Ceriatone Forum

I'm trying to figure out all the variations of the D-style Ceriatones. My Mesa does a great job in outside venues but in a small club, it's a bull in a china shop. I don't like using attenuators and I am not liking the lead tone unless all pre-amp volumes are on seven. Thus I would be interested in a D-style amp that sustains with less overdrive when I want it and gives me the Santana tone when I need it.

Also I want an amp that has good channel balance, i.e. I get a good fender clean and footswitch to the D-style/Mesa Mk series sound without changing settings.

Here is a Youtube of me to give you an audio example: http://www.youtube.com/user/garysmallband?feature=mhee#p/u/2/PVkEaeKayi0

I'd suggest the Bluesmaster version if you're really interested in the fender cleans sound. And all of them have ways of balancing the relative volumes of the 2 sections.

Does the lead channel pack enough gain to approach Santana vibe? I've been copying and pasting quotes. Several folks lean towards the OTS Special. I live in Wyoming so there is little chance of me getting to try one. I've listened to everything on Youtube but its still not clear to me.

Oh yea, no problem. There's a ton more gain available in these things than 95% of the youtube demos show. I've also got a mesa boogie mark IV, and the BM has more gain than it does. You will have no problem getting the "Santana" sound with it. And with 3 knobs controlling aspects of the gain, and the 2 tone stacks, you get a ton of control over the sound. Put reverb and the GEQ on one of these, and it would blow the mark IV out of the park!

BTW I really enjoyed your playing on the clip you posted!

Thanks for the kind words on the clip. I fade from the mix towards the end as we are at the mercy of a sound man who's ears are merely scotch taped on...

So this amp has three volume controls much like the Mark series? I 'll look more into it for sure. Can you get the effects loop gadget built in without having to carry a seperate unit?

Read the Ceriatone manual, it will explain much.

On an HRM amp the Clean and OD have separate Master Volume's.

On a NON-HRm amp the Clean and OD share a Master Volume. The Ratio control on the NON-HRM amp is to balance the OD to the clean volume.

 When you add a Dumblealator to the equation the Return or Level control on the D-lator becomes your Overall Master Volume. This will give ya the ability to set the amps tone and volume all up (Running the Masters on the amp Very High) and then control the overall Volume to taste. You can also use a larger bright cap on the Master Vol and use high capacitance RG-400 cables to Roll off Highs (ala Robben Ford)

 IMO these amp do not sound nearly as good without a D-lator. The Dumbleator adds slight compression, gives you the ability to run the Masters High, and adds a 3D smoothing effect to bot the Cleans and OD. Also a Dumbleator is a key component for interfacing line level time based effects (Verb, flanger,Delay etc.) with the amp.

There's tons of gains available, approaching metal levels, believe it or not

Absolutely... the BM does have tons of gain. Having owned 2 Mark III's and 1 Mark IV, I'd say there's more on the BM as well as being more useful in that when you turn down the volume on the guitar it cleans up unlike the Mesas.

i love the creamy santana tones too.

i play 70's yamaha sg's through my HRM (ev12 speaker) and the sound is so sweet... i love carlo's tones from the moonflower period. the effects loof buffer is a must and you will find that it adds another dimension to the amp in terms of gain and its overal tone, as well as being able to crank the level to the output stage for a different tone as well.

with a lush reverb and analogue delay in the loop, and PAB engaged.... you get beautiful singing leads and notes which melt into musical feedback and like santana, position relative to the amp is critcal for attaning this .

you will find the amp handles high volume too and responds exceptionally well at the higher levels

To the OP...

You came to a great place here, and every one of the guys that previously posted to your thread are right on.  I'm a Mesa owner as well, have a 2/12 Maverick with nary a Mesa speaker or tube in it, along with a one of a kind custom bias mod, and have several boutique amps, along with a collection of a few hundred vintage tubes, but none of my other amps are as versatile in both tones and ability to sound great from small rooms to large with the same amp like the D-style clones previously mentioned.  I have a 50w HRM with a c-lator, and a 50w OTS built by Marsh with c-tone boards that I run by itself with no fx buffer, it is also amazing in the range of tones it can do at small to large room volumes.  I'm glad to have both of these middle of the road D-style  amps.  The various switches and gain and tone controls offer an amazing tone palette.

the boogies heritage is fender... and so is the D-style...

as lowell george once said..."a dumble is fender made right"

Hi Gary,

I live about 20 miles outside of Casper and have a stock OTS along with the
C-Lator and a TC Electronics G major II in the loop, you're welcome to come by and plug into it to see how you like it. I haven't had it very long and am just starting to get a handle on it myself.

I believe I did an outdoor gig with you and the Coyote Brothers last year for the Wyoming Blues and Jazz Society at the Casper Ballpark.

Wow, unbelievable in Wyoming!! Yes I will take you up on your offer. Thank you so much. My phone is 307-674-4205. Or you can email me at revgsmall@hotmail.com

thank you so much!!!! gary

Mr Fabulous: the Moon Flowers album drummer is my good bud, Graham Lear. He played in my group for about 6-7 years. I loved that period of Santana.

Great info!

good info!!!!!!

awesome man!!!!! that would have been a buzz playing with him in that era... when carlos was on fire

quote]

Mr Fabulous: the Moon Flowers album drummer is my good bud, Graham Lear. He played in my group for about 6-7 years. I loved that period of Santana.
[/quote]

awesome man!!!!! that would have been a buzz playing with him in that era... when carlos was on fire
[/quote] Graham is the best drummer I've ever had the honor, and one hell of a nice guy to boot. He may come out my way and do a couple of weeks with us next July. He has a web site just google Graham Lear and it should come up. Tell em Gary says howdy.

Guys, in a weird twist of fate, my new found Ceriatone bud from Casper WY. called me to tell me there was a mint conditioned Brown Note Deluxe 44 with built in buffered effects loop for a buy it now of $1500 shipped to my door.

This amp goes new for about $2500 so I think I did okay. If I don't like it I'm confident I can toss it right back on Ebay for the same amount.

can't go wrong there!