If you plan on making a simple grab and go amp in a combo cab with a 1x12, I highly recommend adding a built in D-lator point to point .

Do the research @ the amp garage, add the extra 2 nodes for B+ right via 2x450V 22uf caps on the pwr supply board, convert one of the octal tube covers to a 12ax7 hole, put the PI tube there and the D-lator tube would go where the PI should go, and use Mini 12mm (12mm is really small, they can be found @ Small Bear electronics) 250kA pots for Send/Return levels controls above the send and return jacks.

It only cost's about about $40-55 in parts and will be a money saver if you had planned on getting an external d-lator. If u do it now it should b no problem, although if you wait till the amp is finished in the standard config, it will be a cram.

The C-lator or Dumbleator variant is far superior in terms of high fidelity than that of the K-lator. the K-lator does not have as much headroom. D-lators add more than just an interface to your effects, it's a tone shaping tool in itself. Increases overall sensitivity to pick attach, more compression, more balanced OD and clean tones, as well as an Overall Master Volume. I highly suggest one for any D-style voicing whether it be non-HRM, HRM, high plate, low plate, BM, HRM whatever... They're 100% necessary. 

@erwin_ve

Always sounds killer mate, good job!

 I just somewhat employed your Bluesmaster clean tonestack with NON-HRM OD (kind of a high plate 183 variant NON-HRm OD) w/ a 100w EL34 pwr section values on one of my scratch CE chassis builds for a friend, he totally digs it.

+1 I heard that! Me too

The SSS is a completely different animal compared to Dumble ODS-style series of amps.

 Original Dumble SSS's were voiced specifically for the player in mind. The amp was derived from the Dumbleland most likely to suite a different kind of player looking for more of a glassy clean platform with loads of headroom.

Here is a list of know spec's that most SSS contain:

Fet and Regular Input- Often there was a FET Level control with the FET being footswitchable

Bright switch
Deep Switch
Rock/Jazz switch

Full Treble/Middle/Bass tonestack with Preamp boost foot-switchable,(disengages the TMB controls for a Boost)

Hi/Low filter Section-(usually with a 2, 6 step Rotary control to adjust Hi & Low artifacts.

Tube Reverb- With Reverb Send & and Return Controls to adjust the reverb to exactly where you want it

Passive Effects Loop- Used to interface a Dumbleator to run line level Time based effects and other Rack devices. 

Master Volume control- Controls the overall level of sound

Presence control



The early SSS's were 100w's with 6L6GC's with the same feature set above



Here are a list of SSS users and the platform they used.

Henry Kaiser- Owns #1 and #4 SSS. #1 is a 100w with added Tremelo, #4 is 100w too.

David Lindly- A Snakeskin beast with foot-switchable Boost, 100w with 6L6's, you can see with amp in the Roxy in Washington D.C. clips on Youtube

Eric Johnson- 150w 4x6550 pwr sectionwith Reverb and Filter Section (hi/low filter section) This amp can be seen sitting on the rack case in the late 80's and early 90's Austin City Limits shows. Eric Would often run a Tubescreamer and Tube Driver very low for slight breakup. It was his "Dirty Rhythm" amp.

Stevie Ray Vaughn-150w 4 x6550 pwr section with Reverb and filter section,- The amp was said to be voiced like Jackson Browne's "White Glove" Dumbleland for Bass. SRV's SSS was essentially a bass amp voiced for guitar frequencies.

John Mayer- 100w with 6L6's, all the features above, this amp is very special and sounds incredible with harmonics that just jump out. Two-Rock based their Sterling Signature on this amp and Henry Kaisers SSS's. This ap can be heard at countless recording and Youtube vids.

Santana- Owns tons of Dumble amps after his 2000' album Supernatural and song "Smooth". His SSS was formerly owned by Eric Johnson. It was sold by EJ to another Texan whome sold it to Carlos after it had been remojo's by Dumble when a repair was done. Santana claimed to borrow SRV's SSS from Jimmy vaughn to try it out then he purchased the SSS shorlty after.

Kirk Hammet-also owns a later Blackface SSS

These are the most influential player's and the most known amps. Just like Overdrive special's SSS's come in all different types of Voices with different faceplate colors for different era's.

SSS's contain a Driver tube that's part of the power amp that makes natural breakup nearly impossible. That being said Clean Headroom with a SSS is Huge sounding with an almost multi-dimensional piano sounding artifact.   

If you aren't using a Dumbleator you'll want to turn the Ratio control up to about 1:00. Ratio is only a Ratio between the Clean and Overdrive, the Master will control both the Clean and Overdrive's overall Volume on a NON-HRM.


Try these settings:

   Preamp "Volume" (1st control to the left): 1:00

  "T" "M" "B" controls to taste

   OD "Level": 11:00
 
   OD "Ratio": 1:00

 The Overdrive controls should look like this: \  /

   Master: (Set to the volume you wish) Try 8:00 - 9:00

  "Presence" to taste

______________________________

If using a D-lator try these settings (same settings above with the Overdrive controls):

"Master" (On Amp): 11:00

D-lator Settings:

 "Send" 12:00
 
 "Return" 12:00

 and the last control will now become your overall Master Volume.


 

 It is a much different Buffer circuit than that of a D-lator. Not only does the D-lator help with buffering the IN/Out of a line level rack effect or pedal, it helps smooth out the sound overdrive and adds a slight compression to the overall sound of the amp making it more 3D sounding and changing the responsiveness.


 BTw Ya'll it's only a hand full of parts to add an internal Dumbleator to a Ceriatone amp. The Ceriatone Power trafo is more than capable of running another 12ax7. All the Parts can be implemented point to point. A hole can be made for another 9 pin tube between the PI (V3) and the OD (V2) tube and The Send and Return Pot's can be either put on Trim Pots internally or you can get small Pot's to go above the Send and Return Jacks. Less than $40 in parts too and can easily be done by a local Tech in your area. I can almost guarantee that it will add value if the amp has to be sold.

All the info including layout's/schematic's to add an internal Tube buffered effects loop (AKA Dumbleator) can be found at the Amp Garage Forum. (NOT recommended for those who have no basic knowledge of tube amps/electronics)

 It was last year actually so it's quite possible. Mullard Ecc83's are my favorite out of any new production tubes though.  they're a little bit more $ but worth it IMHO.

These are my choices lately (nothin but NOS all around :

 For the standard HRM I dig: RCA short grey plate 12ax7a's for V1 & V2, Long Plate Raytheon's for the PI.

 For the Bluesmaster circuit: Amperex (Short Plate) Ecc83's in V1 & V2, Long Plate Raytheon's in the PI

 NON-HRM
(183) GE (JAN) 12AX7wa's in V1 & V2, & V3
(Ojai) RCA (short Plates) 12ax7a's in V1, V2, Telefunkin Halo getter's in the PI

Amperex (short plate's ONLY) in the Dumbleator ( even if you don't want to spend the $ on NOS for your amp, they make a huge difference in this position)

New production:

--C-- 's or Ruby's for the Power amp whether it be an EL34 or 6L6.


NOS preamp tubes can be found at a decent price, I highly recommend them, IHMO they do sound better.

Telefunkin's are very bright and Sound great in the Bluesmaster V1 & V2 also



If you want to get new production preamp tubes here's what I'd get:

 Mullard Ecc83's (New Sensor)
 Sovtek 12ax7wa's are ok too

 Tung-Sol 12ax7's are garbage IMHO (I got 50 of these before and ended up with 10 that sounded & tested strong, when they are good they sound great though, they do have a history of failing too)

I've been using a variac lately, even at gigs. It will make the supply voltage consistent making the amp's tone more consistent. No wonder why Robben Ford uses one.

Below I attached a .pdf of a backplate example (The Font will be whatever you want & a lot clearer):

1 with passive SEND/RETURN

1 with Buffered Effects Loop SEND/RETURN controls and SEND/RETURN jack holes, as well as a "loop bypass" switch hole (you can put your bright switches on PUSH/PULL pots if need be).

   I only have a pic of the plastic one but, I am ordering a new metal set for a customer very soon - so as soon as I get them back (about a week) I can put a pic of those up too!

They are both digitally silk screened.

   Pics are attached below:

Hello ya'll

 Wanted to give everyone a shout out that I'll be offering custom faceplates for your Ceriatone OTS amp. I put in the OTS section because I'm only really making panels for the OTS. Moderator's, Please tell me if I can't post this here.
Example below attached. (options are up to you).



 Plastic ($40 USD for the front panel, $60 USD for the front & back pair, better than Ceriatone's old plastic material ie, more flexible)

Metal ($55 USD for the just the front, $70 USDfor the front & back pair)

Color (background or Font) options:

Black
White
Red
Blue
Orange
Purple
Green
Grey

Dumble style Fonts available:

70's futuristic space font
80's Script (Orangeish color Overdrive Special insignia)
90's style Clock font (serial 150+ type font when Dumble was using a 2 part chassis)

Disclaimer: I WILL NOT PUT "By: DUMBLE" ON THE FACEPLATE, SORRY

Custom (your choice of Font options)

Hole options:

Buffered Effects loop holes, Effects Loop Bypass hole (in attachment below)
Front Reverb Control
Dual Presence control on Back
Dual Reverb Sen/Return Controls on Back
Send/Return Controls on front instead of Overdrive Level/Ratio



I will accept Paypal only. CONUS shipping $4.50 USPS . International shipping Add $17.00 USD


Please PM me or E-mail me @ GDClarkproject@gmail.com 


Faceplates attached here Below:

Nah, not all of John Mayer's Dumble's & TR's are not Bluesmaster's (he owns sooo many though it's hard to say.

 His Two Rock Sig is based around the Clean channel of the Custom Reverb Sig. The CRS is based upon the "Classic" style Dumble Clean Voicing with NON-HRm Overdrive.

 A Tone quest article a while back reviewed one of his 100w HRm Dumble Overdrive Special's with EL34's that was used extensively in 07' on Continum.
I attached it below.

He owns many other Dumble accessories and Amps too
1 Dumble Overdrive Preamp (early Prototype)
1 Dumbleator I
1 Dumbleator II
1 Overdrive Special 100w classic (silver chassis,Combo cab with Ev, David Lindly type amp)
1 Overdrive Special 50w non-HRm Skyliner
1 Dumble Modded Bandmaster (used currently to run his Leslie cabs)
1 Dumble Overdrive Reverb (Skyliner, SSS type Verb)
1 Dumble Steel String Singer (100w 4x6L6's, Filter Inductor Section,Silver chassis)

The 100w HRm EL34 ODS can be seen here:


Here is a pic of his many Dumble's:

Dumble 100w NON-HRM Skyliner (Mid 80's, 2 piece chassis)
Dumble 100w HRM Skyliner (Late 80's)
Dumble 100w HRm Skyliner (Mid 90's Script Logo)