jaysg wrote:super100 wrote:What do you think?
I think you've got the idea. The OP may not understand that what HAD actually was doing, was developing a flexible architecture and accumulating a large number of observations about how both small and drastic modifications to that architecture could be used to optimize the ODS amp for guitarists and their favorite guitars.
For example, sometimes someone will talk about a specific amp that really sings (for them)...this infers that they don't all neccesarily do this to the same degree. It's got to be intentional, not accidental.
Indeed!
Of course after 30 years of more or less use some small part of the differences you will notice when comparing say ODS #092 and #093 are accidental as being a result of the different aging of some parts.
But when these two amps left Alexander's shop they would have been already different too, because he made them intentionally to be different!
These intentional differences (sometimes really b i g !) between amps with nearly the same series # and looks have IMHO nothing in common with the accidental "variations" you will notice when comparing e. g. two otherwise identical Marshall or Fender amps just produced.
That's very important to keep in mind before making statements like: A dumble skyliner sounds like this and a bluesmaster like that. Just remember how many threads you find here that discuss what kind of amp is played in a clip without coming to a conclusion.
If there really would be such fixed relations between tone and a technical variant like "skyliner" or "classic", as the OP suggests - why then all the discussions about "Does RF play a bluesmaster or a skyliner and with or without HRM?"?
If such more or less fixed relation between technical and tonal variants really would exist, why then don't we all hear after some minutes what variant is played by RF, LC, Santana, David Lindley and everyone.?
And what sense it makes, when obviously not even the most experienced members here can identify a tonestack or plate or PI variant just by listening for some minutes, to talk about such fixed links between technical and tonal variants as being given and proved facts?
Isn't it strange that these discussions of the "does LC play a HRM?" sort don't end just by listening for some minutes but only after Brandon or someone else tells what he found when he looked inside?
Isn't it not far more consistent and in accord with what we hear on records of actual Dumble players to assume that the technical differences referred to in the OP are the result of the developing of Alexander's technical means to still built very very different amps that meet the very very different needs of his very very different customers as best as possible?
I don't have the faintest doubt, that you could give him right now anyone of his first ten ODS from the early seventies and ask him to built an exact replica of its sound and what you will get will be just this but achieved by very different technical means as those of the early seventies amps.
I am rather sure he could right now built an amp with all the tonal and dynamic and musical characteristics of ODS #008 but could and would do this using completely different parts and a very different technical structure.
His own "clone" of #008 would not be a "clone" in a technical sense but in a musical sense. It would be a fine musical tool to give Lindley the same musical possibilities as #008 (if DL would wish so) but most likely by completely different technical means.
That of course is my personal believe and indeed, I don't have any proof at all for the truth of this. I tell it here only to make clear how I personally think about these "A (instead of "this") high plate skyliner sounds like this" statements at ampgarage. If others think different - that's precisely what I would call a discussion.
Cheers
Max
