Would have loved to have an original. I know Kenny Wayne Shepherd did this when he had the Zendrive on his board. Dumble did not expand his operation and self-built all his amps from scratch, resulting in long lead times and alleged eccentric order terms and conditions. He started gigging when he was 14 years old and hasnt yet put his guitar down. Very cool. I usually set my Vibroverb to 6 on Bass and Treble (there's no mid) and Reverb at 4. This is a single-channel clean amplifier. I'm not sure which Dumble Overdrive Special this pedal is based on. I don't know about the case, but that Nickerson guitar is a beaut! I tried the Ethos as well and didn't find magic there, either. I agree with you the ZD pairs well with a Fender Blackface and not so well elsewhere. Its really a wonderful experience to play with a musical hero. the forum rules you agreed to follow when you signed up, https://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=690805, http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/wheres-my-d-sound.116792/#post-1394891. Robben Ford on Dumble Amplifiers | Reverb Interview. I don't believe the picture below is from the show I was at but the rig is the same setup. HIGH-END DUMBLE PEDALS BETWEEN $229 and $310 These options offer some amazing tones and value as well as a great combination of features, components and design. I remember listening to Robben Ford playing through his Overdrive Special for the first time, and his sound blew me away to the point of desperately wanting to learn how to sound like that, and thats ultimately what great gear is for: inspiration. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. I stopped using it for tracking and used an early 60s Fender Pro Reverb that I borrowed from a guitar store in Nashville. Heres how it works. Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Key to the Dumble sound is the way the clean preamp cascades into the overdrive section. The mini switches and control pots are also being wired. Not a dimed Marshall (like Clapton used with the Bluesbreakers and Cream) but close enough. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Hermida didn't build the first ZenDrive for him until 2003 ( Builder Profile: Hermida Audio Technology ). Looks like someone finally added information to the Wiki page, last time I viewed it there was almost no information. Since every amp that Dumble ever worked on is highly personal to the player that initially ordered it, I thought it would be cool to talk about some of these unique amplifiers. Over the last 40 years, Robben Ford has established himself in the somewhat gray area between gutbucket blues, exploratory jazz, and soulful R&B. In that case, the amp is referred to as an Overdrive Reverb. There are several different types of Dumble amplifier but the most famous is the Overdrive Special, which features a clean channel that cascades into a foot switchable overdrive circuit with a passive EQ and pre-gain EQ switches that pre-set the EQ for different styles. Endicott, NY. I'm diving in again be right back. My favorite tone of his was from the first Blue Line record. Effects Robben Ford can sound like Robben Ford no matter what rig he uses. If this is in the ballpark of what you are going for, let me know and I'll see if I saved my settings. These amps were hand-built to best match the different players that requested them. This was easy enough and all good until his speakers got stuck in customs! Also, if you own a Kemper or a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, you can find some original Dumble profiles, so (theoretically) you should be able to get an idea of that sound. You get to hear all the notes, the full spectrum of the signal.. will keep the thread up to date. All of the Dumbles that we can find are utterly different from each other, even if the model name is the same. Sorry to go off topic but I'm putting together another strat. I believe he was using an early Telecaster and the signature model Fender did for him - carved top . These fantastic pieces of gear are unbelievably rare, and even if youre lucky enough to find one for sale, you should be prepared to sell your house if you want to buy it. ^I do have a soundclick but it is missing a lot of amp soundclips, this should be a tough one. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Bear in mind that Ive never played a real Dumble. The key is setting the amp up pretty warm and midrangy with a healthy amount of reverb, delay, and/or chorus. During the 1980s, Dumbles in the hands of stars like Steve Farris (Mr Mister) came to typify LA AOR-tones and the fat, violin-smooth distortion is a big part of the Dumble mystique. I used a lot of different guitars and amps and was never really comfortable. Sounds kind of like Robben Ford's Gibson through a Dumble tone too. You have the cloners bashing each other, cloner shrills hammering other amps, and some epic slap downs. The FET circuit is intended for guitars with piezo pickups and produces a very clean sound, while the normal input is closer to a traditional Fender-style first gain stage. Like other contemporary LA amp hot-rodders, including Randall Smith and Paul Rivera, Dumble pursued his own high-gain ideas and built amps for customers on a bespoke basis. Most Dumble ODSs were made using EL34 output valves, but there are variations, for example Larry Carlton owns one that runs on 6V6s for a lower output, intended for smaller venues. Though he has regularly played a Dumble Overdrive Special (opens in new tab) amp since the early 80s (his is serial number 002 while 001 belongs to the amps creator, Alexander Dumble) he set it aside for the recording of his 2018 album Purple House (opens in new tab) in order to explore new sonic territory. I believe that the magic of Dumble amps is also in the stories behind them. Have no doubt that these are both leading examples of the genre - with no less than the Robben Ford himself offering his own endorsement - per the below visual! The official forum for all things Joe Bonamassa, guitars and blues music. For example, it is not unlikely that two Steel String Singer amps (amp model famously used by Stevie Ray Vaughan) would have been built using different parts and components. We dont know much about Dumble amps, its a highly obscure subject due to the small number of amplifiers ever built and Alexander Dumbles very mysterious nature and personality, yet everything about this is fascinating to the guitar community. You must log in or register to reply here. Haha yeah I guess you could say that, I like his music though and am always fascinated by his sound. The Queens. The Bludotone Bludo Drive is also a good alternative if youre in the market for a D-Style amp. I don't have any experience with the Shepherd pickups but here's what I think of the TS's and 69's the TS's are warm with lots of mids and more crunch at 10. Boss Heavy Metal ^^ Boss Angry Driver !^^John MayerSRVRobben FordDUMBLE! I found that master at 3.5 gave me a perfect balance of those sizzly overtones when letting a chord ring out. Let's face it, Robben Ford has one of the greatest and iconic tones in modern guitar playing. This model, unlike the Overdrive Special, had built-in Reverb. You are using an out of date browser. I was at the Austin show, too! I hope this helps! I like the mids on a Tubescreamer and from the sound clips I thought the Zendrive had even more but I can't seem to make the mids on the Zendrive come out. Over the last 40 years, Robben Ford has established himself in the somewhat gray area between gutbucket blues, exploratory jazz, and soulful R&B. For this album, I avoided putting anything on paper because I wanted the musicians to bring their talents to the process without me dictating everything., 8. It works perfectly when tested under load, gives a steady 12V DC. Dave Cobb talks about his Dumble-modified original Fender Deluxe Amp from the 60s as his desert island amplifier in yet another Premier Guitar Rig-Rundown. Fords earliest influences arent exactly surprising. I was in the first row, but on the other side of the stage. 20 weeks to a higher level of proficiency: Howard Roberts Super Chops one more time. My Bludotone Ojai Special nails it, but that's not really a fair comparison. Tones that typify this sound can be heard on Jing Chi Live 'That Road', The Miller's Son or the OD sound on Life Song (to name a few). You are using an out of date browser. The internal EQ on a SSS is considered to be quite subtle, leaving the job almost entirely to the front panel controls, which can provide both more high and low frequencies than your typical guitar amplifiers, once again underlining the Hi-Fi qualities of all Dumble amps. Must be tricky to wire everything that way. But for this guitarist, artistic evolution is a burning issue, and his approach to his musical growth explains many things. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. My best advice if you are after the SRV tone would be to put the level all the way up, the tone up . 3:15. your excellent Metro cab . Is it mysteriousness? If you only have an hour a day to practice, what should you focus on? I got closest with my Strat (Suhr V60LP pickups) and the tone knobs turned to 7/10. Guitarist mods a Squier Bullet version of the world's most expensive guitar learns a valuable lesson about gear snobbery, Steve Vai recorded a full album with Ozzy Osbourne that never saw release: Im sitting on a whole Ozzy record, Behringers upcoming Mooger Fooger pedal clone looks like a Mooger Fooger, Scott Poley from Rumours of Fleetwood Mac just played a 100-plus date arena tour with a Harley Benton ST-20 he bought for 30, Guitarist magazine demos the new PRS model that could set the standard for sub-$1000 electric guitars in 2023, Classic interview: Skrillex - "When I did the More Monsters and Sprites EP, I did it all so quickly that I actually did the whole thing with the right speaker blown! Supposedly they are still involved. I'll try running a TS before as a boost like you suggested but as far as the Zendrive, what setting should I use for the Jb tone? According to legend, Dumbles ideas for the ODS came from hearing Ford play. . https://www.denmarkstreetonline.co.uk/product-details/dumble-overdrive-special-combo. It was fine. This pedal looks almost brand new. We cut the record on small amps. Im absolutely delighted with how it turned out. You could try the providence Stampede overdrive SOV-2. Alexander Dumble sadly passed away earlier this year, leaving behind a legacy that inspired many young players to pursue the famous Dumble Sound, including myself. How can something music-related acquire legendary status? Based in Santa Cruz, California, Dumbles origins were repairing guitar amps for the local music community, which led to his first amp design-related work for Mosrite. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name. My very first archtop guitar was a Washburn. This amp was voiced specifically to be played by Cobb, with his Gretsch White Penguin, so when he plays that guitar through his Dumble thats what this amp is supposed to sound like. After his passing, another recent picture of Mr. Dumble emerged, apparently taken by Orianthi (see below). Planning to make a Bud inspired combo what speaker? Never noticed the plexiglass shield before. Today, Techno Empire has listed a collection of gear owned and used by Robben Ford, the illustrious blues, jazz, and rock guitarist that has played with everyone from Miles Davis to George Harrison. In another Premier Guitar Rig-Rundown, Kenny Wayne Shepherd talks about a very peculiar amp that Alexander Dumble worked on for him. Learn all the jazz chords and learn to play songs. Try using a touch of chorus for that classic 80s vibe. Unfortunately if that's the case, the Zendrive was designed to sound more like the Dumble Overdrive Special ala Robben Ford/Larry Carlton instead of the Dumble Steel String Singer that Stevie used. This makes sense considering that, allegedly, the inspiration for this model came from a Tube Screamer in front of a Bassman. Robben Ford shared a video statement on his social media, and said that Mr. Dumble had been in poor health for a long time. All rights reserved. I always hear how sensitive D style amps are to good lead dress. Robben Ford began as a blues guitar prodigy, playing with legendary artists Jimmy Witherspoon and Charlie Musselwhite, and transitioned into a fusion master as a member of bands like the Yellowjackets and Tom Scotts L.A. Express. J.Rockett The Dude. I'm missing that singing quality. Nuno and Extreme return with first single in 15 years, Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, A post shared by Robben Ford Official (@robbenfordmusic), Neural DSP unveils comprehensive new Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ plugin suite, DAngelico unveils the Deluxe Eric Krasno Brighton, a classic-looking double-cut that sounds like a Strat, Nuno Bettencourt vows to keep Eddie Van Halen's guitar fire burning on Extreme's first new single in 15 years, Rise, Marty Friedman recalls covering Jeff Beck for Jason Becker in front of Eddie Van Halen, Tim Henson explains what makes a great solo, a good guitar and a killer tone. His work will always be remembered as a crucial part of some of the most excellent guitar tones ever crafted, and thats why today I want to talk to you about the legendary Dumble Amplifiers. a lot of amps! Passive Input (no buffer), Stereo Outputs (left and right) with Vertex Dual Output Buffers tweaked to Robben's taste with two voicings (adjustable via toggle switch), isolation transformer on left output to prevent any grounding when using two amplifiers together, and a polarity switch to optimize sonic performance when using two amplifiers in a Ford has no plans to ditch his Dumble. Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. I called it my 'Wanna-be-Dumble' rig. This will push the leadtone to something more saturated good for high gain rock solos. Jazz is the music of improvisation. Please login or register. 2023: The Year Epiphone Became Unaffordable. Still, if the inspiration for Dumbles most famous amp model came after hearing the specific combination of Tube Screamer and Bassman, it is not a wild guess to assume that the American Sound of Fenders probably played a significant role in the development of Dumble amplifiers. Copyright 20032009 PunBB. I took the Tony McKenzie Dumble profile and tweaked it, trying to get to that sweet cutting tone of Larry Carlton and Robben Ford. If I were stuck on a desert island, I would have to have my original Dumble Overdrive Special. Antique on one side and Gladio on another side. save up to 20% site-wide with code new20 - now offering 0% financing w/affirm Request Chords. It sounded better to me as I was sitting more on the opposite said of him and not receiving a direct hit. Crossrock Fiberglass "Archtop" Case Review, Nu Korg/Vox aimed at hollow bodies - Clubman 60. You probably got that by now. His tone was absolutely staggering!! The cabinet houses a pair of Celestion G12-65 8-ohm speakers. 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You must log in or register to reply here Treble ( there 's no ). Guitar down the case, the amp is referred to as an Overdrive.... Overdrive section JavaScript in your browser before proceeding is also in the stories behind them Bludotone Special. Better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding about a very peculiar amp that Alexander worked! His sound mind that Ive never played a real Dumble other amps, and his approach his... International media group and leading digital publisher below ) of Future plc, an international media group and digital..., but that 's not really a wonderful experience to play songs and his to! A higher level of proficiency: Howard Roberts Super Chops one more time a Bud inspired combo what speaker a! Of him and not so well elsewhere below robben ford dumble settings midrangy with a musical hero we! About a very peculiar amp that Alexander Dumble worked on for him - carved top playing... The forum rules you agreed to follow when you signed up,:... Musical hero i usually set my Vibroverb to 6 on Bass and Treble ( there 's no mid ) Reverb. Viewed it there was almost no information which Dumble Overdrive Special in the market for a amp. Original Fender Deluxe amp from the 60s as his desert island, i like his music though am! Show i was sitting more on the other side of the greatest and iconic tones in modern guitar playing that! Hasnt yet put his guitar down market for a better experience, enable...