There are folks on here who know alot more than me, that's for sure The Bluesmaster does sound like it would get the job done for ya, though. I'm hopin the 212Mavguy will chime in, he has a standard HRM and can give his insight.

Off topic, i had a chance to get a Blackface Twin Reverb when i was in highschool in the mid 90's for practically nothing. No body wanted those old fender tube amps then, it was all rack stuff and mesas. i made the wrong decision...

Gregg

i believe Nik became a dealer for them recently. Their ETS65 is close to the Celestion 1265, which is popular with the OTS.

Gregg

Topp,

Boosted can either be via the onboard PAB (preamp boost) or your favorite boost pedal. Diming it sounds nice too, just loud!

The top 5 on your list are the original Dumble names for his designs, the 7 others are Nik's name for those designs.

The FWIW comment is from the original post, which if i remember correctlty was from Amp garage or TGP, not my comment

The standard OTS is pretty much the High Plate voltage variety of the Dumble ODS, with the Skyliner tonestack.

Yes HRM stands for Hot Rubber Monkey, or Hot Rodded Marshall, depending on who ya talk to.


#'s 1 & 3 on your last list are the same amp, just one with the HAD name, and one with Ceriatone on it.

Hope this helps

Gregg

Sounds like the HRM or the HRM BM would do ya quite nicely. The HRM's and HRM BM's are more of a 2 channel type, in a wayt, but they are still cascading gain type OD.
The Non HRMs do not have two master volumes, but rather one master volume with a Ratio knob to mix the OD into the clean signal when the OD is engaged. The HRM and HRM BM have two master volumes one for OD and one for the Clean side. On Non HRMs and HRM amps the OD is affected by the preamp gain on the clean side.

The BM is known for its "Blackface on Steroids Sound" on the clean side. This is true depending on the speakers you use. To me, with the speakers i use,  it's a nice mix of tweed fender and blackface, so a big Brownface sound. The BM's PI is such that it breaks down into OD a lil easier than the rest, and you can therefore get nice, less compressed OD on the clean side, especially if boosted, or if you use a c-lator as a global master volume. THE OD on the BM is more brash and less compressed than the standard HRM. It's Marshally, but more early Marshall, like a JTM 45. you can turn the OD trim up and get more drive, as well, but it isn't its strong suit.

The HRM has a slightly fatter clean side, and the OD is more compressed and modern sounding to my ear.

Like SDuck said, HAD made every amp unique to its owner, and Nik has made a few "custom" mods that stuck, like the S&M.

That being said, what kind of volume range are you looking at? A JTM 45 can be pretty clean and be pushed to crunchiness and fuzziness with the right boost pedal. but can be loud. Also, the Stray Cat 30 can do a pretty fat clean and very nice OD as well.

Gregg

HAD based his early amps on Fenders, either modifying or basing the circuits on them. Here is some info on the different models for you from other psots on the forum


Non Hrm classiq EQ is the oldest style of dumble amp. A bit more rooted in the
raw fenderish tone. This is the amp that made his reputation. This
would be like early Lindley, Browne, Lowell George, the first
incarnation of his amps.
It can sustain like a mofo! It is a singing OD for sure.
Not much compression, very touch sensitive and dynamic....

Second the Non-HRM Skyliner EQ  low plate is a variation of the above. Dumble modded
several of his older amps with a new tone stack he was developing,
know as the skyline eq because it's output viewed on a scope resembled
a city skyline.
It is a little less Fender but still a somewhat lower gain affair. It
has the same gain as the vintage amp but the new EQ is more "signature dumble" and a little less Fender. Improved cleans from th Vintage model.
It still sustains like a mofo, has a bit better string to string definition and is a little more refined in the tone shaping.

Non-HRM Skyliner EQ  high plate is where he went next, same as above but now the
gain staging is not classic fender. It has more headroom, definition, and punch, more lively and responsive cleans, smoother OD, and a small bit of compression, very touch sensitive, lots of sweet singing tones.

HRM Skyliner EQ   HRM stands for
"Hot Rubber Monkey". This is a second tone stack just for the OD
channel. It is more or less a Marshall style tone stack this allows tone
shaping of the OD independent of the cleans.
A real Dumble of this ilk would be called a Skyline HRM. Smooth as silk, goes from clean to mean like no ones biz. Transition
between is amazing. You can pick clean, a bit dirty, grinding, soaring, all
with your hand and all smoothly with definition. No rasp or buzz. Very refined. Gorgeous smooth tones. A little more compression that the above amps but not in a bad way. Very natural. The dynamic response is second to none. This amps feels like it breathes with you after awhile.
Smooth singing overdrive, completely dynamic, never any rasp or buzz, no IM distortion or other uglies.

Blues Master. Think raw early Fender/Marshall
tone on steroids. The tone stack is decidedly bassman territory,
however because of Dumbles many other difference it is far better IMO.
The cleans here are the best cleans I think I have ever heard, dumble
or otherwise. The cleans will sing and sustain!!! The OD is much less smooth and much less compressed than the above amps. It has some early Marshall vibe to it. Boosted cleans with this amp are to die for. The OD is a bit more raw and edgy then some of the other offerings but with boosted cleans you get the smooth side of things and with the OD you have a less polite and refined tone.
Somewhat like the first Dumbles, though different. Lots of punch, sustain and singing but not as smooth as some of the other offerings. This one can be thick and dense too. Not dark and crappy, just "meaty"...
Open clean cleans to mean and a little rude.
Big fat sick blues machine. Lots of character or soul. This amp will try and steal you girl.Like a tuxedo on a cowboy?.... It can play nice but it can still stomp in the dirt

last is the same as above with the HRM OD tone stack which gives a little more tone shaping and refining in the OD section.

FWIW Non_Hrm Skyliner EQ High plater is basically the OTS


Overtone Special (2x&L6) Skyliner nonHRM
Overtone Special 100 (4x6L6)  Skyliner nonHRM
Very smooth and warm sounding OD, lots of OD on tap but not as much as S&M, mid heavy cleans (in a good way). Amp that likes to sustain and compress. Easy amp to play... All knobs at noon and you have a sound to work with.

Overtone S&M Special Skyliner nonHRM
Overall brighter amp compared to standard OTS... clean tone is more or less the same (just a tad brighter), on the other hand OD is brighter, more aggressive sounding. Like OTS this amp likes to sustains. In my experience this amp is not designed to switch from clean to OD on the fly. You have to set the clean and stick with it... than go to OD, set the tone again and play that for a while.

Overtone Skyliner HRM
Overtone Skyliner HRM 100
Clean tone is practically the same as OTS or S&M. With additional tonestack at the OD stage this amp offers more flexibility, along with other switchable options (like deep or pull bright on the OD), this amp offers the most tone selections compared to other amps Ceriatone offers. Overall this amp has less OD on tap compared to nonHRM amps, it will not sustain as much as nonHRM and it somehow makes you work for the tone. That's my feeling about this amp.

Overtone HRM Bluesmaster
Overtone HRM Bluesmaster 100
This amp is completely different. It has different cleans compared to amps above... cleans are more mid scooped, more fendery if you wish but with a lot of low end. This amp possesses a punch like no other amp. Again not as much OD as nonHRM, this amp makes you work for the tone too (very dynamic).


Hope this helps

Gregg

sounds like maybe a ground issue, or maybe a short some how?

Here's an updated shot with the Bigsby installed!!

The Dizzy (DZ) 30 it Nik's take on the Matchless DC30, which is Matchless' take on the AC30. The Matchless/Ceriatone will have a different sound due to increased power supply filtering compared to the original design. some say this is a very good thing, some disagree. Also, as stated the Train Wreck Rocket, which Nik builds as the Rockit, is very much like an AC30 Top boost.

Hope this helps!

Gregg

Well, what can I say. It's s Strat!! Love the Tex- Mex Pickups. This guitar sounds soooo sweet through the BM. It's almost like they were made for each other.

check out the classifieds 

i'd try a new rectifier. if that doesn't work, new Output Tranny and Tubes.

Gregg

As i understand it, the higher the value if the slope resistor, the less responsive ceratin aspectsof  the tonestack will be, as a rule.
Typical slope-resistor values range from 33 kΩ to 100 kΩ. A larger value yields a sound with more of a midrange scoop (i.e., where treble and bass frequencies are louder than the mids). Smaller values accentuate midrange.

I consider the slope resistor to be like a voltage divider that splits up the signal into the treble and non-treble frequencies. By using a higher value resistor, less of the signal goes to the bass and mid caps so the overall sound is brighter and usually cleaner. With a lower value resistor the sound is thicker and heavier, with much more of the lower frequencies.  Of course the value of the coupling cap has an effect as well...
 

I know...it's killin me!!!! Garr

Are you still selling this lil beauty?

I guess i should clarify, it's not so much brighter, but less bass heavy. gives the impression of brightness, in the BM, anyway

oh, and here is a snippet from a discussion we had about 12AT7's back in October hope it helps!

Here are some notes from guitarampliferblueprinting.com:

Some basic tube facts
• 12AX7
o Has a published spec gain of 100
o Has a publishes spec current output of 1.2 milliamps
• 12AT7
o Has a published spec gain of 60-70
o Has a published spec current output of 10.0 milliamps (ten times that of the 12AX7 as a side note)
As a third example, a 5751 has a gain which is almost identical to the 12AT7 but it’s standing current is 1.0 milliamps (about the same as the 12AX7). But, there is a third factor, transconductance, to be considered. The 5751 has a transconductance of about 1200. A 12AX7 has a “TC” of about 1600 and a 12AT7 has a TC over 5000. These three tubes act quite differently. A 5751 and 12AX7 are much more closely related than the 5751 and 12AT7.
We will stick to the basic 12AX7 and 12AT7.


When you push your amp hard it is not as much the output tubes distorting as it is the phase inverter breaking down and distorting. We are talking output stage distortion here. We are not talking about how you may have messed up the signal with preamp tube distortion and compression already. The phase inverter may be the hardest worked tube in most amps. I cannot begin to count the times when I have found phase inverters that were long past their service life. When you change your output tubes change that phase inverter. At the least change it every other output tube change.

Many folks think that when they want to have their amp have more clean headroom they can insert a 12AT7 in place of the 12AX7. Very true. (By the way, the 12AT7 in a first gain stage is an awful tone generator in a guitar amp. If you want to drop front end gain use a 5751 (gain of 60-70) or a 12AY7 (gain of 40). The 12AY7 was the first gain stage in the classic Fender Tweed Bassman, Deluxe, etc.
Going from a 12AX7 to a 12AT7 in the PI (phase inverter) will yield a change in output tube distortion, touch, and output dynamics in most amps. Is this because the gain is lower in the 12AT7? 10% yes perhaps. The lower gain is a factor but the larger factors are:
• We have almost 10 times the current available to drive the output tubes before the phase inverter starts to break down.
• We have a transconductance of 5500 vs 1600 of the 12AX7. Keeping this simple, it means it takes a lot less input signal for a given output signal
***************************************************
Also, in my testing i found there was a pretty large voltage difference between having a 12AX7 vs a 12AT7

V3   12AX7 GE Long    Pin1: 239      Pin 3: 39.2         Pin 6: 232     Pin 8: 39.4



V3   Mullard CV4024  (12AT7)   Pin1: 185.1   Pin3: 55.2       Pin 6: 180.2  Pin 8: 55.1

The 12AT7 sounded pretty good with about a 8 volt swing between Pin 1 and Pin 2, and with the JAN Phillips 6L6WGB's in the output spot, pushed hard and biased hot. With standard biasing, 6 volt swing, and standard 6L6's, not so much.

Gregg