The OCD is my "light OD" solution as well.  The TS is set almost wide open and the tone nearly off in order to get that deep heavy OD (ala Power Ballad...)  The Zen cuts through great.  I'm also tired of hauling it all around too, but that's a part of the package.

Thanks for the input.  The "sensitivity" of the HRM I've heard about.... That's one of my reservations.  We play multi-electrics every week and even with good monitors, articulation isn't always easy.  I want to be able to "coast" at times if the monitors aren't great.

Todd,

What'd you do for a cab?

Great idea!!!!

Todd,

I don't expect someone to make the decision.  I just hoped somebody had a chance to A/B the two and could give me perspective... I know any of them would be a great amp, I'm just thorough...

Since you won't be using your for about 6 weeks, is it OK if I borrow it?

Definitely a bummer on the broken hand, T!!!

Still looking at pushing up my purchase.

The bright-ish side to this is that he will still sell Package 1.  If he does that, the rest of it just goes domestic (USA).

It's a shift of responsibility. It's not the end of the world, but it will make it more challenging to build an amp.

I'm doing the math to see if I can swing it ahead of the cutoff.

All right everybody. I need to know if I should go for the OTS FM 50 ME, HRM BM50, or the BRM 50... Please respond to my other thread because I've only got two weeks!!!!!

Nik posted a notice that he's suspending the selling of kits effective 6/15/2011.  I can't order mine by then, so I guess I will only be able to get a complete amp....

Here's the notice: http://www.ceriatone.com/tlbrBorderSub/Kits%20Announcement%202011.htm

Bummed.

Well, I've been reading through the forums, listening to sound clips, and watching video demos, and it hasn't really nailed down that this is THE BEST CHOICE.

I play contemporary Praise and Worship every week (3, and very soon 4 services a week).  The tones go from clean and chimey, to clean and benign (Jazz cleans), to mild OD, to power ballad OD, to cutting OD, to sustaining cleans for slide (once in a while), to you name it.  I know I'm going to use a Smartulator/C-lator because you HAVE TO USE DELAY, REVERB, and COMPRESSION (and sometimes a touch of something else) with the modern stuff.  I use the tone control a lot for some of it, but volume control is currently out of an expression pedal.  I have three different OD pedals: an OCD, A TS909 Reissue, and Zen 1 OD (mild/rhythm OD, Power OD, and cutting tone/boost respectively) into a Bill M modded Blues Jr (great and versatile version of a decent amp).  I know I can use all the effects in the loop of the new amp for sound options, but I would like to have a good amp driven tone from my OTS when I get it...  Not just have "clean monitor" on the back side of pedals.  I wouldn't need to spend the money for that...

So here's the dilema... Of the Non-HRM OTS line I feel the Mod Eagle 50 head with C-lator is the way to go, but I've heard some equally good things about the HRM (BM and not) and the OD shaping options.

Question is:  With what I've described, which way would the folks with these amps lean?  HRM?, HRM BM?, OTS50 FM ME?

I'll be emailing Nik over the weekend to get his suggestions...

Thanks everyone~~~

I haven't done too much digging, but I'm not finding truly good parts cheap enough to go that route... Of course, I haven't really started looking yet....

We'll see what I find when the time comes...

I'm going to use the speakers I have on hand in a couple of combo amps for starters... Just to test drive it.  I'll talk to the guys at my local shop and see what kind cabs I can test drive, etc....  I'll find the right fit.

Todd,

Cool... It's all good.  An educated risk that worked....

I guess I got to Ceriatone because of considering a Plexi about 4 years ago.  I was going to do a kit, but it wasn't the RIGHT amp for me.... It would have been a great amp that didn't produce MY SOUND.  That got shelved and I focused on the TONE I liked instead of just song based tone.  A lot of artists have good tone on a song or two, but other artists have great tone even if their styles were such that I wouldn't typically listen to them (like you with RF).  Warren Haynes tone with a Dumble probably got me interested, but it took a while for me to realize the value/cost of a Ceriatone OTS.  That is the bottom line.  I loved a tone that cost WAY too much to get the conventional way, and it seems like the value far outshines the cost.  If I can get 95% or more of that Dumble sound on a much smaller budget, it works!!!!

From everything I've read, the FM50 Modern Eagle sounds like it'd fit me the best.  

It sounds like you have my intended rig (amp and C-Lator/Smartulator).  I was going to try several different speaker options with the head before I pulled the trigger on a final speaker for it.  I was even considering trying out a few 15" speakers before I decided... We'll see...

Anybody tried a 15" speaker with an OTS?

Todd,

How do you like it??? Did you assemble it yourself?  What sold you on the Mod Eagle vs. the other options??

Thanks,

Kevin

You're speaking my language!!! Thanks for the insight. Yeah, that is the kind of answer I was looking for.  I suspeected that the sswitches weren't practical live or else they would have may them foot switchable already....

I'm looking forward to having the Smartulator with a good quality amp. The Marshall on consignment just didn't sound as good as it should when using the effects loop, and it sounds like this one will...

Yeah, I'm stoked.

Do most US buyers pick up the bulk of the parts over here to save on weight/shipping costs??? THe OT, PT, Choke, tubes, etc.?

Somewhere from all parts to assembled board, but no further.  I've done electronics work for years.  Trained technician in the army, even learned to solder in a military manner.  Not a problem there.

The switch mods aren't electronically involved at all.  I want to add footswitching capabilities/alternatives to the switches on the face (Bright, Deep, Rock/Jazz)... Since I haven't had the pleasure of test driving one of these amps enough to know the impact of these switches, I don't know how useful they'd be live. i know the existing footswitch is an OD/PreAmp(Mid)-Boost, but the other switch controls (if they are still on the amp) aren't going to be unusable in a live situation under the performance constraints. The "Rock/Jazz" switch seems like it might be handy for sure, but possibly all three would be handy to change in a live situation.  Our music has a lot of dynamic changes sometimes... Are switching any of these three "on the fly" useable sonically?  It may not be practical on the amp, but it might be useful for some songs...

Thanks for the heads up on things.  I've heard about Nik's great reputation for being pro-active and very helpful, but I always go to the players first... I guess I'm partial to opinions that come from people that have the shared experience of parting with cash....

Oh, and adding the Smartulator goes without saying.  That's a must.  All the positive aspects of the OTS, but no reverb... Some sort of delay and some 'verb now and then is a must with the music I do...

Hey All,

I've been lurking as I have a Marshall Combo on consignment... The plan is to take the cash from that and pick up a kit from Ceriatone Overtone FM50 Mod Eagle, but I'm wanting to go a little outside the box with this rig... You see, I play mainly in church settings and I typically will have my amp isolated out of sight and reach. I currently use a Bill M modded Blues Junior, but though a great little amp, it doesn't do anything but provide a nice clean warm sound... I use pedals to do the rest (this isn't optimum, but it is better than any modeler I've played through.) Because of where and how I have to use this thing, I thought about adding some extras to the stock amp.

First: It'll be a head with a separate speaker cabinet.  This is a no-brainer as I don't put the amp in an iso-cabinet (heat).  Even still, I won't be able to have my hands on the amp, so hence my "plans".

Well, these "extras" include the addition of an external footswitch for those switches typically on the faceplate... I have to "remote" them for use from the stage.  It'll likely be 15-20 feet of cable from my location of the stage to the amp plus another 10' to the speaker cab... I think it is easy to see why I need to have the controls outboard of the amp!

I've read of a number of mods on here, some of which I may have to try at some point once I get it "home".  I was going to order the complete 60W kit/Package 2 and do the rest myself.  I have some time, but I've read that there are many players on here that have substituted other trannies, tubes, etc.  If that is a common issue, please say so!!!

So: 1) Modding the switches, anybody done it?; 2) Are "factory" mods common, accepted, worth it; 3) Any advice of red flags from anyone?

Thanks for any advice or information!!!