Ceriatone | Dumbleland Special | Guitar Wank | Manzamp | Overdrive Special | Steel String Singer
Alexander Dumble was a custom amp builder renowned for creating amplifiers specifically tailored to the individual players he liked.
However, his approach was famously elusive. If you approached him for an amp, the answer would often be no, even if you were a famous musician. This frustrating exclusivity led many to turn to the second-hand market, where these amps fetched exorbitant prices.
Defining what a “Dumble amp” is can be tricky because each one was built with a specific player in mind. Dumble would engage in in-depth conversations with the artist about their equipment, their musical preferences, and, importantly, what they didn’t like about other amps. He would also listen to the player perform before starting to build a completely unique amp tailored to their style.
Occasionally, Dumble would reach out to musicians he admired and offer his services. But even for the biggest names in music, he was clear that they would have to pay for the amp, and they wouldn’t come cheap.
Dumble had no interest in mass-producing amps, and despite several offers from major companies, he always declined. His focus was on personal, one-of-a-kind creations. If a client ever wished to part with one of his amps, Dumble would ask for it back rather than allowing it to be sold. For a period, he even had his customers sign contracts prohibiting them from selling their amps or taking pictures of the interior.
As Dumble’s reputation grew, so did his paranoia about his designs being copied. In response, he began covering his amp circuit boards in goo, a tactic later seen with Bill Finnegan’s Klon Centaur pedal as well.
Despite the bespoke nature of his work, a handful of iconic “Dumble models” became synonymous with his name. Let’s explore the most famous of them.
The Overdrive Special
The Overdrive Special is the amp that truly put Dumble on the map. It was inspired by the sound of Robben Ford playing a Fender Bassman with a Tube Screamer. What set Dumble’s design apart was the way the clean channel cascades into the gain, rather than having the pedal push the amp’s preamp.
This may seem like a small detail, but the difference is significant. When a pedal is used in front of the preamp, it tends to cut off the bass response more drastically. In contrast, an amp with natural overdrive offers a fuller, more rounded sound, avoiding the “boxy” tone that can result from pedal-driven distortion.
If you ever get the chance to try this design, take a moment to compare running an overdrive pedal in front of the amp versus using the built-in drive. You’ll immediately notice the difference in how they feel and sound.
Dumble didn’t invent the overdrive channel; Mesa Boogie had already introduced it in 1972. However, Dumble disliked that design. The distinctive element of his Overdrive Special is the way the cascading gain from the clean preamp into the second gain stage works. The balance between clean and dirty is the key challenge, which is why Dumble would tailor each amp specifically to the player and even the guitar they used.
Following the original Robben Ford model, many variations of the Overdrive Special emerged, with the most famous being the HRM (Hot Rodded Marshall). This version added a second tonestack after the cascading overdrive, offering even more tonal possibilities.
Steel String Singer
The Steel String Singer (SSS) is known for its super clean sound and incredibly high volume, offering a unique phenomenon called “clean feedback”. This is an intriguing concept because when most people think of feedback, they typically associate it with distortion. However, the SSS creates a type of feedback that remains pristinely clean, allowing for more dynamic expression without losing tonal clarity.
Famous players who have used the Steel String Singer include Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jackson Browne. Interestingly, it was Jackson Browne who owned the house where Alexander Dumble lived, and many of the connections Dumble made in the industry, especially in the early years, came through Jackson. It was through these connections that Dumble was introduced to Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose endorsement helped make Dumble amps famous.
I recently saw a 1978 Steel String Singer listed on Reverb for a staggering $125,000. It’s a testament to the fact that Dumble amps are among the most expensive in the world, with their rarity and legendary reputation driving their price into the stratosphere.
Dumbleland Special
The Dumbleland Special is a slightly dirtier version of the Steel String Singer (SSS). It’s a model that John Mayer has famously made his own in recent years, and one that Two Rock has taken inspiration from in their designs. Ceriatone even created a clone, naming it Joyful Music in tribute to John’s initials.
John Mayer did attempt to have Alexander Dumble build him a Dumbleland Special, but Dumble famously refused. It wasn’t due to a lack of admiration for John’s playing; rather, it was a personality clash that led to the decision.
Interestingly, the Dumbleland Special was also Stevie Ray Vaughan’s amp of choice, and it was the model he used to record much of his legendary Texas Flood album (1983).
Manzamp
Perhaps the least-known Dumble model, the Manzamp was also the most expensive in his catalogue. Yes, Dumble eventually did have a catalogue—but as always, if he didn’t like your playing, or your personality (as in John Mayer’s case), then no amp for you.
The Manzamp was based on a Fender Tweed Bassman, and its most notable user is the queen of slide guitar herself, Bonnie Raitt.
Ceriatone
Based in Malaysia, Ceriatone has made a name for itself by replicating the legendary Dumble catalogue. They offer a range of models, including the Overtone Special (based on the Overdrive Special), the Joyful Music (a nod to John Mayer’s initials and thus the Dumbleland), the SSS, and even the Tweedle Dee, a modified Fender Deluxe Tweed that sounds amazing—check the playlist above!
I personally own the OTS 20, a lower-wattage, lunchbox-style Dumble-inspired amp with the famous overdrive channel, but using 6V6 tubes instead of Dumble’s preferred 6L6 valves, making it a more compact, lower-wattage design.
The OTS 20 isn’t a very loud clean amp, but in overdrive mode, it certainly packs a punch. I see it as an alternative to using an overdrive pedal. Often, I’ll opt for this instead of a clean amp with a pedal—it offers a completely different experience.
When paired with a Fryette Power Station, I can crank the clean channel, and suddenly that clean blackface-style tone becomes very usable. I can also reduce the overdrive, solving the common issue of overdrive being too loud while clean is too quiet. This is a challenge I also face with my Tone King Imperial.
Ceriatone also sells kits for all their amps, so if you’re confident with a soldering iron (I’m not), you could build your own Dumble-style amp.
Just don’t try to pass it off as the real thing on Reverb—you’ll probably get caught!
Guitar Wank podcast
There’s a vast amount of information about Dumble on the internet, but the best source I’ve found is the Guitar Wank podcast.
After Dumble’s passing in 2022, the podcast dedicated several episodes to discussing his life and work, interviewing those who knew him. One of the most interesting parts is an interview with Bruce Forman, who is part of the podcast’s regular cast alongside Scott Henderson and host Troy Maccubbin. Bruce had an amp built by Dumble just before his death.
It’s ironic that Alexander would build an amp for Bruce, as Bruce isn’t particularly fond of amps or pedals—he’s more into red guitars. I like to think Dumble saw it as a challenge. Bruce did end up liking the amp, but he didn’t enjoy carrying it around, so he often stuck with his small Henriksen amp or used whatever was available. I guess you can’t win them all, even if you’re Dumble.
The episodes covering Dumble are #253-261. They offer a fantastic education and serve as an excellent tribute to one of the most fascinating figures in the music industry—the man who built the most expensive amps in the world.
