Ceriatone 100w HRM - Build thread :) Updated! Finally done!

[droptrd]

Sweet job,awesome thread and this is bringing the gas hard core!!!!

Thanks! Definitely gets addicting building these, just want to build one of everything

Nice! I never really thought about building my own amp until I started reading more about it on this board. Now, I'm dying to pick up a kit and get to soldering.

Do it! It's actually not too bad once you get started.

That looks awesome. Does it come with any instructions?

No instructions for the Ceriatone kits, there is just a layout available on their website and various pictures of the guts online. I just made this thread in case someone else wanted to build this amp. For a first build I would recommend doing the Metro ones, those are pretty much fail-proof, my first build was a Metro JTM45 which pretty much taught me some of the basics, this is only my second build though so I barely know anything about amps, I wouldn't be able to build a amp from scratch like Steve is doing

So the metro kits are the gateway kits then eh? Ive stared at the JMP kit on metros website many many times. some day

Anyway, Your work is very clean

 

[jerrydyer]

Nik makes it easy the layout is awesome.
I built like two dozen for a guy so if you run into any snags let me know I might be able to help. they are pretty much plug and play though. They respond well to slight bright cap changes too so experiment a little.

 

[cyndicate]

You're doing a great job, Will!

Steve

Thanks Steve, Can't wait to hear your amp

Holy crap, it's only your second build? Nice work man!!

Thanks, just have to be really patient, there were times I got frustrated working in a crammed chassis. Thank god for needle nose pliers

So the metro kits are the gateway kits then eh? Ive stared at the JMP kit on metros website many many times. some day

Anyway, Your work is very clean

Yeah, take a look at the instructions, they are pretty much idiot proof and its rare that something will go wrong, plus the Metro forum is a big help if you run into any snags.

Nik makes it easy the layout is awesome.
I built like two dozen for a guy so if you run into any snags let me know I might be able to help. they are pretty much plug and play though. They respond well to slight bright cap changes too so experiment a little.

Thanks jerry, I'll keep that in mind when I have questions. Thats a shit ton of dumble clones you've built I'm just going slowly and double checking my work.. hoping I don't run into any problems during the first start up.

 

[cyndicate]

Wired up the pilot light and the rest of the power amp section

Next step was doing the Main Board (Ceriatone gives you the boards preassembled so you pretty much just have to hook up the wires, this saved a shitload of time.. one problem I ran into was I screwed up badly on V1. I left the iron on pin 4 for too long and the soldered dripped down all the way into the socket. I guess this usually happens a lot with ceramic sockets. Tried to get it out but once it's in there I have no idea how to get it out, unsoldered everything and put in a spare tube socket and redid v1. Big PITA!

Had also forgotten to wire something that was on the first dpdt switch, the yellow wire that is on the bottom left that goes to the bass pot.

Finished up the rest of the tone controls as well

 

[cyndicate]

It's 3:30 am and I just finished, soldered like a mad man. Kind of messy but will clean it up a bit and straighten some wires after I do some testing tomorrow. Wish me luck!

 

[Juggernaut]

looks killer, nicely done, a hell of alot better than my first build

what do these sound like? yeah, I know Dumble, never paid much attention to them.....

 

[cyndicate]

looks killer, nicely done, a hell of alot better than my first build

what do these sound like? yeah, I know Dumble, never paid much attention to them.....

thanks mike, will find out today how it sounds lol. But i think there are a bunch of clips of it on YouTube just search ceriatone 100w hrm bluesmaster.

 

[dstroud]

looks good man, I'm looking forward to clips!

 

[duesentrieb]

looks good man, I'm looking forward to clips!

+1

 

[cyndicate]

Shit ran into problems in the testing stage. Looks like a 15k 2W Resistor burnt out, now V1 and V2 have no readings, I'm thinking this is the problem, too bad I don't have any spare 15K 2W resistors

This is probably it right? What electronics store in OC can I go to and just buy resistors?

 

[cyndicate]

Pulled it out and measured it, its still getting a 15K OHM reading

 

[LP Freak]

Hey Will, what did this kit end up costing you shipped? I think it's gonna be my next build.

 

[cyndicate]

Hey Will, what did this kit end up costing you shipped? I think it's gonna be my next build.

Sweet! I think the Kit was $500 + $75 shipping, and I had Nik @ Ceriatone order me the MM transformers at a discounted rate, I think I paid $500 for that too. So In total it was like $1075, and someone on here sold me a head shell for about $150 shipped. You can calculate the price of shipping on their website with the weight and the shipping table. It took me like 2-3 days to get it after they shipped it, but it took a week for them to pull the parts for the kit.

As for my build right now.. Still can't figure out why my voltages are off on v1 & V2

 

[MARK1970]

Shit ran into problems in the testing stage. Looks like a 15k 2W Resistor burnt out, now V1 and V2 have no readings, I'm thinking this is the problem, too bad I don't have any spare 15K 2W resistors

This is probably it right? What electronics store in OC can I go to and just buy resistors?

You can go to Frys off the 91.

 

[cyndicate]

Holy fuck, few hours later of trouble shooting and I figure out the problem was something stupid. I accidently grounded the floating 22uF cap that pulls current from the main board. For anyone doing these, if you do not intend to ground something DO NOT USE the middle lug on the 5 lug Terminal strips, its the lug that is screwed on to the chassis ie. ground.

 

[cyndicate]

Shit ran into problems in the testing stage. Looks like a 15k 2W Resistor burnt out, now V1 and V2 have no readings, I'm thinking this is the problem, too bad I don't have any spare 15K 2W resistors

This is probably it right? What electronics store in OC can I go to and just buy resistors?

You can go to Frys off the 91.

Thanks Mark, I ended up finding a parts store in Costa Mesa, Mar Vac electronics, never knew this existed, will probably buy my parts here from now on

 

[LP Freak]

Is it alive?

 

[cyndicate]

Is it alive?

It is alive!!!! I think I screw up something on the mid boost, seems to not have any effect unless its really subtle ? Will probably double check all my wiring on all the pots.

 

[LP Freak]

That's an awesome feeling isn't it? How's it sound? I've never really heard anyone doing any rhythm clips, it's always been solo's. How's the bottom end?

 

[cyndicate]

That's an awesome feeling isn't it? How's it sound? I've never really heard anyone doing any rhythm clips, it's always been solo's. How's the bottom end?

So far its kind of flubby, but it takes a lot of tweaking on this circuit as well because of the HRM controls, also something is kind of wrong with my wiring, when I kick it to the OD channel the master isn't working.. time for some more trouble shooting.