A guy talks about his recent contact with HAD

[martin manning]

A couple of wankers discussing D-type amps and a meeting with the builder: http://www.guitarwank.com/podcast/ Starts at 25:15.

Edit: The episode referred to here is dated May 22, 2018. Direct link: https://www.guitarwank.com/podcast/epis ... -22th-2018

At the same site there is a series of 8 podcasts put together after Dumble's death, "The Dumble Stories," as told by people who knew him. Dates are 1/24/2022 to 3/15/2022.

[stelligan]

Thanks for posting this. Was not aware of this Podcast. Bruce Forman & Scott Henderson - great players.

[Matt J]

Interesting podcast! Thanks for sharing this!

Cool to hear someone who has recently worked with HAD, and I'm curious to hear more about the "Little Darling" amp he mentioned. I'm guessing as well it some type of take on a Champ. Could that be what the Dumble Champ in the Tweedle Dee post in files section is?

Sad to hear that he is having health problems though. All those years exposed to solder fumes and the grime that can build up in old amps has to take a toll on your health.

I would love to hear more back story about the guitarist they mention who HAD says he will never build an amp for. John Mayer perhaps due to his work with Two-Rock?

- Matt J.

[dbeasley]

It seems like every mention of HAD involves some remark about him being in poor health. Nothing against Obese people (I'm 280lbs/ 6'0" myself) but considering how heavy he is and likely has been for this long it's no surprise. Also has to be pushing mid to late 60s or more

There was mention that not long ago he was living in one of Santana's homes, and had a falling out after Carlos had someone else build him a D style amp (bludotone maybe?)

The little darling amp sounds interesting. Got to give the guy credit, he has a good marketing sense for being a recluse.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[norburybrook]

Interesting podcast! Thanks for sharing this!

Cool to hear someone who has recently worked with HAD, and I'm curious to hear more about the "Little Darling" amp he mentioned. I'm guessing as well it some type of take on a Champ. Could that be what the Dumble Champ in the Tweedle Dee post in files section is?

Sad to hear that he is having health problems though. All those years exposed to solder fumes and the grime that can build up in old amps has to take a toll on your health.

I would love to hear more back story about the guitarist they mention who HAD says he will never build an amp for. John Mayer perhaps due to his work with Two-Rock?

- Matt J.

I haven't listened yet but my friend and colleague is Robbie McIntosh who was John's 2nd guitarist for a long time in his band. He told me that he'd been talking to HAD but once HAD found out he'd been using two rock amps he refused to have anything to do with him. I know Eric Clapton is having an amp built my HAD at the moment, he was at a friends house earlier this year and told him he was building him a 100w Bandmaster.

M

[Charlie Wilson]

Apparently Dumble is kind of wrapping up making Overdrive Specials. He has a couple to do and then I think he is done with those. Funny thing with Eric Clapton, Eric bought Dumble a circular saw so he could build his cabinet(I'm not kidding).
CW

[dorrisant]

How do you find these things out, Charlie? That is crazy stuff!

[Mark]

Interesting stuff wrapping up Overdrive Specials. I don't understand why he has a problem with people who've bought clones, surely it is perfectly understandable they are easily obtained and affordable compared to a Dumble amp. I could understand him being annoyed if the person sold the Dumble for a clone and raved about it.

The Dumble Champ was a bit of a nonevent, there are stacks of Champ mods out there, even Torres has Champ mods that aren't that bad. Though the transformers a key to getting the desired tone.

The guy who is the compere is an Australian called Troy Mccubbin, I've never heard of him before, but he's certainly no slouch, though he sounds humble enough on the podcast.

http://www.guitarwank.com/troy-mccubbin/

EDIT: I loved Bruce Forman's joke, who has ever turned up to gig where the backline is supplied and said, "great they have a JC-120!"

The only person who does come to mind is Robert Smith of the Cure.

[pompeiisneaks]

...

EDIT: I loved Bruce Forman's joke, who has ever turned up to gig where the backline is supplied and said, "great they have a JC-120!"

The only person who does come to mind is Robert Smith of the Cure.

As I understand it Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead loves a solid state amp for his distortion sounds and then uses a Vox AC30 for his clean tones

~Phil

[drew]

Funny thing with Eric Clapton, Eric bought Dumble a circular saw so he could build his cabinet(I'm not kidding).
CW

Picturing a limo parked outside a Home Depot where the contractor trucks usually are, Slowhand wandering around inside, watching two clerks argue about whose turn it is to go on break, hoping one will eventually tell him what a circular saw is and what aisle they’re in.

[FUCHSAUDIO]

It seems like every mention of HAD involves some remark about him being in poor health. Nothing against Obese people (I'm 280lbs/ 6'0" myself) but considering how heavy he is and likely has been for this long it's no surprise. Also has to be pushing mid to late 60s or more.

There was mention that not long ago he was living in one of Santana's homes, and had a falling out after Carlos had someone else build him a D style amp (bludotone maybe?)

The little darling amp sounds interesting. Got to give the guy credit, he has a good marketing sense for being a recluse.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

So FWIW: The story I heard was Santana either bought or leased a house for HAD to live in "so you can build your beautiful creations without worry". After over a year of waiting for these creations, they never appeared, Carlo's got tired of waiting and (I believe) sent him packing. As far as amps from others, Carlos has a Wild Card-100 combo and an ODS-Classic-100 with a Feiten 212 cabinet, and his brother Jorge bought the same rig. Maybe I'm "the guy", lol.


As far as Howie's health, I had heard he "survived a fire and has scarred lungs". He's morbidly obese and yes, that has to take it's toll. Solder fumes ain't but a small part of bigger problems. Rumors of addiction and health issues have been around for years.

I gotta applaud his ability to control people. When the Dumble book was being written, Andy Brauer and I assisted the author and we suggested various people he might speak with. All (or most) refused to speak with or contribute to the book because they were told not to by the big man...not even anonymously.

Oh: And he still has Dean Parks amp for "repair" over ten years.

[Scumback Speakers]

I could go into the entire tale of Dumble and Andy Fuchs I know of, but what's the point? Andy tried to give Dumble back his website, Howard (as I know him, not Alexander) wouldn't give me his address so that Andy could give him back his site name. Howard didn't seem to understand that there has to be a registered agent for a website, and told me "They don't need that."

Uh, yeah they do Howard. No, I can't handle it for you. I contacted Andy, I contacted you. Andy is ready/happy to give you back your dumble.com site, all you have to do is provide an address, phone # and email address for the registration.

"No, they don't need that. He can just assign it to me."

"Argh! Not getting it are you, Howard?"

That incident, along with another one where he accused me of trying to farm his database of clients with my defunct amp company quickly led to an email dismissal of our friendship, and a few others.

Dumble, he may be a genius at circuits (I'm not saying he is, BTW) for some, but he's just a guy who thinks the world revolves around him, regardless of what reality is.

Sad.

I do know that after one of Dumble's clients told him I made a great amp he was going to buy, I got excommunicated. Never mind I didn't know the client before he showed up with Drew Berlin and he made Drew tell him about the amp...nah, that's not important. I always know who Dumble is making amps for, a doctor from Arkansas, who flew in on a plane on a Friday and left Sunday morning, because his Fender Deluxe mod and his Magnatone amp were ready...after 10 years.

I'm privy to all of this minute bullshit of Dumble. Not! Whatever Howard. No one can do enough for you, I know that much.

[Scumback Speakers]

To Andy Fuchs: I want you to know that I was "Pure Evil Incarnate" to Howard for several years. Apparently I took that title over from you in August of 2005. Drew Berlin says that Dumble forgave me a few years back, though.

You're not the worst person in Dumble's world, apparently I inherited that honor 13 years ago. LOL

[martin manning]

How could a speaker guy get on HAD’s sh#t list?

[Scumback Speakers]

How could a speaker guy get on HAD’s sh#t list?

Because I met Dumble through an amp tech friendly with Dumble. Howard was there one day when
he couldn't answer a question I had about my Southbay Capt Crunch amp. Dumble looked at the
chassis, checked the caps and their spacing, checked the ground wire layout. He recommended a
couple of changes, we did them, and it went from a good to great sounding amp.

Then one of his clients heard it and told him "I'm buying the first of those quad 6V6 Major Crunch amps
when they come out. I just tried it out, it's awesome!"

I got an email two days later saying I was trying to steal his clients. We were going to work on a
Marshall PA 100w head amp with four channels, and a master volume for each one. I was going to
setup his Pro Tools Mac Quadra 950, he was going to mod the PA amp to suit what I wanted to hear.

That all ended in August 2005 after his client talked to him about the Major Crunch.

That's how a speaker guy pissed Dumble off, Martin.

Frigging goofy, huh? Like a single ended Class A quad 6V6 25w amp with a tweed channel, and
a modded Fender TMB channel with a tone stack bypass suddenly was going to compete with
his 100w amps.

I just shook my head, and said "Ok Howard, whatever."