What we don't like to hear...

[Tdale]

Here is what Rick Vito said, when he was asked about his Dumble.

RV -Well I have had a couple but I don't have one currently. I found that over ten years went by without my using it. I kept finding just as useful a sound with something else. I think a lot of the Dumble lore is a little hyped up by one thing or another. My main Dumble amp was really great, but I don't really think it was necessarily greater than my '59 Bassman, my '64 Deluxe Reverb, or Supro, or Reverend for that matter. I had some great success with a Dumble, but I'd choose the mind and fingers as more important tools to achieve one's sound. There are many great amps out there today that will help you get where you need to go.

[oldmacman]

There's no denying that tone was magic.

Listen to "Like A Rock." Absurdly good tone. The solo at the end, Rick hits a note, and it magically jumps up an octave. It just sings.

There are some great tones in my Overdrive Reverb, but I haven't found that one yet.

[ElectronAvalanche]

I think Tdale hit the right note with what he wrote.

I have had the good fortune to play a couple of real Dumbles. One of them did not do anything for me (ODS Reverb), another one was downright nasty during the first 10 minutes and really shone later on, and the mighty 150W ODS was indeed a superb amp.

I had the good luck that Bill and Gil helped me to learn more about these amps many moons ago. Even if they did not reveal all their secrets, their advice helped me to approach amp building in a very satisfying way.

I do not think that Dumble amps are the top of amp evolution nor do I think that these amps do it for anybody. These amps need to be played in a special way. In the right hands, they do magic. Other amps do that as well.

I for one can only recommend to spend MORE time playing out than wondering if that Dale resistor/ shielded cable / or voltage will give the grail sound. Picture a group of painters discussing whether one brand of prussian blue will give better results then the other.

Recently I got the chance to see a great player here in munich and he used a SS Dynacord amp but had the most pleasing sound. I got the chance to sit in with the band and to play the cheapy SS amp and indeed it was magic that night (!). One had to turn up the volume to ten during the song for soloing, but oh what harmonics and nice feedback.

The bottom message is:

Tinker less, play more! That`s where it is, in the playing.....


Cheers,

Dominik

[Tdale]

I agree on the player bit. I've heard players get great sound from amps that aren't all that good. The way you play really influences sound.

By the way.. are you the guy I e-mailed a while ago, about your Dumble clones... you play in a band in Germany? Dominik T.......er ?


Tommy

[oldmacman]

Here's how I see it:

Jim Clark was a hell of a driver who could make anything fast.

Colin Chapman was a hell of an engineer who consistently gave him a great car to race.

If I gave Jim Clark my Civic, he'd drive it at its limits, but he wouldn't approach the performance of the Lotus. If I tried to drive a Lotus 49, I would be much faster than I would be in the Civic, but I wouldn't approach the performance of Jim Clark. It's the combination of a great driver and a great machine that gets the full performance out of either.

Doesn't mean it wouldn't be cool to see Jim Clark drive my car, and I'd sure love to drive the Lotus!

[Chad]

Here's how I see it:

Jim Clark was a hell of a driver who could make anything fast.

Colin Chapman was a hell of an engineer who consistently gave him a great car to race.

If I gave Jim Clark my Civic, he'd drive it at its limits, but he wouldn't approach the performance of the Lotus. If I tried to drive a Lotus 49, I would be much faster than I would be in the Civic, but I wouldn't approach the performance of Jim Clark. It's the combination of a great driver and a great machine that gets the full performance out of either.

Doesn't mean it wouldn't be cool to see Jim Clark drive my car, and I'd sure love to drive the Lotus!

Very well put oldmacman, very well put

[Tdale]

I'm listening to Like A Rock.. Is it in the last solo, almost at the end of the song? I can't hear the tone you're talking about..... Is it early in the solo, or late?

Tommy

[Bob-I]

Picture a group of painters discussing whether one brand of prussian blue will give better results then the other.

I find it interesting, being a sax player as well as a guitar player. Sax and other horn players tend to talk more about music and less about equipment than guitar players. You don`t hear long converstaions on reed maintaince like you hear long converstations on effects chains for example.

Just a comment, not a criticism.

That said, I love piddling with amps. It does nothing for my music, I just love it. I also hate piddling with reeds, gotta do it, but I hate it.

[dogears]

You are right... I have been neglecting my playing and recording lately! Damn amps....

[mlp-mx6]

I would never argue against your point either. Ultimately it IS all about the MUSIC.

But - this is an AMP board. We are SUPPOSED to discuss amps. Not as the be-all and end-all, or even as a substitute for musical talent, but as an ingredient (a very important one) in the chain of creativity. And for some the Dumble-type tone is very nearly the ideal tone - the one many of us "hear in our heads." The one that lets us go to "that place" where you have the out-of-body experience of musical creativity. Ever been there? I really LOVED it the few times I have gone to "that place."

Play on!
Michael

[tonelab2]

I think a lot of the Dumble lore is a little hyped up by one thing or another.

[dogears]

Right on Mike...... I feel I play best when I have an inspired tone.

I do need to get recording more...... Plus the solder fumes can't be doing me any good.

I would never argue against your point either. Ultimately it IS all about the MUSIC.

But - this is an AMP board. We are SUPPOSED to discuss amps. Not as the be-all and end-all, or even as a substitute for musical talent, but as an ingredient (a very important one) in the chain of creativity. And for some the Dumble-type tone is very nearly the ideal tone - the one many of us "hear in our heads." The one that lets us go to "that place" where you have the out-of-body experience of musical creativity. Ever been there? I really LOVED it the few times I have gone to "that place."

Play on!
Michael

[Tdale]

I haven't played much lately either, since I don't have an amp in my house at the time. A norwegian pop singer is currently using it in the studio, to record his latest album. Not a major artist world wide, but major enough to have a record deal with Sony music.

I just had to tell

Tommy

[tonelab2]

[quote="dogears"]Right on Mike...... I feel I play best when I have an inspired tone.

Feeling inspired is what music is all about. Without it, there is no good music whatever the style. Good 'tools' bring out the best. Bad tools discourage even the most patient. Life is both good AND bad but mostly
AND. So are tools.

[glasman]

You are right... I have been neglecting my playing and recording lately! Damn amps....

Ok Scott, now it is time to stop by GC, pick up a shock mount for the MK319 and get to recording.

My problem right now is I can't get to the mixer. There are six amps under construction sitting in front of it

Gary