Dumble style amps

Jeffrey Watson · From: California, USA

I used to get lucky when every few years I'd play a gig where my amp would match up with the room/volume levels and I'd get close to the kind of saturation or light break up that I'm always looking for (think Eric Heywood/Son Volt). I've had a lunchbox Dumble clone for 10 yrs. or so that I play lap steel and 6 string thru. It took me all these years to figure out how to dial in all of the different gain stages to where it has become the only amp I use for pedal steel anymore. Anyone else using a Dumble style amp?

David Weisenthal · From: Arizona, USA

That's mainly for metal Isn't it Jeff? Very high gain tube amp

Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

What clone do you have? I love Ben Harper's lap steel tone...all through his Dumbles...and no, it isn't "metal".....it is "angels singing"...
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Jeffrey Watson · From: California, USA

I don't know about metal but they definitely can be used as a very high gain amp. They're probably best known for being used by blues/rock players. My interest in them is that all that gain comes in multiple stages that can be dialed way back and gives you complete control of the nature of that gain/saturation.
The angels singing indeed! I've got a Ceriatone Mini OTS.

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

David Lindley used Dumbles with Jackson Brown. I think Ben Harper even owns his old ones.

Angels singing is a perfect description of the Dumble tone. Santana uses a few these days and he has one of the best lead guitar tones of all time.

Rick Vito's slide solo in Bob Seger's "Like a Rock" was done through a Dumble.

I use this clone of the Zendrive which is a "dumble in a box" style overdrive. Gives that singing lead style Dumble is famous for and keeps the note clarity fairly well.
https://aionfx.com/project/azimuth-dynamic-overdrive/

It's the "smoothest" overdrive I've tried with steel gets in the "Running on Empty" ballpark tonally and I use it when I play "Left a Slide" by Son Volt for that distorted but clear note separation sound.

Eric Heywood nailed it here"Left a Slide"
I think he runs a Sarno Earth Drive these days for OD which makes sense since that's another "Hi fi" overdrive.

I could listen to Eric solo backing singer songwriters all day. He is a master at the craft.
Caitlin Canty Acoustic Sessions
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Brett Lanier · From: Madison, TN

I’ve played a couple shows with Steve Kimock, who uses an overdrive special as his primary amp, and it’s mostly a clean tone that he’s getting. The way the band is set up, his amp was pointed right at me across the stage, 15 or so ft away. It’s an incredible sound, and has plenty of clean headroom. First chance I get, I’m going to plug my steel into that thing.

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

Dumble clones include:

The "go-to" overdrive pedal to get that Dumble sound is the Hermida Zen Drive. I have one of these and I will never ever get rid of it.
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Mullen G2 D-10 (9p/5k)
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Kemper Profiler / LW 89

Bill Ladd · From: Wilmington, NC, USA

My last pedal steel rig was a VHT D-50 Dumble clone running into twin 12” cabinets.

Best pedal steel rig I’ve ever had. Never touched the overdrive section. The cleans beat my Milkman.

Never gigged with it as I stopped playing live a few years ago, but, god damn, I got goose bumps every time I turned that thing up.

ajm · From: Los Angeles

"That's mainly for metal Isn't it Jeff? Very high gain tube amp."

Some Dumble amps supposedly have high gain capability.....IF you set them that way.
However, while I'm sure that there are some metal guys that may *own* a Dumble, I'm not aware of any that actually record with or use them on a regular basis.

There are several videos on Youtube, one of which features 10 or so Dumble players.
I seem to recall that they were done by:
Premier Guitar
and
Five Watt World

Tim Harr: Another one to add to your list, that has been getting some attention lately is Amplified Nation.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

I have a Carr Slant6v with 2-12’s that Henry H. over at Red Plate amps modded for me that is one of the best sounding Dumble clones that I have heard to date….

I also have an original Jim Kelley F.A.C. ‘s combo with the original attenuator that also has a very close to a Dumble tone….

Both amp’s run 4- 6v6’s

As far as pedals go, I have a first issue Hermida Zendrive that sounds pretty good !

https://youtu.be/_4hyvvoPn_U?si=8t71OEXFR-RlUT8f

This is the mod that I had done…..Jim

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