Kid Ramos.........

OldSchool · #1 11-24-2008, 05:15 AM

Just another Great player I really admire. He seems to like the band atmosphere but I really dig his solo work. 2 hands 1 heart might be in my Top 10 blues albums of all time.

mrkenny · #2 11-24-2008, 10:55 AM

Yeah, BIG thumbs up for Kid. His playing inspires me. There's a T-Birds DVD called "Invitation Only" with Ramos on guitar. From that disc they cover T-Bone Walkers "Hustle Is On", Kid throws down with an old ES 5, I really dig his playing.

OldSchool · #3 11-24-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrkenny

Yeah, BIG thumbs up for Kid. His playing inspires me. There's a T-Birds DVD called "Invitation Only" with Ramos on guitar. From that disc they cover T-Bone Walkers "Hustle Is On", Kid throws down with an old ES 5, I really dig his playing.

The guy is like a Time warp back from 1957 with his hair , playing, gear and style. Anyone ever see him play live? An old ES 5 huh? Cool. I thought he favored Esquires alot. I'm not really sure. I think he just used strats for when he was in the Tbirds. Can anyone else exband on his gear?

P.J. · #4 01-01-2010, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSchool

The guy is like a Time warp back from 1957 with his hair , playing, gear and style. Anyone ever see him play live? An old ES 5 huh? Cool. I thought he favored Esquires alot. I'm not really sure. I think he just used strats for when he was in the Tbirds. Can anyone else exband on his gear?

I saw him and Duke when they were in the T-birds. They were cool but I missed Jimmy.

=-) PJ

musicofanatic · #5 01-01-2010, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.J.

I saw him and Duke when they were in the T-birds. They were cool but I missed Jimmy.

=-) PJ

You must be thinking of Kid Bangham, as Ramos and Robillard were never in the tbirds at the same time. "The guy is like a Time warp back from 1957 with his hair , playing, gear and style" would describe Bangham, too (and similar first "name"), but I can't see Bangham bench-pressing 250!! Bangham is a certified blues-strat-monster, and as much as I loved Jimmie, never missed him when Bangham played!

I love Ramos; great player and swell fella. The first time I filled in for Willie in the Tbirds, Wilson sent me up to Ramos's room to have him school me on the "hits" (Wrap it Up, etc.). Kid asks me, "What kind of show are we playing tonight?". I replied that I thought it was a blues festival. Kid says "Then we won't be playing any of that crap. You know all the regular sh*t", and we sat and watched classic boxing on espn (Kid loves boxing!) all afternoon. Mr and Mrs Ramos came out to a show I did at the Boogaloo, like regular blues music fans-not looking to sit in, cut heads, or be seen. Humble, cool, great musician!!

Happy 2010.

Robert Cooper · #6 01-05-2010, 09:07 PM

I recently remembered Kid telling me about a cool little amp he bought for his son. It was the Vox Pathfinder. Knowing that he is now using this little $120.00 amp along with his Fender Pro Jr. for smaller gigs, I recently picked one up. I am amazed at the tone this little cheap solid state amp puts out. After a couple hours of breaking the speaker in I must say that it sounds much better then most of the lower powered "tube" amps out there. I know Kid is very particular about the amps he uses and I now know why he uses one of these occasionally. This is one sleeper of an amp that any "Old School" player would appreciate. I personally have a nice stable desireable amps, and this Vox Pathfinder is a welcome addition.

tommc · #7 01-06-2010, 01:19 AM

OK, I never even considered lookng at a Vox solid state amp until I read this thread. Now I've done a little research and the Harmony reviews are overwhelming positive. For the price of a pedal, $120, seems like it's worth a try. Think I'll pick one up at GC for a test drive, since you can take things back for a full refund anyway. I'm sure it's not going to put any boutiuqe builders out of business, but it might be fun... Stay tuned.

stevieboy · #8 11-24-2008, 05:31 PM

He's a local boy around here. I've seen him play local club dates with Lynwood Slim three or four times. All strat. One night he had the esquire he used in the T Birds DVD, but he didn't play it. One of his solo CD's lists the gear he uses on each tune--like many guitar guys, he likes a lot of different things. But I think lately he's favored strats. I've read that he has sold the esquire he used in the DVD.

He uses a Vox amp (AC30? I'm not that familiar with the Vox's) I think on the T Birds DVD he uses one plus a brown Fender. One night when I saw him he was using the Vox but it crapped out. It so happened that I had meet some guys from the TDPRI there (hoping to hear the esquire!) and with them was the guy who makes Overbuilt amps. He had one in his car and brought it in so Kid could finish the night.

If you haven't, check out the Mannish Boys, Kid is on I think all but the first of their albums, sharing duties with Kirk Fletcher and Franck Goldwasser.

He's also in a band called Los Fabulocos, which is a sort of a roots rock band with a strong Mexican flavor. http://deltagrooveproductions.com/mu...cos/audio.html

mr tom · #9 11-25-2008, 06:36 AM

Great player, great tone. I almost couldn't believe he played through TWO AC30s one of the times I caught him with the Thunderbirds (great lineup, with Stephen Hodges and Willie Campbell and Gene Taylor!).

OldSchool · #10 11-25-2008, 11:22 AM

So its looking like he is a Vox man. I never would have thought that. From what I heard (never saw him play live)I always thought Esquire/Bassman through a vintage reverb. Cool.

mrkenny · #11 11-25-2008, 12:09 PM

I met him once and saw him play with the T-Birds, seemed like a good guy, great player. Actually he's plays guitar on a lot of peoples projects,James Harmon, Lynwood Slim, T-Birds, Wilson's solo projects, Mannish Boys, etc. I'm sure, if your interested, you could search out his discography.
He was using an AC 30, a Brownface Bandmaster and Fender Reverb unit when I saw him.

OldSchool · #12 11-25-2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrkenny

I met him once and saw him play with the T-Birds, seemed like a good guy, great player. Actually he's plays guitar on a lot of peoples projects,James Harmon, Lynwood Slim, T-Birds, Wilson's solo projects, Mannish Boys, etc. I'm sure, if your interested, you could search out his discography.
He was using an AC 30, a Brownface Bandmaster and Fender Reverb unit when I saw him.

ahhh. So he does use a outboard Reverb unit? I knew that didn't sound like a striaght ahead pan to me. That sounds like a great Mix right there. el84's and 6L6's............

straightblues · #13 11-30-2008, 07:23 PM

He is a strat and esquire player. Yes he does use a Vox. Yes he does like the reverb. He has great tone live. I have seen him many times.

Here is classic Kid Ramos playing (bad picture great sound). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXEdUiZbWUc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8k_3...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-gnH...eature=related

OldSchool · #14 11-30-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by straightblues

He is a strat and esquire player. Yes he does use a Vox. Yes he does like the reverb. He has great tone live. I have seen him many times.

Here is classic Kid Ramos playing (bad picture great sound). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXEdUiZbWUc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8k_3...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-gnH...eature=related

Great links and even greater playing! The man is not a stranger to a set of dumbells either! Its great to see a Bluseman who is the picture of health rather then some guy with a long ciggie sticking out of his mouth half in the bag.

Robert Cooper · #15 12-31-2009, 01:28 AM

I've personally known Kid for over 20 yrs, as we were workout partners at Needham's Gym in Anaheim in the early '80's. Being a Robben Ford fan at the time, Kid introduced me to the real stuff. At the time Kid was playing along side Hollywood Fats in the James Harman Band. What a great opportunity it was to see these two great guitarists together, in a great band. Though I rarely see or talk to him now, as I have moved to Arizona, I consider him a dear and valued friend. Probably one of the most humble and down to earth people I've met in my lifetime. Especially considering his massive talent. Over the years I've seen him use many different guitars and amps. In the Harman days I saw him use Strats, Danelectros, Gibson L5's, Fender Super Reverbs, And Marshall amps. All with great results. More recently I think he has settled on the Vox AC30's and a Fender outboard reverb tank. In fact the last time I saw him he was using a Strat, an Esquire a Sub-Sonic (Baritone) Telecaster and a Guild Archtop thru Fender Pro Junior and a Vox Pathfinder together miked. Sounded great as usual. Kid is one of those gifted artists that sounds great whatever he plays thru. His great sound is just in his bones and his soul. A truly gifted musician and person.