Dumbles?

[babybatter]

The latest GP mag has Carlos talking about his new Dumble amp. He loves his boogies for his high end notes, and his dumble for his 'belly' notes.

Are these one of the uber-boutique amps? What are they made of? Are they just slightly cheaper than a new maserati?

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

I think they start at around 10 grand. And at the risk of being pegged a #8, no amp sounds that good to command that sum of money.

[Viktor Johanson]

Yep...ultra-boutique. I´m not sure about what exactly you´re paying for, but I bet they´re nice.

Maseratis are nice, too. They drink way too much, though.

I´m probably never going to own any of these anyways.

:)

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by babybatter
The latest GP mag has Carlos talking about his new Dumble amp. He loves his boogies for his high end notes, and his dumble for his 'belly' notes.

Are these one of the uber-boutique amps? What are they made of? Are they just slightly cheaper than a new maserati?


yes,, they CAN sound that good,, and,, yes, you can buy a car for less than what one would cost you....

to the folks who diss them as not being worth what they always seem to cost.........

they hardly ever come up for re-sale.... so what does THAT say? :eek:

:D

[Viktor Johanson]

I still think Tony Bruno can make you an identical amp for less than $4000 once he figures out all those component values.

[rangerkarlos]

I was told that after you order and pay for a Dumble, you can inquire as to it's progress exactly once. Twice, and it's NO SOUP FOR YOU!

Karlos

[The Eristic]

Alexander Dumble has stopped building amps for folks, unless they're famous. He has kept his designs confidential, to the point of putting orange synthetic goo around his "mystery" preamps, etc... His amps are said to make a sloppy player sound terrible; therefore, only very articulate players like his amps. Personally, the recordings I've heard sound good, but not enough to justify the $12k + that the amps now command.

I'm currently excited about Belov and Komet amps. I'm going to demo a Belov today, and the Komet sometime in the near future.

The Komet was designed by Ken Fischer of Trainwreck fame (the only other modern amp in the price range of Dumbles).

Btw, Two Rock makes the closest thing to a Dumble clone. They start at around $3k, for the "affordable" line and go up very quickly.

Links:

www.kometamps.com
www.belovamps.com
www.two-rock.com

[Steveascott]

Originally posted by Ove
I still think Tony Bruno can make you an identical amp for less than $4000 once he figures out all those component values.

I bet that Fab Amp guy could build you one out of a freeway sign for $150 :p

[Shakkal]

The rarity of the amp adds to it's sale price. In their time they could take a couple of years to build, on order. I have also read what Karlos just posted, that if you inquired about your amp the contract could be automatically made void ... don't know if it's actually true.

I agree that no amp can have a sound that good to cost as much for it's sound alone. Most Dumble clones, as far as I know, cost a few grands but not as much.

Dumble sounds can be found on Robben Ford records, or Larry Carlton for that matter. Eric Johnson used a Dumble for his dirty rythm tones. SRV also used one at some point.

I am currently looking for an OD pedal that can get in the Dumble ballpark (but lacking the complexity, responsiveness, blah, blah, blah) ... maybe the Menatone Howie, Barber Burn Unit or BJF Baby Blue, or I muight just stick to my rather inexpensive Barber Direct Drive.

[Wayrockin1]

I heard some sound clips of a Fuchs that could give the Dumble OD Special a run for it's money. Also sorta pricey, though...

[koiwoi]

Aside from all of the questions of price and availability, the best live guitar tone that I've ever heard (and I've heard most of my "heros" live) was a Baker through a Dumble - played by Robben Ford. Can't describe it, just have to hear it.

I'm sure that there are lots of amps that come close and there are bound to be lots that are better, but I haven't heard them yet. :D

[NervePoet]

Those may look good, but when played in public, they have proven to be inferior amplifiers. Companies like Dumble, Alessandro, and Diezel mean well, but they haven't a clue to what it takes to build an amplifier who's inherent design is to rock hard. The Kramer K15R starts at $74.99 (available at www.musicyo.com) and can accomplish things even the most expensive Dumble, Alessandro, and Diezel amps can only dream of. Here is an explanation of the priceless features of the Kramer K15R:

Technical Specifications: Controls: 1/4" Inputs (Hi and Low)
Overdrive Channel with Drive and Level Controls
Clean Channel with Level Controls
Overdrive/Clean Switch
3-Band EQ (High, Mid, Low)
Reverb Level Control
FX Loop Send/Return (TRS cable NOT included)
Headphone Output
Power Rating: 15 Watts RMS
Speaker: 8" Full-Range
Cabinet: Closed-Back, Black Vinyl Covered with Durable Plastic Corners
Voltage: Works with US 110-120 Volts
Plug: US wall plug-end

Those other amps try to do everything, and that's impossible! They try to do both rock AND country! The Kramer K15R does one thing and does it well: ROCKS HARD! Stop using amps that mean well and start using amps that ROCK HARD!!!

http://www.musicyo.com/product_images/361_full.jpg

[NervePoet]

Originally posted by Wayrockin1
I heard some sound clips of a Fuchs that could give the Dumble OD Special a run for it's money. Also sorta pricey, though...

Did it FUCH HARD?! :D

[koiwoi]

Originally posted by NervePoet
Those may look good, but when played in public, they have proven to be inferior amplifiers. Companies like Dumble, Alessandro, and Diezel mean well, but they haven't a clue to what it takes to build an amplifier who's inherent design is to rock hard. The Kramer K15R starts at $74.99 (available at www.musicyo.com) and can accomplish things even the most expensive Dumble, Alessandro, and Diezel amps can only dream of. Here is an explanation of the priceless features of the Kramer K15R:

Technical Specifications: Controls: 1/4" Inputs (Hi and Low)
Overdrive Channel with Drive and Level Controls
Clean Channel with Level Controls
Overdrive/Clean Switch
3-Band EQ (High, Mid, Low)
Reverb Level Control
FX Loop Send/Return (TRS cable NOT included)
Headphone Output
Power Rating: 15 Watts RMS
Speaker: 8" Full-Range
Cabinet: Closed-Back, Black Vinyl Covered with Durable Plastic Corners
Voltage: Works with US 110-120 Volts
Plug: US wall plug-end

Those other amps try to do everything, and that's impossible! They try to do both rock AND country! The Kramer K15R does one thing and does it well: ROCKS HARD! Stop using amps that mean well and start using amps that ROCK HARD!!!

http://www.musicyo.com/product_images/361_full.jpg WOW!!!! Where can I get my hands on one of these mean machines? ;)

[Wayrockin1]

Originally posted by NervePoet


Did it FUCH HARD?! :D


*snicker* :D

[koiwoi]

Originally posted by Wayrockin1



*snicker* :D Mmmmmmmm Snickers.....

[Steveascott]

The Concrete Block of Rockin' Amps. This Baby can go toe to toe with ANY Kramer!!

This puppy is made to "ROCK STEADY and ROCK ON!!!!!!!"



http://img.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/48/486710.jpg

[Jim Soloway]

Originally posted by The Eristic
I'm currently excited about Belov and Komet amps. I'm going to demo a Belov today, and the Komet sometime in the near future.

The Komet was designed by Ken Fischer of Trainwreck fame (the only other modern amp in the price range of Dumbles).

Btw, Two Rock makes the closest thing to a Dumble clone. They start at around $3k, for the "affordable" line and go up very quickly.

Links:

www.kometamps.com
www.belovamps.com
www.two-rock.com

I tried the Belov amps at the NAMM show last year. I absolutely hated them. They were incapable of producing a single usable clean tone at a volume level loud enough to be functional.

[koiwoi]

Originally posted by Jim Soloway


I tried the Belov amps at the NAMM show last year. I absolutely hated them. They were incapable of producing a single usable clean tone at a volume level loud enough to be functional. True, but I don't think clean tone was one of their design requirements. My Line 6 does great, LOUD, spanky clean, but it can't sound like a Belov being pushed to the brink. :)

[Tag101]

If anyone wants to play an actual Dumble (two of them), make an appointment at Ultrasound Studios in NY. They have two, but you have to make an appointment beforhand to play them. He had four of them, but just sold two to Mr Santana himself, in the last few months. I wanted a Dumble bad, and played three different ones at ultrasound two years ago. The Two Rock Emerald Pro (Now called Topaz) is an exact replica of the best sounding of these three Dumbles. (I have it on tape to prove it) I A\Bd them for aprox 3-4 hours on 3 seperate occasions. You cant tell them apart. If you want a Dumble, buy a Two Rock Topaz or Two Rock Custom. Both clones of slightly different Dumbles. The Opal is more aggressive, and sounded very similar to Genes third Dumble. All Dumbles sound slightly different, as they were tweaked for the individual player.

[Boomer]

Originally posted by Wayrockin1
I heard some sound clips of a Fuchs that could give the Dumble OD Special a run for it's money. Also sorta pricey, though...
The fact is that the Fuchs ODS amplifiers (http://www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com) aren't quite as "pricey" as some of the other Dumble type amps out there, but if you are looking for that sound, Fuchs offers a rebuild of your "donor" amp, almost any silver or blackface Bassman, Bandmaster, Traynor and others, which basically starts from scratch using only the chassis and iron from the donor amp. His modded amp will get you very close to the sound of his production amps ... very close, and your total investment is the donor amp, $250-350 and the mod which starts around $700. It's incredible.

HTH

Boom

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Boomer

The fact is that the Fuchs ODS amplifiers (http://www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com) aren't quite as "pricey" as some of the other Dumble type amps out there, but if you are looking for that sound, Fuchs offers a rebuild of your "donor" amp, almost any silver or blackface Bassman, Bandmaster, Traynor and others, which basically starts from scratch using only the chassis and iron from the donor amp. His modded amp will get you very close to the sound of his production amps ... very close, and your total investment is the donor amp, $250-350 and the mod which starts around $700. It's incredible.

HTH

Boom

Yes! The Fuchs seems like a fantastic bargain! I think if you want to get as close as possible, (or even exceed Dumble in the clean channel) and you dont mind the xtra cash, the Trocks are the answer.

[uv7lng]

The reality is that Dumbles are bullshit. Go get an Egnater TOL 100.

End of story.

U
v

[uv7lng]

If they were so damn good the waiting list would be two miles long. It's not.

U
v

[uv7lng]

So who do we want to sound like this time?

LOL. Isn't that what it's all about?

U
v

[uv7lng]

Sorry for the spam!

U
v

[uv7lng]

Originally posted by Steveascott


I bet that Fab Amp guy could build you one out of a freeway sign for $150 :p

Excellent Post!

U
v

[The Eristic]

Originally posted by Jim Soloway


I tried the Belov amps at the NAMM show last year. I absolutely hated them. They were incapable of producing a single usable clean tone at a volume level loud enough to be functional.

Belovs are known for their distorted lead tones, not for cleans. I don't believe they are really designed for crystal, complex cleans a la Matchless DC-30 or vintagey, warm cleans a la Carr Imperial.

Btw, I went too late today. They were closed. Review tomorrow, if they're open.

[uv7lng]

Originally posted by SomeGuyNamedRob
I think they start at around 10 grand. And at the risk of being pegged a #8, no amp sounds that good to command that sum of money.

Excellent Post!

U
v

[koiwoi]

Originally posted by uv7lng


Excellent Post!

U
v Excellent Post! ;)

[Fred5]

My view is that I'm sure it's possible to tell
the difference between a Dumble and any other amp
when playing yourself. But that they would be better, that's just not true. Different maybe but not better. Better for a certain sound yes but so are Marshalls, Riveras, Fenders etc.

I've heard Robben and Colin James play Dumbles at
close range. It sounded very good but so did their other amps.

[uv7lng]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fred5
My view is that I'm sure it's possible to tell
the difference between a Dumble and any other amp
when playing yourself. But that they would be better, that's just not true. Different maybe but not better. Better for a certain sound yes but so are Marshalls, Riveras, Fenders etc.

I've heard Robben and Colin James play Dumbles at
close range. It sounded very good but so did their other amps. [/QUOTE

It's also possible to tell the difference between a Fender and a Marshall. Sheesh. I stiil want a Bogner.I'll take a Diezel

U
v;)

[Fred5]

[/QUOTE

It's also possible to tell the difference between a Fender and a Marshall. Sheesh. I stiil want a Bogner.I'll take a Diezel

U
v;) [/QUOTE]
I think UV is drunk. Either that or he has an
incredibly intense GAS attack. I want a Rivera but
I'd settle for a Bogner :D

[heybooo]

for what it is worth i also heard robben ford playing through the dumble and the tone was incredible, look who swears by them and most of these musicans are know for there sound. Secondly as for the price a 10 grand piece of gear is a business expense etc and if it takes the place of a need for two or three other amps or what santana talked abou8t it saving time in the studio well that is money too and in the lo9ng run probably saves him. yeah for someone who will never make 10 grand from their music sure it is ridiculous but if it your livelihood well then you get it if you need it.

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Originally posted by Fred5
I've heard Robben and Colin James play Dumbles at
close range. It sounded very good but so did their other amps.

Exactly.

[Tag101]

Originally posted by uv7lng
So who do we want to sound like this time?

LOL. Isn't that what it's all about?

U
v

YES!! You want to sound like yourself this time. Thats exactly what makes Dumbles so special. They allow every little nuance of your playing (good and bad) to come through.:eek:

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Fred5
My view is that I'm sure it's possible to tell
the difference between a Dumble and any other amp
when playing yourself. But that they would be better, that's just not true. Different maybe but not better. Better for a certain sound yes but so are Marshalls, Riveras, Fenders etc.

I've heard Robben and Colin James play Dumbles at
close range. It sounded very good but so did their other amps.

Only better in the way that it allows you to hear things that amps like Mesa, Marshall and most "Boutiques" do not. For instance, they are probably the smoothest amp, along with the Trocks, that you can buy. This allows you to play more horn like phrases without the notes blurring together. For fast pentatonic licks, they are not going to slur the notes together like most amps, so you better have good technique, or you are not going to like them. One thing though, they have WAY more overdrive available than any amp I have ever played. At twelve Oclock on the gain knob, it is about equal (gain wise) to a Marshall TSL 3rd channel, or a Bogner XTC lead channel with the gained dimed.

[Rob Quail]

Originally posted by MoosBros
they hardly ever come up for re-sale.... so what does THAT say? :eek:

:D

It says that there are very few of 'em, and if you own one and plan to sell it, you won't be puttin' an ad in the paper. :rolleyes:

No amp is worth 12 G's; I don't care what it's made from and by whom. Just MHO.

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Rob Quail


It says that there are very few of 'em, and if you own one and plan to sell it, you won't be puttin' an ad in the paper. :rolleyes:

No amp is worth 12 G's; I don't care what it's made from and by whom. Just MHO.

12Gs?? Try 15-20 for an early 80s one.:eek: I offered Gene at Ultra 15gs two years ago for his tan one (He wouldnt even sell that one to Santana), and it has only gone up in value.
I am SO glad he declined though, because I then found out about Trock. SAME tone for $3,300. :p :cool:

[Viktor Johanson]

Originally posted by Steveascott


I bet that Fab Amp guy could build you one out of a freeway sign for $150 :p

Yes, probably :)

[uv7lng]

Originally posted by Tag101


YES!! You want to sound like yourself this time. Thats exactly what makes Dumbles so special. They allow every little nuance of your playing (good and bad) to come through.:eek:

Har, for 10K I'll renovate the kitchen instead.

U
v:D

[Smokey]

Originally posted by MoosBros



yes,, they CAN sound that good,, and,, yes, you can buy a car for less than what one would cost you....

to the folks who diss them as not being worth what they always seem to cost.........

they hardly ever come up for re-sale.... so what does THAT say? :eek:

:D


That says there are lots of guys with too much money to spend on expensive toys. Funny how at the amp forum I hear a lot of talk about boutique amps, but not a lot of clips of guys rockin' on em, usually the only clips are from wankers like me wanting to know how their Marshall AVT sounds.

[MoosBros]

most bedroom wankers can't justify the price of a Dumble,,,

But if that amp is what helps a pro guy nail his tunes,, then more power to him,,,, as has been mentioned before,, you have to "be somebody" to even get one made for you anyways... so they really aren't geared towards the average "gear head" to begin with.....

if I could figure out more about computers,, I'd be boring everyone with clips of me 'n my Bassman doing old blues shit.......'casue that's about as "boutique" as I'll ever get....

and asking what in the hell is a pentatonic, and what does that have to do with the blues?

:D

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Smokey



Funny how at the amp forum I hear a lot of talk about boutique amps, but not a lot of clips of guys rockin' on em, usually the only clips are from wankers like me wanting to know how their Marshall AVT sounds.

I agree. I cant stand it when guys rave about tone and then dont post clips. I was always in trouble at another forum because I asked guys for clips. They would rave about their tone, say mine sucked, and then NEVER post a clip. :rolleyes: I am not one of them. Listen to my clips of the Two Rock Emerald Pro. They smoke. No professional studio gloss. Right in my bedroom, no effects, straight into the amp through a Mesa 4\12 with G12H30 speakers. Smooth as glass, even at high gain settings.:)

[Tag101]

Originally posted by uv7lng


Har, for 10K I'll renovate the kitchen instead.

U
v:D


Hopefully into a recording studio!;)

[blugup]

Originally posted by The Eristic


Belovs are known for their distorted lead tones, not for cleans. I don't believe they are really designed for crystal, complex cleans a la Matchless DC-30 or vintagey, warm cleans a la Carr Imperial.

Btw, I went too late today. They were closed. Review tomorrow, if they're open.


hi Eristic,
just wondering if you got a chance to try the Belov amp out yet.
which model were you going to try out?

[blugup]

Originally posted by Jim Soloway


I tried the Belov amps at the NAMM show last year. I absolutely hated them. They were incapable of producing a single usable clean tone at a volume level loud enough to be functional.

hi Jim,
just wondering which model belov you tried at the namm show. i know he originally sets up his amps to be a lead guitar amp with a great distortion. however, he does and can voice them to have as much headroom as you want. i know cuz i have 5 of his amps. and i play with alot of headroom. i like my amps clean and bright. but when i crank em they've got some incredible overdriven tones.
he can make the amp sound like anything you want or need.

just thought i'd respond.

[The Eristic]

Originally posted by blugup



hi Eristic,
just wondering if you got a chance to try the Belov amp out yet.
which model were you going to try out?

Nope. The guys at Mojotone said they don't keep any there; they just order them when somebody wants one. I contacted Pyotr and he responded by saying he's been too busy working on back orders to update the website ( the "showroom" section, in this case). I'd love to give all the models a try, but there aren't any around. :(

[blugup]

Originally posted by The Eristic


Nope. The guys at Mojotone said they don't keep any there; they just order them when somebody wants one. I contacted Pyotr and he responded by saying he's been too busy working on back orders to update the website ( the "showroom" section, in this case). I'd love to give all the models a try, but there aren't any around. :(

he was prolly talking about the amps he's been building for me.
i'm guessing you live in the east if you tried seeing the amps at mojotone. i'm in Cali and pyotr is practically my next door neighbor. literally 5 mins from me. if you were close by i'd totally let you come by and play with the amps. i wish more people could really test drive these amps. but he puts so much work into these amps, and is a one man show so it takes awhile to build em.

you can check out my website for a few pictures of the amps:
www.studio8000.com

peace

[The Eristic]

I'm in NC, about ten to fifteen minutes away from Mojotone. That's cool of you to offer. Too bad I'm all the way over here.

:cool:

[The Eristic]

Wow! You have some killer gear at your studio! I spotted some NC-made gear, the Germino, Carr, and Pharaoh stuff. :cool:

[blugup]

yea.. seems like a lot of guys in NC are making some really cool stuff. fat sound guitars is a cool shop. stu is real nice. what kind of rig are you playing with?

[The Eristic]

I'm currently running etiher a Godin LG-SP90 or an Ibanez S-2020XAV through a couple custom-built Fuzz Face clones (one silicon, one germanium), a Zoom Ultra Fuzz (for occasional psycho stuff), and a Guyatone VT-X tube tremolo, to a Mesa Maverick 4x10" (the last one built). Picking up more effects every few weeks (mostly weird fuzz). I'm still in the process of building a pro rig (more for recording than gigging, currently). I'm saving for a few a high-end axes (McInturff, Melancon, Bourgeois, Devoe, etc...) and amps (Carr, Budda, Kingsley, Komet, Overbuilt , etc...). I'd like to add Belov to my list, if I can find one to demo. I have a fetish for 4x10" combos. Does Belov offer that configuration?

[Jazz/Rock]

I've been using a vintage ES335 with the original PAF''s, and a Yamaha SG3000 with Seth Lovers. The key to getting the RF tones I believe is the pickup, guitar, and the pickup selector. I use the bridge PU with the tone rolled back to 2 or 3 depending on strings, and a Barber Burn Unit into a semi dirty amp. I can get fairly good tones through a Laney VH100R clean channel, but recently I tried my rig through a Groove Tubes Soul-O, and the Barber nailed the Dumble tone using the bridge PU through the GT. Any amp that sounds like the GT can be used in addition to the Burn Unit. Listen to the sample at http://www.mif.pg.gda.pl/homepages/tom/samples.htm of the Groove Tube's Soul O 45. If your amp will do this sound, get a Barber Burn Unit, and IMO, you have a Dumble sound at very little comparitive cost.

[JiveJust]

I saw Sonny Landreth with John Hiatt. He played a blond Dumble. He sounded amazing. But he is Sonny Landreth ya know?


That said I've played a Bruno Undergound 30 and it was the holy grail as far as I could tell. I really doubt that a Dumble could be much better. Any amp for that matter........

[L5S]

Tone: SRV

[ninjaaron]

Originally posted by L5S
Tone: SRV I'm gonna loose my mind!

[NyteOwl]

Originally posted by Tag101


12Gs?? Try 15-20 for an early 80s one.:eek: I offered Gene at Ultra 15gs two years ago for his tan one (He wouldnt even sell that one to Santana), and it has only gone up in value.
I am SO glad he declined though, because I then found out about Trock. SAME tone for $3,300. :p :cool: I did some serious amp shopping the tail end of last year and waffled between VHT and Bogner for a long time before discovering Two Rock. I thought the clips on the Two Rock/K&M web site (http://www.two-rock.com/) were impressive, and Joe was very helpful and quick to respond to my emails, but the prices were really up there. I also found it a little odd their web site says...

"Carlos Santana has been using K&M amps on tour since the debut of the Grammy winning album Supernatural. The amps have been traveling around the world with the Santana band and continue to rock."

...but there was absolutely no mention of their amps at all in the recent Guitar Player interview where Carlos discusses amplifiers at length and how he's now using a Dumble in conjunction with his Mesa.

Anyway, just as I was ready to lay out the cash for a Two Rock, a forumite mentioned Fuchs amplifiers, so I checked out Andy's web site (http://www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com/) and found it a lot more informative. The sound clips were even more impressive than the Two Rock clips and the prices a lot easier to swallow. I ended up getting a Fuchs-modified Traynor head for way less than half of what a Two Rock was going to cost me and I've got all the tone I could ever want and then some.

There is no denying Two Rock makes a terrific amplifier, as evidenced by the hot licks and smoking tone on Tag101's clips, but an Emerald Pro head costs a grand more than a Fuchs ODS Combo. Just something to think about for those on their own tone quest...

[Cake or Death]

too many great players swear by and use Dumbles for them to be a staus play or gimmick.

10-20K for an essential piece of equipment for someone pulling down a three or four hundred K minimum is not that big an expense. plus, they write it off as an expense anyway...

like all products, there are the elites..and then there are the ultra elites..

think of what people pay for collector les paul and such...makes a Dumble relatively cheap I would say..

$100,000+ LP into a 12K amp might sopund good, even with me playing..

okay, not me.:(

[Jazz/Rock]

Cake, I don't think Alexander is gettting 10 large for his amps. They were $5,100 for the 90 day program, and around $3,700 for the six month program. The $10,000 people refer to is the re-sale price for an Overdrive Special. I think the Winterland was a little more though, but had all the bells and whistles. Also, he builds things that are ultra-durable, road worthy to the Nth degree. If the offer were still standing, I'd send him the money to build an amp for me, and not even blink. If he wanted to be a rich man, he'd sell the rights, and likely pocket 30 million, maybe more. Thats not like him. Man he's a player also, people forget that he toured with that Canadian Buffy Sainte-Marie. As far as I'm concerned, he's the man. The original customizer. He belongs with the Leo Fenders, Jim Marshalls, CF Martin's, etc.

[tlbonehead]

I got play through one once a while ago. They are THAT good,IMO.

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by Jazz/Rock
Cake, I don't think Alexander is gettting 10 large for his amps. They were $5,100 for the 90 day program, and around $3,700 for the six month program. The $10,000 people refer to is the re-sale price for an Overdrive Special. I think the Winterland was a little more though, but had all the bells and whistles. Also, he builds things that are ultra-durable, road worthy to the Nth degree. If the offer were still standing, I'd send him the money to build an amp for me, and not even blink. If he wanted to be a rich man, he'd sell the rights, and likely pocket 30 million, maybe more. Thats not like him. Man he's a player also, people forget that he toured with that Canadian Buffy Sainte-Marie. As far as I'm concerned, he's the man. The original customizer. He belongs with the Leo Fenders, Jim Marshalls, CF Martin's, etc.


my next amp may very well be a DUMBLE, for just that reason...


in the mean time,, I'll just have to "make do" with my custom 5F6A Bassman combo...
:eek:

:D

[aliensporebomb]

I've got a picture of Howard/Alexander playing a fender strat with a big smile on his face.

He said in the GP interview that he'll custom tailor the amp to your playing. In fact, he'd prefer to watch you play so he can tailor the amp to your individual playing style and THEN he gets to work.

It's easier to know what to build once he sees what you prefer to play like.

His stuff is probably really good, I just don't dare try it out if I ever get the chance. Too rich for me.

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by mvm
It's stunning, really.

One guy can put together an
astounding signal chain which
he's invested over a quarter century
sequentially and via experience "arriving at".

The "signal/sound/tone-chain" may include all
from George L self-assembled patch chords
(which, IMHO really DO rule)
to providing not only phenomenal
"musicality of tone"

[As an example, the distortion effect;
ANALOG's even-order-harmonics
via superior choice of the stomp box
electronics in conjunction with
A KNOWLEDGEABLE CHOICE o
OF THE N.O.S. PRE-AMP TUBE(s)
FROM MANUFACTURER, TO GAIN LEVEL],

but versatility and excellence WITHIN each
versatile choice of sound.

He may even be a MONSTER creative musician
not just a "Guitarist"
(and I don't take that description lightly)
in addition to being technically/theory-under-the-fingers
(both as a player AND sound-electronics geek), astute.

Unless he's GLOBAL-popularized by THE INDUSTRY MEDIA,
he's invisible re; REALITY;

Within the working-man's reach
choice selection of effects, amps and guitars.

Along comes some glossy guit-rag $$$ whoring out
(gear reviews) to everyone paying advertising dollars
with "Star" interviews (Ex/ Santana drops Mesa/goes Gimbel)
and every swinging dick and his brother starts thinking;

"I'll never reach "SELF-ACTUALIZATION" without--->THIS".

God, it's like watching a dumb chick buy shoes.

ARE WE NOT MEN?!

*****Keep working your chops.*****

Buy the best "normal" tube amp you can and put KILLER tubes and rectifiers
in it. Learn about "SAG" and the difference between digital and analog.
Become a student of sound. Go to bookstores and USE Google. THINK!

Buy the best "normal" guitar(s) you can and set up to your personal LUV spec
from strings to action. Aim for dead-on intonation.

Buy the best "normal" effects chain suited to your musical loves
and be tasteful as an old-money motherfucker with your
sound expression, volumes and WITHIN THE BAND musicianship.

Respect your fellow musicians and once again;

Keep working your chops.
DIG YOUR WAY OUT OF EVERY MENTAL DEPRESSION and PLAYING RUT.

Carlos can Dumbel THIS.

I have a feeling that were he, E. Johnson, etc. to read this,
they'd smile to themselves and say;

DIG IT.

(Hint: See what corporatization did to the recording industry?
ENRONED it! Same thing with all of and/or having to do with
musician-supply/gear...it just hasn't been publicized).


Im not quite sure what the jist was,, but,, I'm gonna guess that it was a voice of support for my tone quest,, and that the only logical "next level" would be the Dumble.... :eek:


"I'm not just walking with the tone-gods, I AM ONE"...... :D

[aliensporebomb]

Interesting.....

The last screed pondered what Eric Johnson would say.

Eric has a Dumble for his overdriven rhythm guitar tones so I'd
say he likes that sound just fine.

I'm happy with my rig as is, I can't imagine getting it better but
I suppose I'll try anyway.

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by aliensporebomb
Interesting.....

The last screed pondered what Eric Johnson would say.

Eric has a Dumble for his overdriven rhythm guitar tones so I'd
say he likes that sound just fine.

I'm happy with my rig as is, I can't imagine getting it better but
I suppose I'll try anyway.

I love my tone as it is,, that's why I'm so sure a Dumble is the only way to improve it!!!! :eek:

:D

[Tag101]

Originally posted by MoosBros


I love my tone as it is,, that's why I'm so sure a Dumble is the only way to improve it!!!! :eek:

:D

Lol!:)

[Viktor Johanson]

I want a Two Rock Opal 50 head badly.

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Ove
I want a Two Rock Opal 50 head badly.
Try the Topaz and the Custom as well. All VERY similar with slight differences in features and tone. All very Dumble sounding. The Pro (Topaz) sounds identicle to the best of Gene at Ultrasounds 4 Dumbles. The Custom is suppose to be a tonal clone of Steve Kimmocks Dumble. The Opal is somewhere in between.

[Viktor Johanson]

Originally posted by Tag101

Try the Topaz and the Custom as well. All VERY similar with slight differences in features and tone. All very Dumble sounding. The Pro (Topaz) sounds identicle to the best of Gene at Ultrasounds 4 Dumbles. The Custom is suppose to be a tonal clone of Steve Kimmocks Dumble. The Opal is somewhere in between.

Thanks, I bet they´re all extremely nice.

Why do the models vary so widely in price? Is it just the features, or is the Opal the top-of-the-line model or something? Shouldn´t they all be equally well-made? Shouldn´t the prices depend on features only (I mean, we´re talking about amps in the $3000+ range)? That´s why I´m wondering why the Topaz, which seems to have a lot of features, is a lot less than the Opal.

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Ove


Thanks, I bet they´re all extremely nice.

Why do the models vary so widely in price? Is it just the features, or is the Opal the top-of-the-line model or something? Shouldn´t they all be equally well-made? Shouldn´t the prices depend on features only (I mean, we´re talking about amps in the $3000+ range)? That´s why I´m wondering why the Topaz, which seems to have a lot of features, is a lot less than the Opal.

The Opal has a type of "wireless" design that takes a lot more time to make. It gives it a very fast and immediate attack. I dont like that. I prefer a softer, spongier feel. Its all personal preference. Of the Topaz, Custom and Opal, I dont think any are "top of the line". They are all just slightly different, with different features. I really prefer the "Topaz", and so do many others. It has the smoothest and most unique lead channel to me, and has by far the most "Fendery" clean tone. (Like the best blackfaces. I can get mine to sound exactly like my 66 Pro Reverb!) It also has the best reverb, and has a parallel or series effects loop that works fantastic. I LOVE my amp! The Topaz also has the Negative feedback loop bypass switch, which although subtle, I dont think I could live without. If you can, try them all. If not, trust me and get the Topaz.:D

[Viktor Johanson]

Thanks a LOT.

If I´ll ever buy one, I´ll definitely try them all out first.

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by mvm
Hmmm- Perhaps I wrote too much. Mea Culpa.

My post was merely intended to mean this;

Incredibly careful effects selection* + chops building, saves
tens of thousands of dollars in playing local amp gorilla.

If a guy's got more $$$ than honest interest in being a better player

-OR-

Personal pride in craftsmanship/self-design of his rig (EX/ Includes hours spent fine
tuning own patches with say, a Zoom GFX-8*),then dropping HUGE AMP $$$$ is an effective statement to demonstrate it.

My rig;

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=2501913#post2501913


*DON'T confuse the GFX-8 w/ Boss, Korg, Line6 etc. These guys at "Zoom" got it "right", circa 2000. No "bee in a jar", here if you know your ass from your elbow in EQ and patch-tweak-earville. The best thing about knowing this fact to the core of your tone-soul is the very stuff of which "perspective" is made. I predict that Glossy Guit Rags will hail it as THE (vintage) ONE around 2010-15. Try and find them cheap $ then :) SEE (Google) "FineClayMatrix".

I don't use any effects,,none are needed,, just a jumbo archtop hollowbody (Zephyr Blues Deluxe-3 P90s) into a custom 5F6A '59 Bassman.... with all NOS tubes.... Jensen 10"s....I am DEAD serious about my tone,, and my chops....

I might be a little modest,, but I'm STILL a TONE GOD...... :eek:

and YES,, the only way I could sound any better is to play thru a DUMBLE or become T-Bone Walker.....

:D

[Tag101]

Originally posted by MoosBros


I don't use any effects,,none are needed,, just a jumbo archtop hollowbody (Zephyr Blues Deluxe-3 P90s) into a custom 5F6A '59 Bassman.... with all NOS tubes.... Jensen 10"s....I am DEAD serious about my tone,, and my chops....

I might be a little modest,, but I'm STILL a TONE GOD...... :eek:

and YES,, the only way I could sound any better is to play thru a DUMBLE or become T-Bone Walker.....

:D

I agree. If you need a stompbox, you have the wrong amp.:D
However, Dumbles sound like $hit with archtops, I played 4 of them with my Guild Artist Award and L5. They sound way to midrangey with a jazz box. My bassman, Pro Reverb, super Reverb, and Badcat Blackcat all smoke the Dumbles with an archtop.:eek:

[Viktor Johanson]

Originally posted by Tag101

Dumbles sound like $hit with archtops

How come? I´ve always liked the way archtops sound through BF Fenders, I thought most Dumbles would be similar when clean.

Also, another question about the Two Rocks:

Have you tried both the Custom and the Opal? What are the clean sounds like and how are the Custom, Opal and Topaz clean channels different? I mean, are they bell-like, sweet and clear like a BF Super/Twin Reverb, or are they more midrangey and fat like a tweed Bassman/Super/Twin?

Thanks.

:)

[Tag101]

Originally posted by Ove


How come? I´ve always liked the way archtops sound through BF Fenders, I thought most Dumbles would be similar when clean.

Also, another question about the Two Rocks:

Have you tried both the Custom and the Opal? What are the clean sounds like and how are the Custom, Opal and Topaz clean channels different? I mean, are they bell-like, sweet and clear like a BF Super/Twin Reverb, or are they more midrangey and fat like a tweed Bassman/Super/Twin?

Thanks.

:)
Dumbles clean tones are not like a Fenders. There is WAY more midrange. This sounds pretty good with a soildbody, but not good with an archtop. The Tworock Topaz and Opal have a much more fendery clean than the Dumbles. I prefer the Tworocks clean to the Dumbles hands down. The TwoRock Customs clean is totally Dumble. I am just not crazy about it. I have only heard clips of the Custom, and traded reiffs over the phone with two Custom owners, but the tonal differences were simple to hear. I A\Bd the TwoRock Topaz,Opal,Bruno super 100, and many other amps at Ultrasound against all of Genes Dumbles. I prefered both the lead and clean tones of the Tworock Topaz. The lead tone on the Topaz is like an advancement on the Dumble souund to my ear. Its like TwoRock had to take a step back with the Opal and then Custom to match the Dumble. They are all great amps, but to my ear, the Topaz is the most refined, smoothest overdrive, with the most Fendery blackface clean. You also get reverb and the paralell\series effects loop and the negative feedback switch. This is to my ear is the best TwoRock available. You can listen to my clips below of the Emerald Pro\Topaz. I just plugged in and played. No effects at all. VERY GOOD. (In my room, no professional recording studio)

[Viktor Johanson]

Thanks!

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by Tag101


I agree. If you need a stompbox, you have the wrong amp.:D
However, Dumbles sound like $hit with archtops, I played 4 of them with my Guild Artist Award and L5. They sound way to midrangey with a jazz box. My bassman, Pro Reverb, super Reverb, and Badcat Blackcat all smoke the Dumbles with an archtop.:eek:

I've been thinking(ruh roh) about the DUmble thing.....

really,, maybe if I had the bucks,, I'd first try having my Bassman modded to lower the output by accepting 4 6V6 power tubes instead of the 5881's,,,,, and maybe change the baffle board to a single 15" ,, and load it with an old '50's Jensen........ I think THAT actually might give more of that "old timey" mid-range heavy squawk that I hear on the old blues records.... and if it were,,then THAT would be PERFECT tone !!!(for me):eek:


:D

[Jazz/Rock]

Originally posted by mvm
It's stunning, really.

One guy can put together an
astounding signal chain which
he's invested over a quarter century
sequentially and via experience "arriving at".

The "signal/sound/tone-chain" may include all
from George L self-assembled patch chords
(which, IMHO really DO rule)
to providing not only phenomenal
"musicality of tone"

[As an example, the distortion effect;
ANALOG's even-order-harmonics
via superior choice of the stomp box
electronics in conjunction with
A KNOWLEDGEABLE CHOICE o
OF THE N.O.S. PRE-AMP TUBE(s)
FROM MANUFACTURER, TO GAIN LEVEL],

but versatility and excellence WITHIN each
versatile choice of sound.

He may even be a MONSTER creative musician
not just a "Guitarist"
(and I don't take that description lightly)
in addition to being technically/theory-under-the-fingers
(both as a player AND sound-electronics geek), astute.

Unless he's GLOBAL-popularized by THE INDUSTRY MEDIA,
he's invisible re; REALITY;

Within the working-man's reach
choice selection of effects, amps and guitars.

Along comes some glossy guit-rag $$$ whoring out
(gear reviews) to everyone paying advertising dollars
with "Star" interviews (Ex/ Santana drops Mesa/goes Gimbel)
and every swinging dick and his brother starts thinking;

"I'll never reach "SELF-ACTUALIZATION" without--->THIS".

God, it's like watching a dumb chick buy shoes.

ARE WE NOT MEN?!

*****Keep working your chops.*****

Buy the best "normal" tube amp you can and put KILLER tubes and rectifiers
in it. Learn about "SAG" and the difference between digital and analog.
Become a student of sound. Go to bookstores and USE Google. THINK!

Buy the best "normal" guitar(s) you can and set up to your personal LUV spec
from strings to action. Aim for dead-on intonation.

Buy the best "normal" effects chain suited to your musical loves
and be tasteful as an old-money motherfucker with your
sound expression, volumes and WITHIN THE BAND musicianship.

Respect your fellow musicians and once again;

Keep working your chops.
DIG YOUR WAY OUT OF EVERY MENTAL DEPRESSION and PLAYING RUT.

Carlos can Dumbel THIS.

I have a feeling that were he, E. Johnson, etc. to read this,
they'd smile to themselves and say;

DIG IT.

(Hint: See what corporatization did to the recording industry?
ENRONED it! Same thing with all of and/or having to do with
musician-supply/gear...it just hasn't been publicized). I read all that [the truth] and agree. And while I agree, I still want a Dumble!:D Just kidding! I've wanted an ODS since about 1984, so [from what I gather] the current shoutout in GP by Carlos really has no affect on me personally. I loved Carlos during the "Moonflower" double LP time using a Boogie Mk1 [or some type of Boogie] and that Yamaha SG3000. That was a cool time and a great influence. But I deeply respect your writing, and sounds like a fresh set of strings are in order, because thats the best mind juice to open up the grey matter for achieving that higher plane. Well, that and a good cup of coffee!:D Great read here.

[GuitarDude]

i think theres on in this pic..

[Jazz/Rock]

Thats it Man! You're the first to go into my Buddy list. I hope you stay around, add some sanity. Peace, Warmest regards, J/R:D :D :D :D

[StratKat]

Ive played two dumbles in my life. And seen only three... so they are very rare. And almost everyone of them is in the hands of serious pros who use them religiously.

Why?


WELLLLllllllll

The dumble to me is a hybrid fender design that is really a one trick pony. But if that pony is YOUR sound its killer! And the dumble in the hands of amatuers sounds awful. I think thats because the pros in the arenas set theirs up for a diff tone then we amatuers would. The dumbles ive played (two) had to be worked real hard to get THAT tone i aquint to "Running on Empty" Jackson Brown thing. They sound lame at moderate or low volumes. My stock Mark III tears them up at mid to low volumes and we all know that boogies dont sound all that great at low volumes themselves.

And as with anything expensive or rare, there are just not many made to show up in papers or at pawn shops. And at the price asked and the (cough) terms aggreed to before the contract is made i doubt there ever will be many of them. It would be the kiss of death for the Dumble amp to be mass produced.

But for my money the boogies are as good as the dumble. At least for non arena events...

[Shemp]

For about $1300 all in you can have "Dumble" tone... Pick up a SF Bassman or a Traynor YBA1 and ship it off to Andy Fuchs for the ODS 50 mod. I have a modded Traynor and it is an amazing clean and high gain machine. Very responsive (read zero sag in the power supply) this amp kicks your ass until you build your chops up.

Andy has modeled his design on the Dumble circuit and nails it imho.

Mine is over on the right hand side of this photo. Very cool amp at an unbelievable price!

http://home.attbi.com/~hamjack/wsb/media/75495/site1072.JPG

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by Shemp
For about $1300 all in you can have "Dumble" tone... Pick up a SF Bassman or a Traynor YBA1 and ship it off to Andy Fuchs for the ODS 50 mod. I have a modded Traynor and it is an amazing clean and high gain machine. Very responsive (read zero sag in the power supply) this amp kicks your ass until you build your chops up.

Andy has modeled his design on the Dumble circuit and nails it imho.

Mine is over on the right hand side of this photo. Very cool amp at an unbelievable price!



hmmmm,,,, IMHO,,, if you want to "copy" the Dumble tone,,, you oughtta just get the real thing, and show a little love to the guy who originally thought up that kind of sound to begin with... ...there are too many imitators and "me too" things out there,, and this world needs more support for the genuine stuff, the originators, innovators , whether it's gear, or players....

if you want ZERO sag,, play an old Ampeg V4/VT22 CLEAN....they've been around since the late 60's.....throw away the veil of gain that so many players hide behind, and the hocus pocus of effects..,get clean,, and lets really hear the players play... that's as good a way as I know of to expose the poseurs....

I would rather ride a one trick pony all night(as long as it's a GOOD one) than to rely on any gimmicks to "help make" me sound better.... so that's why I play the Tweed 5F6A Bassman, straight up.... it's indisputably tone to the bone,,, the rest is up to me...

:eek:

:D

[MoosBros]

:rolleyes:



like the '59 Bassman, if the Dumble is original enough to be worth the effort to have folks trying to copy it, it must have something going for it...


to each his own for sure.... at my age,(yeah, I'm an OLD fart), I'm glad to be different.


www.clarkamplification.com


:eek:

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by mvm
Well w/ 3,626 posts I figured you weren't a teen-20 something procrastinating
about practicing. :p

As I mentioned, I've got that amp too. I N.O.S.'d it w/ the best tubes from
Mullard GZ34 rectifier and ECC83 pre-amps (first stage gain is a 6072A
-12AY7- i.e. about 45% gain of a 12AX7 like the originals), matched set of Svetlana 6L6GC's and put six coats of Zinnser Bulleye Shellac (tinted) on it. The tweed texture's clearly there but the amp is sealed- basically the color of the lighter-colored horizontal threads in the grill cloth.

Also, I reversed the speaker leads so it "plays forward".

Can you describe or refer me to one of your posts, re; any particular customizations
you've done to your Bassman? You're clearly a fan also.


Mike modded the presence tone stack for me to make it "period correct" as manufactured, instead of the way the schematic drwas it.... also I had the input modded slightly, to yield a slightly brighter sound. I'm gonna have to ask Mike about that polarity thing you mentioned.... since mine isn't true to the '59 specs from end to end(output transformer is HD 8 ohm)

I'm using Jensen P10R(Italian) speakers in in, with a 8-ohm OP transformer. That way, I can hook up a single 15" open back cab to it when ever I want. I LIKE the sound of 15"s for guitar as a general rule.

The tubes are all NOS too, as you have found, sound much better than any recent manufacture. I use the TungSol 5881 power tubes, and either a 12ay7 or 12ax7 Mullard in V1(depends on my mood).... and RCA blackplate 12ax7 tube and Philips NOS tube in the other two slots. THe 5AR4 rectifier is a British made(Mullard) tube as well.


I've been wanting to try the extreme mod I mentioned earlier, going to 4x6V6 power tubes...... with the same Bassman tone circuits...... I also want to try that really low power rectifier tube,, to see what it sounds like,,,, it cuts the output on a Bassman by about 30%.......which can be a good thing for smaller gigs, or really lively rooms....

I guess I'm really hard core about trying to achieve a "period " correct tone with my setup. The Zephyr Blues Deluxe(3xP90) jumbo size archtop works well with this amp, and suits my style and presentation of Blues,R&B, Jump & Swing music well...

I am not a fast and flashy player by any means, but even non musicians notice my uniqueness in "style and tone", and mention "old school" comes to mind when the hear me play.. which is the greatest compliment to me as a player I could ever get....

now, Dapper Dan, if I could only get the courage to cut my hair, and sport a nice big pompador....:D

[MoosBros]

Originally posted by mvm
The whole '80's shred thing has always left me laughing -with it.

I'm not knocking it (i.e. laughing at it), I just never got into it
myself and therefore, consider it a realm within which I'm 100%
OK with being incompetent -like classical or flamenco.

It's such an amazing instrument- like the saying "there are many
roads to Mecca", approaches to the guitar are infinite. Additionally,
there's almost always SOMETHING about another guy's playing
that makes him fun to jam with and I try to always be sure to
leave other guys feeling that way about my playing.

In short, it sounds like you've developed a cool style to be comfortable
with. My thing lately (last few years) has been disciplining myself
to write things down and keep them organized (i.e. songs/ chord charts).

I'm gonna have to ask Mike about that polarity thing you mentioned....

Sure- check out pages 53-54 in "The Definitive Bassman" chapter of Gerald Weber's
A DESKTOP REFERENCE OF HIP VINTAGE GUITAR AMPS, it's all there.
http://www.elderly.com/books/items/386-1.htm

since mine isn't true to the '59 specs from end to end(output transformer is HD 8 ohm)
I'm using Jensen P10R(Italian) speakers in in, with a 8-ohm OP transformer. That way,
I can hook up a single 15" open back cab to it when ever I want. I LIKE the sound of
15"s for guitar as a general rule.

The other day, I tilted one back in a guitar store and raised my eyebrows at seeing
that Fender's evidently now selling them stock with Jensen P10R's. Mine came with Eminence 1028K's. I don't know the difference honestly, but I'd sooner have EXACT when it comes to buying a REISSUE. As to your 15" thing, I've never tried it, but it sounds like for you, the whole "first-take's a winner" thing's going on, vs. hammering away to get it "right" in your own mind. That's the thing I've found. Once you are completely into your tone and sound, "the muse" enters you and you wind up performing as though somebody else is just using your body. Once you're warmed up and that happens, it's the best. I think the same thing happens in about every sport where a guy "enters the zone". Santana now claims that's what the Dumble has done for him, vs. Mesa. I'll bet the guys at Mesa would like to take pliars and a blowtorch to Carlos these days. The interviews crack me up. :)

The tubes are all NOS too, as you have found, sound much better than any recent
manufacture. I use the TungSol 5881 power tubes, and either a 12ay7 or 12ax7
Mullard in V1(depends on my mood).... and RCA blackplate 12ax7 tube and Philips
NOS tube in the other two slots. THe 5AR4 rectifier is a British made(Mullard) tube as
well.

Holy shit. you done owns the HOLY GRAIL! TungSol 5881's must have been great
to find. Do you REALLY notice the difference vs. say, Svetlana 6L6GC's? If so,
can you describe it (at various volume settings)?

I've been wanting to try the extreme mod I mentioned earlier, going to 4x6V6 power
tubes...... with the same Bassman tone circuits...... I also want to try that really low
power rectifier tube,, to see what it sounds like,,,, it cuts the output on a Bassman by
about 30%.......which can be a good thing for smaller gigs, or really lively rooms....

When you do, please post it. I'm a little cornfused at four power output tubes w/ a Bassman. Also, one thing I happened to notice on other '59's-- they've got this secure-with-a-spring mechanism holding in the power tubes. Mine never had these.
Pissed me off. Does yours?

Thanks,

Marc

on the thought about the Eminence Alnico speakers vs the Jensen P10R reissues.....

mine originally came with the Eminence Alnicos(OEM for the new Fender Bassmans up until fairly recently)..the ones with the blue frames, and Alnico plug magnets... ..

I was trying to REDUCE the amount of bottom end the amp had with my guitar,, I WANTED it to be squawky in the mids... so the Jensens are a little closer to that kind of sound.... very similar in tone to the Eminence Blue frames that I had,, but thinner, less bassy, which makes the mids a little more pronounced....I might add that the Eminence speaker is actually a DB or two more sensitive than the Jensen, according to specs I've seen..

Mike said that with an old low power 15" Jensen in it,, I'd get a LOT of cone breakup,, even at lower volumes,, so I've got to put my old Jensen 15" in one of my single 15" open back cabs and just try it and see....it may be even MORE like what I have in mind...I really want that raunchy, squawky mid-rangy sound that was so prevalent in the earlier electrified blues recordings....



I saw a guy talking about a bassman he modded to accept four 6V6 power tubes,,, and made it a single ended class A amp,, that was putting out about 20-30 watts,,,, it sounds like a good idea for a tone stand point,, the 6V6 power tube was pretty popular "back in the day" of early amp designs,,, it sounds good,, and is pretty reliable, although, they don't deliver much output wattage....

the Bassman is kind of a powerful amp,, at 45 watts with the two 5881's.... so it's hard to really let it sing out with powertube OD, because it isusually too LOUD for many situations... ...

the TungSol 5881 tubes were expensive,($150 pair), but,, IMHO,, they are responsible for taking out all the harshness of the sound of the amp, compared to the Sovteks that I had in there.... , they are very warm, smooth, and never get harsh at all, even when I had EH preamp tubes in it...they seem to have more brightness and articulation than the Sovtecs too... ofcourse,, to me,, the Sovtek tubes are not the greatest sounding already,, but,, they were cheap, fairly consistent and reliable, and available at the time I needed them..

the different rectifier tube was an idea i read about here somewhere,, on another thread.. I've got to ask Mike about that as well,, and see which tube it is(IF it's true),,,,

here's one I was watching, to maybe have a spare pair, but,, I've not had good luck on E-Bay with getting REAL NOS tubes,, everyone says they are,, but most of them have been USED tubes,, so,, it's really risky biz... Mike's tubes are the real NOS...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3008544119&category=3284

I got mine from Mike at Clark Amplification, and I am really lucky that he is here in my town. He has been instrumental in helping me fine tune the amp to my exact style and ideas about tone....

He is a nice guy, and lives, eats and breathes Tweed era Fender amps....and now he's making a pretty mean Marshal repro as well...


:eek: :D


on the spring/holder tube thing.... the original Bassmans had those metal preamp tube covers,,but nothing on the power tubes,, just those funky halfmoon side spring clips that grip the base of the powertubes....