Dumble Steel String Singer

5.0 (12)

1 Review

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Dumble Steel String Singer

2 community setups

28 wishlisted

33 saved

Page last updated Jan 28, 2026

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Description

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The Dumble Steel String Singer amplifier head is a masterpiece in the world of boutique guitar amplifiers, revered for its legendary tonal clarity and unmatched craftsmanship. Inspired by the iconic sound of Eric Johnson's #005 amp, this 50-watt tube head delivers a pristine hi-fi sound with a tantalizing blend of shimmering cleans and punchy, dynamic leads. The Steel String Singer is crafted for musicians who crave both precision and power, offering a comprehensive suite of tone-shaping tools, including a 3-band EQ, dual 6-position Filters, and Bright, Deep, and Rock/Jazz switches for endless sonic customization.

The amp's tube-driven spring reverb, complete with Send and Return controls, allows you to infuse your sound with lush, atmospheric reverberations while the effects loop seamlessly integrates your pedalboard for enhanced versatility. The inclusion of a 2-button footswitch provides musicians with the convenience of hands-free control over the FET input and preamp boost, making it ideal for both studio sessions and live performances. Whether you're seeking tight, glassy cleans or aggressive, high-output leads, the Steel String Singer delivers with the precision of a cathode follower driver, ensuring every note is captured in exquisite detail.

Key Features:

50W, single-channel tube amplifier head
Inspired by Eric Johnson's legendary #005
3-band EQ and two 6-position Filters
Bright, Deep, and Rock/Jazz switches
Tube-driven spring reverb with Send and Return controls
Effects loop for pedalboard integration
2-button footswitch for FET input and preamp boost

Product specs

Amp Type	tube
Onboard Reverb	yes

Videos

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Vertex Effects

Playing The First Steel String Singer Ever Made

Vertex Effects

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Dumble Steel String Singer.

Value and pricing

1 0

Ceriatone's Steel String Singer is noted for its affordability among Dumble clones, often priced significantly lower than other boutique options.
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Build quality

1 0

Nik's build quality is highly praised, with owners stating it rivals or surpasses many 'real' boutique amplifiers.
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Comparisons

0 0

Ceriatone amps are frequently compared to Train Wreck and other Dumble clones, with users highlighting the competitive pricing for handwired models.
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User experience

0 0

Users appreciate Nik's customer service, noting his responsiveness and helpfulness in communication.
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Use cases and applications

0 0

The OTS Mini, another Ceriatone model, is cited as being sufficiently loud for band practice, despite its 20-watt rating.
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5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 12 Ratings

5 star

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3 star

2 star

1 star

dillonusmc

324

over 9 years ago

Perfect brightness. Big punch.

I think the key to the Dumble tone is that it has such touch sensitivity; and it is has such an organic feel. The notes are full, yet almost liquid...very hard to describe in words. The sustain on clean tones is amazing, and you can really hear the tubes work and change as the notes decay. The overdrive is very, very smooth.

daniel_mcgreevy

3 years ago over 3 years ago

I think the unique tone that each Dumble model has is strictly due to the fact that all of the original true Dumbles were made to order so each one has a lot of different things compared to the same model bought by a different guitarist.

Artist usage

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John Mayer

Guitarist

John Mayer Trio

Verified via YouTube

"As far as legendary amps...there's the Dumble amplifier made by Alexander Howard Dumble. The Steel String Singer doesn't have overdrive or anything. It's an amplifier that is clean sounding and yet is able to produce a great big sound. Alexander didn't make a whole lot of these but they are such strong amplifiers - Stevie Ray Vaughan used them, Bonnie Raitt used them. A lot of artists of back then were using these amps. If you wanted to call it a boutique amplifier, I guess you could but to me really it's just a double amp. One of the best amplifiers made in the world today," says Rene Martinez, the legendary guitar technician for blues guitarist John Mayer.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Singer, Guitarist

The Vaughan Brothers

Verified via Photo

SRV used this amp for its ability to stay clean at extremely high volumes. This amp was sent through a 4x12 cabinet. According to a 2003 interview with Richard Mullen (published in December 2022 issue of Guitar World), Mullen initially came across Jackson Browne's Dumble amplifier, and Steel Singer was a collaboration between Howard Dumble and Mullen.

Carlos Santana

Guitarist

Santana

Verified via YouTube

In the official music video for "Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas, Carlos Santana can be seen using a Dumble Steel String Singer guitar amplifier head.

Eric Johnson

Singer, Guitarist

The G3 Jam

Verified via Photo

On this picture Eric Johnson can be seen playing a Dumble "Steel String Singer Amp". He played it in the late eighties untill it caught fire and was sold back to the original owner. He now owns an " Overdrive Special" amp, as a replacement for his old dumble.

Philip Sayce

Singer, Guitarist

The Jeff Healey Band

Verified via YouTube

You can see on the left clearly he is using one dumble and one custom made copy of it

David Lindley

Singer, Guitarist

Doug Legacy & The Legends of the West

Verified via Instagram

One of David's various Dumbles, the Steel String SInger was notably used for much of his lap steel work with Jackson Browne.

Album Usage

The Dumble Steel String Singer has been featured on the following albums:

Texas Flood

Stevie Ray Vaughan (1983)

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Folk, World, & Country

Community setups

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baronhead

Gear IQ 206

baronhead

Gear IQ 206

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