Hello all! My name is Sam Ralbovsky and I play
guitar in the Adirondack jam band The Hasbens
(The band that has Bens. We have two)
Instagram: @thehasbensband
Facebook: The Hasbens
How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place?
I first picked up the guitar when I was in the fifth grade. The guitar, at that time, was an escape from the monotony of trudging through each Suzuki piano book I was assigned pieces from while taking classical lessons. My dad is a guitar player who favors 12 string acoustics so there was always an old Fender 12er laying around the house. Once I made the decision to try to pick it up, choosing the songs I wanted to learn was entirely on my own terms which felt incredibly liberating when paired next to my prior experiences with playing music. That old 12 string is the instrument I learned my first chords and songs on until I got a Jay Turser Strat copy the following Christmas.
Who have been some of your major musical influences, past or present?
My earliest musical influence, like it or not, was the Dave Matthews Band. Being the third youngest of thirteen cousins and born in 1996, it was impossible not to cross paths with that music. Always being the young kid trying to be “cool” at family reunions, DMB tunes were the ones I would have practiced as an attempt to be like “you’re 15 years older than me but hey, not so different you and I”. That being said, that music showed me the importance of really dialing in rhythmic playing and was sort of a gateway into the jam world at a super young age. Trey Anastasio of Phish was my first standout “guitar hero” though. Seeing Phish for the first time completely changed the way I thought of dynamic guitar playing, building as a unit, composition, and also just music fandom as a community. Until that point, I had never gotten such an exhilarating rush from listening to a guitar player bob and weave his way through a jam, building tension to then release it at the perfect time via what seemed like telepathic communication with the rest of the band. That band has forever changed the way I listen to music and the way I listen while playing with other musicians. That aside, Duane Allman was a big one for me as far as feel. Derek Trucks rips my heart out and, if I can capture 1% of the emotion in his playing in my own, I’ll be a happy man. Recently though, Rick Mitarotonda of Goose is my favorite guitar player. That dude’s phrasing is the best I’ve ever heard and makes me feel the same way as Trey’s playing at that first show. His playing is so vocal and expressive while simultaneously being face scruntchingly filthy. Man, I love that band.
What drew you to using pedals initially? Have you been using them throughout your playing career? How have pedals helped to shape your sound, or influence the style that you’ve created?
The first pedal I ever owned was a DigiTech RP-50 shortly after getting that Jay Turser. The sounds in that thing are far from good but there were pre programmed drum loops built in which were entertaining. That then led to a TS9 and a Boss Looper. Those two definitely sparked the addiction and I’m now running 11 pedals on my main board. I’ve always thought of effects as being the second half of emulating your favorite player’s playing. Once you have your fingers under the way your idols play, achieving the same tone that accompanies those licks or that style is a very visceral experience. Many things on my board can be directly tied to influences of mine. I use a Lovepedal Eternity because Rick from Goose uses one, I have a Maxon VOP9 to pair with it because stacking two TS type pedals gets you the Trey thing, exct exct.
What’s your current setup look like? Take us through your pedal rig (feel free to include amps and instruments as well if you’d like):
Signal Chain: Dunlop Cry Baby Wah > JHS Smiley > Korg Pitchblack Tuner > MXR Univibe > Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus > Maxon VOP9 > Lovepedal COT 50/ Eternity Stack > RYRA Klone > Lovepedal Rubber Chicken > Boss DD-200 > TC Electronic Hall of Fame 2
Amp: Fender Twin Reverb Tone Master. I used a 65 reissue for awhile but, as a musician who can only afford one amp and needs it to be reliable, the tone master replaced my 65 reissue and will be my #1 for the foreseeable future. Fender knocked it out of the park with that amp.
Guitars: D’Angelico DC Boardwalk with Seymour Duncan Hot P90s, 1998 Fender Classic 50s Stratocaster
Favorite type of pedal (drive, delay, fuzz, etc. – more than one answer is always acceptable!):
Of all time: Overdrive. Most inspiring pedal in a live context recently has been an envelope filter.
You’re stranded on a desert island – name 3 (of each) instruments, amps and pedals you couldn’t live without:
Instruments: Stratocaster
Amps: Fender Twin
Pedals: Ryra Klone, Boss DD-200 (built in looper is a big plus), and Hall of Fame 2
Covid-19 has obviously affected us all – how have you as a musician been able to stay positive and upbeat? What’s up next for you/your band(s), as far as concerts/live streams/etc.?
It was pretty rough at first. We had quite a few show opportunities that I was really excited about but, once I was done being bummed about that, I played guitar everyday for hours each day which has left me for the better. I’m more inspired by the instrument than I have been in awhile so I’m just riding that excitement out and trying to get better each day. As far as all things involving The Hasbens, we just recorded and released our new EP entitled “Sortie 37 EP” which is currently available on all streaming platforms. I needed that project man. Recording and releasing that EP gave me so much to look forward to and be proud of musically.
The Klon hype: Love it or Hate it?
You’ll never see me with a real one. But I have a damn good klone on my board, and it’s always on.
Any last comments, promos or anything you’d like to talk about?
Go check out all things The Hasbens on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Sortie 37 EP is out now – and if you fall over the edge, don’t reach for the ledge, because you’ll spring right back just like a million slinkies! Cheers fellas, thanks for having me!
