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106
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: TR CRS vs OTS
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on: August 04, 2008, 03:04:00 AM
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Just spent 10 minutes researching the BBE Sonic Maximiser and it seems to do a similar job to the Aphex Aural Exciter pedal I have, mainly enhancing low and high frequencies. I tried the Aphex in the loop and it wouldn't have it, I guess its not a line level device. I know they do rack mount units eg the 204 http://www.aphex.com/204.htmAs with much of these type units there's not much info around on using them with a guitar rig. Be nice if you could footswitch them in and out of circuit. I'd be interested if anyone has tried these, the Aphex seem much more common here in the UK whilst the BBE appears much less so. Hywel, I have never heard of the Aphex, but it could not be any thing like the BBE 482i. The biggest problem with the the BBE is that you don't want to play without it, ever again. It gives your live sound a professional recording quality. I don't know if your familiar with harmony central, but there are quite a few reviews by guitarists for the Sonic Maximizer. I am talking about the mid-priced rack version here, I don't know if the pedal version is any good. The G-Sharp is pretty cool. It has way more features than I would use and a good deal of the effects don't sound that great to me. I wanted to set up my effects loop stuff in a rack for ease of gig set-up and it works great for that. The level control is very useful. I got the BBE rack unit as an alternative to a dumbulator or kleinulator and it has been a very pleasant surprise. In closing I just wanted to pass on that I have found that the OTS is tricky when it comes to getting good tone from the Stratocaster. This is a consequence of all the different features available. With the Super Reverb and mic'ing through the board, the settings never change. When I plug in the Les Paul to the SR I turn down from 4 to 3 and turn on the bright switch, done. With the OTS it s a major process to switch instruments. John |
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107
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: TR CRS vs OTS
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on: August 03, 2008, 07:52:13 PM
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I was very fortunate to hear Matt Schofield play both his TR (100w Custom Reverb Signature on half power, NOS5751 in V2) and an OTS both through my EMV-12L cab (admittedly a too small cab as the speaker was in a small combo where its not destined to stay) This was at (loudish) class room volumes but by no means cranked.
The differences were quite marked. Whilst he sounded just like himself through both, the TR was way bigger in its tone,even at lowish volumes, brighter and a more full bass with a superior clarity to my ear. The OTS was at a slight disadvantage in that it wasn't set up the same, the trimmer was at about 12o'clock I think (that didn't affect the cleans of course) and of course V2 was the standard AX7. The OTS sounded very nice indeed but a little way off the TR tone but then the difference in price is huge. To my ear the TR did sound a lot more Fenderish than the OTS which defintely had way more mids than the TR.
We also tried the OTS through two cabs in parallel, a DrZ with a Vintage 30 and my EVM and I like the tone very much indeed, the V30 giving a real nice chime to the tone. I am now very seriously thinking of pairing the EVm with one of those when it moves into its 2x12.
mmm.... food for thought!!
I am going to bore everyone to death with this, but...I have an Avatar cab with a Vintage 30 and a G12H30 and it makes any amp played through it sound better. Not familiar with the EVM 12L, but I can't say enough about the Vinatge 30.
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108
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: TR CRS vs OTS
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on: August 03, 2008, 07:47:02 PM
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Cool, thanks for posting. It must be noted that the TR CRS and the OTS are intended to be quite different amps, although I'm sure you're not suggesting they're meant to be identical. What did Matt think of the OTS?
Cat
I think their starting points are pretty similar and the TR is definitely not a clone in the sense that the OTS is, what TR have done is take the design and refine it and improve it quite a lot. Matt wasn't that keen on the OTS, I think, but then he already has a TR!!. What I found was that the OTS was sufficiently similar for me to be heartened and to want to take it to a really knowledgeable tech who also knows the TR sound to see if he can mod mine to make it more like the TR. Hi Hywelg, I am the guy who is a big Matt S fan here in the US, that is palying a Strat set Similar to yours (Fat warmoth neck, Lindy Frailin Vintage Hots, etc.). I just wanted to pass on to you my latest upgrade that has yielded remarkable results with the strat. The best part is you don't have to mod your OTS to make it a Two Rock and you can accomplish this a lot cheaper than buying that TR. As I have mentioned before, I have settings on my OTS that get a very good fenderish tone with my strat. The first key is to leave the deep switch off and stay out of the "rock" mode. These add that mid-range that makes the strat sound somewhat bloated. Now, I have just set-up a rack with a TC Electronic G-sharp and a BBE Sonic Maximizer 482i. I bought both new for a total of less than $280 US. They are running through the effects loop. With the OTS set up at 5 across the board except having the mid and base at about 7, Bright on, Deep off, Jazz on, OD and PAB on, I have a tone that far exceeds may '66 BFSR. The sonic maximizer will give you that "bigger tone, full bass with superior clarity" that heard in the TR. That is what it is design to do. The guitar actually has a very clean tone with the above settings. I just tried it with my FullDrive 2 to get a little hair on the tone and it was very, very nice. Check out the BBE Sonic Maximizer. |
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109
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: OTS Reverb
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on: August 03, 2008, 04:59:32 PM
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I have recently upgraded my OTS rig with the TC Electronic G-Sharp (reverb & delay) and BBE Sonic Maximizer 482i running through the effects loop. It is impossible to overstate how good this set up sounds.  |
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110
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: Questionable, but i might be going for the Overtone
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on: July 27, 2008, 11:01:11 PM
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Before you do any mods try a 5751 in the V2 position with the trimmer at 8:30-9:00. YOu could also try and AT7 in V2 without doing any harm but that is a lot lower gain, you might have to turn the trimmer up a notch. I also think the TR are voiced differently, the clean is brighter and less warm than an OTS, but there does appear to be significant differences between different Ceriatone OTS's
Another thing I'm going to try is an AT7 in the PI position, not sure what the effect will be but will let you know when I do. (It will be a while, I need to try it at rehearsal, home volumes won't really tell you much)
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111
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: kT66 power tubes..??
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on: July 27, 2008, 10:48:19 PM
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KT66s have a larger circumference than 6L6s. If the tubes fit in the space available, which they should, you should have no problem. You will need to check your bias since KT66's are usually run a little colder than 6L6's. A bias of around 30mA should be fine. I have a 6L6 based amp that I run KT66's in and they seem to be a little sterile for my tastes. They are very clear and quiet, but not quite as musical as The Winged C, JJ or TAD 6L6s I have used. Interestingly, I have had the same experience with KT77s vs. EL 34's. the KT77 is an amazing clean, clear, sort of audiophile's dream tube but does not seem as musical as a Winged C EL34. I would be really interested to hear what you think of KT66's in your Overtone Special.
Best Wishes
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113
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: A pic of my rig
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on: July 21, 2008, 03:44:10 PM
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What does the Kleinulator do for you? I know it is some kind of a booster for the passive effects loop. I have listened to some clips, but they don't really differentiate between with and without the Kleinulator. Is the kleinulator necessary to get good tone with the G Sharp?
Thanks, John
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114
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: A pic of my rig
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on: July 21, 2008, 01:50:04 AM
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a pic of my rig  Steven ps Notice the Dynacord CLS 222 GREAT!! Nice set-up. What else do you have in (on) your mini-rack, besides the G-sharp? |
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115
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: overtone with a fuzz pedal?
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on: July 13, 2008, 11:48:54 PM
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I have tried a clone of the Dallas-Arbiter Treble Boost through the OTS. For some reason, that pedal sounds better through the OTS than any of my other amps. It certainly adds an interesting flavor to the OTS tone. I incorporate a lot of pinch harmonics in my my lead playing. Not ZZ Top or metal style but kind of a subtle and frequent application, especially with the Strat in the 4th position. Guitarists always ask me what type of pedal I am using to create that effect. I just show them the weird callus on the 1st knuckle of my index finger and my nail worn to 1/2 the normal size on that same finger. I found that the treble boost kind of enhances that effect with the OTS. I have also used my FullDrive 2 in the FM position/OD pos for lead breaks. It just acts like a transparent boost (the Comp Cut boost is too much). The FD2 OD & boost position adds too much for my band's style of music but it does add a very nice tone with almost infinite sustain for someone (Gary Moore?) who can use that style.
As an interesting aside...I can a get a tone very similar to the OTS with the FD2 in the vintage mode through my Super Reverb (and through a THD Bi-valve 30, although not quite as close) which has been my signature tone for the past several years. The OTS has more piercing high frequencies, but the two amps sound identical in the lower register.
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116
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: 8 Ohm or 16 Ohm speakers for overtone
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on: June 25, 2008, 06:41:38 PM
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Thanks for your reply JohnE, I havent ordered the speakers yet, I was looking for feedback as to which speaker impedance sounded better with the OTS, 8 or 16 ohm, or does it make any difference. Riverman. Oops Sorry about the lecture. I would be surprised if you heard a whole lot of difference. I believe that the different impedance used for speakers is to allow them to be used in different combinations with different OTs. For the same speaker and proper impedance tap on the output transformer I would be surprised if there is a really useful difference. I have tried my OTS with a 4 ohm 4 x 10 speaker combo and 8 ohm 2 x12 combo and a 16 ohm 15" speaker. They all sound different, but pretty good. With the OTS I am using an Avatar open back cabinet with (2) 16 ohm 12" speakers wired in parallel for 8 ohms. The speakers are Celestion Vintage 30 and G12H30. This cab actually out performs, in all ways, both 4 x 10 combo's that I have (one with Webers and the other with Kendrick Black Frames, both are top of the line after market speakers). |
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117
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: 8 Ohm or 16 Ohm speakers for overtone
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on: June 23, 2008, 03:16:49 AM
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Are your G12-65s 16 ohm speakers? If so, when they are wired in parallel (preferred) then you want to be set on 8 ohms. If they are 8 ohm speakers, you would have your amp set on 16 ohms if they are wired in series or 4 ohms if they are wired in parallel. Parallel wiring is more reliable.
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118
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: I need a companion....for my Celestion
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on: June 23, 2008, 02:00:26 AM
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My experience of the G12-65 is that it is a lovely unit, but it's too soft & smooth. I reckon a V30 or G12H would be a good match. The V30 & G12H are both a lot louder than the 65 so you may want to try mismatched resistance drivers to try and even the levels out. e.g. a 16 ohm G12H with an 8 ohm 65. I need to try this myself, and have the drivers here I just need to get a little motivation  I have posted this info a couple other times, but it may be helpful here. I have a 2 x12 cab with a V30 & G12H30. It sounds very, very good. I use it with the OTS. I also have a custom built combo amp with (2) Rola Celestion G12-65s in it. I have A/B'd these two sets of speakers using the OTS. The V30 / G12H combo is far more articulate than the G12-65's. More solid lows and a crisper top-end. I had the amp with G12-65's for about three years and I thought those G12-65's sounded great. Until....I compared them to the V30/G12H combo. When I play with all 4 speakers the G12-65's disappear in the mix. Maybe the 25W Greenback would be the best bet. |
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119
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: Challenge to owners
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on: June 16, 2008, 02:19:49 AM
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Yes, I am a big Matt Schofield fan. He is not generally known in the the states. I get funny looks when I identify him as an influence.
It seems that few people realize how much the neck influences the tone of a guitar. My strat orginally had a modern Fender thin C neck on it. I could barely play the thing. That Warmoth neck doubled the resonance of the guitar. I keep it tuned to E flat with 11-52's. I have never heard a better strat tone and have not found anyone who would dispute that. And you are right about no body else liking that thick if a neck, but it is shock to those who are used to those weeny thin c necks.
I also have a MIM telecaster body with a Warmoth boatneck and a Dimarzio Twang King bridge p.u. and an Air Classic HB neck pickup (wired to allow split coils). The tone pots are removed and I just use a 4 -way rotary switch to select the pickup configuration (including the coil split). Any time I am playing that guitar around another guitar player or anyone knowledgeable about guitar tone I get asked about it. The big neck is the key!
Cool you like Matt too- I know Matt fairly well & I often saw him play locally before he hit the international stages. The point I want to make is that one night Matt sat in with my band & I had a chance to hear my rig from the audience's point of view- even though he was playing my rather average '57 re-issue strat & my old Marshall Superlead/4x12 he sounded EXACTLY like himself- it really is all in the fingers, and made me sound very average! ;-) I have personally found the OT an amazing amp- case in point- at the gig last night I discovered to my horror that I'd left the footswitch at home- so I simply dialed in a semi-distorted tone & used the volume/pup selector on my Les Paul to switch between clean& lead tones just like guitarists used to back in the day - sounded great! The basic tone of this amp is incredible- the rest is for you discover from your guitar technique imho. You are spot on about it in being in the fingers. I have played at numerous outdoor festivals and multi band events where the backline was provided by the sponsor. Usually modern Twin or Super Reverb reissues and even Deluxe Reverbs in smaller venues. I have seen many well known guitarists (for blues fans, anyway) play through the same amp over the course of an event and they all sounded like themselves. It is fun to follow that quest for better tone, but mastering your technique is far more important. We guitarists fuss over what gear and what mods make us sound best, but everybody else just cares how you play. What a treat to get to know Matt Schofield, and see him play frequently! Thanks for your astute observation. We would all do well to keep it in mind. |
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Ceriatone / Overtone / Re: Challenge to owners
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on: June 16, 2008, 01:56:40 AM
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JohnE,
It's very very nice but I'm living in france, and I think the shipping cost will be a little bit important for a footswitch ! Anyway thanks it's very nice.
I will receive my Overtone in one week or two, for now, it's nothing compared to the 9 weeks passed !
I promise, I will make some mayerish sample.
Sorry Nathan, vous avez raison. You could probably build your own foot switch cheaper than the postage from Western USA. I have very fond memories of Nice, Cannes, Toulon, Marseilles, St. Tropez, and St. Rafael/Frejus! I'll look forward to hearing your Mayerisms. |
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to keep the forums alive.