I don't get the Dumble thing

[laxu]

...Or more specifically, I don't get why Dumble clones are several grand more than most other types of amps.

I was listening to That Pedal Show where they were able to play Robben Ford's real Dumble amp, which prompted this thread.

I've played a couple of Dumble style amps but no idea what specific Dumble model they were based on. I've also played the Dumble in the Axe-Fx 3 as well as all the other Dumble-like amps in the Fractal.

To me Dumbles when clean sound basically like Fenders with a lot more midrange emphasis. When overdriven, they start to take a character more like a Bassman or Marshall. I have nothing against the sound, when done well they sound very nice, but not in some different category that you couldn't get out of much more pedestrian amps with some choice pedals.

Yet somehow these amps, and clones of them, have become almost mythical as if there's something so magic about them that warrants the prices asked. I'd say a lot of the "magic" is in the Celestion G12-65 speakers often paired with these amps.

 

[la szum]

 

[spawnofthesith]

John Mayer's tone was pretty amazing when I saw Dead & Co last year

 

[PLX]

1966 a young Howard Dumble stumbled out of an all you can eat buffet and heard an old beatnik playing guitar on a street corner out of tiny horrible sounding amplifier. He waddled up to the beatnik and asked him to play Mustang Sally, a new R&B song that was somewhere in the low teens on the billboard charts. Howard was disgusted with the tones coming from the amp to the point he couldn't even enjoy his favorite song.

Frustrated and angry he ambled back to his lair and started building an amplifier out of old parts laying around his mom's basement. Soon his creation was alive. It didn't sound very good though because it was made out of an old refridgerator and parts of a Ford. Howard got so angry he had to eat three sub sandwiches to calm his nerves. Near the point of tears he was inspired.

His friend owned a Fender Bassman amp. All he needed to do was take it apart and see how it worked. Of course, after he got half way through the deconstruction he realised he couldn't remember how to put it back together. In a panic he quickly restored it to the best condition he could, after taking a quick hot dog break of course. Once back together the Fender sounded completely different.... Instead of clean it had a new sound. Tain. With this new found tain sound Dumble went on to build several more amplifiers including the one copied by the guy who taught Tag the secrets of tone.

 

[sleewell]

havent played a dumble but i have owned two different fuchs tds (50 and 100) that were really amazing amps. it did not feel like a fender with a OD in front, it was def something different. it was like the notes were so beautiful it made me play different. i regret selling them, especially the 50.

 

[Achilles]

Mystique and decades of internet buzz.

That and most of the brands doing clones spare no expense in the amps.
The Two Rock I got to spend quality time with was absolutely top shelf from
a construction and small detail aspect. Reeked ridiculous quality.

 

[PLX]

havent played a dumble but i have owned two different fuchs tds (50 and 100) that were really amazing amps. it did not feel like a fender with a OD in front, it was def something different. it was like the notes were so beautiful it made me play different. i regret selling them, especially the 50.

It's the crystal lettuce.

 

[DrewJD82]

The only time I’ve heard a Dumble that made me say “Wow” was EJ’s and the EJ factor was most certainly providing the wow. He described it as a “high powered Twin”.

The pricing is just following in line with the hype, just like the Klon clones. You’d think by now it’d calm down but there’s enough of a crowd that believes mojo exists in dollar signs.

 

[JasonE]

I have never had the pleasure of playing through a Dumble or a clone of one. I have nothing to add here other than I have a couple of pedals that are supposedly Dumble style circuits.

 

[PLX]

I have never had the pleasure of playing through a Dumble or a clone of one. I have nothing to add here other than I have a couple of pedals that are supposedly Dumble style circuits.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I’m not convinced I even like the tone of them, it’s just not what I look for in an amp (I know they’re all supposedly designed around the buyers taste but I’m talking about the “Dumble tone” that comes to mind). I do like that there is an amp with such mystique and it garners such a reaction though.

WAY more interesting than all these modern amps that don’t have anything interesting about them at all.

 

[Sleezy E]

 

[PLX]

I’m not convinced I even like the tone of them, it’s just not what I look for in an amp (I know they’re all supposedly designed around the buyers taste but I’m talking about the “Dumble tone” that comes to mind). I do like that there is an amp with such mystique and it garners such a reaction though.

WAY more interesting than all these modern amps that don’t have anything interesting about them at all.

"When the air becomes electric, that's the right sound."

-- Howard Dumble

 

[laxu]

"When the air becomes electric, that's the right sound."

-- Howard Dumble

"When air becomes electric, you might be about to get hit by a lightning"
-Michael Scott

 

[Sleezy E]

 

[PLX]

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[Byrdman]

I played the Dumble amps on my Stomp XL for about 15 min. Does that count?

 

[JasonE]

"When air becomes electric, you might be about to get hit by a lightning"
-Michael Scott

There is some truth there. I had a really close call once. The hair on my arms stood straight up right before the lighting hit. It was maybe 10 ft away from me where it hit.

 

[Eagle]

I have played five and none of the clones quite have it. They are wow and make you play differently. Forget modelling versions. They sound like they have reverb on without any and make the biggest sound you ever had seem small by comparison. They are all different though and fine tuned for the original owners.