Hey guys

Noticed this forum is getting really slow lately and am wondering if its because the kits are no longer available or maybe its just everyones enjoying their summer
Anyways I know a few here are builders and some buy pre-built and others are on their way to building starting with mods and what not,just want to see what the ratio is.

Please vote

Thanks

Todd

Sorry to say, but I'm not much interested in buying a prebuilt amp. I came here in the first instance because of the kits, built three, was looking forward to one maybe two more, but now its not to be.

With the death of the kits the builders/modders are all off to the Amp Garage.

Shame but I think Nik has made a big mistake.

As much as I enjoyed building my OTS, and had the skills to do it, I realized I should have just ordered a pre-built. In my case, I have a limited amount of time to devote to musical pursuits, so I'd prefer to spend that time actually playing music than messing with gear........

It's a tricky one, the quality of work of the pre-built Ceriatones is much better than most people could do themselves (me included) and although I really enjoy amp building it is time consuming and I should really practice guitar more

Nick's still going to do the package 1 kits, and I know, based on the amount of support he's given me in the past it must be very time consuming  for him even if only 1 in 10 people that buy kits ask for help, so I totally support his decision to concentrate on development, and who knows he might re-introduce kits at a later date.

I started out with an Ampmaker 5w SE then made the massive leap to an OTS.

Because of Nik's great support and help from TAG, it was a successful build and I have since gone on to scratch build a Dlator and a 5w EL84 D style amp. I have also built my own cabs.

Sourcing parts is a nightmare and I really like Nik's kits because that expensive and frustrating part is done for you.

Kits are the way to go, it keeps costs down and helps us afford what would just be a dream - our dream amps.

I am now confident of scratch building anything, but I really don't want to go through the parts nightmare again anytime soon! I wanted to build my godson a Chupacabra kit sometime but I guess I will have to think again - not that it was sold as a kit, though. I just hoped it would.

If Nik had produced an assembly manual, then that may have taken some of the support heat off him...?

I agree with Sonicmojo...

Nik has goals for his business, which is HIS business.  He went from all kinds of kit models to a limited option on those models... I'd prefer far fewer models offered as kits (5 or 6?), but keep the full range of level of completion for THOSE models available.  We don't need 27 flavors of the same amp custom packaged.  One standard amp of X, and then a "mods" package for it that is totally separate.  Restrict the support available.  Kits for a Marshall, a Fender, a TW, a Dumble, and a Matchless.  One kit each.  With the OTS, you offer an "off the shelf" power amp upgrade and voice option upgrades.  If Nik is doing Package 1, with assembly, then the trannies aren't included anyway.  Same with the kits.... The Trannies are a major component in cost and weight, which are often left out anyway.  He's got the standard bags of parts he puts in a box with the chassis, boards, and faceplate.  If he puts an extra bag or two of parts in there for the custom aspects of it, these two bags can also be pre-packaged "off the shelf" upgrades.  It's up to the kit builder to know what to omit and replace.

Yes, people have to leave out parts and buy some things twice, but that's the cost of "getting what you want".  Nik shouldn't have to micro-engineer each amp so much.  There's a price for that, and it isn't just the customer charge, it's the fact that he isn't doing something else that would generate extra and residual revenue.

I think Nik is managing a growing business and is figuring it all out as he goes along.  It's my hope that he comes up with a few specific kits, an option of Package 1 with assembly for a number of models, and a complete build on others.  That's my hope, but it isn't my business.

I agree with Tone Control -
"The cost saving of buying a kit would not be enough to justify the extra expense..."
Not being a builder and after at least six months of research (of which many of the members of this forum have been an incalculable help) I bought a Bluesmaster 100watt that nineguitars did the trannies and some mods to. Besides the comments of my peers at gigs, I've shown it to techs who actually work on a lot of the other boutique amps and D-styled clones. They are tremendously impressed with Nik's craftsmanship (artistry?) and feel it is at least as good as the current top builders if not better. My point is Nik's completed amp (and of course it can be tweaked to the individual as the original D***** was) is the way to go for quality and cost.
I love this amp!!!

It was simple for me, I wanted to cut my teeth on a kit first and go from there. However, just like my findings in other jobs I have had, sourcing parts is a real PITA. So for me being able to quickly order a kit and know all the parts were going to be correct in every way was a real nice thing.

Right now I'm building a D-lator all sourced by myself and inevetiably I made a few goof ups on part size, etc. When it's 2:00AM and you're going over compenent specs it's bound to happen.    It's nothing that isn't able to be fixed, but it's annoying just the same.

Also, in my poor ass state, saving 35% or whatever is nothing to scoff at. Plus, generally speaking I know what I'm doing in regards to building the amp. Now if the question is; "should someone with no electronic experience buy a kit to save money" the answer is a definite NO!