Dumble Mod Reviews

[ER]

I got it Max and it brightened my day (Go Archemeaies!). Haven't seen you posting for a while good to see you back, hope all is well.

-ER

[Max]

hope all is well.

Yes,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk0dBZ1meio

This gang of Carcino-Angels obviously couldn't resist the bombing with some weird combination of filter-setting, mid-accent and EQ-switches of a Dumbleland at full throttle.

All the best!

Max

[Mark]

I have only heard stories (from people who are believable), they named players who hadn't bugged HAD and they had been waiting years for the amp.

59Pro, I'm glad your experiences with HAD were good. Perhaps you can tell us a bit more about these experiences, I've only heard bad stories about him.

Max, no problem, I thought you were getting abusive towards me in which case I was letting you know where to go.

[renshen1957]

http://www.londonpower.com/catalog/prod ... ucts_id=14

I imagine it is very similar to this sort of thing.

Is the dual Showman a blonde amp?

Hi,

The London power info for the circuit is in The Ultimate Tone Volume One.,

The Dual Showman is a Silver Face Amp, essentially a Twin Reverb built as a head with an accompanying Cab.

http://www.davidsonamp.com/sf/dualshowm ... baa270.php

Best Regards,

Steve

[Mark]

I had a look at the London Power pre-amp mod, it looks like a good mod, but that isn't the same as mods I've seen in Australia many, many years ago.

The mods I heard sounded a lot like the Ultra Phonix mod.

Two distinct channels and no switching.

[59Pro]

I have only heard stories (from people who are believable), they named players who hadn't bugged HAD and they had been waiting years for the amp.

59Pro, I'm glad your experiences with HAD were good. Perhaps you can tell us a bit more about these experiences, I've only heard bad stories about him.

Max, no problem, I thought you were getting abusive towards me in which case I was letting you know where to go.

Mark that's the problem with these rumors and stories, they are always second or third hand or mostly "I have heard or read." There are always two sides to a story as well.
You wrote, "I've only heard bad stories". If there only bad stories, why to you think so many Dumble customers (like myself) have multiple amps from him?

What would you like to know about my experiences? Like I wrote before, I ordered an amp and Alexander delivered and the amps exceeded my expectations. They are tailored to my style of playing and perfect what I need. If I would need another amp, I would order again from Mr. Dumble. I guess that says a lot.

[Mark]

I ordered an amp and Alexander delivered and the amps exceeded my expectations. They are tailored to my style of playing and perfect what I need.

Describe the experience, how did you correspond with him?

Did you meet with him?

What amp choices were to available to you and what interaction did you have with HAD. Did he make any recommendations to you?

Did you play through several different amps and speakers?

Was the amp tweaked by HAD especially for you either before or after the amp had been completed?

This is the sort of thing that interests me.

59Pro have you built a Dumble style amp?

I ask myself if I could have an amp built by HAD or make one myself. I think the HAD amp would be more valuable, but I wouldn't have learnt anything.

[M Fowler]

The biggest thing I don't understand is you have to know someone that has direct contact with Mr. Dumble to be able to order.

There is no website, no advertisement, no phone number or email address.
So what many are saying it is only the who's who of the elite business insiders that have access to order a new Dumble amp. Is that correct?

Mark

[martin manning]

The biggest thing I don't understand is you have to know someone that has direct contact with Mr. Dumble to be able to order.

There is no website, no advertisement, no phone number or email address.
So what many are saying it is only the who's who of the elite business insiders that have access to order a new Dumble amp. Is that correct?

Mark

This happens when a custom-order product made by an individual reaches a certain level of cachet. The supply is fixed, so the sell price goes through the roof and/or the waiting list gets insanely long, with delivery time stretching out to years. Custom guitars and bicycles are two other items that I have seen follow this same pattern. Although some people are willing to wait it out, a multi-year waiting list is just silly, and not very satisfactory for either the builder or the customer. Limited access to the builder solves the problem by balancing the sell price and the supply and demand.

[talbany]

I am sure Dumble could very easily hire on a staff of builders go semi or mass production lose all interest in the hands on quality control and personal attention of his product, while still demanding a high price, do this for several years sell the company become fairly wealthy and retire..He chooses not to..IMO speaks volumes about the guy and the devotion to his art form..
Doesn't this trump a few bad stories if any..

Tony

[59Pro]

Describe the experience, how did you correspond with him?

Met several times, phone and e-mail

Code: Select all

Did you meet with him?

See above.

Code: Select all

What amp choices were to available to you and what interaction did you have with HAD. Did he make any recommendations to you?

I know pretty much what I like and what I don't need. But yes ,he made recommendations. Yes, I played several different amps, but I instantly fell in love with the Ultra Phonix amps. These really fit my playing style and he knew it after we jammed and spoke about amps.

Did you play through several different amps and speakers?

see above.

Was the amp tweaked by HAD especially for you either before or after the amp had been completed?

Yes both.

59Pro have you built a Dumble style amp?

No, I don't build amps and never felt like doing it. But I really enjoy playing them

[dreric]

I am sure Dumble could very easily hire on a staff of builders go semi or mass production lose all interest in the hands on quality control and personal attention of his product, while still demanding a high price, do this for several years sell the company become fairly wealthy and retire..He chooses not to..IMO speaks volumes about the guy and the devotion to his art form..
Doesn't this trump a few bad stories if any..

Tony

Hey Tony!

I think your assessment above is very true. Rumor has it the HAD turned down a multimillion deal with Fender because he wanted to maintain control over the product / business. Whether this was done out of dedication to his art or a dysfunctional need to maintain control over the amps and their propriety............ we'll never know.

In truth we know very little about HAD. Rumor, second, third, fourth hand stories. The happy customers, who i think are the majority, don't complain or share information. Apparently (rumor) HAD cuts them off if they do. The guy who wrote the Dumble Book couldn't get anyone to talk. Is he married, kids, where does he live, lifestyle, production methods, friends............... HAD ain't talking.

I do find it interesting that the general assumption is that HAD is doing well financially. I question this. My numbers are guesses but, if HAD has been making amps since 1975 and has made about 300 that's about 8 amps a year. (Rumor says 1-2) Even if he gets 30K per amp these days that's $240K a year, which is not a lot of money to run a brick and mortar manufacturing business in California.

just speculating

Eric

[stevlech]

I seem to remember hearing that HAD's real bread and butter, as well as his real passion, is in studio equipment. Perhaps his reluctance in the guitar amp business has to do with wanting to focus on that.

My $0.02

[Bob-I]

What I find interesting about all these stories, is the only first hand stories I've read were all positive, only the second/third hand stories are negative.

I doubt if he's made much from the amp business, the volume is simply too low. I do love his amps though.

[vibratoking]

which is not a lot of money to run a brick and mortar manufacturing business in California.

I don't think he is running a brick and mortar business in the standard meaning of that term. Rumor, and it is a rumor, is that Santana pays for his living/building space. I would bet he has almost none of the overhead expenses of a standard b&m business. If which case, $240K per year is plenty to live well on. Again, this is all speculation.

The reality is that no matter what HAD is doing, many of his amps are well documented, understood, and being built to a very high standard. If this was not true, then there would be no need for the amp sticker regarding pirates and cloners. That sticker is a testament from HAD that the Dumble section of TAG, and many other independent builders, is fulfilling it's intended goal successfully.