# Dumble article



## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

Some great stories in this article.

Remembering Alexander Dumble


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

I like to read articles on Mr. Dumble, a very interesting character and he took no crap from people...I like his client demands:

Never ask about the progress of your amplifier. If you do, I will stop building it.
If you piss me off, I may keep your deposit and never build your amplifier.
You cannot come to my shop and watch your amplifier being built. Come by my shop unannounced and I will:

a) Stop building it
b) Keep your deposit.


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## jayoldschool (Sep 12, 2013)

Was there really anything special with his circuits? Or were they just his version of Fender or other designs, buried in goop so people couldn't tell what was going on? We all know the story of the first Marshalls, that wasn't an original design, either.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> I like to read articles on Mr. Dumble, a very interesting character and he took no crap from people...I like his client demands:
> 
> Never ask about the progress of your amplifier. If you do, I will stop building it.
> If you piss me off, I may keep your deposit and never build your amplifier.
> ...


The "Amp Nazi" No amp for you, one year.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

jayoldschool said:


> Was there really anything special with his circuits? Or were they just his version of Fender or other designs, buried in goop so people couldn't tell what was going on? We all know the story of the first Marshalls, that wasn't an original design, either.


Far as I know he never applied for any patents for design except his trademark. Question: If he did design a unique circuit, would he have applied for a patent? He seemed quite possessive with his craft, I don't know of any open-source projects that he worked on. I believe that he was an outlier, he spent many many hours with electronic devices so much so that it became a natural activity with him...the Gretzky of guitar audio; He had a sixth sense for electron and acoustic manipulation, like Gretzky had for the puck...he put his time in.


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## xfitxl (May 2, 2018)

Something borrowed, something new… not for everyone but often aimed at the select few!! 
In all honesty, borrowing or taking inspiration from older amps has been going on for a very long time.. I would rather play the amps and enjoy them for what they give me than argue about who cloned who. I dig the fact that builders took inspiration from Howard, I also love Mike Zaite, Ceriatone, Amplifted Nation, Krinard, Mangrum, Sampson, Quinn, Welagen, Bludotone and other high end boutique amp builders.. using pre existing circuits and tweaking them with their own thing makes for a lot of choices in the tonal hemisphere for guitar players.. Many other builders of boutique style amps ala Dumble exist, exact replicas? Usually not as I imagine there is always room for tweaking those circuits to make them better for specific player demands..


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Paul Running said:


> I like to read articles on Mr. Dumble, a very interesting character and he took no crap from people...I like his client demands:
> 
> Never ask about the progress of your amplifier. If you do, I will stop building it.
> If you piss me off, I may keep your deposit and never build your amplifier.
> ...


I remember when Dumbles were going for $8-10k and I thought that was crazy. I almost bought a Dumble modified Bassman from Overland Express for $5k but couldn’t bring myself to cough up that much for a modded amp. I always regretted that decision. At least there are a few amps now that will get you 99% of the way there. No doubt he was a genius, and a bit of an a hole too, so I’ve heard.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Can we say his name now?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Can we say his name now?


I don't know...what is the etiquette for deceased people? For the living, I was told that if you are not acquainted with somebody, you address them with Mr, Mrs. or Miss (surname).


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Never really got the whole Dumble thing....it's a tube amp built on the same platform as countless other amps. I suspect a significant portion of the desire for these was hype.

Let the withering flaming begin.....


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mrmatt1972 said:


> Can we say his name now?


Heisenberg?


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

nonreverb said:


> Never really got the whole Dumble thing....it's a tube amp built on the same platform as countless other amps. I suspect a significant portion of the desire for these was hype.
> 
> Let the withering flaming begin.....


I don't get that people don't get things I guess. "I don't get relic guitars, I don't get the going price for Klons..." It is what it is. If you don't get it, it doesn't matter. You'll put your money towards things you do get. Thats what I do.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I don't get that people don't get things I guess. "I don't get relic guitars, I don't get the going price for Klons..." It is what it is. If you don't get it, it doesn't matter. You'll put your money towards things you do get. Thats what I do.


Took you long enough....I was expecting blowback sooner than that....


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## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

nonreverb said:


> Took you long enough....I was expecting blowback sooner than that....


Unlike TGP, passionate arguments about Dumble are probably rare around here. About as rare as the amps themselves.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Fuchs makes a nice clone.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)




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## jayoldschool (Sep 12, 2013)

nonreverb said:


> Never really got the whole Dumble thing....it's a tube amp built on the same platform as countless other amps. I suspect a significant portion of the desire for these was hype.
> 
> Let the withering flaming begin.....


This makes me feel a lot better about what I posted, lol


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