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Post subject: Blend knob
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:53 am
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What year did the Telecasters lose the Blend knob and go to a straight tone control?
Thanks,

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:55 am
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http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/T ... ire_Wiring

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:54 am
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Thanks Chris. That article answered my question. The blend knob was only on the earliest Esquire, Nocaster and Broadkaster guitars (1950 and '51). The reason I asked is that Robben Ford gets a really big sound out of his 1960 Tele and plays mainly on the bridge pickup. I asked him if he rolled the tone off and he said no, both the volume and tone knobs were full on. I wondered if the '60 Tele had the blend knob, too, and he was actually adding the neck pickup to his bridge pickup.

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 2:15 pm
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With Robben you have to bear in mind that he frequently uses his Dumble amplifier, and that's a big part of his sound.
The Dumble amps are built to suit the player.
Robben and Larry (Carlton) once played through each other's Dumble amplifier, and neither of them found that the other's amplifier did anything for them.

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 3:13 pm
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When I heard Robben on this particular occasion, he was playing his Tele through a Fender Deluxe Reverb and it sounded like it always does. I've also heard him play through a twin and a super and he always sounds the same, so the "Dumble theory" doesn't hold much water, imo.

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:26 am
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He probably just knows how to eq an amp :D

There's no doubt in my mind that there's a bit more going on in Robben Ford's sound than a guitar and amp.
Seeing that he uses a G12-65 in his cab is interesting. I've 4 of them in an old Marshall 4x12. They really soften the mid range attack without lessening the midrange. That could be some of it.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/2 ... obben-ford

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:58 am
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The eq could be part of it. Robben doesn't use his Dumble much anymore. He's been seen playing a Red Knob Twin and he often uses both a Twin and Super Reverb together now. I've got close up photos from shows that show the eq settings on his amps. And, of course, the Deluxe Reverb doesn't have a mid range control. I asked Robben how he kept his Tele from sounding ice picky on the bridge and he replied that it is just "great axe".

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:34 am
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This video is quite interesting.
I know Robben has a preference for vintage instruments.

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:06 am
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The typical Fender, Marshall and most Peavey tonestacks are passive. That his amp doesn't have a middle control means that the mids are on full in respect to how the circuit is designed. Not that they're on minimum. The controls only serve to take their frequency range out, not add more of it.
When you see an amp with no mid control and want to emulate it. Set your amps mid control between 7 and max. Most amp designers that use no mid control circuits, keep the mids of the amp high. Cos when you start scooping volume and cut disappear

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:48 am
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I knew that about the tonestacks. I was just pointing out that Robben played on amps both with and without the mid control and sounded pretty much like Robben Ford on all of them. Kinda lends a lot of the credence to the belief that tone is in the hands, doesn't it?

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Post subject: Re: Blend knob
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 4:00 pm
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Well yes, that is undeniable. To date out of thousands of gigs, I've played one where I was allowed to play the amp as well as the guitar. Incendiary. That's my only memory of it.

These guys, all of us in fact. From the 13 year old kid to the ghost of Jimi Hendrix have a sound in our minds. How we get to that sound, how that sound relates to each listener individually. There lies the skill.

I'd really look at softening the mid attack, not the amount of mids. Maybe dropping high mids would work. Whilst keeping the low mids up. Very thick and soft sound to my ears.
Good luck fella

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