Desert Island Amp (Money's No Object)

[glpg80]

Cameron CCV. Then add a good EQ pedal and a few other drives or gain pedal and there isn’t much it can accomplish.

I'm surprised you favor the CCV over the CCM?

 

[KrunKGringoeZ]

Fortin meshuggah head.

 

[paulyc]

Cameron CCV. Then add a good EQ pedal and a few other drives or gain pedal and there isn’t much it can accomplish.

I'm surprised you favor the CCV over the CCM?

CCM was never sold publicly.

 

[psychodave]

Cameron CCV. Then add a good EQ pedal and a few other drives or gain pedal and there isn’t much it can accomplish.

I'm surprised you favor the CCV over the CCM?

CCM was never sold publicly.

Yep. I did play Chris Schmidt’s CCM and felt it was really bright. I preferred the CCV over it. Of course I’m sure the CCM was more of an afterthought for NAMM.

I do love my modded 72 Marshall with the Aldrich/Norum mod, but the CCV is two channel and has so many options.

 

[Bluplirst]

I'll take my SLO with modded loop and Friedman Marsha to the island.

 

[paulyc]

Cameron CCV. Then add a good EQ pedal and a few other drives or gain pedal and there isn’t much it can accomplish.

Just for reference, what are your go to drive and EQ pedals with the CCV besides the Ceriatone Klon clone ? Is your Klon clone modified in any way ?

 

[Manxmusicman]

I've got mine, although I didn't know it at the time. Carol Ann OD3R and a Carol Ann Triptik, both of these amps are amazing!

 

[ChurchHill]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

 

[RedB4Black]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

 

[psychodave]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

I owned a Wizard Metal and I much preferred the CCV. For me, the CCV sounds great at mouse fart volumes as well as cranked (and every volume in between). Every Wizard I’ve tried needed to be crazy loud to sound it’s best. It’s also about price. I paid $2,500 for my CCV brand new. Wizards are almost twice the price. ;0)

I’m on my 9th year with the CCV.

 

[braintheory]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I have a ccv, wizard mtl, 3 Cameron modded Marshall’s and they’re all very different from each other. I also used to own a 96 wizard mc and have tried a Cameron Atomica and old bitch and another ccv

Of the 3 (ccv, wizard, Cameron modded Marshall’s), the ccv will be the smoothest most compresssed, and tightest, but it also has this very filtered, inorganic sound that causes some I know to hate it, but the forgiving feel, saturation and tightness is why I think many love it so much and makes such a fun amp to play. Definitely a unique amp, I haven’t tried anything yet that can do what it does, especially in terms of how it sounds for Palm mutes, so it’s been a keeper

The Cameron modded Marshall’s I have though are totally different, and are the most raw, aggressive/pissed off and growly amps I’ve had of the 50+ I’ve owned and much more organic/unrestrained compared to all the actual Cameron amps I’ve tried, but some of them like my Aldrich and Jose are pretty loose in the bottom end, which I don’t like, but their ridiculously raw, pissed off growl has been more than enough for me to play them way more often than my wizard or ccv. I’m just a sucker for fire breathing power chords and nothing I’ve tried has matched my Cameron modded Marshall’s for that

My MTL has the best note definition of any of amp I’ve tried and sounds very big and articulate, but doesn’t have the growl, hairiness or upper mids of the Cameron modded Marshall’s. It’s smoother and more controlled sounding in comparison. It’s kinda like a Marshall/hiwatt hybrid to my ears and also has a top notch clean channel. It’s very open/uncompressed as others said, but my Cameron Jose and Atomica modded Marshall’s can get similarly open if needed (my Aldrich is a lot more compressed) As far as non vintage amps go, the wizard is about as organic as it gets imo

I think they’re all great and have been keepers for me, but all very different

 

[RedB4Black]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

I owned a Wizard Metal and I much preferred the CCV. For me, the CCV sounds great at mouse fart volumes as well as cranked (and every volume in between). Every Wizard I’ve tried needed to be crazy loud to sound it’s best. It’s also about price. I paid $2,500 for my CCV brand new. Wizards are almost twice the price. ;0)

I’m on my 9th year with the CCV.

I haven’t played a Metal, but the newer models are supposed to be completely different.

Wizards like volume but it doesn’t have to be excessively loud. I personally think tube amps sound anemic at lower volumes. If you can play them loud, may as well get an Axe FX.

I think I’d have liked the CCV better if it had a bright knob vs the switches...to get a little more. That’s what I love about the Wizards. Plus the clarity and tightness.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

I owned a Wizard Metal and I much preferred the CCV. For me, the CCV sounds great at mouse fart volumes as well as cranked (and every volume in between). Every Wizard I’ve tried needed to be crazy loud to sound it’s best. It’s also about price. I paid $2,500 for my CCV brand new. Wizards are almost twice the price. ;0)

I’m on my 9th year with the CCV.

I haven’t played a Metal, but the newer models are supposed to be completely different.

Wizards like volume but it doesn’t have to be excessively loud. I personally think tube amps sound anemic at lower volumes. If you can play them loud, may as well get an Axe FX.

I think I’d have liked the CCV better if it had a bright knob vs the switches...to get a little more. That’s what I love about the Wizards. Plus the clarity and tightness.

Tube amps definitely sound a bit thin and a touch fizzy when your playing at low volume and relying on the preamp. I was just ripping through the Wizard with volume just a touch higher than 9 o 'clock and it's just insanity. Have been playing my Ares a lot this weekend and it too is insane at volume. That little fucking amp will hold it's own even against the Wiz.

 

[Racerxrated]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

I owned a Wizard Metal and I much preferred the CCV. For me, the CCV sounds great at mouse fart volumes as well as cranked (and every volume in between). Every Wizard I’ve tried needed to be crazy loud to sound it’s best. It’s also about price. I paid $2,500 for my CCV brand new. Wizards are almost twice the price. ;0)

I’m on my 9th year with the CCV.

Never played a CCV, I'm sure they are killer. Every Cam Marshall I've owned has been. But, I don't understand the 'has to be loud to sound good' thing. Every amp I've ever had, which includes Camerons, C+, SLOs, Wizards, Rectos, stock and modded vintage Marshalls, Jubilees, VHTs....every single one sounds like a lower volume version of itself at low volume. The really great ones bloom and sound incredible at volume...but not a single amp I've had sounds GREAT at low volume. They all sound...well, quiet. And, of course they all sound at their best at high volume. The Cam Marshalls sound no better at low volume than the SLO or the C+ or the Wizard or anything else for that matter. I will say the MCI I have now has a cool spot on the MV that around 1, it sounds like the power tubes are being pushed. Which is unique and the MTL I had did not have that same quality.
BTW I paid 2600 for my Wizard. I would always wait for a used one to pop up. But that's just me.

 

[psychodave]

Just curious... to those who've tried/owned both... Wizard or Cameron??

I've owned an original CCV and one of the first run Brad-era CCVs. Currently own 2 Wizards. The CCV is a great amp, but I personally prefer the Wizards and it's not even close.

This +1

I've had 2 CCVs... and 2 Aldrich and 1 Ocean modified Marshalls. The Wizards are superior all the way around.

I owned a Wizard Metal and I much preferred the CCV. For me, the CCV sounds great at mouse fart volumes as well as cranked (and every volume in between). Every Wizard I’ve tried needed to be crazy loud to sound it’s best. It’s also about price. I paid $2,500 for my CCV brand new. Wizards are almost twice the price. ;0)

I’m on my 9th year with the CCV.

I haven’t played a Metal, but the newer models are supposed to be completely different.

Wizards like volume but it doesn’t have to be excessively loud. I personally think tube amps sound anemic at lower volumes. If you can play them loud, may as well get an Axe FX.

I think I’d have liked the CCV better if it had a bright knob vs the switches...to get a little more. That’s what I love about the Wizards. Plus the clarity and tightness.

I’ve heard the newer ones sound a bit different. I’d love to check one out, but that new price tag is painful.

I agree that tube amps used to be turned up a bit to sound good. I play at both low and high volumes and there is a major tonal difference. That’s what lots of people seem to miss...

 

[Racerxrated]

I guess I've never had a problem finding a good low volume tone out of any of the amps I've owned, sometimes you have to work to find it as the MV can be touchy. The best at having a consistent tone at low volume of the amps I've owned is the C+, then Jubilee or the Cameron Marshalls. The Wizard has 2 really nice spots below 1 on the MV that really make it sound like a pushed power section, never heard an amp react that way at such a low volume.
But if any of the amps I've owned HAD to be loud to sound good they'd have been out the door in a week.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

The Wizard has 2 really nice spots below 1 on the MV that really make it sound like a pushed power section, never heard an amp react that way at such a low volume.

I have found the same on this one. Very satisfying girth & grind at 1 or so on the volume, but you can't help but nudge it up....up....up....and up I cracked the ceiling drywall in my kitchen the other day The vibration from the basement put a nice 4 ft long split right down the ceiling Nuckinfuts the amount of balls they have

 

[Racerxrated]

The Wizard has 2 really nice spots below 1 on the MV that really make it sound like a pushed power section, never heard an amp react that way at such a low volume.

I have found the same on this one. Very satisfying girth & grind at 1 or so on the volume, but you can't help but nudge it up....up....up....and up I cracked the ceiling drywall in my kitchen the other day The vibration from the basement put a nice 4 ft long split right down the ceiling Nuckinfuts the amount of balls they have

It's crazy. I've had 2 Mesa Mark Coliseums, a Triple Recto, some HUGE sounding JMP 1959s and a D120 and this MCI has more nuts than any of them. No way it's 100w...no way. The fact that it takes a boost so well seals the deal for me as the best amp I've ever owned, and has more clarity and thump by far. When Gary told me it makes any other amp seem small he wasn't lying.
A boost gives it just the right amount of compression where there wasn't any before lol....

 

[MetalHeadMike]

The Wizard has 2 really nice spots below 1 on the MV that really make it sound like a pushed power section, never heard an amp react that way at such a low volume.

I have found the same on this one. Very satisfying girth & grind at 1 or so on the volume, but you can't help but nudge it up....up....up....and up I cracked the ceiling drywall in my kitchen the other day The vibration from the basement put a nice 4 ft long split right down the ceiling Nuckinfuts the amount of balls they have

It's crazy. I've had 2 Mesa Mark Coliseums, a Triple Recto, some HUGE sounding JMP 1959s and a D120 and this MCI has more nuts than any of them. No way it's 100w...no way. The fact that it takes a boost so well seals the deal for me as the best amp I've ever owned, and has more clarity and thump by far. When Gary told me it makes any other amp seem small he wasn't lying.
A boost gives it just the right amount of compression where there wasn't any before lol....

I feel the same. I have had a few heavy hitters as well, and this one hits the hardest. I agree regarding the compression from a boost. I recently switched back to a Painkiller from a Duncan Distortion, and I think I'm gonna go back to the DD because of it's more compressed nature. I think it sounded better with the Wizard; more natural if you can believe that!