Ceriatone Forum

I'm new to the forum but I figured this might be a good place to compile information into one thread.  I often see questions on forums that say "how do I get so and so's Tone on such and such song or record through my amp?".  So I'm creating what will hopefully be one thread where we can ask these questions and as a community come to some consensus answers. 

For me I'm interested in a couple of tones.  I love John Mayer's tones.  Specifically the cleans on his version of the wind cries marry and wait till tomorrow.  I also like his overdrive on his solo's (i.e. belief solo, just sounds WET).  I reallize he uses clean sounding amps with OD in front but I'd like to have some input from people who have nailed this tone on what settings and effects they used.

I've also been obsessed since I was a teenager about SRV's tone on the Texas Flood record.  I understand he used Jackson Brown's Dumbleland amp for most of that record.  A particular reference would be the instrumental Testify.  Again settings would be great (if this tone is even achievable through the OTS).

I'll throw one more out in the interest of getting things started - Little wing by SRV.  Great tone with the smallest bit of OD in there.  Sounds different than any other song he recorded IMHO.

I'm sure other people want to know specifics about Larry Carlton and Robben Ford Tones as well, so lets get this party started.  If I make any breakthrough's I'll post clips!

The way to nail anyone's tone is to "possess" them and use their fingers and gear.  Even THAT might not work.

Find YOUR tone and flavor it with stuff you learn about how your favorite players get their tone.

The tone all starts in the fingers, the rest of it is just tools.  Learn the components/tools used for the tones you love through research.  A quick Google search on a player's name with "guitar rig" will usually get you there.

All that being said, answers in a thread like this could really unlock opportunities to get insight you've never had.

I agree. You could have all of XXXX's gear and still not sound like XXXX It's all in the fingers.

Ok let me start by saying that I understand that I'm not going to sound like SRV or JM just by having there gear.  That being said, can we please refrain from any more of these comments throughout this thread?  They're tiring.  When I hear John Mayers recording of "city love" from the crossroads guitar festival there are several points where he just picks an open E drop D tuned and I love that tone.  I KNOW I can sound just like John Mayer plucking an open string.  So lets start there.

http://ceriatoneforum.com/index.php?topic=486.0

This old thread is kinda along the lines of your questioning. I do recall someone on a youtube vid nailing the tone of that JM song with their HRM I believe. Its been a while so dont remember who that was.

EDIT : I actually posted a link to that at the end of thread and its at around 6min in, also its a bluesmaster


Todd

sounds to me like he got pretty close.  That's a HRM Bluesmaster though.  How much difference is there between that and the original OTS?  Also sucks that we can't see his settings.

here is a link to the album recording of testify.  It's not through a fender amp, at least not completely its through a dumbleland amp.  And please give the tone through the fingers thing.  I respectfully asked for that not to be included in this thread.  I have my own style of playing and I'm a good layer.  I don't want to SOUND like SRV or JM, I just like the tone they get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWG80EhILP4&feature=fvst

excuse the guitar hero BS, it was the only youtube i could find with the album version

This is offensive whether you intended it that way or not.  I grew up listening to great music and great guitarists.

Yeah i can nail el mocambo tone with bf fenders and a tubescreamer all day.  It's that texas flood sound that i love so much and he actually never really completely went back to that tone.  Had a twin reissue that was treating me right but i sold it to get the ots.  will get another one once i find some one else hard up for money though.

I'm not going to start a pissing match with you man.   What I'm saying is I can play Jammin by bob marley while getting SRV's TONE and not SOUND like SRV.  I am after the tone.  I don't care if I sound just like them when I'm playing.  I mainly made this statement so you would lay off the "the tone is in the fingers man"

Some posts disappeared. Hmmm

back on track.  i think this could be a good thread.  especially with the steep learning curve associated with this amp

I decided to remove my posts as to not clutter the OP's thread and digress from the mission at hand . No conspiracy or anything.  ;)

Thanks!  How bout some clips of those tones you were getting last night?

Here's a clip I did quickly. It's just some noodling. The strings on my gutar are dead and no eq on the recording. See what you think. I probably should have added a little more drive on the channel. But normally, I'll use the PAB and/or my BB preamp pedal for added drive.

HRM 50W w/Clator (TC2290 & Reverb pedal)
OD channel with no PAB
OD trim @ 10:30
Volume: 6
Drive: 4
Level: 3
Treble: 6
Mid: 4.5
Bass: 3
Presence: 8

http://home.comcast.net/~soundperf/myfilelocker/Music/JMSS.mp3 (http://home.comcast.net/~soundperf/myfilelocker/Music/JMSS.mp3)

nice sound man.  What was your guitar volume set on?  How bout amp EQ?  Also, how hard is it to adjust the OD trim?

Hey Daniel

Here is link to the manual for your OTS: http://www.ceriatone.com/Manuals/ceriatone%20ots%2050w%20100w%20manual.pdf

Adustment of OD trim is covered as well as many other things you should know about your new amp

And here is the manual for the K-lator you should be receiving today!

http://www.ceriatone.com/Manuals/ceriatone%20klein-ulator%20manual%20072508.pdf

The first thing I would do after plugging in and powering this amp up since it is used is check bias, which if you dont know how is covered in manual as well.

Todd

If you have any questions let us know

OD channel with no PAB
OD trim @ 10:30
Volume: 6
Drive: 4
Level: 3
Treble: 6
Mid: 4.5
Bass: 3
Presence: 8

I had the guitar's volume up pretty much full. The SC pup's in my guitar are proned to needing to be up pretty full or just slightly lower or else they get rather lifeless.

I usually don't have the presence turned up that high, but in this case I did. One thing to understand is that my amp is somewhat different than yours. For instance, there is an OD trim on the back as well as inside on the board. Generally speaking it's my feeling that less is more with these amps. Setting gain lower is usually better than higher. I imagine that all these things are on a amp to amp basis. Based on the exact circuit and what tubes, etc. are used.

What Todd posted is a good place to start. I think most set their OD trim to be about 20K to 25K from the wiper to ground. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Just got my two rock 1x12 in the mail yesterday.  MAN!  I'm loving the clean tones on the clean channel.  Exactly what I had hoped for.  I can get some pretty nice cleanISH sounds out of the OD Channel with no preamp boost also but to me the OD channel is a little dark sounding, I think I'll be using the clean channel on the amp mostly and coloring it with pedals.

Loving the holy grail nano reverb in the loop as well.  Sounds 10x better than the spring reverb on my DRRI, can't wait till the klein gets here today so I can see what the sounds like.  Will try to record some clips soon.

ok how bout robben ford tones?  what settings are you guys using?

Tone is in the fingers. HaHa  ;D
Just F'ing with you

I saw RF a few months back and he was using a Zen drive for his lead tones with his Dumble. I posted pics of his pedalboard from that show down in the Chit Chat section. After that show I tried his Amp settings which are in pic as well on my FM50 and got very close.

Todd