Ceriatone breakdown?

[maddnotez]

I understand a lot of these amps are copies of other amps. Is there a list somewhere that covers every amp?

Also which amps have the most gain and modern tones? I am guessing Leviathan and Chupacabra?

 

[Beyond Black]

I contacted Nik with these questions. Here’s his responses. He responded almost immediately.

“Thanks for the email.

As for the Leviathan, it's a slightly modified Friedman Butterslax, if you're familiar?

It's a 3 channel amp, with clean, and 2 types of OD channels.

As for the Gargoyle, it's similar to the Fortin Meshuggah amps, which stems from design similar to our Chupa/Yeti, so they're Jose Arredondo type of 80s high gain amps.

The Gargoyle is voiced differently, with a bit more gain, tighter, and a bit darker, compared to the Chupa/Yeti.

It's a single channel amp.”

And this...

“As for the Molecular, it's voiced differently.
>
It's a bit smoother, darker, not as snarly as the Yeti, more towards lower mids.
>
> But, if you want another one, I'd perhaps go with the AH or AH Deluxe. These are 3 channel amps, similar to the Friedman BE and BE 50 Deluxe.
>
> They would be more versatile amps, with the channel switching.”
>
> Thanks!
>
> Nik

 

[maddnotez]

I contacted Nik with these questions. Here’s his responses. He responded almost immediately.

“Thanks for the email.

As for the Leviathan, it's a slightly modified Friedman Butterslax, if you're familiar?

It's a 3 channel amp, with clean, and 2 types of OD channels.

As for the Gargoyle, it's similar to the Fortin Meshuggah amps, which stems from design similar to our Chupa/Yeti, so they're Jose Arredondo type of 80s high gain amps.

The Gargoyle is voiced differently, with a bit more gain, tighter, and a bit darker, compared to the Chupa/Yeti.

It's a single channel amp.”

And this...

“As for the Molecular, it's voiced differently.
>
It's a bit smoother, darker, not as snarly as the Yeti, more towards lower mids.
>
> But, if you want another one, I'd perhaps go with the AH or AH Deluxe. These are 3 channel amps, similar to the Friedman BE and BE 50 Deluxe.
>
> They would be more versatile amps, with the channel switching.”
>
> Thanks!
>
> Nik

Thanks

Molecular seems interesting. I highly prefer lower mids but sometimes thats bad in a mix trying to cut through.

So the chupa has less gain but my boost could cover that.

 

[311splawndude]

I saw this thread and thought 'oh no Maddnotez bought a Ceriatone and it broke down'

 

[Beyond Black]

I contacted Nik with these questions. Here’s his responses. He responded almost immediately.

“Thanks for the email.

As for the Leviathan, it's a slightly modified Friedman Butterslax, if you're familiar?

It's a 3 channel amp, with clean, and 2 types of OD channels.

As for the Gargoyle, it's similar to the Fortin Meshuggah amps, which stems from design similar to our Chupa/Yeti, so they're Jose Arredondo type of 80s high gain amps.

The Gargoyle is voiced differently, with a bit more gain, tighter, and a bit darker, compared to the Chupa/Yeti.

It's a single channel amp.”

And this...

“As for the Molecular, it's voiced differently.
>
It's a bit smoother, darker, not as snarly as the Yeti, more towards lower mids.
>
> But, if you want another one, I'd perhaps go with the AH or AH Deluxe. These are 3 channel amps, similar to the Friedman BE and BE 50 Deluxe.
>
> They would be more versatile amps, with the channel switching.”
>
> Thanks!
>
> Nik

Thanks

Molecular seems interesting. I highly prefer lower mids but sometimes thats bad in a mix trying to cut through.

So the chupa has less gain but my boost could cover that.

I’m also intrigued by the Molecular. Not many good clips out there though. Bubbastain’s are the best ones around. I assure you there’s no shortage of gain with the Chupa or Yeti. Without a boost there’s more than you could possibly need. My Yeti didn’t need a boost either. Plenty tight on it’s own.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I found this elsewhere:

The American Classics are Fender tweed circuits.

The British Style are Marshall circuits.

Hot Rodded Plexi is various takes on modded Marshalls

Overtone is various Dumble inspired amps

Hey What is Hiwatt

Muchle$$ is Matchless

TW Clone is Trainwreck amps



American classics - Mostly tweed-era Fender models, named after their Fender model number (for example...the 5E3 ins a Tweed Deluxe, the 5E8A is a Low-Power Tweed Twin, just like the Fenders). The exceptions are the 5X3 (6L6 powered Tweed Deluxe) and Prinzetone (Brown/Blackface Princeton hybrid)

British Style - Most popular Marshall models made between the JTM45, JMP (Plexi), JCM, and Silver Jubileee (2500 series)

Hot-Rodded Plexis - "José mods" and Appetite for Destruction models. José Arredondo is famous for modding most of EVH's early Marshalls, Ceriatone has their own take on the José mods (Yeti and Chubra), plus José-inspired models by Cameron (King Kong) and Freidman (AN)

Overtone Specials and HRMs are based on various Dumble ODS circuits; Joyful Music is based on Two Rock John Mayer model (pretty much ODS without the overdrive); and the SSS, which is based on Dumbles Steel String Singer amps which is clean and without the compression of the ODS models

 

[bubbastain]

I’m really loving my Molecular. I’ve got it all figured out now. I was worried I might have to sell it literally the day after I got it because of bad timing and needing money to get my Hermansson back, but I managed by selling some other stuff. I would like to try the Gargoyle, Leviathan and Yeti at some point. But I’m totally happy with the Molecular. 95% of the time I’m using it with all the switches off. Plenty of gain for me with my low output PAF ish pickup and the gain knob at 3:00. If I want a bit extra I have my Bion Boost on my board. I’m also particularly fond of single channel amps.

 

[Chris O]

If the Chupa "doesn't have enough gain" for anyone, I can't even imagine what you'd be looking for...

 

[SpiderWars]

If the Chupa "doesn't have enough gain" for anyone, I can't even imagine what you'd be looking for...

Just glancing at the layouts I'm not seeing the "more gain" in the Gargoyle than the Chupa (looks just the opposite) but either way I agree. Maybe it's the clippers in the Gargoyle that makes it seem more gainy.

I tweeked my Jose using lots of others as examples (Friedman, Cameron, etc) and just now realized that my amp is extremely similar to the Gargoyle. I reduced the clipping a little because even that was too much for me.

 

[legend71]

Wish he would clone a Bogner

 

[FourT6and2]

If the Chupa "doesn't have enough gain" for anyone, I can't even imagine what you'd be looking for...

Just glancing at the layouts I'm not seeing the "more gain" in the Gargoyle than the Chupa (looks just the opposite) but either way I agree. Maybe it's the clippers in the Gargoyle that makes it seem more gainy.

I tweeked my Jose using lots of others as examples (Friedman, Cameron, etc) and just now realized that my amp is extremely similar to the Gargoyle. I reduced the clipping a little because even that was too much for me.

Spot on.

The Chupa has the lowest preamp voltages of the bunch, plus that 470K+ V1a plate resistor and 820R/.68uF cathodes in each stage. The clippers do not add gain. They simply clip the signal at various boundaries, which as I'm sure you know... isn't "gain." The typical hot-rod specs for a Jose-style Marshall is 2K7/.68uF cathodes in V1a and V1b and 820R/.68uF in V2a. 220k - 330k V1a plate, a bright cap, and a some diodes. 18v zeners are common for '80s rock and 2N5401 or MPSA06 for more modern stuff.

 

[maddnotez]

Wondering why he isn't pushing the Chupacabra. I emailed as well after I posted here and he basically said the same. Gargoyle, Leviathan, AH. No mention of Chupa. From the clips I've heard the Chupacabra seems best for what I like.

Was just curious and looking around for next amp ideas.

 

[Beyond Black]

Wondering why he isn't pushing the Chupacabra. I emailed as well after I posted here and he basically said the same. Gargoyle, Leviathan, AH. No mention of Chupa. From the clips I've heard the Chupacabra seems best for what I like.

Was just curious and looking around for next amp ideas.

Probably because it’s been out for a long time. I believe that was his first Jose type release. The other’s are relatively new releases. There’s actually a Gargoyle on Reverb for $1200. Kinda steep.