The Dumble Revival: A Journey into the legacy of Iconic Amps at NAMM 2025
among the many exhibitors at NAMM 2025, Dumble stood out as the most unexpected presence.
the renowned amplifier brand, founded by Howard ‘Alexander’ Dumble, has sparked considerable online chatter recently, especially following the stealth launch of an official Dumble website late last year, which hinted at new builds utilizing “trade secrets.”
This subtle announcement ignited a wave of speculation, with fans eagerly pondering the future of the Dumble brand.
However,the ambiguity surrounding this resurgence led some critics to suggest that the company had been acquired by a third party focused solely on profit-driven production of amplifiers.
To uncover the truth behind Dumble’s revival and its future direction, Guitar World visited the brand’s exclusive booth at NAMM 2025. What we discovered dispelled many of the rumors swirling around.
As Drew Berlin, a prominent vintage gear expert and a close associate of Dumble, shared with Guitar World, the brand’s legacy is now being managed by what is officially termed the ‘Dumble Preservation Society.’
This society is led by Berlin and Michael Doyle, an amplifier expert and author of The History of Marshall: The Illustrated Story of ‘The Sound of Rock’. Following Dumble’s passing, he entrusted the brand to a select group of colleagues through his will.
interestingly, the creation of new amplifiers has become essential for the mission of preserving the Dumble legacy.
“We established the Dumble Preservation Society after Mr. Dumble passed away. We made a promise to him to uphold his legacy,” Berlin explains. “A significant part of our efforts involved resolving legal issues, which is why we felt it was important to showcase a piece of his world and some of his amplifiers at NAMM.”
Displaying Dumble’s world meant curating a prestigious collection of amplifiers. the Preservation Society showcased the very first amp Dumble ever crafted, the Steel String Singer, famously used by Stevie Ray Vaughan, along with Carlos Santana’s Overdrive Special and the ‘Woody’ module, which was lent to musicians while Dumble built their amps.
Regarding the legal challenges and the Preservation Society’s commitment to its mission, Berlin elaborates: “After Mr. dumble’s passing, we engaged an attorney to secure all legal copyrights and trademarks. He successfully managed to do so, but the rights were nearing expiration.”
“I suggested renewing them,but the attorney pointed out that we needed a product to maintain the trademark. This led to a realization that we had to build something and sell it to keep the trademark alive.”
“I pondered what Mr. Dumble would think of me taking this initiative, as I had never been involved in amp construction; I was just a player while he dialed in the sounds. The attorney warned that if we didn’t act, someone else could seize the opportunity.”
“So, we reached out to Mr. Dumble’s trusted technical associate and asked if he could build a few amplifiers to help preserve the trademark. He agreed.”
The outcome was not just one, but two new amplifiers: one that completed the last unit Dumble himself worked on, and another entirely original design that was not based on any previous model.
“I wouldn’t want to attach Mr. Dumble’s name to anything that wasn’t exceptional, so I felt confident that we could honor his legacy with these products,” Berlin reflects.“We decided to come here and show everyone what we’re doing.”
The future of Dumble appears to be more complex than many had anticipated,and it truly seems the Dumble Preservation Society is not planning to mass-produce Overdrive Specials,a theory that had circulated prior to NAMM.
“We’re here to gather feedback on what people desire. There will likely be more products, and we have sufficient parts to support Mr. Dumble’s existing clients, ensuring we maintain and service them.”
“We’re committed to preserving what Mr. Dumble established and doing our utmost to uphold the trademark. The process has been rewarding, and we’ve received fantastic feedback. Many people cherish his tone and sound.”
Stay tuned to Dumble.com for the latest updates.
