DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier: Overdrive Special in a Pedal!
Compact Overdrive Special from DSM & Humboldt
4,4 / 5,0 | 
The DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier is their fully analog take on the legendary boutique Dumblifier Overdrive Special amplifier.
DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier
I talked briefly about this in my Guitar Journal roundup earlier this week; at the time, I thought it might just be a new version of the Simplifier. However, it turns out that the DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier is instead a fully analog recreation of the famous Dumble amp, the Overdrive Special.
DSM & Humboldt has recreated Alexander ‘Howard’ Dumble’s original boutique amp in a compact pedal format, and it won’t cost the price of a house. The original Overdrive Specials aren’t cheap and are highly sought after by tone aficionados.
Clean and Overdrive
The pedal has Clean and Overdrive channels that replicate the original’s tonal design. A shared 3-band EQ governs both channels, complemented by dedicated toggle switches for Bright, Mid Boost, and Rock/Jazz voicings.
Turning the clean channel’s volume knob pushes the overdrive channel into a rich, saturated tone. You can then use the ratio and drive controls to customise the gain’s intensity while simultaneously balancing the volume between the two channels.
The Dumble Pre-Amp-Boost (PAB) adds +10dB of gain and a Rock/Jazz Switch that offers two different tone stacks. These tone stacks offer either a Fender/Marshall/Vox tone stack or a Baxandall-style tone stack for Jazzier tones.
Cab Sims
There is a Stereo Cabinet Simulation with emulations of G12M, G12H, and EV12L speakers built in. Users can also choose between 1×12 Combo, 2×12 Open Back, or 4×12 Closed Back options. So there is plenty of scope for tone sculpting as well.
Three Reverbs
The pedal also includes built-in Room, Ethereal, and Plate reverbs, which will help make this pedal even more flexible for many users. I’m guessing this pedal could be an all-in-one solution for many guitarists with all these useful features in one unit.
Connectivity
It has a Stereo FX Loop, Balanced XLR outs (with a Ground Lift switch), and a switchable cabinet simulation bypass option. Making it great for sitting in various setups, with fairly flexible routing options for a pedal this compact. It runs from a standard 9V-12V centre-negative power supply and requires 150 mA.
Verdict
I’m expecting a high-quality build with this, as DSM & Humboldt are known for making great quality analog pedals. The overall design is very in keeping with Dumble visually, and it looks like it could be worth the price for any guitarist who wants those Overdrive Special tones in a compact and versatile format.
With all the options this pedal offers, it could be a great solution for anyone chasing Dumble tones, who needs a flexible hub for their pedalboard setup. Having stereo operation is also a big win!
Price & Availability
The DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier is available at Thomann, priced $585/£529/€599.
More Information
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