Why Dumble?

[212Mavguy]

Dumble did a variety of amps. Some of his earlier ones were Bass amps, with some Ampeg SVT influence in the PI section, but mainly the Bassman circuit was the daddy for his conversions, as well as the 80's ODS series, the Bassman iron was about the beefiest 2x6l6 iron Fender used.

 

[rfrakes]

I am trying to decide whether I should mod my 64 Bassman to a Dumble using Fargen. The Dumble is cool on its own, but still not Dumble. I wonder can they mod the Bassman to either Steel String Sing or ODS?

The best, Ron

 

[212Mavguy]

There are folks who can do that. Bassman/ODS is a no brainer to the right builder, See the Marsh Overlord. I have one in 50w and it's great. The SSS circit is very complicated and has several feedback loops as well as the entire inductor thang, It's reverb circuit is also more complicated than most, so it can be very expensive to prototype an amp using that topology.

A good bet would be Tony Albany at VVT amplification. He is one of several American "serious" D-circuit expert and is familiar with the problem solving doing them up as one off eyelet board builds or successfully adapting them to more cost effective mass production, but high quality.

His X-40 is very reasonably priced, wonderful sounding, and very controllable for the player, tone palette is huge. New one of those would be probably competitive value to a conversion dollarwise. Resale value is high percentage of new price on those. Another builder of D-circuits from donor chassis/iron that has got the conversion thang DOWN with great results for the money is Fuchs Amplification. Andy is a good monster. Also the tone giants like Henry at Red Plate, Shad Damron at Quinnamps, others I forgot, and the folks at Two Rock, of course.

There has never been a better time than today to pick up a boutique handwired tube guitar amp, the market is flooded and it's a buyer's heyday.

 

[rfrakes]

I saw Fargen on some other Blog. I emailed him and he wants the bassman version and if ther were any mods done I wanted to know a Ballpark of what it would cost to convert. It sounds good the way it is, but it is not a Dumble.

Thanks, Ron

 

[okgb]

And as always , there is nothing like being loud
It needs to be Loud , to be Loud [ at least enough to make things " Live " ]
that , helps out most demo's of things .

I remember seeing Robben playing a tele into a fender sitting in on a David sanbourn t.v. show
thin as anything , anyone know how much of the time he uses the zen drive ?

 

[Given To Fly]

This may be blasphemy but, from what I've heard, Dumbles have TOO much tone. I understand why people love them (they do sound great) but I prefer a little bit of edge to an instruments tone. The best way I can describe the Dumbles I have heard (which aren't many) is "pleasing." Am I mistaken or are they a one trick pony regardless of how amazing that one trick might be? Either way if I had $30,000 to spend on an amp I'd buy a classical concert guitar.

 

[ReverbIsANoun]

Why is it that no one can seem to replicate this amp? Why can no one get us the Dumble tone for less than $30,000?

Supposedly, Bludotone makes the closest thing to a real Dumble Overdrive. Someone has one on The Gear Page for $3500 presently.

That being said, many come very close, Ceriatone, Fuchs, Redplate, Glaswerks, Sebago Sound etc.

Redplate just might be a better amp than Dumbles ever were, no Dumbleator loop box needed.

 

[rfrakes]

I assume that Howard is controlling these through copyright litigation. Hence the large cost. A few years back I was digging for schematics on Dumbles. I got a warning from Howard that he didn't want me flooding the internet with schematics. I live in a small farm town and the likelihood that I will ever get to play through 1 is nil. Now that my LSS was fixed at the factory, I need to be happy with it as $30,000 is way too rich for my blood.

 

[KiwiJoe]

I assume that Howard is controlling these through copyright litigation. Hence the large cost. A few years back I was digging for schematics on Dumbles. I got a warning from Howard that he didn't want me flooding the internet with schematics. I live in a small farm town and the likelihood that I will ever get to play through 1 is nil. Now that my LSS was fixed at the factory, I need to be happy with it as $30,000 is way too rich for my blood.

I'm not sure where you get this $30,000 from. Most of the real Dumbles being resold now are in the $50,000-100,000 range, but the quality clones cost far less than $30,000. Arguably the best are Bludotone and Fuchs. Larry Carlton has stopped touring with his Dumble and has been using a Bludotone "Bludodrive", their take on the Overdrive Special (ODS) circuit, for several years now. Last time I checked the Bludotone site I think the head is going for under $4,000. Not cheap, but certainly "within reach".

 

[tonedragon]

I always heard the Dumble amps kinda sounded like a silverface and a blackface cranked alitttle, but then you have people say ohhh the cleans.
All the ones I've heard have been recorded and they sound like a fender just breaking up.
I get that they are rare but come on just the same old bassman circuit re-done ...again.
Am I missing something. Cause I could be dead wrong...I mean cause I've never seen one ,let alone heard one live.
FUCHS is kinda like the new dumble as far as artist using them and talking dumble like tones.

 

[Markedman]

I'm surprised you didn't know, Dumble's are worth so much because they're made from "unobtainium."

 

[RR]

I always heard the Dumble amps kinda sounded like a silverface and a blackface cranked alitttle, but then you have people say ohhh the cleans.
All the ones I've heard have been recorded and they sound like a fender just breaking up.
I get that they are rare but come on just the same old bassman circuit re-done ...again.
Am I missing something. Cause I could be dead wrong...I mean cause I've never seen one ,let alone heard one live.
FUCHS is kinda like the new dumble as far as artist using them and talking dumble like tones.

Hearing them recorded (Robben Ford, John Mayer, Larry Carlton went with some Dumble clone nowadays), I agree, something like old cranked up Fender with a pre-overdrive or sustainer or compressor stomp box. Personally, the sustain sound over exaggerated. Rather hear an old Fender, Vox, Marshall or Hiwatt. => but that's my opinion. :wink:

 

[Brad737]

I know most guys love them, but I'm not a huge fan of the recordings I've heard...at least the ones I know are Dumbles. I sure would like to try one though.

 

[KiwiJoe]

I know most guys love them, but I'm not a huge fan of the recordings I've heard...at least the ones I know are Dumbles.

You didn't say which recordings you've heard, but the following is not what people usually associate with "the Dumble tone" or the style of music that's usually associated with that tone.

This is a Dumble 50W ODS with a true master pilot at the helm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAbbgSKUZB4