Dumble Bluesmaster

[sonicmojo]

I really like my Bluesmaster 50 that I built from the standard kit (it was my first Dumble build, I've built three more not from kits). I think people are mistaken on the current chassis quality. It is plenty thick IMO but maybe in the past they were less thick. Check my high-cut mod close up picture and judge for yourself. I constantly go back to this amp for experimentation purposes and it is a nice one all around for rock and blues. I've never had a problem with it since I built it early last year. I wish I could actually hear a side by side comparison of the stock Ceriatone transformers versus another brand but I don't think we'll ever hear that. For now, the stock transformers are doing fine for me.

[Harald.Nowak]

He uses cheap iron in general and Asian components so don't get too excited about authentic tone. The chassis are on the thin side. However his build quality otherwise is competent.

Have to contradict on that one, since I recently got hold of a 100W Bluesmaster HRM from Nik, which I mostly bought out of pure curiosity, and to my great astonishment:
the chassis is one of the sturdiest chassis I've seen to date, the component mix is very typical for Dumble amps (Dale RN65Ds at the anodes, Orange Drops throughout, sliver micas, you may or may not like his Holy Grail electrolytes) and both the PT and the OT iron are - again - the heaviest and fattest irons I've seen so far, definitely more iron than in comparable Heyboer, Fender or MM transformers.
Not saying that the amount of iron is in itself a proove of quality, just trying to make sure people don't get the feeling that the transformers might be on the small side - quite the contrary. Bandwidth of such irons will definitely be very broad and iron saturation is hardly to be expected.
While I do understand that components like his transformers sourced in Asia are cheap in the monetary sense and there are of course issues with such a mode of production, I think we should also try not to let that lead us to misleading assumptions about the actual component QUALITY.
Soundwise I'm also pleased so far, but thats another story.

[M Fowler]

My Ceriatone HRM BM 100w is a high quality great sounding amp. Construction is top notch. The chassis is cream or off white color and solid. The transformers work well and beefy looking.

I'm running a Two Rock style 212 cabinet from Henry loaded with WGS 80w version of the G12-65.

From Talking to other members I need to build my Dumblelator as the OD is fizzy sounding but cleans in either Rock or Jazz are great.

Mark

[Mark]

Nice tuned speaker cab (either a ported 1x12 or 2x12, or a Theile cab)

Greg could you give examples of a ported cabs?

I think cabs are often overlooked as part of the end result. I'd love to see the Trainwreck guys post a plan for the Ampeg cab Ken favoured.

I think we need cab plans too.

[boldaslove6789]

Nice tuned speaker cab (either a ported 1x12 or 2x12, or a Theile cab)

Greg could you give examples of a ported cabs?

I think cabs are often overlooked as part of the end result. I'd love to see the Trainwreck guys post a plan for the Ampeg cab Ken favoured.

I think we need cab plans too.

The following cabs are what I've used and what I prefer:

V-Boutique D-style 2x12 cab (with oval Port)
Avatar 2x12 "Traditional" with Oval Port
Forte 3D cab (has side port for increased Bass Response)
RND Cabs makes a side ported cab also (called the "Road" series)
Ev design Theile Cab for EvM12-L

Those would be my first picks. I do Prefer these cabs with Celestion G1265's, as the Ev's just don't do "It" for me anymore, too much headroom, not enough speaker breakup for my taste.

[Mark]

Thanks Greg. I did a search as it looked familiar.

https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... ht=cabinet

[Max]

Does anyone know which Dumble amp the Ceriatone HRM Bluesmaster is based upon? Is it a clone of a specific amp?

His Bluesmaster is no doubt entirely derivative of what has been posted on this forum

If this should be the case – what you might be able to find out by comparing these two layouts:

http://www.ceriatone.com/images/layoutP ... er-100.jpg

https://tubeamparchive.com/download/file.php?id=15545

then this might answer your question:

"Here is a layout of a Bluesmaster HRM... Since this particular amp was still gooped some of the info I needed to keep this accurate such as types of the parts used in some areas is just not possible at this time..So this is a sort of collage of info taken through various sources... [highlighting - Max]

Source: https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.ph ... 267#140267

I think cabs are often overlooked

Two versions of two rear vented guitar speaker cabinets often overlooked:

Bag End S12-D: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/310312.html
Bag End S12-B: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/295723.html
Bag End D12-D: http://ralaudio.com/bag-end-d12d-deep-r ... ve_id=3062
Bag End D12-B: http://briansguitars.com/categories/amp ... 12-cabinet

http://www.bagend.com/musical.htm

Review: http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/bag-end-s12-b/8152

Historic option: http://www.maverick-music.com/vintage-a ... -by-owsley

Cheers and lots of fun!

Max

[FUCHSAUDIO]

You could buy a Ceriatone-like D-style amp from Marsh, who sells Ceriatone chassis and boards, but loads American iron in them stateside (although only mentioned it when it became known on some forums). I've never heard one sound authentic, but it's a cheap start.

As a manufacturer I can tell you : There is a limit to what any small American builder can offer and still make a living (perhaps even a respectable living).

It's a sad fact that American manufacturing is severely burdened by a higher cost of doing business, rent, taxes, overhead, labor costs, insurance costs, are far less than in Malaysia and many other places I'm pretty sure. Malaysia is much closer to China, who makes many of the parts used. The other issue is limited volume production. These D-style amps are a limited market item. That's one of the reasons our company widened our product offerings outside of just D-style or D-inspired amps.

[Mark]

I was recently amazed at how much difference transformers make to the sound of these amps. My efforts at a Bluesmaster build were done using a Boogie SOB as a donor amp. I thought these transformers would be ideal, I was surprised to find they were good but not great. What are ideal transformers?

[Max]

I was recently amazed at how much difference transformers make to the sound of these amps. My efforts at a Bluesmaster build were done using a Boogie SOB as a donor amp. I thought these transformers would be ideal, I was surprised to find they were good but not great. What are ideal transformers?

Perhaps the transformers used by Alexander Dumble will be ideal - at least for some replica of one of his original amps?

Cheers,

Max

[Mark]

True, but given the choice we have today what is a good choice?

I found the SOB transformers didn't have the mids I later heard in other transformers this meant I increased the mids on the OD stage to make up for the lack of mids. The amp end up sounding good but I felt like I had started from a compromised position.

[Structo]

Posts edited for civility.

Let's keep it about amps guys.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

No sleight on Nik but; [quote]and both the PT and the OT iron are - again - the heaviest and fattest irons I've seen so far, definitely more iron than in comparable Heyboer, Fender or MM transformers.[quote]

To coin an American expression "size doesn't always matter. A properly designed transformer matters. I recently replaced an Ampeg output in a foreign made amp. Forget whether it was Viet-Nam or Indonesia, but the output was 2 6V6's in a G-12 reissue, and the output transformer looked like a 100-W Bassman ! Workmanship was amazing inside, lots of straight wires, every connection shined, really clean, yet it sounded awful. I installed a Heyboer Deluxe equal replaced it, and the amp screamed !

The customer was thrilled and could not understand "bigger is not better" ?

[Harald.Nowak]

To coin an American expression "size doesn't always matter.

I'm with you on this Andy, as I already mentioned in my original post.
Just wanted to make sure people know, that we're not talking about physically small transformers here but more excatly quite the oppoiste, and I'm also quite confident that they are not the cheapest ones Nik could have installed - if he were to simply reduce costs wherever he can. That seems to specifically not happen when you look into his amps lately.

However, your experience with the heyboer is interesting, and I may at some time do a head by head comparison between a heyboer and the ceriatone OT; does anyone have a recommendation for a 100W bluesmaster? And/or ideas how to really perform a (double) blind test - both OTs installed at the same time and switcheable seems to be necessary - anybody ever done this?
cheers,
Harry

[talbany]

The problem with some of these cheaper Chinese transformers is there very inconsistent sounding..One might actually sound OK where as the next one is dark and lifeless..Same transformer QC
Some of the smaller Xformers are hardly overspec-ed

FWIW.. A prototype OD 22w was built using a Weber cheap China Xformer..The thing screamed!!...For about 3 days

Tony