Which Dumble should I build using my Bassman Head

[Krinkle]

Hi Guys,

This forum is amazing. Being new, I'm overwhelmed with the amount of information here. I've spent many hours over the last week looking through posts to try to determine which Dumble to build using my silverface Bassman head.

Please help. The D'lite Bluesmaster sounds great but I can't match up a schematic with a layout.

Could somebody give me their opinion and please point me to the best schematic and layout for a Bassman mod.

Thanks,

Darrin
Pickering, Ontario

[odourboy]

Hey Darrin!

Welcome to the forum. I live in the GTA as well.

Regarding your question. Though I haven't built a D'lite myself, you could probably use the standrd layout and sub in the appropriate values for the BM variant (plus a few connection minor changes in the tone stack). If you look in the Dumble Files section, you should also find a couple of layouts for Bassman conversions.

I'm sure others will chime in with specific guidance.

Cheers, Brian

[Normster]

I've always regretted converting my Bassman to a Dumble. However, they DO make a great platform for conversion.

The cool thing is that you have room for 4 preamp tubes so you can either add reverb or a buffered loop very easily. Also, since the caps live in the doghouse, there's room for just about any circuit you can dream up.

As for which schematic to use, I think the non-HRM gives the most pleasing first-time results. The HRM and Bluesmaster are more difficult to tune. Sorry, I don't have any recent pics of the amp, but here's a bad photo of its maiden voyage.

http://bad-domain/Pics/Amps.JPG

[Krinkle]

Thanks for the replies and the welcome.

I looked through the Dumble Files section and found 2 Bassman clone posts. One by Heisthl and one by Normster. Not sure which one would suit me better. Looks like both put caps in the dog house. I need to look at them both closer as I thought I saw that the schematics didn't match the layouts.

Are there sound clips of either of these amps?

Brian, I'm going to PM you, maybe we could get together at some point, I have a pile of stuff that I'd like to show you. Did you build a Dumble, and if so, which one?

Darrin

[hairyandy]

I've got kinda the same decision to make. I have an empty SF Bassman chassis that I plan on filling up with a D'Lite. I was thinking the 44 with the caps in the doghouse and maybe reverb. I wouldn't mind having an FX loop either. Hmmmm, decisions...

BTW, nice faceplate there Norm. I might have to find out where you got that.

Andy

[odourboy]

Brian, I'm going to PM you, maybe we could get together at some point, I have a pile of stuff that I'd like to show you. Did you build a Dumble, and if so, which one?

Darrin

This one:
https://tubeamparchive.com/viewtopic.php?t=3985

Also have a 50W non-HRM that is 90% complete. Just going through the tweaking stage and working on a cabinet.

[Structo]

If it were me I would blackface the Bassman then buy a D'Lite kit.
Then tweak the D'lite to the latest improvements.
The best of both worlds.

[hairyandy]

I'm not too conflicted about doing a D'Lite in my Bassman chassis simply because I got it pretty cheap and pre-gutted just for this purpose. Also, I already have a stock 6G6-B Bassman head which is the best post-5F6-A Bassman there is IMO.

Andy

[Structo]

Oh OK, you didn't say that from the start.
So Dumble away.

[skyboltone]

I'm not too conflicted about doing a D'Lite in my Bassman chassis simply because I got it pretty cheap and pre-gutted just for this purpose. Also, I already have a stock 6G6-B Bassman head which is the best post-5F6-A Bassman there is IMO.

Andy

Ahhhhhh. Why the D'lite? Why not the Hybrid A or Heistl's one with the effects loop? I don't intend to start a fight here but a D'lte is a different amp than a D clone. Read Ayan (gil's) recent comments on basic Hybrid A vs HRM for instance. You can stick with the D'lite switching but still put iron in it for 6L6s. That's what these guys end up putting in the lites anyway! You can always run 6V6s in the full size amp if you so desire.

Just a thought
dan H

[Normster]

I think the whole "d'lite" thing has become generic. FWIW, the Brown Note D'Lite is a small-footprint Dumble style amp. As a kit, it eliminated some of the complexities of a full-scale ODS build, but most beople added foot switching and tone switching options back in anyway.

Brown Note D'Lites continue to use the small footprint chassis, but are available in many configurations (including HRM & BM). We still call it a D'Lite even if it uses large iron and full switching options. Moss and I DID trademark the name "D'Lite" to protect us from any issues resulting from amps being sold as D'Lite that had nothing to do with Brown Note. However, we have no problem with people calling their amps whatever they want. (Sorry, I guess this sounds like a rant, but I really don't mean it to. Just trying to clarify.)

But back on track...a Hybrid-A is a great circuit to put in a Bassman. The D'Lite preamp board layout can be used as-is or shuffled around to include reverb or buffered loop components. I would try the straight up Hybid-A first and tweak to taste from there.

[skyboltone]

We still call it a D'Lite even if it uses large iron and full switching options..

The full size iron is my only point Norm. You guys have made a hell of a contribution to "real" amp building and I'm not knocking one nickle off of that.

On another forum i was trying to advise a guy who's gonna buy a Blues D'ville because his PV classic 30 blew up and GC has forever no finance going on. I think he just has an L tatooed on his forhead. Waste of words.

keep up the good work
Dan H

[hairyandy]

Honestly, my only reason for building the D'Lite rather than another D variant is that I'm still pretty much a newb when it comes to this amp building business. I've been making pedals for years, I took Egnater's Seminar last summer and I just finished my first solo build, A TW Liverpool. I figured it would be an easier build to just go the D'Lite route and then tweak from there. I think getting a barebones kit minus the chassis will make it easier for me to get something up and running fairly quickly and then I can add things like the loop or verb if I want. Should I just suck it up and do a Hybrid A or stick with my plan? I do like the sound clips on the Brown Note site...

Andy

[skyboltone]

Honestly, my only reason for building the D'Lite rather than another D variant is that I'm still pretty much a newb when it comes to this amp building business. I've been making pedals for years, I took Egnater's Seminar last summer and I just finished my first solo build, A TW Liverpool. I figured it would be an easier build to just go the D'Lite route and then tweak from there. I think getting a barebones kit minus the chassis will make it easier for me to get something up and running fairly quickly and then I can add things like the loop or verb if I want. Should I just suck it up and do a Hybrid A or stick with my plan? I do like the sound clips on the Brown Note site...

Andy

Do the D'lite thing Andy, just get the big iron or use what came with the bassman. That's my only point. You'll be up and running in no time.

[hairyandy]

Do the D'lite thing Andy, just get the big iron or use what came with the bassman. That's my only point. You'll be up and running in no time.

That's what I was thinking. I'm either going to get the big iron from Moss & Norm or use a Thordarson OT that I got from Germ that has the same specs as a Stancor A-3801. I'm leaning toward getting the full compliment of Brown Note iron but it may depend on money when I order it. That Thordarson also might be good in the TW Rocket that will be next! Decisions...

Thanks guys!

Andy