Ceriatone Forum

I'm saving for an OTS.

I have a new American Strat with Fat50's.  I love scooped Fender tone.  I love D tone.  I love John Mayer's tone.

I play in church.  I don't play in bars (yet), thus don't need tons of volume (yet).  My 5W EL84 equipped Crate doesn't have enough headroom, though.

My original plan is a BM50 with a 1x12.  Possibly a combo.  I'm building the amp myself, including cab.  I plan on sourcing Hammond iron separately.

Want to use a WGS ET65 based on good reviews, cheap price.

This is all under the assumption that, as I've heard, the master volume on the OTS's works well, and I can play quietly.  I don't plan on using a 'later as this time.

Here's my dilemma:

BM50:
Pros:
  Can use 65W ET65.
  Lighter
  Cheaper than BM100
Cons:
  Not as good as BM100?
  Not as cheap as OTS20

BM100:
Pros:
  Better sound?
Cons:
  Heavier
  More $
  Can't use 65W ET65?
  Makes a 1x12 combo impossible?
  Too loud?

OTS20:
Pros:
  Smaller
  Lighter
  Cheaper
  Better for low volume?
Cons:
  Not 6L6
  Not as good tone as BM50/100?
  Not "Bluesmaster" circuit.



TL;DR:
Need amp.  Don't need (crazy) volume.  Want Bluesmaster tone.  Want something portable.  Leaning towards BM50.  Convince me that's the way to go over BM100 and OTS20.

My opinion is that if you have the money to buy the 50watt (or 100 watt), then do it. If you have plans to play bigger venues in the future, just go ahead and buy either the 50 or 100.

I have a 50 watt OTS and it is SOO loud. I have the c-lator on it and can control the volume very well though.

I also have a switch in the back to take it down to 25 watts.

Anybody considering the Bluesmaster, has to know that the clean side is limited in volume. If you're not playing with boosts in the effect loop, I find my 100 watts Bluesmaster to be no louder than a Fender Deluxe.

And it's not only me, many people commented on that. I think it has to do with the phase inversion circuit. THe overdrive channel on the other hand, is enormous.

Finally, I find the 4-power tubes version of some amps designs to be punchier & nicer than the same but in 2-tubes, especially in the Voxish & Dumbelish circuits

In the classic Fender circuits, I prefer two output tubes + a tube rectifier

TLDR: Go with the 100 watts bluesmaster, or the OTS20

Thanks for the responses guys.

Question regarding the 100W - Can I use a 65W speaker like the ET65 and be safe if I don't "turn it up" loud enough to cause a problem?

For example, if I treat it like a 50W (and not use the volume increase of the 100W), will the 65W speaker be OK?

Really? Is this just your amp or have you polled this group? Because I've never heard this before, at least on this forum in the 3-4 years I've had my bluesmaster 50. My Bluesmaster clean channel is huge sounding - deafening at around 2 on the master volume. Running it into 2 EV 12L's. Are you sure your amp is working correctly?

Figure I'd close the loop.

While most "50W vs 100W" threads are generally "pro 100W", it seems like the majority of people have 50W units, and are very happy.

So that, plus the cost & weight savings, and the fact I can use my speaker of choice currently (ET65), made me order the BM50.

I also decided to go with Nik's iron, as I didn't want to mess around trying to retrofit a Hammond/etc.

So, now the waiting begins!

Thanks again for the help.  Now, to start going through the "which tubes to use" threads :)

Had the 100W BM for over two years now. Gig with it a lot. the clean channel is HUGE sounding. I get lots of compliments on it. I use two cabs (15" weber California and 2x12" webers vintage ceramics). Sometimes I kick in Fulltone boosts (Fulldrive II and OCD) for some extra special sauce on the tone on the clean channel. I use the overdrive channel for some songs with my les paul.

Nik installed the 50/100 switch and I played around with it a lot. But now it stays on 100W. Slightly more clean headroom to my ears, takes boost pedals so well. But if it only had 50W I'd still love it.

Really great, dynamic amplifier. Get good tubes and good speakers. So glad I bought it and I won't be selling it.

I have read some comments from people who got the amp & from Nik himself, that the Clean channel is not as loud as other OTS amps. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, or that you can't get very high volumes if you crank master & input volume.

The Clean channel is lovely, however, this is not as per the standard twin reverb or 100 watts amp average. Say you put both volume on 5 in the clean channel, no PAB, no loop buffer. You volume will be loud of course, but not defeaning - definitely not like when you put a Twin Reverb ot 5

This is what I noticed with my amp, & I believe I have read it more than one time. Nik himself suggested to go 100 if I needed clean headroom. So just my 2c

my BM50 is loud as hell. Surely, the loudest 50 watt tube amp i have ever owned, and i play mostly on the clean side. Does it have as much headroom as the 100 watt? No, of course not, silly! Does it have more headroom than most 50 watt amps clean "channel" absolutely! Can i make it dirty in a hurry with a boost, or the modified tone stack lift (PAB). Hell yes!!!! That's the point of the thing though.

Basically, to the OP, the BM 50 will prolly give you more clean headroom than you need, unless you want Twin levels, then go with the BM 100

Gregg