The Dumble "grail" tone(s)?

[2555SL]

First, please allow me to say what a great site this is. I've been lurking here for some time now, and have learned a great deal about Dumble history and a fair amount about his design changes through the years. Hope you all will please forgive me if I pipe in with a few newby questions.

I'm 45 and have been playing through some nice amps for a while, yet have never built one. In fact, and until getting caught-up for hours ready all your interesting Dumble threads, I never thought very seriously about trying. Previously owned a '77 50-watt 4-hole Marshall, and currently own a 2555SL, an early ('85/'86) Mesa/Boogie MkIII, and a Super Champ. I realize in advance that this is a broad question, but what albums/tracks might I listen to for a good reference of the "grail" tone(s) that are often talked about here. I'm somewhat familiar with Santana over the years, and very familiar with SRV's tone on Texas Flood (from what I've learned here: Brown's bass amp that has a twin pre stage and 'deep-voiced' SVT power section (?)), and with Couldn't Stand the Weather (custom-voiced Steel String Singer (?)). However, I haven't listened to much David Lindley ('70s albums, I presume, and using a Dumbleland?), or (forgive me) much R. Ford either.

I would like (eventually, someday, maybe) try my hand at building a D-clone, yet I want to first get a good grasp of what you all consider to be the "grail/best-representative" tones that have been put to vinyl by major artists over the years. Then I might better understand the design changes that you folks discuss, and eventually choose one to best fit what I'm looking for based off those albums/tracks.

Final question: Is the cascading gain circuitry of the Overdrive Specials similar to my MkIII Boogie? And if not, in what ways (big and small) do they differ?

Thanks in advance from a complete novice, and once again, great site!
Cheers, Johnny

[skyboltone]

Hi Johnny:
Welcome aboard. This is addictive around here.

Larry Carlton's album entitled "Last Night" live at The Baked Potato. It's out of print but I got one used through Amazon for $20. I'd pay more now if I lost it. It's that good.

Normster has posted portions of a cut called BP blues in the following thread.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... lton+blues

Dan

[2555SL]

Hi Johnny:
Welcome aboard. This is addictive around here.

Larry Carlton's album entitled "Last Night" live at The Baked Potato. It's out of print but I got one used through Amazon for $20. I'd pay more now if I lost it. It's that good.

Normster has posted portions of a cut called BP blues in the following thread.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... lton+blues

Dan

Hi Dan, thanks for your warm welcome and the link! In fact, it would serve me well to do some more searching on my own to connect the dots, yet thought maybe there were a few "special" recordings as you mentioned above. I've read many threads saying "That's a classic Dumble on XYZ artist's cut...," yet I'm really interested to know "which" Dumble (amp/circuit) ties in with which cut/album/artist, etc.

Addictive is an understatement! I find, not so regretfully, that I haven't gotten much done at work here lately.

Johnny

[swt]

go build it!!. we can help you from here. you'll never go back. just be careful of the lethal voltages inside. the best thing to do it for the first time, is just find an old amp, and use the sockets, and transformers and build it inside.
the mesa is not even closer in sound, although they share the same topology. dumbles have a more open and live sound, it's liquid, and really expresive, not compressed. look for hybrid rev a. let us know how you are doing...

[Darkbluemurder]

the mesa is not even closer in sound, although they share the same topology. dumbles have a more open and live sound, it's liquid, and really expresive, not compressed. look for hybrid rev a. let us know how you are doing...

I also have a Mk III and while it is loud it is by far not as dynamic as the two Fenders I modded to D-clones. I believe it is because (1) the Mk III has two more stages after the clean/OD sections which may darken the tone and (2) there are so many bypass caps to ground and plate bypass caps in the Mk III OD section which kill a lot of highs and sparkle. The Mk III's forte IMO is the loud clean tone and that it is good with pedals. But the Dumbles can do that well, too.

[Bob-I]

Is the cascading gain circuitry of the Overdrive Specials similar to my MkIII Boogie?Cheers, Johnny

Welcome Johnny.

To my ears the Boogie distortion sounds "layered", like there's a clean tone and a distorted tone coming through at the same time. The bottom end also sound flubby to me.

The Dumble has a grainier texture to the tone, it's not heavily compressed unless you really push the gain, and the in between tone, slightly distorted, sound as good as the hard driven tones.

The clean tones are smooth and sweet with a nice attack leaving the guitar's charactor to shine through.

Here's a recording I did to demonstrate all the tones of my Peavey VTX transplant, ignore the sloppy parts, I was screwing with the amp while playing. I used my Hamer Echotone 335 copy and a 2x12" partial open back with Celestions G12H's.

http://www.patmedia.net/bob-ingram/revelation_HRM.mp3

[Harris]

As for recorded grail tones....there's plenty Robben Ford discs out there, but as far as guitar tones....he did an instrumental disc called "Tiger Walk" that will give you a good idea what the ODS is about. It also varies a bit from what Carlton does on "Last Nite"

[Wasserockinbluesman]

Hello Johnny,

You are in great company here in this forum, I am also new and have yet to build an amp but am learning, taking baby steps. I have been listening to these D style amps, originally started w/Robben Ford, Carlton and then started to investigate Fuchs amps which really wet my whistle. I finally decided that I needed to take some action so I signed up and like you have been reading and learning, educating myself with the help of the forum.

Of course now I have the bug so I am starting with some small projects and a tech buddy of mine has agreed to build me a D clone basically for the cost of the parts so I am excited and hoping the result is reasonably good and can be tweaked from there. I get the feeling that this is only the beginning.

I have been lucky enough to be able to connect with a few of the guys here to the point where I have been in contact with and actually even play a few amps and hope to be able to share more in the future. You’re in for a hell of a ride !!

In any case, welcome aboard !!!