I've played both a real 150w Dumble Steel String Singer, and a clone of one (Bludotone High plains), both amps had different circuits but with 150w 6550 equiped pwr sections. The volume was fine, the huge power section just gives the amp more girth, volume is never an issue. You won't have to push the amp to get the goods. With that said, a 100w amp should be just as fine, just not as girthy sounding because of the 6L6's

I can't wait to see what mine will look like!!!

Just wanted to get the facts straight....Lowell George owned a Dumble Overdrive Reverb, and used the Reverb all the time......

I have a Quinn SDO-Reverb (based on a Dumble Overdrive Reverb w/ a built in D-lator) and gig live with it all the time and always use the reverb, even in bigger venues..

It would be great for Nik to come out with an OTS w/ Reverb (ala Dumble ODR).

In all actuality you could buy a Ceriatone SSS and send it to John Myrnck and he could take out the Filter Section, add Overdrive, and use the Post OD Reverb circuit.....

The Ceriatone SSS is an Overdrive Special clean side with Verb and Filters after all so it would work great.

Anybody have a schemo of this SSS yet or what?

On another note this amp looks great.... and whatever it is circuit wise, it freakin sounds good.

No it will not work the same as a Dumbleator type device (like the klein,Verberator Quinn-Q-loop, Bludotone Loop-A-Lator, Glaswerks Matchbox)

 It only lets you mix in time based effects in Parallel as apposed to the regular serial operation of the OTS's passive loop.

It doesn't contain a buffer to match impedance levels lost by using line level time based effects in a passive loop.

 You still need a Dumbleator if you're going to use the X-Blender.

 It will let you mix in effects but much the signal will be lost in the process without some kind of buffer (Dumbleator).

Larry Carlton has a few Bludotone's.......

 One with the Ripper Circuit, some with the Bluesmaster circuit.

 To correct the above, the Ripper is a Bluesmaster (Clean) with HRm Overdrive with a Post cathode follower after it (ala Marshall etc.).

Technically the Ripper is the Clean part from a Bluesmaster and the overdrive of the MegaPlex

 The regular Ceriatone Bluesmaster will give you Larry's tone though.

Indeed I can vouch for Jon's work first hand, this man can build guitar amps!

 And yes the Post Pi Cathode follower can easily be added to Niks SSS platform Via Jon (or another Ceriatone authorized builder) .

There's more than enough room to shoehorn another 12ax7 or 12Bh7 tube between the first two Power tubes in Niks SSS chassis and point to point the parts for the Driver tube in.

 The driver tube makes the amp extremely clean with almost zero distortion. It's after the Phase inverter and makes the Power amp very, very clean. Almost HiFi in nature. Also it gives the amp that velvety clean sustaining character.  Alexander Dumble used this driver tube in the 100w version too. He sometimes used 2 driver tubes or a 12Bh7 in the 150w (KT88/6550) version.

John Mayer's Silver panel (serial #2) Dumble SSS is a 100w version with Fender twin Reverb Iron.

From talking to somebody with first hand experience with the circuit from building clones from detailed pictures and schematic's, the driver tube is crucial to that "SSS" sound.

Just wanted to give the OP a shout out that John Mayer did not play a Bluesmaster Voiced Dumble amp nor did his two rocks use anything close to what the Bluesmaster tonestack consists of on "Where the Light is"

 He played the following amps:

  Dumble Overdrive Special (100w w/ EL34's) and a Skyliner Tonestack (serial # in the late 200's) used with a Dumbleator in the Loop

 Two Rock Sterling Sig. (100w w/ 6L6's, "Classic tonestack") A clone of Henry Kaisers serial #4 Dumble Steel String Singer with inductor hi & Low Step Filters and Post PI cathode Follower Driver Tube. Used with a Dumbleator in the loop.

 Two Rock John Mayer Sig. (100w 6L6's, "Classic Tonestack") A clone of his own Silver panel serial #2 Dumble Steel String Singer, with a Post PI Cathode Follower Driver Tube, and No Hi/Low Step Filters

 All these amps were ON at the same time via the CAE switcher.

 The Overdrive came from either a Klon, Tubescreamer TS10, or Keely Katana.

 If you want to replicate the "Where the light is" tone the following from Ceriatone will be a perfect fit:

 100w HRM Mk II (w/ Skyliner tonestack) with EL34's

Your better off sourcing your own parts. Get a Twin Reverb Transformer set, a 24" blank chassis from Watts Tube Audio, and get a headcase built by Taylor @ Amplified Nation.

A Custom Reverb Sig is basically a Dumble ODS #102 with 2.5 tube Reverb and a half of a Dumbleator on the remaining triode.

You'd be better off using the #102 layout and add extra B+ nodes for a 2 tube Reverb and Full Dumbleator circuit.

Here's some links that will get you started:

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12873

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=182919&highlight=#182919

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10357&highlight=124

I dig the White! Love to see some better quality gut shots. Looks like a lot is going on.

So it's 100w's but there is no post Phase inverter Cathode follower Driver tube?

The driver tube is really very crucial to the SSS sound.

During the Contiuum album, Try!, and "Where the Light is" John Mayer was using a Dumble Overdrive special in his rig. He was also using a Stereo Dumbleator II (Dumbleator with Stereo Outputs) in the FX loop.

The Dumble ODS John Mayer used was a 100w HRM with EL34's. (Not a Bluesmaster).

I highly suggest getting a Dumbleator before you start modding your amp, even if you don't intend on using Time based FX in the loop. The Dumbleator is a crucial piece of gear in JM's rig that is often overlooked and was a key part of his "Sound" during this period of time.

  It will give the amp more room to breathe. You can set the amps Master Volumes high and then adjust the overall volume with the Return control on the D-lator. This really makes the amps bandwidth much larger and almost 3D sounding.

LOL yeah Mark, I almost traded Taylor C. for your old SSS chassis and a headcase but i got this twin Reverb for $100 (i know best deal of my life).

I decided soon I'd rip it apart and turn it into a SSS.

Until then I modded it to Ultra Phoenix spec's until I get all the parts to strip it down and start the SSS. Shad @ Quinn amps has been givin me a hand with it all. I can't wait.

There are very little differences between the both of them.

One being a switchable LNFB (local Negative Feedback) loop on the V1 preamp tube. This gives you another EQ option, gives the amp a different response and attack. With no LNFB loop on v1 the amp is more open. Dumble #183 does not have a LNFB loop on V1 too.

Another is there is no 68pF bright cap on the Master Volume. The original Dumble ODS #102 had a big bright cap on the Master Vol, Dumble made Robben ford RG-400 cables to roll some of the highs off. Not having the bright cap just makes the amp less bright, no need for RG-400 cables with it off.

In addition to that there is a 3 way Bright switch on it. Dumble #183 has a 3 way bright switch also. All it does it make the amp brighter. One setting is really bright, the other is not so bright, as well as a center Off position,

Yeah effects loops are designed for Line Level Time based effects ONLY (Ex. Reverb, Delay, Flanger, and chorus). Only some Time based effects pedal will work properly in an effects loop. Rack effects of course have balanced in's and outs which are much better for use in an effects loop as the levels are quite higher.

  Also the Dumbleator runs in Series operation (one after the other) so there is no ability to "Blend in" the effects. I highly suggest the Suhr MiniMix II, it lets you blend in the effects in Parallel if the time based effects aren't in parellel.


  The Dumbleator's purpose is an Impedance matching device that's designed for line level rack effects. Yes, it has a smoothing effect, as well as making it sound quite a bit more articulate and almost 3D sounding. It adds a slight compression too, all of which are good things.

 It also doubles as an Overall Master Volume for the amp. You can run the Master's higher (like 11:00 or so) on the amp and use the Return or Level control on the Dumbleator to set the Overall Volume to taste. It will make the overall sound scape of the amp much broader and let you tune in the amps sound and adjust only the volume.

All that said and done, you'll have to spend a bit more coin to get everything right. Once your done though it's very rewarding.