigs ????

Aeolian · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:58 am Post subject:

What EVH was doing is lowering the line voltage until the amp operated weirdly. If you lower it enough, you can affect the plate voltages and such. He felt this made the amp spongier and "brown"
It's a horrible thing to do to an amp. The nature of power is that if you lower the voltage the current goes up proportionally (ohms law). This stresses things in the power supply of the amp, transformer, rectifier, ect... and isn't something you should do unless you have someone to repair it regularly.
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Daved · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 2:11 am Post subject:

I use the variac to keep Robben's voltage up. Robben likes the Dumbles performance and sound best at 125 volts. In countires and generator situations where the voltage is excessively low, I use it to bump up to as much voltage as I can get.
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"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

Aeolian · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 6:53 pm Post subject:

Bluelobster · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2003 2:53 am Post subject: Just Blown My amp

I did it it worked fine 5 minuts, the best sound i ever had Razz

then it imploded . It's fun. Almost better than putting a guitar on fire. Laughing

Blob.

marinblues · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2003 3:40 am Post subject: Re: Just Blown My amp

Bluelobster · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2003 3:51 am Post subject: gzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

gggggzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I don't feel that good by now

Thanks.
Oh i've got a mail from Rudy. Very cool Job indeed, you look Handsome.