Ceriatone Forum

Hey,
I'm still contemplating between 3 or 4 different amps.
The overtone special was my original choice, but other opportunities are opening up at my local stores. There's a 1966 super reverb for under 2 grand, but i'm not sure if I want it (replacing resistors and stuff) . There's also a chicago blues box roadhouse for half price off it's original price (like 3 grand marked down to 1.5), and there's so many choices for me. And there's tons of silverfaces which I want to get modded.
Anyways, apart from that, I just need a bit help narrowing my choices down.
Basically, do you think an overtone has better all around tone than a bf super reverb?
If I can knock one of these amps out, I can decide easier.
I don't really want to judge from the clips, since I really haven't played an overtone in real life, so I want some feedback from owners.

Thanks!

Well I played SF SReverb only once, so talking about credibility  :-X,  but still,  I think tonewise I would give an edge to Overtone. A lot more tone options with Overtone but on the other hand that vintage mojo with the Super.

I think you need both.
 ;D

I agree but...I have owned a BF Super for about 15 years and absolutely love it! I have replaced the electrolytic caps and the original speakers were shot so i replaced them. First set were the Mojo Tones...then changed to Jensens when they first were reissued...then ended up with Celestion 10's which I think are much tighter. All good but different sounds. Pair that up with a Klon, Landgraff Dynamic OD, and a Zendrive and you've got a pretty killer tone monster!

I have an Overtone on order and cant really give you proper feedback but I think these amps are 2 different animals because of the channel switching and gain although...many reviews claim its clean is very Fender like. If that is the case with the overdrive channel to boot...I think I would go with the Overtone. If the Overtone turns out to be as good as everyone is claiming, I dont see that there is much of a choice. Dont get me wrong...i would NEVER sell my Super for the Overtone  but think the Overtone may be more versatile and definitely provide more tone options without the need for pedals. Wow...I'm glad I don't have to make that decision. Im still about 6 weeks out from receiving my Overtone and will obviously be able to provide more accurate feedback then. For whats its worth...hope this helped. Good luck man!

Thanks!
It did help a little bit, but i'm not sure if it helped enough.
What i'm planning on doing is getting something american voiced (out of the amps that I mentioned) this summer, and getting something british voiced like a budda superdrive or even one of the Marshall/Muchless/TW clones that nik puts out once I raise the money again.
And, a new option just opened up for me too. There's a used 64 vibroverb custom reissue at my store at a pretty discounted price too, which looks fantastic.

So, I am starting to lean slightly toward the overtone again, but does anyone know how long it would take nik to build it and ship it out? That's my main worry. I want to buy my amp in the early summer/late may and be able to use it with my band atleast for a few weeks out of the summer. I know that it would take atleast 6 weeks, as someone said below, which I can handle, but does it take longer sometimes?

Thanks, and if you can shed any light on which amp I should  get, that'd be very nice. I'm gonna end up playing all the ones I mentioned because they're at a local store. That's another reason why i'm kind of skeptical to get the overtone, because I can't play it in real life, and it takes a while to get to me.

I felt the same way about buying an amp that I haven't actually played and heard in person but... I decided to give it a shot after hearing all the great feedback about Nik and the amp itself. His reputation seems to be impeccable so I’m taking the plunge.

The Vibroverb Reissue sounds like it would be great depending on the price. Haven’t heard so cant really comment. If they are giving it away and it sounds good, its a no brainer. Current price around is $2500 though! Thats a lot of $! You could get a mint real BF Super for that and it will gain value. Hell…a little more $ and you could get a Fuchs.
Havent heard the Budda either...sorry...
Have you looked around for a BF Bandmaster? Those are quickly becoming harder to find but they are out there relatively cheap and sound great. Change the old electrolytic caps if bad, bias with new tubes and your good to go and have a vintage point-to-point hand wired amp that will gain value.
Nik’s TW Clone sounds intriguing but I’m on a Robben Ford trip right now so…Overtone it is.

I happen to have a SR sitting right next to my Overtone.  I did a lot of work to get the SR up to snuff and it is a great amp.  The Zendrive in front of it makes for a nice "resonable facsimile".  But, I choose the Overtone for all tones. 

Well, I have both.
Got Overtoe month ago – lovely amp from the box but I always modify amps, so spend about two weeks non stop tweaking and soldering.
Now I’ve got absolutely monster amp with:

1.switchable HRM filters on drive CH.
2.Special dual tone boost instead of weak PAB, it adds sweet brake up to clean    CH and more gain to Drive CH, also one can choose different tone on boost.
3.Triple switch instead of “bright” switch which enhances overdrive gain – you can have Plexi or Hi gain distortion.
4.Overall tonal sweetening – removing bass pot’s cap.

Super reverb is great clean amp. With pedals you can get nice overdrive sounds too but I prefer Overtone! Especially with my mods.

Soon I’ll publish sound samples and pics (just building a cabinet for the amp). ;D

Don't forget to take a gut pictures as well, if you don't mind.  ;)

It looks like you did some serious moding.

Thanks Pickmaster!
That really helps.
Well, looks like i'm going for the overtone.
The overtone seems more versatile too. And the extra mids would be nice since I play lead.
Now, do you know how long it takes for nik to actually build the amp and ship it out?
Or do you think it's easy enough to do myself or to order the kit and get it built by a local tech?

As far as I know Nik needs about 1,5 – 2 months to complete an amp and ship it including pedal. He also tests the amp before that.
I prefer complete amp tested and guaranteed. One can tweak it latter.

Alright. That's what I was kind of afraid of.
But, I better get one of these clones while I can. Didn't nik discontinue them for a short time?

Pickmaster...that sounds great...will you be posting any of these mods for the rest of us?   ;D

I have a 66 Super Reverb. Over the years it has slowly, but surely, been almost totally refurbed with top drawer components. It has Kendrick Blackface speakers and a few Kendrick mods as well. It is an exceptional sounding amp, at this point it would be hard to find a better sounding AB763 based amp. That said the Overtone Special sound just as good on the Clean channel and gets very good distortion at lower volumes. I cannot get the tone I want in the Super Reverb at volumes that other people will put up with. I get pretty nice sustin and break-up with a Les Paul (and 12AX7 pre-amp, PI tubes) at about 4. I have to crank it 6-8 to get a good tone with a Strat. You can use a tube screamer or something to brig that volume down a bit. But it will get too buzzy al low volume. The OTS sound about the same even at low volume. I I had to have just the one , the OTS would be it.

Thanks for that JohnE - sounds very promising, can't wait for mine!  I was really tossing up between the OTS and the new brownface vibroverb clone Nik has as I really just want decent fender-style clean and pushed cleans.  Sounds like the OTS has it covered! :)

It certainly does. It is kind of scary. I used to have a kind of reverence for my Super Reverb & Bassman. Since I've had the the Overtone Special I am seriously thinking of selling my other amps. Not for the money, but for the simplicity and elegance of it. I am convincing my self to wait till the honeymoon is over...then I'll realize that I really do need those other amps for something, right?

P.S. I was in hurry to get out the door when I was typing my last post. Sorry about those typos!

OTS good at low volume....i got Fender Concert 1982 handwire which must crank to level 3 to get good sound on clean but my wife will scream more loud than my amp hahaha..my OTS easy to dial any different sound at low volume n u also can get nice overdrive sound... 8)

Email Nik from the Ceriatone site.. I`m sure the Dumble clones take around 6 weeks. When my OTS was built May 2012  the wait time was 6 weeks, although the amp arrived on my doorstep within 4 weeks..!
Nik is always really good to deal with and replies to emails promptly.
I have a 100watt OTS combo with 1/2 power switch added.. this mod was about another $15.. and a great option to have.
If you`re used to Blaceface Fenders, i would run a reverb unit in the loop of the Ceriatone.
There are a few reverb units that are highly compatible with the high impedance of the Dumble spec effects loop.
My TC Electronic Nova reverb is perfect.. although the Fuchs Verbrator looks interesting as well..!
Compared to Blackface amps, i feel the Dumble clones are a bit more versatile & have the mini toggle switches for Deep, Rock, Jazz settings etc.
The OTS has a slightly pronounced midrange frequency compared to Blackface Fenders.. which in my opinion is a good thing.
The clean channel on the OTS is very nice too... not to mention the OD channel.
New Dumble clone with brand spanking new components.. easy to service or mod.
The Ceriatone Dumble clones have bias probe points & bias pot mounted externally.. making adjustments easy.