Ceriatone Forum

Hey all,

I've been enjoying my FM50ME since January, and the rig has gradually gotten darker and smoother as it had broken in.  Though my LP sounds really good through it, it can be a bit too dark at times.  I usually run it with the bright maxxed and the treble a little higher than the mid and lows, and with the C-lator brights off.  Either bright switch on the C-lator seems to open up the cleans, so I then turn off the amp bright caps/switch. I really like the clean channel tone with either C-lator bright switch on, but the OD channel sounds horrible with one on.  I wondered if a treble bleed on the OD channel would solve that, or would it really just polish a turd?

Anybody proven or disproven this mod? 

Have you tried winding the drive on the Clator to about 11:00 and compensate with the output control for volume? I've found this to dial out some of the darkness on the cleans while still maintaining a nice OD

I usually run that at about 9:30 with the input side of a G-Major at 100%.  If I run the Drive any higher, I start pegging the meter and getting break up.  I'll try backing down on the GM input to see if I have more clean headroom on the C-lator Drive.  Maybe that'll brighten it up some.

Thanks!!!

Let us know how you go as I also experienced the OD channel being a little brittle with the Clator bright switch on. I had a TC HoF in the loop for a while, but found it was getting overdriven with the drive turned up beyond 11 which was the sweet spot for the OD. No problems since switching the HoF for a V2 WET though

Nope, no real change other than break-up.  The Drive at 9:30 is the sweet spot.  I got the Drive up to 2:00 with an attenuated pick attack and GMII controls, but it didn't open up the upper frequencies.

Thanks for the idea though!!!

The tones are good with the GM II and an X-Blender both in the C-lator, but the Drive/break up issue is a little annoying.  At 9:00-9:30, no issues with break-up.  I'm thinking about the treble bleed or replacing the smaller cap on the three position/main bright switch for a larger one...  I'm afraid that no matter what I do, it'll nastify the OD channel and I'll have to counter it somehow.

I expect that the Treble bleed will not fix what a bright cap changes. 

I'll let you all know if I find something....

Hey Kevin

The Modern Eagle mod was designed to darken the amp from the original #102 design. Maybe un-eagle-modding your amp will get you where you are trying to go.
Its only 4 or 5 components!

Todd

Hey Kev,

Maybe you try a bright cap value on the bright switch ie a 120pf. If it negatively affects the tone on the OD, you can try this mod on amp garage which auto turns off the bright when engaging the OD channel

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19454

I'm contemplating this mod also

That looks REALLY promising. Thanks man!!!

Yeah, I want those bright cleans without causing OD harshness.  That definitely looks like the ticket.  That will be one of my "it's slow around the holidays" projects.

Thanks again!!!!

I think for me, the rotary switch on the V2,2 as per pickmasters mod should do the trick for me, but depending how it goes, this mod is another way around it

Good luck!

I've actually got everything for that mod... The switch, caps, wire, and knob.  I'm just a little concerned that tweaking the voicing for a brighter overall sound would alter the OD too much to be darkened effectively.  I wouldn't want to add overall brightness that left the OD lacking or dull when syphoning off the highs with the rotary switch settings.

IF you do the rotary switch mod, let me know how that works our for you!!!

Im on the same boat as you also, as I generally prefer a dark sounding OD with not much highs but bright and chimey clean channel. I find that with the BM there is a little too much highs coming through, even with the HRM tonestack engaged and the internal treble trimmers set low. Still an awesome sounding OD thats is d-stylish but not quite in that Calton/Ford camp