50 watt EL34 ODS on Reverb

[Matt J]

This popped up in my inbox this morning, another ODS has been listed on Reverb:
https://reverb.com/item/4582434-dumble- ... rare-el-34

50 watt EL34 ODS listed from SPC Guitars in Mission Viejo in California.

Serial # is blacked out in the pictures. Says it is from the 1990s, but no specific date or further info on the amp.

Anyone have any inside info or experience on this amp?

[M Fowler]

I could be wrong but that doesn't appear to be a true Dumble to me.

I don't like the texture of what appears to be a faceplate/backplate.

The two IEC machine screws holding on the faceplate which I think in a Dumble the chassis would have been silk screened.

Mark

[Matt J]

I could be wrong but that doesn't appear to be a true Dumble to me.

I don't like the texture of what appears to be a faceplate/backplate.

The two IEC machine screws holding on the faceplate which I think in a Dumble the chassis would have been silk screened.

Mark

I'm not an expert by any means on these amps, but I share a similar suspicion Mark. I dunno, but something just seems a little "off" to me. Hopefully someone would be able to share a little more insight on this amp and its history.

[UltraHookedOnPhonix]

That's #175. Used to belong to PRS. Andy Fuchs mentioned somewhere that it had Mercury Magnetics iron and sounded "shitty".

[Aaron]

These chassis are usually the 5 piece ones with the timber sides.
They also have the "alarm clock" font.

Aaron

[FUCHSAUDIO]

That amp was purchased from Maken Music in Chicago by Paul a few years ago. It was genuine, although funky looking. Not a great example.

[M Fowler]

Andy thanks for the information on this funky amp.

Mark

[FUCHSAUDIO]

The guys at Maken liked the amp because it helped them sell Fuchs at the time !! It's the multi-piece chassis and the panels look home sprayed...kinda rough but im confident it's real Dumble.

Paul owned a 100-w and a 50-w Fuchs at some point as well. He tried to get Dumble to work with him. Carlos gave him the number and the intro, but he (literally) hung up the phone on him twice. He then called me (Dumble hung up on me, so I called you, "oh gee thanks"), and we developed a prototype for PRS, which (due to a handshake and not a formal contract) never saw production. Two amps made. Neither paid for. One I simply dismantled in disgust, and one sold to a collector. End of that chapter. I won't use a PRS pick at this point.

Sadly, his public persona and the reality of the kind of guy he is, well, quite different. Ask Matt Garcia, he'll back me up. He got a similar treatment.

Anyway, since Dumble wouldn't engage him nor make him an amp, he later bought this amp from Maken. I heard it both at the store and later at Pauls 50th (?) birthday shindig, where paired with a Vintage 30 equipped cabinet it could peel paint. Man, it was rough.

[M Fowler]

Makes you wonder how Doug Sewell can work with PRS.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

edited

[davebolden44]

Hey Andy, this is off topic but I recently got a cream and a verbrator, they are a couple of rad units I love em! Shame PRS is such a square.

[Bombacaototal]

To add to these stories check the newly announced PRS John Mayer Stratocaster. Just wrong!!

[davebolden44]

Yeah he has a new prs amp too. Its like 6 grand

[FUCHSAUDIO]

Hey Andy, this is off topic but I recently got a cream and a verbrator, they are a couple of rad units I love em! Shame PRS is such a square.

Thanks my friend .

[Cameron]

Dude, I called him when I heard he was anointed (or appointed) and told him to make sure he had a damn good contract and his interests were protected. Paul deftly played a few amp guys off one another at the very same time in a rather underhanded way. Matt Garcia, Me and Doug, maybe someone else, I forget. After the handshake deal, I posted the PRS proto on E-bay for sale and Matt called me to relate his stories of how he got wanked around too. We shared some laughs on the phone for a few hours. "We don't need a contract. My word is my bond. Ask anyone in the business". Sure Paul...a good learning experience.

SO: Matt sent Paul a prototype too. He went there for a crab cake lunch and hanging at Paul's house, playing guitars and amps, the whole "Paul's pal" enchilada. He then sent a prototype which "they loved". He went up for a meeting to discuss things further and Paul sat him in a conference room (with tears welling up in his eyes...ffs), and told him "we can't work with you because "sniff" you don't trust us". When Matt asked what exactly that meant...Paul explained they "opened the amp to see how it was made and found it siliconed over, which means you don't trust us, so we can't trust you". That makes sense.

I've had more than my share of interesting discussions with PRS people both in and out of the factory. He's a true gem: The Archon amp was a side project of one of the amp shop guys. Paul hated it.....that was until Mark Tremonti saw it, played it and liked it....So Paul said "I've been working on that for over a year". The kid who designed it (with Doug's help) had all to do but break it over Paul's head.

So.. the Archon amp really was made by a kid that works for PRS ??.... I heard another person designed it ...and this kid took the prototype given to them and figured it out...made some small changes. Paul didn't want to pay the original designer what he wanted and what I think was agreed upon. ..and that guy also went through the whole handshake game. I'm not sure if this is true ..but..that's what I heard.