Ceriatone Forum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9asODc2hNlU&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNnZjB40Xds&feature=channel_page

any suggestions??? this is amazing.... i can't get this kind of honky singing tone... gainy yet clean is how I would describe it...

are there any mods or perhaps speakers that would help me get close??

You're going to need his fingers aswell!

Besides his fingers  ;) ... for a tone like that, you would also need 1x12 EV12L D size (ported) cab.

I think that would definitely get you in the neighbourhood.

what kinda of guitar are you using?  Wish he would have played a chord or even some diads to really suss out how clean that really was.

i'm playing a es335 but not a 1967... lol...
as for the fingers...

I think really quality pickups play a big part in getting that warm tone that still sparkles on the top end.  I have had good luck with Sheptones and WCRs.  Stephens Designs or Holmes might be even better if you can afford them.  Check out the websites and see what you think.  My OTS handles it's part of the equation, no problem.

Very good question indeed..!
D-mble amps do have an inherint tone character that`s fat, warm, sustaining and "reedy".
The Bludo seems to have this in spades.. and i know what you mean about the clean signal and slight O/D touch sensitive growl that seems to occur simultaneously...!
I think this is part of the genius of the original amp designer.

Good pickups & an EV12L will no doubt benefit you`re overall tone,
BUT.. an original D-mble will still retain it`s tone character no matter what cab it`s plugged into.
And a novice will still be able to achieve that tone,.. it just won`t be fluid sounding like an experinced player.

My point being.. the 'amp tones' of this Bludo & an original D-mble are in the amp.
Having great pkups, speaker and fluid fingers are a bonus to the already unique tones in these amps.

I have an OTS myself and although it does display D-mble tone in one way or another, i must agree I can`t achieve that tone character you`re looking for.
You can try different pre-amp tubes and speakers etc, and adjust the internal trim-pots, but I`m not so sure what you`re looking for can be found in the OTS.

I contacted Gregor Hilden on his web-site & orderd an OKKO TwinSonic from him.
He demo`s these on youtube and I found the TwinSonic and Diablo (Higher gain model) to be VERY D type built in a box.
I`m very satisfied with it through the OTS as it gets that L Carlton thing no worries.
It cant do the simultaneous clean & slight O/D growl because that`s part of the original amp circuit, but it is Very D-mble like indeed.

For another example of  D-mble tone..  have a look on youtube
Dumble ODS-100 (Owner: Peterguitlerche and you will be amazed at the sonic character of this amp in both clean & O/D.
Once again you`ll hear that Reedy tone and clean-slight growl simultaneously..!!

Cheers.

I can get this tone (well maybe not Gregor's great touch!  ;D) by essentially using Larry Carlton's tone technique; you turn the volume down (on the guitar) to the point so that when you play soft - it's pretty clean- but has that slightly warm edge- dig in harder and there's the sustain & compression- so it's all in the fingers- try it- works for me!

Mitch,

Good point, I found that the internal OD trimmer set to 9.00 oclock helps but I get this tone no problem with my OTS.

The tubes I found helped.  I used NOS Mullard 12AX7's and TAD 6L6WGC power tubes.

I use Gold speaker which is creamy and very articulate without being edgy

These break earlier and helped me get this tone easier.

Most has been said allready. With Humbuckers I tink the output of the puckups is important as well. I play a Hamer Studio with Seymour Duncan '59's I need to set the clean volume low (to about 3) and I have turned down the pickups to avoid a nasty buzzing edge to the sound. I think the OTS is very sensitive to the input. Single coil pickups give me kless problems.

Set the OD trimmer to about 9.30. experiment with different tubes.

Agreed- the stock JJ's are good - but a little soft/bland sounding- I managed to get some NOS 12ax7 RTF's in there, and sound amazing - but they're now as rare as hen's teeth, especially as a certain Mr. John Mayer has discovered 'em for his Two Rocks- oh well! 
P.S. Herby660- thanks again for the DC30- Boy, is that a great amp or what!  I find I have to toss a coin before gigs now to choose between it & the OTS!   

Check this out, Gregory hilden explains trim pot, control settings and choice of string size (11-49) and pick (2mm) etc.

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7282&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

Practice ?

its not just in the hands... i know phrasing and touch is important. the basic amp tone is still there... u won't get the same sound from  high gain.

I have just been experimenting, based on what the way Matt Schofield uses his Two Rock. Turn your input volume down to 1 or 2. Raise you OD level to 8 or 9 and ratio to 3 or 4. Master on 4-5 (this is just getting the power tubes to break up a little but still not excessive volume) Now I know the accepted setting for the trimmer is 9:30 but using this scenario you will want to raise it quite a bit.

Gives a quite different tone and feel to the amp doesn't it? I think for the most part we don't play these amps loud enough to get both pre-amp and power amp into break up and what you never get from Gregor Hilden is an indication of how loud it is in the room. I bet its loud.

Right On, Hywel! It works nicely. I am always unhappy with my slightly over driven  neck pick up tone on the OTS. Too much mid range for my ear. Your Matt S. settings really fix that. For some reason, though, I lose some of that prototypical Strat neck p.u. tone. But it still sounds great and I can't wait to use those settings at the next gig. Thanks for posting that!

I haven't really tried it out at rehearsal volumes (been using my Dc-30 ) yet but it was good for quieter volumes and better for the Fralin PAF style humbuckers in my Ibanez 335.

IMO my overtone has always been weaker sounding with H/B's than with single coils, though my Warmoth strat is a very warm sounding guitar due to it having a huge neck (Superwide 47mm nut and fat back profile). Still can't get my LP custom to really sing thro it, though that has got a Harmonic Design H/B in the bridge and a Fralin P92 in the Neck. I need a Plexi for that guitar!

Perhaps, you should try the Robben Ford HB combo - Seymour D 59' in neck and JB in Bridge - works like a charm in my ol' 70' Yamaha Les Paul...

Maybe in another guitar, my holy grail tone for the LP is Koss.

Interesting topic.
I have '59's in my Hamer. I was struggling a bit with these as well. nasty buzzy edge in OD sound and unwanted distortion on the clean channel I had to turn down the clean volume to get a decent tone. I lowered the pickups. That helped a bit. Getting a good balance to use the same setting with a strat or tele is hard.
I'm beginning to suspect my amp has moods. It just doesn't seem to sound the same all the time.

Well I never, I thought it was just me. Some days I think it has something missing. At the moment its great, but still better with single coils for me.

Yean my tele sounds best as far as I'm concerned. Close to that guy with the long hair. What;s his name Robin something.

Hood? ;D

Yeash that's it. My Tele sounds just like a Lute