Ceriatone Forum

I got my Overtone yesterday.  Nik said it would be about 3 months...no prob.

Of course it didn't work when I fired it up.  Looked for the owners manual...there is none ~sigh~ Checked the obvious fuse...it was fine.  Finally I found a secondary fuse. It was blown.  Changed it. Fired it up again...plug in(with my Telecaster) and hear very unmusical distortion on the "FET" channel(input). It really sounds like a broken amp...sorry that's probably not techincal enough, but that's what it sounded like. After about an hour of frustration. I plugged into the "NOR" channel. That sounded better...at least it didn't sound broken.  It sounded like your garden variety fender amp to me...shrill highs, flabby lows.  The clean sound is excellent, but I have pedals that sound better than the distortion channel.  An hour later I plug in with my Les Paul.  The "FET" channel still sounds broken.  The "NOR" channel actually sounds good! 

I spent the rest of the night playing with all the controls...I still don't understand some of 'em. What is a "Rock/Jazz"switch?  I also noticed that there is no "Mid Boost"...instead there is a "Deep" switch...useless on Fender amps for years so why are we using it on this amp?  The tone controls don't work when the little green light is on(footswitch) but maybe it's supposed to do that. After a few hours the Carlton/Ford sound is still no where to be found.  It's a decent box but so far it seems pretty limited and  it seems completely useless with my main guitar (telecaster).

I rather get the impression you bought this amp blind! Anyway. Not many use the FET channel, if you do you will need to tweak the trimmer inside to control its volume level. Just use the Normal input. When the green light is on thats when you have the Power Amp Boost engaged, which takes all the tone controls out of the circuit, deliberately to get a volume boost for soloing.

Try not to compare this to a Fender, it is very different.
 HAD labeled his the 'Deep' switch thats why this amp is so labeled, it is actually a mid boost.

You will need to tweak the OD trimmer to find your chosen OD tone. read all abbout in on this forum before delving inside.

The amps will take quite a time to bed in. Leave it on for a few days.

Just search thro' these forums (yes I know ther's no search function as such) for audio clips with a telecaster and you'll be blown away.

Please don't forget this is a clone of a D* OD, criticising the functions is fairly pointless.

This is a quote from SRV him self...

"Some Dumbles - like the Overdrive Special - you 've got to know what you 're doing with them, because they'll get away from you and take you with 'em."
(Guitar Player, October 1984)

These amps are not plug and play... you must learn a few things about these amps before you will be able to get that D tone.

Google is your friend.
 ;D

Guys... I read all of the reviews... listened to ALL of the sound clips I could find.  That's why I bought this amp in the first place.  I own 2 other "boutique" amps and I get great sounds with them no matter where I set the controls.  I don't subscribe to all of this "breaking in" and knob twiddling.  I think I hear Ebay calling!

It took me a few days to find the sound for my Strat.  Key---preamp volume must be 5 or more on cleans...6 to7 if using strat for OD.   Gotta get those tubes a dancin' I also keep my mids very low on cleans, but that is a taste thing.  Adjust the master volume and ratio if OD is on to temper actual volume.

Even on an LP the preamp volume needs to be at about 4.5 to 5 for the OD to sing.  And it does. To me I have never heard an OD stompbox even close to the great OD this amp gets and it is really quiet.  My findings have been agreed with by some very seasoned players.

For cleans I use a Klein, EH Holygrail and a little delay...very nice.  Learn to tweak it and there are many rewards for your ears.  I have never used mine without the Kleinulator and reverb...but I never play anything without some reverb...too dry.

If you got it to emulate the sounds you heard on clips I can tell you they are all in there.  Several of them are using a touch of reverb and or delay btw. I get those tones and more.

As the others said, forget the FET...the normal input is made for your tele. Also the OTS has a very good ear.  It will translate what you are sending more accurately than any amp I have ever play through. Each guitar I have is very distinct, more so than with other amps.  It has helped my playing a lot by telling me about my weaknesses. 

Give it a few days before you can it, because those tones you bought it for are in there. Finding your sound in the settings and breaking in some new equipment aren't necessarily things you have to subscribe to, but it does help to know your way around a given piece of equipment.  Mine has actually grown on me more and more these past weeks.  Alot of that is because I learned how to find what my ears wants through knowing the amp. 

Like you I bought mine based on what I heard on sound clips and reviews.  When mine got here I had a learning curve to overcome.  I just hate for you to give up too quickly, I know how satisfied I am with mine.

Took mine to guitar lesson first this evening played it thro a MArshall 2x12, Sounded sh*t. Then went on to a band rehearsal played it thro a Marshall compact 4x12 ( I couldn't be bothered taking my own cab) and it sounded wonderful.

Moral, you might have really crap speakers, try it with something you know to be good, but give it a good burn in period first, believe me it needs it.

I have a great AVATAR cab that has 2x12 Celestions.  A Vintage 30 and 12H30 combo.  I think that is part of my satisfaction with my tone.  I wouldn't change a thing. 

You need the right speakers and the right cabinet or the amp won't sound so flattering.  Cabinet is critical.  You need something in the loop like a D'lator to wake it up as well.  That is how the amp was designed.  These types of amps aren't so plug and play. 

My OD sounds way better then any pedal I've ever tried and that's been plenty that I have tried.

good luck,
Jim

like the Beatles said, "It's getting better all the time..."  I've been working with the Overtone, swapping tubes, adjusting trim pots, breaking the faceplate, and shocking the crap out of myself...LOL! I am learning about amps, tubes, caps, resistors, and pot...I mean "pots".  I'm sort of getting into this.  Maybe it was the 120 volt shock I took last night while adjusting the OD trimmer, but I think this amp  has put some kind of mojo on me.  I am getting some very cool sounds...even with my Telecaster!  Yes...you all will say "I told you so..."  I STILL don't hear the carlton/ford tone, but what i am hearing is very sweet...inspiring even!

Total opposite experience, plaug and play, I am playing through some Victoria 1x12's and 2x12's mark baier made for me with Legend 121's, smooth as silk, open as the grand canyon

Hey be careful there, this thing can kill you.
 :o




and
I TOLD YOU SO.
 ;D
 ;)

You were lucky maybe next time it will be 450volts.

Take more care!

Okay,  my two cents worth...for what its worth. I researched D**ble amps for nearly two years and listened to every artist I could find that uses them before I found Ceriatone's web site. Then, I listened to every sound clip I found before I ordered my kit and built my own. I am finding this to be the real deal! I had to play with the OD trimmer and found that a clock position of between 10:45 and 11:15 gets me the real Carlton/ Ford sounds. Also, if you go to www.larrycarlton.com you can find pictures of his gear and see all the knob settings on his amps.  There are a couple of sites that have pics of Ford's set up as well. And as mentioned by another person on this thread...be careful!!!!!! The voltages that can be stored in caps can be DEADLY!!!!! No joke!   I am running my OTS through a 1x12 D-style closed back, ported cab with a Jensen C12K out of a Fender Twin. 100watts, 8ohms, ceramic magnet.  Sounds huge on overdrive and smooth, round and punchy for cleans. I'm running a nice Digitech multi-chorus stomper on the floor and an ART FX-1 in the loop for reverb with great results. Best set up I've ever played with the exception of the D**mble ODS I got to play through for an hour and a half one day when I lived in Las Vegas. It was a 100 watt head through a D**mble 1x12 cab with an Altec speaker. Before that day I had never heard of D**mble amps and after...I had to have one, or, the closest thing I could find to it. Now I have it!   Enjoy!

Does anyone want to hear my (grumpy old amp builder) opinion??...lol.  I didn't think so...

I'll be nice.

 It's good to hear the amp is starting to work out for you.  There's truth to what they say about bad first impressions.  We've all been there so we can relate to your frustration.  As others have stated the Overtone is rarely  "life changing" right out of the box.  The whole premise, design, and beauty of the circuit is that each amp will be adjusted (not just the knobs) to it's owners particular needs.  Adjusting the OD trimmer is only the tip of tweeking an amp of this complexity.  Please be aware that there are dedicated forums for this incessant and often maniacal tweaking with builders that carry years of experience with their hands, minds, and hearts deeply immersed in the ODS circuit.  Trust me...great tones live in the amp sitting right in front of you.

Hey man...If you are going to be digging around in the Overtone like you said in your last post....can you add ChrisL to your Last Will and Testament.  Be careful.  She'll bite you!! 

Lastly,  FYI....Larry Carlton is in NY.   Robben is in Seattle.  Thus found.

Cheers,

  ChrisL

FET input is for acoustic guitars equipped with a peizo pickup. Dont plug your electic in there.

Cat

If I could find some one  local to mod my OTS I would send it out today.   There is no way that Carlton and Ford's amps work this way.   I would tell anyone who is thinking about buying one of these to ask tons of questions to the guys that own them. Is is possible to purchase it with custom specs? . ( I wouldn't have know what to ask for anyway...)My doesn't really sound like the clips that I heard.  I get the impression that most of you are very handy with the soldering iron. I have broken more things trying to fix them in my life than I can count...so changing capacitors and resistors etc... ain't gonna happen with me.   I suspect that I was hearing amps that had been modified.

Nik seems cool, and by no means am I saying that the amp is a piece of crap.  It is very nice and makes some VERY cool sounds if you take some time to tweak all the knobs, and switches.  And it really does sound a lot different after about 30 mins of playing.  This is something that I haven't noticed as much with my other amps.

It takes between 40-100 hours for the amp to "burn in" - so be patient my friend  :)

You could let it play with a CD/MP3 player and a perhaps a dummyload on the speaker out a let it play for a few days.

I made the mistake a made a zillion mods to my amp, right after I finished it. I did so because I too was disappointed in the amp. But, rest assured it will soften after burn in period.

You should try to adjust the internal trimmer to 8:30-9:00 - put it way down low, and you will find the sweet compressed tones og Larry C and Robben F

I'll second that. Mine is getting brighter and smoother at the same time! It is really developing some nice dynamics now, and I was disappointed when I first heard mine.

A few things then:-

Burn it in well

Read this forum as re speakers. You will hear a huge difference when you play it thro' some nice speakers. I tried it thro a cheap MArshall 2x12 cab and it sounded
SH*****TTTT.

Turn it UP

Then come back and tell us what you think of it. I'd guarantee you'll have a different opinion.