Ceriatone Forum

Hello everyone!

I am preparing to order my OTS and I am not sure if the S & M or the HRM is the right choice.  Also, I am not sure if I should go with a 50 or 100 watt version.  Any feedback is appreciated!

I have the S and M 50 watt, and am very happy- as is, no mods.  Looking back, a 100w might have been nice for the extra clean headroom, as the amp really doesn't need to be pushed to get great overdrive tones.

I have the S & M 100 with half power switch.  I also got Nick to make OD volume like HRM.  The clean side has a master volume and the OD does not.  This allows better control over the volume difference of the clean and OD channels.  Get some earplugs as the 100 watt is very loud. ;D

i'd get the 100 watt with half power switch. i also really like the Overtone Special. non-HRM, not S&M

S&M is the most aggressive amp compared to others... a lot of OD on tap, it goes into feedback really nicely. OD is a bit brighter, it has more presence compared to others. On the other hand with S&M it's hard to set nice clean and OD sound at the same time ( at least that's mine experience ). So if you want a rock machine and don't care about switching between clean and OD on the fly... that's the amp for you.
HRM has less OD, it's smoother and deeper sounding amp. More Robben Ford if you wish. With HRM you can set a OD sound which goes better with your clean sound... if that's important to you.
OD character on both amps are different but it's hard to explain how different.

You did watch the Marin youtube clip about those amps, did you?

Bottom line... both amps are awesome sounding devices. So what every you decide at the end, you will end up with an awesome amp.
 ;)

So does the OTS with the 'half' switch sound like the the standard 50w OTS? i.e. when the half switch on 50W?
I'm trying to make this decision as well. Don't want to end up with buyer's remorse. I keep hearing how awesome the 50w is compared to the 100W version.

 ???

What is better – 50 bucks or 100? ???
Now you know! ;D

Which OTS has the best (read most Fender like) cleans..??

Probably BLUESMASTER (not sure about fenderish though). ;)

Have you heard or tried a BM Doc?

Hi Hywel,

I've played Larry's Bludo which is blusemaster clean and I've also modified my amp’s clean section (60 k slop resistor and no NFB on V1), also permanent 60pf on volume pot.
Huge clean sound.
Bludo was bigger, it’s 100 w. Killer amp.

Cheers

Ahh.... I saw our mutual friend play the same Bludo (keeping it cryptic as i'm not sure if its common knowledge) at The Running Horse, he's got it on loan. Thats  Bluesmaster style is it? OK, where I stood it was sounding a little darker than his TR (though he did say after, on stage it was brighter, he did have the plexiglass screen up) but still wonderful, and definitely a little more edge to the OD than usual.

AS re those mods you've done which is the -ve feedback on V1? I'm off to compare layouts.

Might that be Matt S.?

Sssshhhhhh.....

Figured it out now, its the 3 way switching you added between pin 6 and 7.

have you left the mid and bass caps at 0.1  after you changed the slope resistor to 60k?

Yes, I left them intact, I like loads of open bass frequencies. But if you look at the Ceriatone’s bluesmaster layout you’ll see 48 k slop resistor, no NFB and smaller caps to clean up to much bass.
Larry’s amp (probably Matt’s too) has plexyflex overdrive – more edgy and marshally.
I prefer smoother drive tone.