What happens now?

[FUCHSAUDIO]

As I understand it, HAD had a brother, but not sure how involved he was with the "business" Howard had. Since this has now come out in podcasts I can share the fact he considered himself a "sovereign citizen" and basically lived off the grid. Never owned a house or car. He was paid in cash, gold or goods, but no checks or credit cards. He was not incorporated as an actual business either. There are trademarks, but I assume they will expire, unless his brother takes them over and/or sells them. I suspect his business activities were shrouded in secrecy beyond the circuits. I think the vision of log books or schematics and such may be just that, a vision.

Despite his being quite a circuit whiz, who knows how well organized he was with paperwork or receipts etc. Maybe part of his being off the grid kept paperwork or documentation at a minimum ? A very famous LA studio guitarist friend of mine had an amp with HAD over ten years to be repaired. He told me he wouldn't endorse my amps until he got his amp back, as to not offend Dumble. God knows what that amp would be worth today. The problem is, he never got it back and may never ! Last conversation with HAD he said " the amp is fixed, but the cabinet is in one location and the amp is in another". I don't know how exactly, things get separated like that, although HAD did move a number of times.

He lived on Jackson Browne's Estate (the Abbey building), Carlos Santana apparently bought a house for him to live in and make him amps, and he got tired of waiting for HAD to do anything, so he moved him out. Not sure about what other locations or how many there were. Who knows if he had any storage lockers or places things were kept. A number of people in our business lost gear when Brian Farmer died. He had multiple lockers of gear (around the country) for the Allman Brothers, but nobody was able to find records of where they were or what was in them...!

I understand there are a number of people worried about getting back things HAD was given to fix, mod, loaned-to him, etc...it will be getting interesting for sure.

[Charlie Wilson]

For the record, Alexander's belongings are being carefully gone through and any items that belonged to clients are being returned. Also, trademarks and any other intellectual property are being protected by the family.
CW

[groovtubin]

No disrespect was intended on my part. I'm an estate planning and business attorney, so these thoughts are just part of my trade and training.

-Dan

no rock throwing here buddy..

[groovtubin]

For the record, Alexander's belongings are being carefully gone through and any items that belonged to clients are being returned. Also, trademarks and any other intellectual property are being protected by the family.
CW

Looks like things are not QUITE in the disarray that others had hoped for..RIP big guy

[dorrisant]

Remember what went down when Ken died... it can be ugly.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

Remember what went down when Ken died... it can be ugly.

Time will tell. The guy I understand is in charge, is a well-respected music industry icon and old friend of HAD's. I am not putting his identity out there out of discretion. I understand he is working with HAD's brother to sort things out. I spoke with one guy I know has an amp there (only ten years to be repaired), and he said he's been contacted, which is reassuring. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a Wreck-like fiasco.

[Smitty]

I spoke with Allan Dumble who said pretty much what Andy said. He also conveyed that it was Howard's wish that the business and his designs passed with him.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

I spoke with Allan Dumble who said pretty much what Andy said. He also conveyed that it was Howard's wish that the business and his designs passed with him.

Interesting tidbit, thanks for sharing.

af

[beasleybodyshop]

Well, that's a paradox is it not?

I can understand his wish for his designs to pass with him. I get that sentiment. But this genie is out of the bottle, and has been for a long time. His estate would have to enforce....what? There are trademarks maybe (as to what Andy said earlier) but you can't patent a combination of resistors, capacitors, and tubes in a specific configuration. Curious to see what his estate does, if anything, to people who build clones. Is there going to be resources to pursue legal ends? I dunno.

Don't get me twisted; we all owe Dumble a huge debt of gratitude, but I don't see anyone turning down D style builds out of that principle.

[Charlie Wilson]

That isn't quite how I interpret it. I believe, and this is conjecture on my part, that with Dumbles passing there is not a person or persons that will continue to build amplifiers and other devices with the blessing of Dumble before he passed. Yes, the D style replica builders will continue doing what they do as there is nothing illegal about building the circuits. I think legal enforcement would be if Dumble's name, which is trademarked, or any other held trademark was being used in conjunction with a product being sold.
CW

[ChopSauce]

& that seems fair - IMO

[beasleybodyshop]

Charlie, that makes a lot of sense.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

I spoke with Allan Dumble who said pretty much what Andy said. He also conveyed that it was Howard's wish that the business and his designs passed with him.

And honestly: If you sorted it all out, collected lets-say a few million bucks in gear sales, are you really gonna say to yourself "let me start suing people...". Doubtful it will result in much if anything to be worth the cost. So you got someone to stop doing or saying something, but you won't get reparations...

[Bob-I]

IMHO, the main thing that passed away when Alexander passed, was his ears, and his ability to connect sound with physics.

RIP Dr. D. I hope the folks in heaven appreciate your talent.

[bepone]

i dont know why should anybody care about Dumble-s stuff found in his house, burried in front or behind the house, peanuts or millions. what you have to do with that?