Rob Wienbrock

Ralph Barenthien

James Healey

Born:

1959

in Passaic , New Jersey

USA

1966

in Bordesholm, Schleswig-Holstein

Germany

Family:

Yes

Married, 3 children

Life partner, 2 children

First guitar/bass:

in 1974: Harmony acoustic

in 1978: Gretsch TK-300

in 1992: Encore Stratocaster

First amp:

in 1976: 57' Fender Princeton

in 1978: 1950's Nordmende valve radio

Gorilla 80W solid state

First decent gear:

in 1978:

Gibson RD Standard, 1957 Fender Esquire, Ampeg V4 + Sound City cabs

in 1982:

1981 Ibanez AS-200, Fender Showman 1x15 combo

 

Fender Japan Contemporary Standard Strat

Selmer Treble 'n Bass 50

Plays today:

Several Strats & Telecasters,

Wienbrock ME-5 Combo 212

Several 1940's/50's Gibson archtops, Fender Telecaster & Stratocaster

Wienbrock ME-5 212, Barenthien Bebopper BB7 and BB60, several Matamps

Ibanez JS100

Wienbrock Gringo

Musical influences & favourite musicians:

My influences - in the order they happened to me - were doo-wop music - especially the real street corner stuff, the Ronettes and all the girl groups of that era, the Beatles led British invasion and the millions of bands they inspired - especially all the real deal garage band's that played in garage's, basements and backyard's all over America in the 60's, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, Slade, Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper with Glenn Buxton 1971-2, Cream/ Eric Clapton, Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, Deep Purple/Richie Blackmore, Ted Nugent, Pink Floyd/David Gilmore, Neil Young, Eddie Van Halen, Ramones, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen... all that interdespersed with the constant barrage of country music my folks listened to throughout my life... Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Glenn Campbell, Buck Owens, Roy Clark and all the bands that played at my Uncle Jim's Town Grille Tavern followed by back-catalogue ZZ Top/Billy Gibbons, Chris Rea, Larry Carlton, Joe Bonamassa, Foo Fighters, Kings Of Leon, Coheed and Cambria, everyone I ever played with or recorded for... hard to list them all!

T-Bone Walker, Otis Rush, Duke Robillard, Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, Jim Hall, John Scofield, Bill Evans, Soulive, Steely Dan, Little Feat, James Brown, Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Bryant, Axel Hagen, Lennie Tristano, Nat King Cole, Jamiroquai, Oscar Moore, O'Donel Levy, Johnny Guitar Watson, Django Reinhardt, Rene Thomas, Adrian Ingram, Shelly Manne, Headhunters, Defunkt, Sonny Rollins, Ry Cooder, Theloniuos Monk, Tower Of Power, Meshell Ndegeocello

Steve Morse, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Andy Timmons, Paul Kossoff, Malcolm Young, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Eddie Van Halen, Rory Gallagher, SRV, Joe Pass, Larry Carlton

Favourite movies:

Apocalypse Now (1979)

The Fisher King

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)

The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)

School for Scoundrels (1960)

Starwars (1977)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Return of The Jedi (1983)

Alien (1979)

Aliens (1986)

Blade Runner (1982)

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Hates:

"Cheap stuff, anything badly made, musicians who try to be politicians - I think they should focus on one or the other."

"Phone calls in general, pointless conversations, anti-social behaviour."

Political correctness

Lack of education

Jobs in life:

Prototype wiring for medical and aeronautical equipment, Radio Operator US Air Force, installer for high end Hi-Fi gear, designer for bespoke Audio Distribution products.

Self employed Business and Brand Consultant, in England since 2000. Worked with a number of bands, musicians, book authors, luthiers and amplifier manufacturers, doing design work, branding, strategic sales planning, photography, advertising, marketing, public relations and project management. Worked for Matamp 2004-2006. Collector and expert on vintage Gibson archtops and semis.

Musician & private music teacher

Guitar repairs

Valve amplifier design

The musician:

Played in numerous Bar bands in the USA in the 70s and 80s, several further bands, projects and sessions in the UK 90s-00s

Although a Rock guitarist through and through, Rob played bass when he first started playing in bands.

Played in numerous gigging bands and did several studio and session projects in Germany and England from 1980 onwards.

Does Blues, Jazz, Funk and Soul for fun.

Played in various gigging bands, recorded a few albums

Bachelors Degree in music from Leeds College of Music

...interviewed about vintage guitar investments by Guitarist Magazine's chief editor Mick Taylor for Business Life Magazine:
http://www.babusinesslife.com/Tools/Features/vintage-guitars.html

GUITARSAGOGO www.guitarsagogo.com

Gear owned and played:

Guitar:

Gibson RD Standard, Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, BC Rich Mockingbird, Gordon Smith guitars, numerous Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters

Amp:

Rob has probably played every amp there ever was. Virtually any Fender amp ever made in the 50's and 60's, numerous Marshalls, Ampeg V4, Kitty Hawk, several Mesa Boogies (incl. S.O.B 100 head, Tremoverb), Ampeg Reverb Rocket, Gemini II, HH VS100, etc, etc, etc.............

Guitar:

Virtually hundreds of good old guitars, mainly 1920's to 2000's Gibson archtops and semis from ES-120T to Super 400CES but also Peavey T-60, 70's/80's Ibanez Semis and Jazzers + many many Fenders

Amp:

Lots of Fenders , a few70's/80's Peavey amps, Music Man, several Matamp built Barenthien Bebopper amps, a few Laneys, Mesa Boogie Mk.I, several hand built bespoke valve amps, prototypes, etc, etc, etc.....

Guitar:

Various Fender Strats & Telecasters, Various Gibson Les Pauls and SG's
PRS Custom 24, Old Schecters, Every Ibanez under the sun.

Amp:

Fender Deluxe Reverb, Marshall Plexi Super Bass, Marshall JCM800 2204
Combo, Mesa Boogie Stiletto,
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre-Amp, Carlton Camel, ENGL Screamer, Peavey 5150
II, Marshall JCM900SLX,
Matamp Minimat, Cornford Hurricane, Splawn Competition, Marshall 18w
Combo, Matchless Spitfire,
Trainwreck Express clone, Trainwreck Liverpool Clone and various other
amps I've made.