Dumble: So what's it worth?

[ampcrack]

Hi all,

looking at several older posts, where prices came up,
I thought I'd ask you all:

So what's it worth?
or
what do you think it's worth?

Perhaps we could seperate the various types over the years,
amp head, combo, suede etc..
Or are some silverface models more worth as they are much fewer?
Or are the signiture models the most expensive ones?

Can't wait for your facts and answers!

[Max]

Hi all,

looking at several older posts, where prices came up,
I thought I'd ask you all:

So what's it worth?
or
what do you think it's worth?

Perhaps we could seperate the various types over the years,
amp head, combo, suede etc..
Or are some silverface models more worth as they are much fewer?
Or are the signiture models the most expensive ones?

Can't wait for your facts and answers!

Hi ampcrack,

I think you will know how to find out the ebay, gbase etc. prices that are asked by some sellers. This isn't complicated.

But, with the exception of some ebay auctions that did end with a winning bid, IMO there will be no way to find out what really has been paid for one. Usually a part of every deal is a non disclosure agreement concerning the price payed. If not, my personal impression is that sellers and buyers often seem to be victims of the Rashomon effect if you ask them concerning the price that has been paid.

So if you are only curious you will IMO most probably have to rely on the source called hearsay.

If you plan to sell one, you will know only after it's sold what someone was willing to pay before your personal deadline for the sale.

And if you plan to buy one, you will only know after the purchase what you had to pay to get one before your personal deadline for the purchase.

Here's some very general info concerning this topic based on the hearsay I know of:

David Lindley's two "old" Dumble ODS amps as an example AFAIK have been sold for more than every non celebrity owned/used "modern" Dumble ODS amp I know the selling price of up to know.

AFAIK in the last twenty years a fully original 2nd generation "pre-classic" ODS in EXC as an example did usually sell for more or less the same price as a fully original 5th or 6th generation "skyline" ODS in EXC - if both have not been celebrity owned. Some collectors - in Japan as an example - have been even more intersted in the "old" amps AFAIK.

As far as I know the selling price of a used Dumble amp mostly depends on:

Grade of general rarity and fame etc. of certain models
Example: a SSS will fetch more than an ODS and an ODS more than an Odyssey

Grade of originality (never touched by someone else than Alexander Dumble)
Example: An amp with replaced filter caps or that has been degooped or even modified will fetch less than an untouched one

Grade of rarity
Example: a 1st generation ODS amp will fetch more than a 2nd generation ODS amp

Grade of cosmetic condition

Grade of technical condition

Grade of previous circulation

Grade of publicity of the original and former owners/users and of the records the amp has been used for
Example: Larry Carlton’s current ODS amps will fetch more than the one Danny Kortchmar used in the seventies

Grade of documentation of the history/authenticity

All this is IMO very similar as with all "vintage" guitars and amps.

What is indeed special with Dumble amps is, that because their owners don’t sell them that often, a consistent market value level still isn't established:

Some sellers ask prices that only very few and very motivated buyers are willing to pay and some buyers offer prices that only very few and very motivated (desperate?) sellers are willing to accept. So AFAIK you will find reported sales results and prices asked by some dealers in the last years between 25,000 for let's say a modified and later restored 2nd generation amp mounted in a non original cabinet up to 100,000 and even higher for a celebrity owned/used ODS, SSS or Dumbleland (if full documentation of its use for the Texas Flood sessions would be available as an example).

This is perhaps comparable with the contemporary prices for ’58,’59,’60 bursts. Perhaps some very motivated seller will sell a fine plain example for 100,000 and perhaps one single most motivated buyer may be willing to pay 1,000,000 for one of the very famous ones (Green, Page etc.).

I've posted this before in this context: http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 595#149595

Cheers,

Max