Ry Cooders Dumble

[blindblake]

I know this subject has been discussed lightly but it would be great to get some concrete information on what type of dumble amp and cabinet he used throughout his career:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EelWp1VS ... re=related

many thanks

[Max]

I know this subject has been discussed lightly but it would be great to get some concrete information on what type of dumble amp and cabinet he used throughout his career:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EelWp1VS ... re=related

many thanks

At this concert: Looks for me like custom made Dumble Overdrive Reverb (second ODR generation), most likely (number of pots) with "Ratio" and "Presence" and Dumble 2x12 cab.


Cheers

Max

[blindblake]

Many thanks - I heard mention of a 4 x 10 altec cab and SSS head - could this also be correct?

[Max]

Many thanks - I heard mention of a 4 x 10 altec cab and SSS head - could this also be correct?

I don't think so

Why?

- all SSS I met just as wide as a 2x12 and fitting exactly upon the cabinet.

- all 4x10 I met just as wide as all ODR I met

- all ODR I met less wide as all SSS I met

So judged by my own experiences: if the amp would be a SSS it would be
a) just as wide as the cabinet (if cabinet is 1x12) or
b) wider as the cabinet (if cabinet is 4x10)

Both (a) and b)) not the case

Besides that:

all 4x10 I met just as high as wide

all 2x12 I met less high as wide

Cooder cabinet looks less high as wide

That's why I think: What you see in this clip is an ODR on a 2x12

But - as Ry Cooder sometimes liked some Tremolo - the two additional pots could perhaps be Tremolo Speed and Depth. But as I don't see an accent switch - if there is no accent switch: most likely Ratio and Presence IMHO.

Is anyone sure he sees an accent switch or is there a clip where you can see some more details of this rig?

Cheers

Max

[blindblake]

great thatnks - did he only have the one dumble amp?

[blindblake]

few things I found from this site:

Ry Cooder had a Steel String Singer being made, that got sold to Eric Johnson

[ayan]

Don't speculate anymore, guys. The amp was the only one of its kind, cosmetically, from what I have ever seen. However, it is a 100K classic overdrive special -- with remolo, that is.

Gil

[blindblake]

Million thanks Gil

I think the Dumble was a perfect match for his slide technique - do you know if it was 100 or 50watts?

Did you hear about him ordering or receiving a SSS?

[ayan]

Million thanks Gil

I think the Dumble was a perfect match for his slide technique - do you know if it was 100 or 50watts?

Did you hear about him ordering or receiving a SSS?

No problem. The amp is a 50 watter, Fender OT and Fender looking PT with multi-tap. Dale plate load resistors, precision MF Mepcos on V1 cathode, the rest of the resistors are all carbon comp. Don't know about a SSS.\

Gil

[Max]

few things I found from this site:

Ry Cooder had a Steel String Singer being made, that got sold to Eric Johnson

As far as I know that's a rumour started by this interview done by Steven Rosen for a european guitar player magazine. There's a picture in the corresponding article where you see Alexander working (or pretending to do so) on the silver alligator amp discussed in the "SSS was Dumbleland" thread. The text below the pictures says: built for Ry Cooder, now owned by Eric Johnson.

I was told by someone how should know, that this amp has indeed been built for Ry Cooder (makes absolute sense, look at the Tremolo instead of the step filters). It's a one of a kind amp just as the "Borderline Special" (pic posted by Ayan in the "Ry Cooders amps" thread).

I've further been told that by some reason Ry Cooder gave it back to Alexander or even did never get it. Never found a link between this amp and Eric Johnson btw.

Dumble gave it to Henry Kaiser and from there it went around the world a bit and some years ago found its way back home and was sighted on the Overland Express website.

From what it sounds like it could well be, that Ry Cooder recorded some stuff with it. But this is only wild speculation.

What I know for sure is, that everyone I know, who ever played this amp - including myself - at once felt in love with the enchanting clean sounds this amp can produce. Silky, sustaining ( some asked: is there a compressor inside?), warm and charming, a hell of a lot of silvery overtones. With this amp you can make a strat to sound like a fine Martin guitar (just to point into a direction). On full throttle great gritty and crunchy sustaining lead sounds. Great Blues amp. Not so much on the "glassy" side as most SSS. The Tremolo could be adjusted to a very slow and deep sweep. A dream amp!

Cheers

Max

[talbany]

Looks allot like an Ampeg chassis... Hmmmm


Tony

[Max]

Million thanks Gil

Indeed, great piece of info. Ever suspected his OD to have a tremolo but never found out for sure. Thanks for ending one more "Dumble best guess"

Max

[blindblake]

it was a great sounding amp - wander if he still owns it?

Maybe he just cant be bothered to lug around a head and cabinet and thats why hes gone back to the smaller combos

[blindblake]

I was told by someone how should know, that this amp has indeed been built for Ry Cooder (makes absolute sense, look at the Tremolo instead of the step filters). It's a one of a kind amp just as the "Borderline Special" (pic posted by Ayan in the "Ry Cooders amps" thread).

Max

max - do you mean this thread or is there another thread about Rys amps on this forum - can you paste the link?

thanks

[nickm57]

Maybe he just cant be bothered to lug around a head and cabinet and thats why hes gone back to the smaller combos

I thought Ry Cooder used Demeter amps after the dumbles?
Also Sonny Landreth was using them before his Dumble? He followed Ry Cooder in John Hiatts band.

So my interpretation is that
1980- "Borderline" album would be this amp? or an amp built for the tour.

1986-Get Rhythm is a different tone, as is the Crossroads movie. Around the same time Demeter Amps? not the glassy highs of the dumble.