PRODUCT REVIEW
Sebago Sound DT25 1x12” 25 Watt Combo by Doug Doppler
• FEATURE SET • Channels: Clean, Dirty • Controls: Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Gain & Volume (lead channel), Master, Presence, Reverb, Effects Send & Return • Face Plate Switches: Bright, Mid, Rock/ Jazz Voicing • Rear Panel Switches: Channel, Pre-amp Boost • Pre-Amp Tubes: 12AX7 • Phase Inverter Tube: 12AX7 (JJ ECC803) • Effects Loop Tube: 12AX7 • Reverb Tubes: 12AT7 (reverb driver), 12AX7 (reverb recovery amplifier) • Power Amp Tubes: 2x 6V6 • Watts: 25 • Speaker: 1x Eminence 50 Watt Legend Sebago Sound founder Bill Dunham started tweaking circuits out of sheer frustration that so many off the shelf amps didn’t have the mojo he was looking for. As his clientele continued to grow, so did Bill’s passion to build affordable Dumble-style amps. For the past five years Dunham has been building amps that deliver signature tone that can be tuned specifically to the customer’s preferences, guitars, and tonal desires—all without breaking the bank. Fueled by a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering and a passion for the combination of music and electronics, Dunham has the uncanny ability to hear a sound and know instinctively what that translates to on a component level. As Dunham puts it, “Every Sebago amp is a unique creation tuned to ensure it meets a sonic spec rather than just replicate a schematic.” The end result is a line of amps that sound and, just as importantly, feel great. While all of the amps in Sebago Sound’s Double Trouble series take their inspiration from Robben Ford’s famed Dumble Skyline (serial number 102), the DT25 is especially unique in that it is powered by a pair of 6V6s rather the pair or quad of 6L6s found in the
DT50 and DT100 respectively. Noting that many players have never actually seen, much less played a Dumble, one of the common misconceptions is that the power amp section is responsible for the classic Dumble bloom. In reality, most of the “magic” happens in the pre-amp section, which is why Dumbles tend to be very consistent sonically at a range of volumes. By using a pair of 6V6s rather than the traditional 6L6s, Dunham has grafted some of the Fender’s most inspired tones into the clean side of the DT25, without compromising the dirty channel in the process. CLEAN CHANNEL While the clean channel on the DT25 was designed to infuse some Blackface Deluxe into the mix, engaging the Bright and Mid switches adds some of the jangly high end I’ve only found on Blackface Vibrolux Reverbs. The end result is one of the best dang clean channels I’ve ever heard. Dunham worked hard to ensure that the tones were rich and responsive, but that the low end didn’t get floppy, which tends to happen when you turn a Deluxe Reverb up. From clean spank to smooth jazz, this amp just makes playing on the clean channel every bit as fun as the dirty channel— especially with the silky reverb. DIRTY CHANNEL And then there’s the dirty channel. Bloom and sustain are the quintessential elements of a Dumble dirty channel, and the DT25 does a brilliant job of delivering both. Once you get gain past three o’clock, the notes start feeding back on the fundamental. Engaging the Mid switch tends to push the feedback up an octave. From light gain to rich, amp-driven distortion, the DT25 does a brilliant job of engaging the nuances of your touch as well as those of the instrument
you’re playing. SWITCHES The Treble and Mid switches are both useful in shaping the tone per instrument and/or venue—without getting strident. Toggling the Jazz/Rock switch into the Rock mode partially bypasses the tone stack, fattening things up without getting “soggy”. The foot switch controllable Pre-amp Boost (PAB) switch is located on the back panel, and bypasses the tone stack altogether once engaged, providing a rather significant boost in the process. POWER AND SPEAKER The interaction between power amp and speaker is vital in any combo, especially one with as much gain on tap as the DT25. It took Dunham a year of tinkering to get the power amp section and speaker choice “just right”. In the end Dunham selected the 50-watt Eminence Legend because, “It preserved the dynamic and harmonic range of the amplifier from low to high. There’s a difference between good and right. I tried at least five different speakers that were all good, but the Legend was right.” TONE At all ends of the gain and power spectrum, the DT25 delivers sweet tone that’s ripe with sustain and the perfect amount of natural amp compression. The buffered, tube-driven “Dumblator” effects loop adds something that is nothing short of a magical circuit, even when you’re not using an effect. From rich cleans to long sustained notes—and everything in between, the DT25 delivers. CONCLUSION If you’re looking for that Holy Grail Dumble tone—at a price that won’t break the bank, you’ll definitely want to check out the DT25. $2,499.00 www.SebagoSound.com When Doug Doppler is not writing gear reviews, the former Guitar Hero session player and Favored Nations recording artist spends his days, hours, weeks and years demoing the coolest gear on the planet for his web site GearTunes.com.
40 :: MAY/JUN 14 :: COLLECTIBLEGUITAR.COM