08/14/2025
In 2005 I built a Tweed Bandmaster amp for Kerry Wright, who was Howard Dumble's cabinet builder. The amp chassis was on Kerry's bench when Howard stopped by. Howard asked who built it (as he thought it was quality work and interesting component choices). He offered to do some mods on it as long as no one, especially the builder (me) would never be allowed to look inside of it and that Kerry never sell it with the mods installed. Kerry stuck to his word for 15 years and never let me look. This drove me nuts! Kerry told me at some point that a customer found out that he had a Dumble modified Tweed Bandmaster and he was determined to buy it from Kerry. His eventual offer of $24,000.00 was too much to resist and he sold it. Dumble found out at some point and was very angry at kerry causing a rift between them that lasted until Howards death (R.I.P.). I asked Kerry "Please tell me you took some pics inside before you sold it!". No was the answer. Kerry died sometime after this conversation (R.I.P.) and I have wondered ever since where this amp is. Kerry traded me 2 tweed bandmaster cabinets for the chassis I built. I still have the signed cabinets. I brought an original 3 x 10 Bandmaster cab to Kerry's shop in Fullerton, Ca (right down the street from the original Fender factory). To accurately model our cabs. Kerry's dad had an auto upholstery shop in that building back when Fender was still there. Kerry learned his trade from the actual cabinet builder at Fender, Sam Hutton. Kerry built himself this beautiful red 3 x 10 Bandmaster cab with one piece back. Pics are from when I set up the bias for him, I also built that vintagey bias meter with 1960's Honeywell milliamp meters. Pic of the actual chassis is on Kerry's bench exactly when Howard saw it. I just missed meeting Howard a couple of times at Kerry's, Eddie Van Halen, too. (A regular there, another R.I.P.).
