HRM Overdrive - Fixnet ver. 1.0

[ayan]

I believe I remember coming across this around the time the auction was going on and didn't give it a second look. Now, I read the listing and paid more attention and found a couple of things:

1. Apparently Dumble referred to "non HRM" as standard overdrive.

2. Fixnet may refer to the few amps where the HRM trimmers were actually fixed resistors, or maybe the OD trigger was fixed, or... anyone?

If you haven't read this before, it's an interesting couple of minutes:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUMBLE-OVERDRIV ... 7#viTabs_0

Highlights of the Faxes referenced are below.

Cheers,

Gil


Dumble Faxes:

Epstein was a leading musician in Santa Cruz when Dumble lived here, late 70's and early 80's.

Epstein gave up music 'kinda' for NLP for about 10 years.

Then he went to see Robben Ford play, and the next day he contacted Dumble in LA for the Overdrive Special..................................

As you can see from these faxes, at first Dumble won't take a new order ....... within days Todd goes to LA to see the Amps. in Dumble's shop .......
Todd gets his Overdrive Special and all the other things, one by one, over the next year.

Teresa Epstein
====================================================================================================

December 1, 1993
From: Alexander
To: Todd

Here are the copies of a data sheet and the order agreements.
When you call, I will go over the operation of the amplifier and the effects interface device you noticed in Robben Ford’s rack.

December 1, 1993
From: Alexander
To: Todd

Thank you for your interest in my amplifiers and in response to your request for information…have enclosed (1) Overdrive Special data sheet, (2) price schedule, (3) order agreement, (4) security agreement.

These documents provide an outline of the basic ordering structure and procedures. However, if you have any questions…

I still custom manufacture all of my products “one-at-a-time” with extreme care and attentions. So each amplifier and speaker enclosure can very much be considered a prototype device suitable as a model for mass manufacturing, copying procedures. Hence, this is the reason for the security agreement. The emphasis here as always is making the highest quality product capable of resplendent, impressive performance.

Presently, the standard order system is “closed” and no orders are being accepted for this system. The Express-180 order system is limited as to the number of orders that can be accepted. So before you plan to use this order system, please check with me concerning the status and availability of the system.

Please contact me for further information, etc.

Epstein goes to LA and play the Amps.

December 7, 1993
From: Alexander
To: Todd

Received your transmissions, etc…

Each amplifier is as following:

1. the black amp has .....................

2. the black amp has a standard overdrive set at low calibration

3. the tan amp has ...................

4. the tan amp has the newer HRM Overdrive set at Fixnet ver. 1.0.

The tan amp has bigger transformers and can hold a signal more faithfully. So that is one reason why the tan amp sounds cleaner. It actually can be adjusted with front panel controls to perform overdrive functions quite dramatically.

Also, the Marshall 4x12 will make an amplifier work harder in to the saturation level of operation giving that warmer sound apparency. So using the older, black amp to drive the 4x12 does load amplifier at a point where it’s easy to get the “warm edge” sound.

The adjustment that Jeff mentioned in the Dumblelators was a gain adjustment to accommodate a distortion problem in the effects. As it turned out, the correct adjustment was actually performed on the TC2290, and the adjustments made to the Dumblelator was unnecessary. Also, the Dumblelator is mono-in with mono-out while the Dumblelator II is mono-in with stereo-out.

December 9, 1993
From: Todd
To: Alexander

At this point, I am leaning towards the .............................., along with the Dumblelator mono version. Are there any other choices that I would have to make in relation to the Set-up? For example, are there different calibration choices for the overdrive? If so, please advise me to what else I need to address before you send me the final paperwork.

December 10, 1993
From: Alexander
To: Todd

The situation with the overdrive processor calibration is that the adjustment is done with a trim pot located on the internal circuit board.

December 11, 1993
From: Alexander
To: Todd

On the stereo effect, yes, you can use another amp and speaker system to achieve the second half of stereo effects reproductions systems as long as you are able to compensate for gain levels, you can probably make do. The Dumblelator II just allows for the second signal half to be amplified to the correct gain point where the resulting signal can…

[splgeo]

that's kinda of weird, because of the interview with Ford on youtube he talks about Dumble made everything he possibly could to make 148 and 102 sound the same.... so what im getting is that they are two different style amps but sound the same????

[Duble]

that's kinda of weird, because of the interview with Ford on youtube he talks about Dumble made everything he possibly could to make 148 and 102 sound the same.... so what im getting is that they are two different style amps but sound the same????

I thought Robben didn't get 148 until 94'. I think those emails are referring to another amp. Remember 148 started life as a green tolex combo amp, and 102 started life as a head in black tolex,which it remained in through the 80's and 90's until it was put into the tan head shell towards early 2000's. .

[splgeo]

could it be he's referring to two none Ford amps... I might of been lead by after he heard Robben Ford.... thinking it was referring to the two amps

taken from the 102 file section
Here in June 1990 this "goldscript" backup amp #148 is still in its original tan cabinet. Later this backup amp (# around 14X AFAIR) was mounted into the green combo cabinet and now it is mounted in the black tolex cabinet. #102 is mounted today in the original tan cabinet of this "goldscript" backup amp.


It wouldn't make sence to me that in 1994 this guys Dumble was number 180 and that same year 148 was produced

[jelle]

2) Fixnet 1.0: It is my understanding that this is the fixed resistor HRM.

[talbany]

2. Fixnet may refer to the few amps where the HRM trimmers were actually fixed resistors, or maybe the OD trigger was fixed, or... anyone?

Hey Gil

I have seen the inside of 185..Peavey Duce Iron split chassis w/6L's and RF mod..It had an OD entrance trimmer but the stack was fixed..Hope that answers your question

Tony

[ayan]

Thanks Tony, Jelle and everyone else. I have seen the insides of the amp too, didn't know it was 185.

Not sure where the confusion about the RF amps came from, am I missing something? Was Dumble referring to the RF amps in his correspondence with Epstein, or the two amps Epstein tried, whatever they happened to be? I guess "Jeff" was probably Jeff Rivera, RF's tech at that time. Interesting.

Cheers,

Gil

2. Fixnet may refer to the few amps where the HRM trimmers were actually fixed resistors, or maybe the OD trigger was fixed, or... anyone?

Hey Gil

I have seen the inside of 185..Peavey Duce Iron split chassis w/6L's and RF mod..It had an OD entrance trimmer but the stack was fixed..Hope that answers your question

Tony

[ayan]

I don't think that's the case. RF recorded Live at the Mint with Jimmy Witherspoon in 1995 or 96 (that's when the CD came out) and I was in the audience at that gig. As a piece of trivia, so was Jennifer Jason Leigh, who had made an indy movie where Witherspoon had a role. At some point, Witherspoon acknowledged her, whch can be heard on the CD. Anyway, Robben was using two amps, a black head on top of a tan 2x12 and a tan head on top of a black 2x12 -- I remember they we cross matched. Each cabinet was mic'd.

At around 2002, I saw the Jellowjackets 20 year reunion where RF showed up with his #2 amp, not 102, in a green combo. He used a RF sig and Strat, perhaps some other guitars too, and I remember thinking that amp didn't sound so good.

Gil

I thought Robben didn't get 148 until 94'. I think those emails are referring to another amp. Remember 148 started life as a green tolex combo amp, and 102 started life as a head in black tolex,which it remained in through the 80's and 90's until it was put into the tan head shell towards early 2000's. .

[Duble]

I don't think that's the case. RF recorded Live at the Mint with Jimmy Witherspoon in 1995 or 96 (that's when the CD came out) and I was in the audience at that gig. As a piece of trivia, so was Jennifer Jason Leigh, who had made an indy movie where Witherspoon had a role. At some point, Witherspoon acknowledged her, whch can be heard on the CD. Anyway, Robben was using two amps, a black head on top of a tan 2x12 and a tan head on top of a black 2x12 -- I remember they we cross matched. Each cabinet was mic'd.

At around 2002, I saw the Jellowjackets 20 year reunion where RF showed up with his #2 amp, not 102, in a green combo. He used a RF sig and Strat, perhaps some other guitars too, and I remember thinking that amp didn't sound so good.

Gil

I thought Robben didn't get 148 until 94'. I think those emails are referring to another amp. Remember 148 started life as a green tolex combo amp, and 102 started life as a head in black tolex,which it remained in through the 80's and 90's until it was put into the tan head shell towards early 2000's. .

OK, Gil thanks for the clarification. It's baffling why Robben didn't own any more ODS amps than the two we all know well. Hasn't it been discussed here that he borrowed several ODS amps for recording?

[ayan]

I know what you mean, but I guess it's all relative, and not everyone else is "like us." One of the greatest guitarists ever, in my opinion, is Chris Cain. He became popular in the local San Jose blues scene in the 80s and I would see him all the time when I live in that area. Now he is a bit of known unknown, if that makes any sense, so you may have heard of him. Anyway, 30 years later, Chris's main amp is still an old little Music Man combo and his main guitar a brown 335 reissue... and this guy gigs every week of the year.

As far as borrowed amps, I've heard of RF using Jackson Browne's and Steve Trovatto's. Back around 90 or just before, RF and ST did a little concert together at GIT. Both were using their Dumbles, RF was going through his signature guitar and maybe too much chorus phase, ST was playing a brown Strat. ST's tone was to die for, totally overshadowing RF's in my view. Maybe that video is floating around on YouTube, I have a VHS copy of it somewhere in storage. ST's amp was later HRM'd, and I haven't heard it since that happened.

Gil

OK, Gil thanks for the clarification. It's baffling why Robben didn't own any more ODS amps than the two we all know well. Hasn't it been discussed here that he borrowed several ODS amps for recording?

[splgeo]

Having fixed resistors makes sence. You can set the ratio of signal to ground you want. Also the fixed trimmer makes sense with whats in 189 and the LC amp. No visible od trimme in those amps. But they do have HRM trimmers

[talbany]

The LC amp is different Ripper/Megaplex ..Cathode follower w/3 gain stages (no need for trimmer)

Tony