Robben Ford Discussion

[Phonebooth83]

Interested in how other handle a playing situation/rig set-up that has me puzzled. I've recently got a great but LOUD amp with no master volume or secord channel...A Komet.

It is so loud that I use an "air brake" to lower the volume to play even a small club volume. I play a PRS with a 5 way switch giving me great options of sound, but only one volume control to control this beast.

The amp is fantastic and very touch sensative. I am able to get a great clean sound and a great lead/more distorded sound via my volume knob and a harder attack. But the difference in roll-off of the volume is drastic.

Here is my situation: The overall amp volume between the volume for a clean sound, and turning it back up for a lead or distortion is very different and noticeable...I have to roll the volume off so much to get a clean sound.

I've always used 2 channel amps. And I've always been able to adjust to the difference by having 2 volume controls and using the toggle.

I added an audio taper volume pot on my PRS thinking that might help the volume jump. I've player with using a Keeley compreesor to knock down some of the volume when needing to play more clean.

Are there certain pick-ups that can have a more sudden distortion change with less volume knob tweaking?

I hate to leave this great sounding amp at home and use a lesser amp because it is easier to control.

Never been a fan of Distortion pedals. Someone told me in my type of amp a signal booster type pedal to drive my amp itself might work. I just want the sound of my amp, thinking about the zendrive.

I've heard of db boosts on guitars, is there a db cut?

I'm rambling but hopefully you guys have some advice. I really love the sound of the Komet, but I've never had to tweak so much to try to tame a beast, and frankly I'm pretty ignorant of what is out there.

[Budda]

Part of the "Clean To Mean" Volume Knob On The Guitar Thing, is having the Amp pretty cooking. Then, you keep a lot of the Volume when turning the Guitar down. But, it Clips less, and you get a Cleaner Tone. Having the Amp set to Cleaner Settings doesn't work as well.
And yeah, a good Boost goes well with this Recipe!

Personally, I don't like the Linear Volume and Tone Pots. I prefer the more Radical shifts available with the old fashioned Pots.

Also, a huge part of it all is how you Touch the Guitar. You need to pay particular attention to how hard, as well as where along the Length of the String, that you Pick.
As well as how you Fret the Notes on the Fretboard. A Finger's TIP is Cleaner and more Defined sounding. A Finger's PAD will be Warmer and Fatter sounding. This is a big factor, as well.

Hope this helps!

[Phonebooth83]

Oh, my amp is set to cooking! I can set it up for an excellent lead tone. My problem is that I have to roll off the volume so much to get the clean sound that the resulting clean volume difference is just too much. You mentioned that a boost is part of the equation. Did you mean to say that getting a line/signal boost pedal will help, or where you saying that I'll just have to live with it? LOL!

I'm worried that if I set up the amp for a cleaner tone then use a pedal to get distortion and lead tone my sound will suffer. As I said, I've never been a big fan of any of the pedals I've tried...wondering if a more subtle overdrive like the zen, or a pure signal booster type pedal will be enought just to push my amp to the "sweet Zone" that i'm trying to achieve without changing amps characteristics that I love.

Also my pick-ups are stock on the PRS ( it is from way back, one of his first and it is high quality guitar) and wondering if more modern pick-ups could help.

[Budda]

Yeah, I was talking about a Boost Pedal in line.

Well, if the Amp is already cooking you should be good. Maybe you're expecting it to be too clean. Usually, it's still a little Hairy.
Maybe focus a lot on Touch and how you Attack the Strings.

You could also experiment with a quality Volume Pedal. Maybe a Goodrich.

And yeah, there's no Pedal that's gonna be as sweet sounding as a good Amp! Especially an Amp like a KOMET!

I think you can get where you want to be. It may just be a period of adjustment and learning the ins and outs of your Amp. It takes me a year to really learn about even what a quality Single Channel Amp can do. Seriously! There are a lot of small things that really add up. And how you manipulate them is key to getting what you're looking for.

Hopefully, someone with more specific advice will chime in here. It's hard to work on this kind of thing through the internet!

Anyway, I'm sure you can do it with that Amp. Keep plugging away.

[Phonebooth83]

Your post got me thinking. I use the Komet's "fast" mode almost exclusively because I love that Robben/Peter green sound from the amp, which make the amp extremely touch sensative.

Switched to gradual mode and much of the volume diff went away...much smoother response. More of a Marshall sound. So sounds like it is just me and relearning how to pick. Had to lightly pick at an almost legato level, but was able to achieve beautiful clean tone. Boy, getting a consistent clean sound picking softly is going to be a challenge.

I remember folks telling me that I'd have to really be on top of my technique with the Komet, that you actually have to "play" the amp. They were right. No hiding behind your amp.

To the woodshed!

[Budda]

Bingo! You got it, now. Rock On, Bro!

I have an Amp that makes me VERY aware of every little thing I do. It's glorious/maddening at the same time.

Sometimes, I plug into a different Amp, and think "wow, pretty easy". But, I can't escape the Nuance and Control that the more demanding Amp gives. It's addicting.

[Alienlovefreak69]

I've gotten use to using a volume pedal to do this over the years. I just personally got tired of reaching for the volume knob all the time while I was trying to play certain parts. I typically switch between different style guitars alot on stage so each one has the volume in a different place. Would be much easier if you only used one guitar for this the whole gig. A strat seems to be the easiest since the volume knob is so close to the strings you can use your pinky & still pick at the same time, but not the case with my 335, PRS, Teles, or Steinberger guitars. etc. I think Robben does the same thing since he does use a volume pedal as well & you don't really see him with a strat at all.

Alien

[Daved]

A consideration... if balancing the volumes between individual guitars is a major concern, you might try experimenting with pickup and/or polepiece heights.

Be aware that, I say experiment, because this can also affect tone and response, which may or may not be a good thing depending upon your style or what you are looking for in sound and playability. Note your heights before you begin and then adjust accordingly. Pup height adjusts will not harm your guitar so feel free to tweak.

Depending upon your pup construction, you can compensate individual string balance with adjustable poles, and overall volume, or hi string versus low strings balance, by raising and lowering the pup itself by either one side or both sides equally.

Many musicians, and techs, do not consider that raising and lowering string height because of bridge adjustments or neck bow/truss rod adjusts can also affect the relationship of the string to the pup.

You will usually find a "sweet" spot where the pup height/volume ratio suddenly becomes drastic with minor turns of the adjusting screws. Also, when the pups get close to the strings, the magnets will start pulling on and affecting the string oscillations affecting harmonics and inducing distortions... again, a curse for some, desirable for others... all according to your tastes.

Robben does not generally use his pedal to balance guitars, but rather as an effect and as a mute between songs. I have always adjusted pups for him in those rare instances where balance levels between guitars was an issue and he was generally satisfied with that.
_________________
B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)

[FatTeleTom]

Daved:

Thanks for the contribution. This is something I've sort of been discovering myself, by setting up the pickups on my humbucker-ized Tele to (mostly) match the volume levels of my single-coil Tele.

One follow-up question:
Presumably some volume (fullness?) difference still remains between Robben's humbucker and single coil guitars.

Is that something that you and he would have the FOH sound adjust for to keep levels balanced as he switches guitars? Or do you take more of a set-and-forget approach, where the volume differences will be heard by the audience (and controlled as necessary by Robben)?

[Daved]

No, nothing was ever deliberately set with front of house. That's why a GOOD sound person rides his mixes during the show. The lesser ones set the board and then drink beer and flirt with the girls around their area and bitch when the artist gets pissed cause their monitors suck and the people complain about not hearing certain instruments at various times... lol
_________________
B C-ing U!
( }:-Daved
"This boy's diseased with rhythm!" -Bing Crosby (Road To Rio, '49)