Then again, such skills are kind of what you might expect from a guy who began his career at age 18, playing with blues harp legend Charlie Musselwhite in the late ’60s, then graduated to gigs with Jimmy Witherspoon, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, the Yellowjackets, and Miles Davis. Since turning more toward the blues in the ’90s, he has recorded several albums with Robben Ford & the Blue Line, toured with Gregg Allman and Phil Lesh, and performed with the fusion outfit, Jing Chi.

Ford’s latest release, Truth [Concord], is not only chockfull of ripping solos and rich tones, but also ruminative lyrics. “Too Much” is particularly delectable with its angular leads and electrifying legato passages, and “Peace On My Mind” features fleeting, plaintive bends and sweet, melancholy vocals that lament international unrest without being overtly political.

After so many albums—19 and counting—do you have a set recording approach, or do you feel like you’re still learning?
Well, this time around, I finally discovered what I think is a much more efficient and inspiring way to record solos. In the past, I used to completely redo each take if I made a mistake. But I realized how much that was sapping the momentum and the feeling of spontaneity. Now, I simply play until I get to a point I’m not satisfied with, and then I go back and start from the spot where I crashed. Doing it that way keeps it much more enjoyable and inspiring.

Is your playing still evolving, as well?
The first part of my career—like with the Yellowjackets—was fusion based and pretty technical. Then, when I got into the Blue Line phase, it was much more feel based. Now, I’m really starting to blend the two. One thing I can say, sincerely, is that I feel like this is the best record I’ve ever made. There are people who would probably argue with that, but I think this one has the best songs, the best singing, and the best guitar playing I’ve ever done.

You say you’re just beginning to meld great technique and feel, but your fans have long adored you for blending the two. What, in your mind, has been the secret to forging your own sound?
I just play and try not to think about what I’m doing. However, I really don’t listen to a lot of guitarists—although I do love Joe Pass—because, a lot of the time, their phrasing is very predictable. Guitarists often over-think things. But the problem isn’t that they do or don’t know scales or theory—it’s what they listen to. What you listen to comes out in your playing. I get my inspiration from people like Herbie Hancock, and horn players like Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane because their phrasing is very vocal-like.
Your lead phrasing and chord work are sophisticated and unique—which makes you sound like a schooled player—but you learned completely by ear, and all by yourself.

I know scales and modes—although I can’t name them. But they are really just the bones of a song anyway. And bones aren’t much to look at without the flesh and blood—and the heart and soul. The trick is to get beyond obsession with the bones, and to create a full body of art. You have to learn to—well, I don’t want to say “channel,” because that sounds a little hokey, but it’s close to what I’m getting at.

How would you like to improve as a guitarist in the near term?
Occasionally, I’ll fall into the trap of overplaying—trying to cram too much in there, and trying to say too much too quickly. And that comes from an absence of vocabulary. You’re just kind of saying the same thing over and over—only faster. So I’d like to expand my guitar vocabulary a little bit. I’d like to do more harmonic expansion—get more into a jazz-like area. Because the more you know, the more you have to say, and there’s more potential to say something new. At the same time, some people have too much knowledge, and they’re not saying anything, because they’re just reading through their dictionary, you know? I’ve always tried to avoid that pitfall, but I think I have enough ways to be able to enrich my vocabulary and still keep it musical.

In what way do you imagine expanding your vocabulary?
One thing I’m doing is working with different scales—just real basic stuff, though, because I’m more into atmospherics. I’m more inclined to listen to Middle Eastern music, which is more linear. It’s more like expressing yourself within one chord, but with a different harmonic sense than the traditional blues scale or minor-chord thing.

What are you playing on the road right now?
For a real bluesy tone—like on “You’re Gonna Need a Friend”—I use my ’60 Fender Telecaster. On the album, I also used a ’58 Gibson Les Paul that Larry Carlton loaned me for a while, but I had to give it back because I couldn’t live with the thought that something might happen to it while it was in my care. My main guitar right now is a 24 3/4"-scale Sakashta Noupaul with J.M. Rolph humbuckers that are voiced like late-’50s Gibson PAFs.

What drew you to the Sakashta?
It just feels great, and it has a coil-tap switch, so it’s a great middle ground between the bluesy Tele sound I love and the thicker Gibson humbucker tones.

How about outboard gear?
I use a T.C. Electronic 2290. It’s a really powerful piece of gear, but I only use it for delay. I also use a Hermida Technology Zendrive boost and a Dunlop CryBaby wah. I’m still using Dumble Overdrive Special amps, and Dumble 2x12 cabinets with vintage Celestion Super 65 speakers. I only use the old ones. If they blow, I re-cone them.

Are guitarists too enamored with boutique gear?
Yeah. I think a lot of players are too hung up on it. The best way to develop your own sound is to choose whatever gear you can afford, and then spend a lot of time using it. You really have to wrestle with a guitar and amp for a long time before you find your own voice. You’re not going to find it by searching the world for the perfect amp or guitar.

But some players might counter, “Wait a second—you’ve got Dumble amps and custom guitars.”
I play Dumbles because they are superior amps, and they have a particular oomph and sparkle that other amps don’t have. But I use other amps all the time, too. When I play with my brothers Patrick and Mark in the Ford Brothers band, I use one guitar and a Fender Super Reverb—which sounds great. When I play in Europe, I usually rent a Super Reverb and a Twin Reverb, and they complement each other for a big, fat, wonderful tone. The trick is to go into the first input of the second channel of either amp, and then connect the second input of that same channel to the first input on the other amp. It sounds amazing.

Do you use any of the standard Dumble amp mods? 
No. I might take an amp to Howard and say it needs a little bit more of this or that, but I don’t know what he does to it. They’re pretty much stock.

Have you tried any of the amps that go for the Dumble vibe?
Yeah. Some of them do a really good job with the clean tones, but none of them can touch the Overdrive Special’s overdrive channel.

What’s the biggest challenge of being a revered guitar hero?
Being a nice guy when you’re tired [laughs]. Sometimes, you just don’t have it in you. You really don’t want to talk about guitar stuff again after you just talked about it with somebody else. You know, my gear situation hasn’t changed in 15 or 20 years. I’m still using the same basic amp and the same basic guitar. So I try to create situations where I can really talk to that person—instead of just moving my mouth until I feel like I’ve said enough.