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Author Topic: HRM or HRM-BM??  (Read 7836 times)
CeeEm
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« on: March 09, 2011, 04:37:57 PM »

As a silent "yoyeur" for the last few months, I know this is a somewhat redundant question but crunch time for the decision between a HRM or HRM-BM is coming up quickly. I've read many of all your postings on these amps and have learned so much. I also appreciate the support and respect everyone gives each other, so back to the question. I play a variety of styles with my heart being in that nebulous blues/jazz fusion area, but as "sduck" said of himself, I'm an old rocker who's addicted to lots of gain. I throw myself at your collective mercy.
 
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T Wilcox
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« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2011, 08:27:47 PM »

I cannot answer your question because I have not played either amp, but I am curious how youve narrowed it down to these 2 amps? I personally had a lot of trouble deciding on which amp myself because I liked all of them HRM and non HRM based on sound clips. I ended up getting the FM50 which I will hopefully hear for the first time tonight. I chose that one pretty much by throwing a dart. The only amp I knew I didnt want was the S&M because I heard the switch from clean to OD was not all that great although each channel probably sounds great by themselves.
Anyways I think no matter which one you chose there wont be regret as they are all great amps.
The only thing is once you buy one Nik will release a newer better version right after LOL.
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mcinku
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« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2011, 09:06:47 PM »

For an old rocker who's addicted to lots of gain... I would say nonHRM amp would be a better choice.
Just throwing that in to make you life even worse.
 Grin Grin


....that's just my humble opinion of course.
 Wink


It's very hard to propose an amp to a person like that... bottom line is both amps would do the job just fine.
You need to ask yourself what do you like... Fendery tone perhaps? An amp which likes pedals better?...than BM is your amp.
If you want more of that signature Dumble smooth tone, than perhaps HRM would be a better choice.
Sorry to say this but you're on your own.
 Wink
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CeeEm
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« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2011, 02:30:28 AM »

Actually mcinku, your comments on the fendery sound AND being pedal-friendly does help a lot. It's great to have your input! Thanks for the replies Smiley
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« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2011, 04:20:01 AM »

You'll be happier with either choice. The Bluesmaster will break up quicker though.
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212Mavguy
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« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2011, 12:54:38 PM »

I have not played through a BM, but do have a 50w HRM with the lift negative feedback switch mod.    Flip it one way, you get the signature smooth Dumble-y tone, flip it the other way, you get a bit more top end sparkle/crunch to your clean and overdriven tones.  I can get Fendery or Marshally tones out of it, and it sounds great with el34's or 6l6's.  I run vintage old stock tubes in it as well as the c-lator.  I absolutely love it.  I enjoy playing the one hollow body guitar I own through it, especially on the jazz side of the rock/jazz switch.  When I first got it, I was absolutely floored by the variety of tones that could be coaxed out of it.  Recently it made it's playing out debut amp only, without the c-lator, into a 1/15 Jensen Vibranto filled vintage Gibson cab at a local open mic/jam thang, and at the end of the night the drummer came up to me and with a very direct and sincere look said "you have really great tone." 

A couple of the most well respected forum members here recently responded to your post, and they are right in that you would enjoy either amp.  Main point of mine is that the one I have covers a huge amount of tonal ground very, very well, and I think that it would cover all of your tonal desires as well as any amp out there possibly could.  The c-lator is not necessary, but at the same time it is a wonderful addition, get them both.
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« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2011, 06:30:50 PM »

I have not played through a BM, but do have a 50w HRM with the lift negative feedback switch mod.    Flip it one way, you get the signature smooth Dumble-y tone, flip it the other way, you get a bit more top end sparkle/crunch to your clean and overdriven tones.  I can get Fendery or Marshally tones out of it, and it sounds great with el34's or 6l6's.  I run vintage old stock tubes in it as well as the c-lator.  I absolutely love it.  I enjoy playing the one hollow body guitar I own through it, especially on the jazz side of the rock/jazz switch.  When I first got it, I was absolutely floored by the variety of tones that could be coaxed out of it.  Recently it made it's playing out debut amp only, without the c-lator, into a 1/15 Jensen Vibranto filled vintage Gibson cab at a local open mic/jam thang, and at the end of the night the drummer came up to me and with a very direct and sincere look said "you have really great tone."
Wow, thanks for posting this. I'm just finishing my HRM50 w/LNFB switch. I was just posting in another thread that I started thinking I should've ordered the regular OTS and not the HRM because of some negative comments I have read. But you just confirmed all the reasons I ordered the one I did. Plus, I like it has been said, I doubt any of the models will disapoint.

To the OP, when I emailed Nik about his opinion on the different versions, the one thing I said was that "I like jazz fusion type of stuff, but also like to get heavier now and then". His reccomendation was the hrm over the non-hrm, claiming being able to achieve a bit more "gain". Also the extra tonestack helps get things driving. Atleast this is what I took from his statments.
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Tone Control
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« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2011, 08:44:11 PM »

Before I recommend anything, I would say: what type of guitars, amps and settings do you normally prefer?
please give a list of your current gear and opinions

e.g. I rarely go for full-on Marshall style OD, but I have amps to do that
I tend to just saturate the amps, or go into a light OD.

With a strat playing neck pickup blues sound, the BM50 is wonderful. I think there is nothing better. Speaker choice is critical though. For me, an Alnico is essential.
Sounds nearly as nice as my Victoria Tweed twin when clean.
Sounds good with all my humbuckers too.
GM50 is a dark amp though, even with Celestion Golds, with volume on 2 or 3 and master vol on 7 (of 10), treble and presence are on nearly max with any strat.
Gets brighter with higher vol & lower master vol though
The high gain sounds are not as Santana/rock as the OTS, and you cannot ride the sustain like on the OTS
For ne, it gets that cleaner Rev Gibbons / Dave Gilmour sound, so well that when I listen to their CDs, the tone sounds weak

I'm starting to think that the normal OTS50 is better suited to humbuckers. Certainly the OD/PAB work best with humbuckers and the bright switch on - PAB is very nasal with single coils and bright switch off

Before ordering, I just described my playing style to Nik, and said who I tend to sound like, and he recommended the BM50. If I said I play it a little more than I play my DC30, or any other amp I own, you'll get an idea of how good it is - but I like Fendery clean tones with a bit of saturation - high gain is something else.
Tell us who you sound like a mixture of, and what guitars you use

Anyway, as everyone says. either would be an excellent amp.
Personally I think the HRM is great, you can tweak the OD, which in my case means taming the extra treble that OD always brings
Also the ones HRM effectively have another way to balance the OD/clean vol, since the master vol is bypassed for OD

You should maybe think of the HRM Mk2, with the EL34s, which are always a bit rockier than 6L6s - probably gets a bit of JTM45 ?
tbh I am not sure I would call any Dumbley amp high-gain though
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Dr Tone Control, Strats mostly, prefer saturated clean tones, a little OD sometimes
BM50, JTM45, 36w EF86, DZ30, Expression, + non-Ceriatones (Matchless, Victoria, Wienbrock)
Just started with pedals a little after a 10 year purist spell, but usually just delay
T Wilcox
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« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2011, 09:08:51 PM »

Hey Tone Control
Off subject but I noticed you have a nice variety of amps, which order would you place them all in as far as the goto amp to the least used?
I am still intrigued by the trainwreck amps but dont see as many people getting those or saying such good things.
Thanks
Todd
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CeeEm
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« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2011, 09:15:03 PM »

Wow!! Thanks to all the replies! I should have stated what guitars I do play:
Gibson ES 335
Fender Deluxe Strat w/ Bill Lawrence pup's
Fender Standard Tele

- also an on-going assortment of pedals


I've decided to go with an amp that's being offered which is a 100watt HRM Bluesmaster that has a 1/2 power switch, LNFB switch and a mod to smooth out the OD high end.
Again, thanks to everyone for their input and to the whole forum that supplies such a wealth of information and support. I'll definitely keep up on the posts when I finally get this puppy!  
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Tone Control
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« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2011, 10:53:48 PM »

Hey Tone Control
Off subject but I noticed you have a nice variety of amps, which order would you place them all in as far as the goto amp to the least used?
I am still intrigued by the trainwreck amps but dont see as many people getting those or saying such good things.
Thanks
Todd

erm at present most used ones:
BM50 (excellent blues/rock/jazzy, John Mayer, ),
DC30  (excellent blues/rock/jazzy) everyone must try one at some point,
Victoria Tweed Twin  (excellent blues/rock/jazzy distorts roughly for me due to Jensen P12Q, but I lke it clean/saturating anyway),
ME4 (like a double 5x3)  (excellent blues/rock very tight sound and clear, similar to Victoria in a way, but more compression and bass),
Independence  (excellent rock - class A El34s + unusual crunch),
ME3 (5E3 ++, nice clean and saturated),
JTM45  (excellent blues/rock/jazzy, has been higher in my list, will be again),



TW is interesting, but I would buy many other amps first. Does a good Marshall sound, and is a feat of engineering, too Buzzy with stock valves for me (into marshall OD straight away)

Again depends on your style, but I will say this:
the classic models that everyone goes on about are classic for a reason.
All the models Nik builds have some appeal. The Dumbley ones are harder to find elsewhere and have a wide range. I sold my Fuchs after I got the BM50, since I preferred the BM50. Currently I rate the OTS50 lower than the Fuchs ODS
If you haven't got the cash the DZ30 is close to the DC30, but by the time you get the right speakers you may get near the cost of a used DC30 (which is my story, looking for a Matchless cab I found a cheap combo). For Matchless I would stick with the originals now, they are so well-tuned, and the speakers have their own sound.
 
« Last Edit: March 11, 2011, 12:13:18 AM by Tone Control » Logged

Dr Tone Control, Strats mostly, prefer saturated clean tones, a little OD sometimes
BM50, JTM45, 36w EF86, DZ30, Expression, + non-Ceriatones (Matchless, Victoria, Wienbrock)
Just started with pedals a little after a 10 year purist spell, but usually just delay
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