Brown Note D'Lite...what to expect

Did you hear the clips on the Brown Note site? There are overdriven clips there.
I just built a D'Lite 22, and it sounds like those clips. Except, I don't have chops that good. They said the clips were done with an un-modified 22 watt version.

 

Expect the unexpected.....sorry couldn't resist. You will be pleased and if it isn't exactly to your taste there are a lot of documented tweaks to get you there. What reverb??

 

The dlite is the real deal..the clips you hear are real and that tone is achievable in the amp you will get. I built one as well and have tweaked it to where my ears like it...well my ears actually love the sounds that my dlite produces....very sweet amp . Norm and Moss are great to deal with as well ..first class people and amps.

 

I got a used one a couple weeks ago and love it, even through a Marshall cab. I'm waiting on a cab from Brown Note, and probably will go for a brand new one with tweaks and stuff at some point in the near future. Can't imagine you wouldn't be happy with it.

 

I built one last summer and it is one sweet amp! Lots of possible tones on tap and yea you can even get into the Dumplestiltskin territory with it. Circuitwise like Moss and Norm have said its a cousin for sure.

 

The D'Lite is a Dumble inspired platform that can be tweaked in the direction of the Dumble tone that you want. The forum provides great support for modding the amp from it's stock configuration, to a fully tweaked amp that can hang with the "big name" amps, or anywhere in between.

Custom built or kit.

 

D'Lite kits don't have reverb, but there's a passive effects loop that works pretty good for your time-based effects. As many others have said, if you go the kit route and do some research on ampgarage (and the Brown Note forum as well) you can voice the amp to taste. Out of the box, it sounds pretty much like the one Chuck plays for most of his clips.

The production amps are a different story. Moss will typically interview you to get a good idea of what you're going for and then suggest a build and options. The amps are available 22/33 watt or 40 watt configurations, 2 x 6V6/6L6 or 4 x 6V6 outputs, Standard/ODE/HRM/Bluesmaster preamps, tube-buffered effects loop, tube driven reverb, M14/M27/M50 steel for the output transformer, etc. IOW, ya gotta talk to the man.

 

In addition to the clips on the main page of the Brown Note site, the user forum has a good number of D'Lite clips posted, and you can find some of them posted here, on TGP, as well, which feature the overdrive sounds.

 

Can I expect SRV/Mayer tone? Everyone love the Robben Ford tone but I love Strats and the SRV/Mayer tone...Anyone achieve that tone from a D'lite?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSM3FL7zUdw <--- THIS TONE!

Also, If you've seen the Where The Light Is DVD with John. I love the Out Of My Mind tone.

 

The D'Lite is a tonal, educational experience with which I'm still in process and digging.
The experience of building (from a kit) an ODS amp that clues you in to that mojo is well worth the 7 or so bills.

 

I had my D'Lite 22 built by Moss at Brownnote, it was one of his new prototypes. All I can say its one of the best amps I have ever owned. As for Reverb you won't need it, its has its own resonanace!
As for the overdrive sound, a Mr Robben Ford actaully played through my amp before it was shipped over to me and said what a great overdrive sound it had! What more can I say, wish Moss had taken a pic of him playing through it, would have been nice to have with the amp.

I will be posting a review on the amp soon.

 

how hard are they to build? i used to build heathkits? does that count??LOL

 

Hum,

I have a 44 ODE, so the voicing is a little different to the 22's/33's etc. However I played a fair few Xumbley inspired amps now so I reckon I can give a fair appraisal and balanced view.

Cleans are sweet and rich. Nice chime. Overdrive while sharing much of the Xumbley flavour has more bite and top end cut compared to others of this style. A little thinner sounding and more edgey. No reverbs on the 22's however the 44 has a very lush reverb - no tone sucking that I can detect.

Chuck Daloia has some lovely clean examples and drive examples of the 22.

http://www.myspace.com/abcdgears

Again some very nice examples on the Dlite Site.

http://www.brownnote.net/dlite22.html

A clip of the 44ODE is here for comparison too:

http://www.woodys-guitar-world.co.uk/WoodyWorld/Dlite.html

 

I built mine with my limited soldering skills and almost no amp tech experience.
The BN forum and Moss and Norm will get you through and the amp kills.

 

Sweet little amp! Yes, the OD is very Dumble like. NICE! :AOK

 

Expect nothing but luv and brown sugar smooth!

Enjoy a great amp!

 

I just got a custom built 44 ODE from Norm and Moss with a tube buffered loop, it simply KILLS!!!!!!!
I can get the amp to clean up on the OD channel with my pick attack and touch, then dig in and the amp just jumps
Very smooth OD, warm, articulate and doesn't mush out in the low end.
The cleans are punchy, big, big low end with plenty of chime if that's your thing. I did a side by side with a 1964 BF Bassman and got a very similar tone with my D'Lite. So it will do Fender cleans as well as "D" style cleans.
This is a very toneful amp everyone, I expect to see a lot from Moss and Norm around here in the near future. Killer product from extremely cool guys!

 

Great to hear all the positive responses to this. I have been waiting about 3 months for a D'Lite 88W Blue Monkey, HRM Circuit. Hoping it blows me away, I have been impressed with every DLite clip I have heard. Will be my 1st D type amp. Moss tells me it should be soon.

 

I'm on the fence about ordering a Blue Monkey from them. I'd have to sell my Shiva to pull it off and I just don't know if I can bring myself to do it.
Keep us posted.