shhhhhhh!

Yes, as a CT-owner, I still appreciate and buy the USA boutique amps

To be fair, the Steel-strung acoustic, Electric guitar and guitar amps were invented in the USA, so I could understand if there were some resentful people who think that no-one else should build them, but like with every other invention, the idea becomes universal eventually.

We have a few small boutique amp builders in England here, some of whom make very good value boutique amps (I have bought quite a few), but nothing large scale AFAIK (i.e. never more than 2-4 people, usually one man operations). The one nearest to me does a few very good (mostly Fender-derived) designs, at quite similar prices to CT (once shipping and 23% UK Tax is paid), with more of a boutique-cosmetic finish.

I suppose my post has 2 points:
(1) The haters have no case - CT are a boutique maker
(2) I wish Nik would offer some cosmetic custom options, some of the amps look fine (OTS, HRM), some look not quite pretty enough to resemble the USA and UK boutique amps that they match in quality (e.g. the Tweed twin faceplate, amongst others, and plain black cases are not always appealing). If Nik could source prettier Tolex, and perhaps some Tweed cases, I would be so pleased. I've had 2 hardwood cases made for my Express and DZ, and although they look great, it took too much time to arrange and get it done. My favourite UK builder took a lot of time to source the best Tolex, hardware and handles, worked on the visual vibe, and the effort put in was worth it. I apologise for sounding whiny, but I have 5 Ceriatone amps, I will buy more, and the prettier they are, the better a customer I will be

The unique thing about Nik is that he doesn't just have a line of just 5-6 amps, with some mods available, it's at least 50, and the expertise is unmatched AFAIK. This is the world's largest "Custom shop" for amps, and yet some people deride it

We've all seen the occasionally attack on Ceriatone, but thinking about it today, I am trying to think in what way Ceriatone is not a boutique maker
It has a range of hand-wired amps, built by hand, and offers custom options by negotiation on each model

The things I can think of are:
They are in Malaysia (and I suspect some people think that only USA builders can make nice amps)
There are few non-clone designs (although Victoria did OK when they stuck to Leo's diagrams)
You can buy kits (Victoria did that too, amongst others)
The cases are not as flashy - no padded tolex in different colours
They don't use American-made transformers

Obviously none of these stop the amps being good enough.
Ceriatone fits in with the definition on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boutique_amplifier

So, my request is:
Nik, can we have a few more options on the cases? Any chance of some more hybrid designg (like the EF86 36w, the Prinzetone)
Owners - can we start pointing out to people that these are just as much boutique as any amps

My Victoria Super sounds fine on the normal channel with my strats - presence and treble both high on 10 (out of 12)
the bright channel works well for humbuckers, with the treble on 6, and presence on 3
It contains P10R drivers
It drives with a strat once you get past 4 (out of 12)
It is more mid-sounding than a Victoria Tweed Twin
 
Which Super is truer to the original? I've never seen an original

I had a stock OTS50, which was less crisp than the BM50 on the clean, and more raw on the OD
Now when I want a less crisp tone, I engage a Klon(e) pedal, which just takes it to more like a "super" tone
Do you find the C-Lator much better than the K-Lator?
btw what speakers are you using? I found speaker choice critical with the BM (Celestion Gold perfect, EVM12 too harsh, most speakers too dull), and to a lesser extent with the OTS (EVM12 perfect, Celestion Gold not as good, some other work too)

btw I run the BM very clean: preamp vol on 2-3, master on 6-7

I think you have 2 separate issues here that you are combining as one

I too have massively improved my tone since I started ignoring what my local shops can afford to stock, and researching things myself. This includes boutique amps & pedals, and clones of both. This sounds the same as your experience of taking control of your sound, and ignoring the latest mass-market PCB amps in the shops

However, I have not built any of them, and to me, this has improved the quality of this experience, I built a DDL and some other pedals when I was 19/20-ish with a low income, the results were never good, and it took a lot of time. If I had less money, or more of an interest in building kits (and a lot more free time), I would assemble them, and I wish anyone well in those situations, but building them myself was not necessary to improve my tone.

I assume that Axiology meant for many people, building the amps can cut into playing time, so don't take that as a criticism.
Also, I find that I have to try to stop myself beign distracted with sitting on forums, and tweaking my latest studio wiring changes, installing patches for Protools, plugins, installing new monitors, etc. These all have this effect too, which is another reason I would try to avoid getting a soldering iron out

So
keep building if you like doing it, it is nice to make things if you have the time, but since for kit assembly it's usually like painting-by-numbers, it's more like the satisfaction of mastering a craft, whereas with the guitar playing, it can become the satisfaction of mastering an art, which is why I prefer playing
(same with decorating my house, I feel satisfied when I do it, but I'd rather pay a professional if I had the money)

I don't doubt that's the way it works for you, but for anyone who might think that's true for everyone, and that it's a compulsory extra cost:
To me the BM50 sounds delightful without any buffer added. I prefer it over the Matchless and Victoria amps I 've tried. In fact, it's my favourite
Then again, I don't use it for heavy OD, which may be where the C-Lator adds its value

didn't notice the date on the OP
Hope he's still alive

maybe the ground connection into your house is broken!!!!!
usually, quietening the humming strings by touching them means they are not earthed

I'd get your earthing checked very soon!!

ahh but he's promised a wider selection of amps, so it's a trade-off, I'll have to wait and see what new models arrive

For people who want to build amps, I can see the attraction, it's just that given the wage costs in Malaysia and the USA/UK, I can always work some overtime to pay someone in Malaysia to do a better job assembling an amp than I could ever hope to achieve. Nik's business decision will make it harder to build from scratch, but not impossible.  Have fun building them! I'll stick to just playing 'em

Tone

All my other amps are boutique brands, and none are assembled better. My luthier came round to test them all out the other week. Over all the lovely USA and UK-built boutique amps, he favoured the BM50. I look inside them all, and they are very tidy. Some makers like to use a chromed chassis, or be very geometric with layout, but let's go to first principles, this is Nik's custom-shop, where 8-10 guys or so sit and make boutique amps all day every day. What manufacturer is currently making as many hand-wired amps today? None I think. This is why I would not miss the chance to get these experts to build my amps, supervised by Nik himself. I can't remember the exact discount for a kit over an assembled amp, but if I was offered an option to buy a new Matchless, or a kit of the parts for a 35% reduction, to assemble myself, I'd go with the pre-assembled one every time

There's something more to think here: if you were buying a Ceriatone used, especially in 10 years time when Nik will have taken over the world, do you think a home-built one will have the same value as one built under Nik's supervision? Personally I'd pay extra for a Nik-built amp

I bought all of my Ceriatones pre-built, only one of them was built from a kit, and someone else built that, I bought it second-hand.
The cost saving of buying a kit would not be enough to justify the extra expense and risk (of messing it up), and the time for me, and I doubt I would match the build quality

btw I have not seen any noticeable drop in forum posts since a year ago, so I think people may be worrying too much

Nik's a smart guy and I assume he's done the maths and restructured his approach in the right way. I welcome the new models he promises - like everyone says, dedicated builders will source what they can from wherever, so no-one will find it impossible to build amps, it just won't be build-by-numbers as much

Did you order yet?
Not sure how well a switch works to switch HRM out - since the I assume the circuits around it expect the HRM , but let me ask you a simple question: when you switch in OD on an amp, do you like the tone, or want it more rolled-off, scooped or whatever? I usually find it too harsh, so love the HRM EQ to help me out there - do you feel you need this? Not everyone does - if you generally like OD tone on most amps, without any change to your clean EQ, HRM may not be for you

Cheers
Tone

Just a recommendation; I live in the UK, I own a BM50 and a 36w TMB/EF86, and I can confirm that the 36w TMB/EF86 is one of Nik's most underrated amps - some very nice vox and Marshall tones with some Matchless-style tone and flexibility on the  18w/36w option. Don't pass this one by if you can reach this!