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1  Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: Seeking suggestions for dark, muddy tone in BM50 on: March 08, 2014, 03:46:07 PM
I'm also seeking help @ The Amp Garage.  Here is a link to the string over there, to help any reader who may be looking to respond.  Thanks in advance for your help:

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=292963#292963
2  Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: Seeking suggestions for dark, muddy tone in BM50 on: March 08, 2014, 12:24:05 PM
I changed the pre-amp tubes out to NOS RCA 7025 shortplate (V1), Mullard 12AX7 short plate (V2) and a Mullard CV4004 (matched) for V3.  This helped, but did not eliminate the problem.  I'm able to dial in a useable tone regardless of the guitar now, but the mid and bass pots need to be down around 1 or 2, the treble needs to be cranked, and I need to use the bright switches, including the 2 switches on the C-Lator.  This carries its own set of problems, however, as it makes the higher registers on the guitar a bit shrill, so I don't consider it a real fix.  I plan to try a speaker swap to a Celestion Gold to see if that helps, as others have posted that this speaker is particularly well suited to this amp.  However, I'm really frustrated by how the default values in the amp seem to give you a tone that requires near elimination of the adjustment sweep on the pots to make it playable. 

Depending on how the speaker works out, I'll consider trying the slope resistor change which has been suggested (thanks for that).  Can anyone offer insight into how a value change on the bass and/or mid pot might impact this issue?  Here is a link to the layout for the amp from Ceriatone:

http://ceriatone.com/images/layoutPic/OvertoneLayout/OTS-BM-50W.jpg

The mid pot is a 25k(L).  The bass pot is a 500k(A)

Thanks in advance for replies!
3  Ceriatone / Overtone / Seeking suggestions for dark, muddy tone in BM50 on: March 06, 2014, 01:54:10 AM
Hi all,

I have my BM50 up and running, fully debugged.  Running in combo w/C-Lator into a 1x12 cab w/Austin Speaker Works KTS-70.  Tubes are TAD 7025 in V1 & PI (v3), and Tung Sol 12AX7 in V2.  Power tubes are Winged-C 6L6.  Tone is far from blowing me away.  Extremely muddy.  With my strat I need to have the mid & bass levels around 0-2 and treble up to at least 7 with the bright switch activated and the presence dialed up to get a halfway decent tone.  Activating the mid boost is pretty much out of the question.  Turns to pure mud.  Sounds like someone threw a towel over the speaker.  With my LP the tone is crap.  Can't eliminate the mud w/o taking the mid & bass controls to 0 -- which sounds like garbage anyway.  I've tried some tweaking with tubes, but frankly given the degree of the muddiness tubes can't account for it.  I've let the amp burn in - but the problem has actually grown worse.  The speaker is broken in.  Hoping I'm missing something.  Got far too much time & $ in this thing to get sound this bad.  Any suggestions out there?  Anyone had a similar issue and managed to figure it out? 

4  Website, Store / Support / Re: Help Debugging Bluesmaster 50 on: February 15, 2014, 03:46:38 PM
Some additional information:

Here are the pin voltages (measured w/the tubes out - 50w amp):

V1 1: 211 mv
2: 0
3: 0
4: 3.58 v
5: 3.58 v
6: 200 mv
7: 0
8: 0
9: 3.58 v

V2 1: 222 mv
2: 0
3: 0
4: 3.58 v
5: 3.58 v
6: 211 mv
7: 0
8: 0
9: 3.58 v

V3 1: 241 mv
2: 0
3: 0
4: 3.58 v
5: 3.58 v
6: 229 mv
7: 0
8: 0
9: 3.58 v

V4 1: 0
2: 3.59 v
3: 218 mv
4: 219 mv
5: -46 v
6: 222 mv
7: 3.59 v
8: 0

V5 1: 0
2: 3.59 v
3: 218 mv
4: 219 mv
5: -46 v
6: 222 mv
7: 3.59 v
8: 0

With the exception of the heaters, all readings are in DC. "mv" is not an error, that is what the DMM is measuring.

Bias readings from original post were taken from the bias measurement points, which have a resistor. The pin #5 voltage reading referenced above is taken directly from the pin socket. I currently have no idea how to measure bias at the board, but will read up on it and try to post that.

Pictures to follow as well. Hopefully someone can help me here.

Could this be a transformer or choke issue? As I stated in original post, this build was done slowly and very meticulously. Continuity exists across all points. I have traced all wiring to the board positions to double check continuity, and all of that checks out. Layout strictly followed Ceriatone's posting. There are a couple of mods, but these were standard Ceriatone mods and followed Nik's layouts to the letter as well.
5  Website, Store / Support / Help Debugging Bluesmaster 50 on: February 14, 2014, 01:21:31 AM
I'm on my second time through trying to fix this amp and am at a loss.  I'll give you the history briefly, and then where I stand presently.

I finished build, which was done slowly and by the book.  Went through power up w/bulb limiter w/o issues.  Hooked up guitar and speaker, and there was a horrible scratching w/the vol pot and only clean tone with limited volume.  Came to discover that the vol pot was bad, and I had used too much solder when hooking up V1 and V3, and had blocked some of the pins so those two tubes were not working.  Purchased new vol put (CTS) and new tube sockets.  Pulled those items and hooked everything back up.  Double checked continuity across everything w/DMM.  All checked out.  Power up w/bulb limiter again w/o issues.  All tubes heating properly, no sockets blocked this time.  Hook up the guitar and........ Nothing.  No sound.  Not a peep.

Anyone have an idea of where I go from here to debug this thing? 
6  Ceriatone / Overtone / HRM 3 way mid boost wiring help on: January 22, 2014, 02:29:47 PM
Hi all,

I'm building an HRM Bluesmaster w/3 way mid boost tweak.  Attached is Nik's schematic for wiring it.  Problem for me is that I cannot get the 390pf resistor, the lead from the board and the 4m7 resistor to fit in the same hole on that tiny switch.  I'm sure its a skill issue, but I have still repeatedly failed.  In any event, with the extra components provided by Nik for the mod, I have two 390pf resistors.  So, I thought of putting one 390 in the top slot, the second in combination with the 330 in the bottom slot, and route the wire from the main board & the 4M7 resistor in the R mid spot on the switch.  The wire from the treble pot would run in isolation to the L mid spot on the switch. 

Based on my NOOB understanding of how the switch functions, I can't see how this would not work, but I'm hoping someone here can verify that its the functional equivalent of Nik's layout (albeit a less efficient use of components).  The switch is an ON-OFF-ON.  So, it seems to me that as I've proposed the layout when the midboost is active and the 3 way switch is in "OFF", the signal from the main board will be routed through the 4M7 to ground.  In one "ON" position, the 390pf will be added, and in the other "ON" position both the 330 and the 390 will be added.  This should be the same as Nik's, correct?   

Finally, I don't see a need to bridge the mid poles w/this proposal.  Can someone w/more knowledge than me confirm this?

Thanks very much for your help!
Mark
7  Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: BM Treble Cap Value Question on: January 04, 2014, 10:21:12 PM
Thanks much everyone!
8  Ceriatone / Overtone / Can Anyone Help w/Debugging C-Lator? on: January 04, 2014, 07:22:54 PM
Hi all.  Just finished my first build, a C-Lator.  Plugged in to test.  Works, but having it plugged in there is a hissing type sound added which is louder/quieter depending on the output volume.  Unplugging the C-lator eliminates this hiss, so its certainly coming from the unit.  Every now and then, you will also hear an isolated pop or crackle type of noise.  There is a pop sound when either of the bright switches are toggled, or when the standby switch is toggled.  Another odd thing is that if the unit is in the signal chain and it is switched to standby w/power still on, there is no appreciable change in the sound.  However, if I unplug the instrument cable from the input jack (while the unit is still in standby) and then re-insert the cable, the situation changes & no sound will come through until the standby toggle is switched back to operate.

I am completely puzzled.  Can someone help?
Thanks,
Mark
9  Website, Store / Support / Help de-bugging C-Lator on: January 04, 2014, 07:14:06 PM
Hi all.  Just finished my first build, a C-Lator.  Plugged in to test.  Works, but having it plugged in there is a hissing type sound added which is louder/quieter depending on the output volume.  Unplugging the C-lator eliminates this hiss, so its certainly coming from the unit.  Every now and then, you will also hear an isolated pop or crackle type of noise.  There is a pop sound when either of the bright switches are toggled, or when the standby switch is toggled.  Another odd thing is that if the unit is in the signal chain and it is switched to standby w/power still on, there is no appreciable change in the sound.  However, if I unplug the instrument cable from the input jack (while the unit is still in standby) and then re-insert the cable, the situation changes & no sound will come through until the standby toggle is switched back to operate.

I am completely puzzled.  Can someone help?
10  Ceriatone / Overtone / BM Treble Cap Value Question on: January 02, 2014, 10:13:01 PM
I'm in the process of building an HRM Bluesmaster 50W.  My mod choices include the 3 way mid boost.  In discussions w/Nik, it came out that the cap values included w/the mod were built on the presumption that the treble cap on the board was .001 uf.  Per layout, it is actually .002 uf on the BM - the other OTS models appear to have the .001 (no, i've not checked all of them).  This seems quite a large value.  Consider that Fender uses 250pf and you'll see what I mean.  Anyway, I have seen innumerable postings complaining that the BM is "dark".  Can anyone offer insight into whether a simple change of the cap on the board to .001 would eliminate that problem?
11  Website, Store / Support / Re: OTS & C-Lator, grounding coax on: December 23, 2013, 02:28:14 PM
Found the answer.  For anyone who comes across this posting while looking for this answer, follow this for a great diagram:

http://ceriatoneforum.com/index.php?topic=5257.0 
12  Website, Store / Support / Re: Noob question on wiring fuse on: December 23, 2013, 02:25:44 PM
Thanks very much.  Found another post in one forum which suggested as much by stating best to wire the live line to the tip (opposite of how the as-built pics on Ceriatone's site show it wired), but as this is my first build, felt best to check.  Since posting this, Nik also wrote to me advising that all that matters is that the live wire runs to the fuse before the switch. 
13  Website, Store / Support / Noob question on wiring fuse on: December 17, 2013, 03:15:23 PM
Building C-Lator currently.  OTS to follow.  Noticed that the as built pics on Ceriatone's site show the connections to the fuse flipped from how it appears on the layout.  Wires still run to the live tap on the Mains and the switch, its just that the wiring to the 2 connection tabs on the fuse are reversed.  Does it matter which fuse tab each wire connects to, or is it similar to the tranny taps where there is no polarity so it doesn't matter?
14  Website, Store / Support / OTS & C-Lator, grounding coax on: December 14, 2013, 10:08:06 PM
Noob question.  I see from the layout that the coax is grounded to the bus wires.  pics all show the connection covered by the shrinkwrap.  Can someone help w/how to tie the ground wire in to the coax?  Is the ground wire simply connected to the shielding of the coax?
15  Website, Store / Support / C-Lator Build - why extra screws on the BOM on: December 13, 2013, 05:31:53 PM
Received C-Lator kit.  Parts provided match perfectly to the BOM.  Kit included 6 starndard slotted screws (silver color) and 20+ phillips pan head screws (black color).  The standard slot/silvers only appear in 2 spots in the pictures on the website -- they are used to hold the board w/the tube in position.  Now that I have mounted everything, and placed a screw in every spot where one can go, I have 2 black pan heads left over, 4 of the silver standard slotted and 4 nuts.  I can't for the life of me figure out how these could possibly be used.

Anyone out there encounter this?
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