Monkeywrench time.
Even MORE versatile would be a 36W with half power switch...36TMB channel and an EF86 channel.
Why limit yourself?

Ceriatone amps are built as well as just about anything. Is a Fender gonna sound "better" than a Vox? As was said, a Peavey is not "worse" that a Marshall. It can sound "as nice". Will a Fender sound as good as a Gibson? Or, will a Japanese Ibanez sound as nice as an American guitar? Some will say it has to be American. Others will argue for Japanese quality.

I have a $2K Dr.Z MAZ18 and I have a 36W (with half power) Ceriatone that cost (new) less than 1/3 of the price of the MAZ.
Wanna buy a MAZ?

Dr. Z's top of the line amp is a ZWreck. Nik is building me a Ceriatone clone.
Again, wanna buy a MAZ? 
If so I'll take the proceeds and get a Ceriatone JTM45 or SLP100 and maybe a OTS.

I've owned Ceriatone amps since '06.
I recently got a Dr. Z MAZ18 with reverb. The amp I got back in '06 was the first 36W with half power I believe. To this day it is my #1 and the benchmark to which I compare everything else.
The MAZ is a cool amp I suppose. People say it has a ton of headroom for an 18w. They say it's somewhere between a bf Fender and a Marshall ...but leaning heavily towards Vox. I am embarrassed to say I've never played an AC30 so I can't confirm that about the MAZ. Mine is the 1-12 that contains a celestion G12H-30.

WELLLLL...my old Ceriatone RP36 kicks the MAZ'z BUTTT!!!
In 18w mode and the TMB channel it is pretty much as Fendery with the middle turned way down and the NFB in, as the MAZ. With the middle dimed and no NFB it WAY outMarshalls the MAZ.  In the normal channel w/NFB it's even more Fendery than the TMB channel but a little less Marshallesque. Still more Marshall than the Z though.

In 18w it (oh I have a ss rectifier in it atm) it has as much headroom as the Z even though it's plugged-into a G12-65 that only has a sensitivity rating of 97dB as opposed to the Z's 100dB H30. Kick the Ceriatone into full power and it's NO contest!

OK so Nik and I were talking about the Z and about how good it is. It aint no Ceriatone but nothing is. We discussed the Zwreck and thought it would be a good Z to clone.
It's still in the design stages. It wont be in the build stage soon enough lol.
It's gonna have the same "magical" iron as the Zwreck along with the "Speed/Comfort" switch but since the biggest gripe with the Zwreck is it's nosebleed volume levels, we're gonna address that with probably a half power switch. It is slated to have a backlit C on the front panel.

It's a Fisher/Z design. Well I guess a Fisher/Z/Azam design lol. It is going to be headroomey and punchy and snappy..AND fluid. It is going to absolutely LOVE pedals!

You will be kept posted along the way.

I got mine in '06. It was a 36w (still my #1) and shipping to AB was like $150 I think?
I was expecting the usual ransom charges when it arrived.
It was handed to me, don't even think I had to sign anything and the guy left. I was left standing in the doorway with a heavy box in my hands and a :-O

I expected I would get a future bill in the mail. Purolator used to do that. Nothing ever came. To this day I still wouldn't be surprised to get a bill but it's been 7 years. Probably safe now.

I don't know if it's still like that but...
I buy and sell a lot of gear. If you check CSB's site you'll find that there is a "6% duty on musical instruments". I'd imagine if it was made in North America there would be NO duty? NAFTA

Normally Asian goods have pretty high duty. I don't know if an amp is a musical instrument. There would be 5%GST too and maybe PST? No PST in AB so I don't know. And then brokerage and maybe fuel surcharge and stuff.
Everyone charges different amounts for brokerage. UPS often is 45 bucks ..grrrr USPS/CP..like 7 dollars?

So...I suppose you could expect to pay 5% GST, whatever PST in your province, 6% duty if it's a musical instrument and then a brokerage fee. I'd assume $50 just so you aren't too shocked.
Expect to pay all that, HOPE not to and...just be ready to shell-out like $150 if it's a thousand dollar amp. I have a funny feeling you wont have to pay anything. Fingers crossed.

Not sure on the weight but I'm sure it states the weight of both at Nik's site.

The 36W with the half power switch is what I have. In 18W mode it doesnt quite have the clean headroom I need for most medium or larger rooms. In 36W mode it has a lot more punchy headroom.
I played it in 18W at a casino gig last night. Those gigs are pretty quiet. MORE than enough power for rooms like that...but...you get into a medium sized bar and you'll wish you had that switch to kick it into 36W mode.

It has enough jam in 36W for anything. I use it at big outdoor festivals. We mic everything in even the smallest rooms btw.

Get the 36W RP with half power switch and you'll never look back.

Hey everyone,
I've had my Ceriatone 36W with the half power switch (the prototype) since '06 (or '05...it isnt here so I cant check) and it's the best sounding amp I've ever heard. Seriously!
A big part of the reason is that I removed the Mallories and installed Mustard caps and nice old glass. I mean it sounded fantastic with the JJs and the original caps but now it sounds and (especially) feels ..;...uhhhh....  more REAL.
Anyway....if anyone wants mustards...    .01, .1, .047, .0047, .022......I got 'em.
I've also got plenty of awesome 12AX7/ECC83s from Mullards to Tungsram to Teles, RFTs,Brimar, Siemens, US brands, Amperex, Mazda....name it and I probably have it.
I also have a nice stash of NOS TESLA EF86s. I have a few NOS NIB Mullard 84s comming that should be here any day now but.....
I have hexplates in mine now that I really dig. I also like the cheap Ruskies...6p14pEB or whatever....but I havent tried a set of mules yet. I dont know if they're gonna be matched (I doubt it) but I AM gonna take them for a spin.
Anyway....if anyone needs anything....feel free to PM me.
Prices are great (not SO great on the .022s but not TOO bad) and shippping is free. I also have a pile of .018uF NOS mustards that work just as well as the mustard .022s and blow the mallory and Sozos AWAY and they're WAY cheaper than the .022s.
Thanks

I mean I know...I got the first 36w tmb that had the half power switch a couple or so years ago. Yep...that was MY idea (I think). Greatest amp I own and I own more than a few (dozen).
Anyway...everything I've ever heard about Nik and ceriatone has been in amp forums. I did read that ONE old write-up on them that mentions Billy gibbons but that's IT. I know that not advertizing in them doesnt help to get you any positive reviews (or mentions) in guitar mags but is there ANY info or reviews anywhere other than in the hardcore tone-junky world?
How big is ceriatone getting? Are there any production numbers? Anyone know how many units are out there? How many are built per week? Seems like there's a buzz of some "legal/patent issues" that occured lately??? What's THAT all about?

Let's see an SVT clone!!!!!

Hey everyone. If anyone's interested I ALWAYS have NOS and OS tubes of all shapes and sizes and brands. I also have mustard caps.

12AX7/ECC83s...Dutch Amperex, Miniwatt, Bugleboy....Eastern Euro RFT, Ei, Tungsram, Teslas...Western Euro Mazda, Valvo, Brimar, Mullard, Siemens, Teles...........$30-$65ea    Some ultra rare, AMAZING mullard labelled (foreign made) 1956 longplate Munich Siemens...matched triodes and matched pairs...$150 per tube :0. Lots of US ax7s too....cheap.
I have EL34s, 6L6s, 6V6s, EL84s and rectifier tubes (no GZ34s at the moment)...and just about any other tube you can imagine.

I have most NOS mustards required for just about any build except .68uF. Fresh out of those at the moment.

Alos, in case anyone hasnt blown their load for Christmas, I have some amps for sale. On the block are:

-An Express clone: Ceritone chassis and faceplate, Paul Ruby Heyboer Trainwreck transformers, Clarostat Pots, Sprauge Atom and Mallory 150 capacitors, External bias pot and jacks, Rear mounted PEC master volume, marshall cliff jacks and Micalex tube sockets. No cabinet and no tubes (unless you want screentubes too...that'll be extra). $550 obo plus $50 S&H.

-A '73 Traynor YBA-1A MKII firebreathing MONSTER. Front grillcloth is a bit in torn-up. I did a couple of MINOR mods. I added a resistor to reduce the NFB, Removed the brightcap and replaced it with a 470K resistor (parkhead mod), and installed 1K5W screen grid (?) resistors. $500 plus $60S&H.

I'm preparing to unload a few more too, just have to figure-out what else I can part with. I'm not fussy about the TW and I have a pair of the YBA1As so those 2 were easy decisions. Well not EASY but...

My plan is to get an overtone special. That's why the "fundraising drive". If anyone has one and wants to do some horsetrading I'm interested. Who got an overtone special and would rather have a tw espress with all the best components available? We gotta talk.

Season's greetings everyone!

EDIT: Figured I'd delete any "brand" names.

A 5751 in V1 works to remove some buzzy, fuzzy, harsh gain from high gain amps. One such amp is a 5150. A 5751 would probably do the trick for you. They have just slightly less gain than a 12ax7. Dont remember EXACTLY but an ax7 has a gain factor of 100. A 5751 is like 80 or 90 where IIRC, a 12AT7 is down at 70%. If you have one handy, DEFINATELY, give it a shot.
Another easy way to reduce some gain is to SLIGHTLY back-off the guitar's volume pot.

oh yaeh...an SVT...PLEASE!!!!

Put the two side by side and crank them and THEN tell me which is who's "son". lol...
I get your point but there are 50 AND 100W forums and even 18watt.com has a 36watt forum. When you think about it though you're right...what more is there to say other than.."hey, my 18W has FOUR tubes" and then get replies that say..."yeah...that's COOL".
On the other hand, it wouldnt be a bad thing for people trying to build the 36watt kit. There are more differences, problems, and headaches than just 2 more powertubes over an 18watt tmb build.
I'm just "biased"   though cause I have a 36w not an 18 and when I got here I was looking for the overtone forum and found it. Then looked for the express forum and found it ....then I looked for the 36w forum and went...??...then I looked again and went... ??

Oh well....it's cool enough to find a ceriatone forum. VERY cool enough!

Season's Greetings everyone.

Am I missing something? I dont see a 36W forum.

Well when I get one I'm gonna want a half power switch so you better start doing your homework  Nik...lol.
Seriously though, I LOVE the half power option on my 36W. True, it doesnt cut the "volume" in half but it DOES make a big difference. In half power mode in a small club it makes it easy to listen to and there's no "volume battle" between you, your tone, and the amp. Makes it much more versatile...not that that would make the overtone better. Seems like it might just be a headache trying to set-up the trim and od levels to work best for 2 different modes/personalities.
Whatever...I'll still want some sort of half power(ish) switch.

I want one of these amps but...I have SOOO many amps including an express clone and a 36RP with half power switch. My 36er is my favorite amp. Even better than the wreck. About 7 amps ago (when I got the 36w) I swore that I'd NEVER need another amp. The 36w was everything I need. What if I like the overtone better though? I dont like the express better...but...I guess I'll never know unless I get one right?
I realize that the price cant be beat anywhere anyhow...especially for amps of Nik's quality but...these things are getting up there. It'll definately be the amp I've spent the most on. Waitaminute....back in the early/mid '80s I bought a NEW JCM800 50W 1-12 combo with 1-12 (cant remember the model but it was very cool), reverb, and channel switching. I think I paid over $1300 for it. Traded it straight across for a fawn '76 100W halfstack. 

Maybe I'll have to "liquidate" a couple of old jems. That's hard to do though. I play in a 3pce so it would only take a couple of gigs for it to pay for itself.
Sorry...just trying to afford and justify..lol.
Later fellas