Ceriatone Express and KT77s... the perfect match!

[Kborg]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post and before I get started I just want to thank everyone who participates in this forum. What a great source of information, knowledge and experience.

Well my good friend Terry Young came over yesterday and we went through a number of different power and pre amp tubes on my new Ceriatone Express and the difference was nothing short of amazing. I don't have any clips but I ended up with 12AT7s in both V1 and the PI and a 12AX7 in v2 with a pair of KT77s and the amp is now one of my favorites. The KT77s were an immediate transformation the lows tightend up and became more distinct the highs became sweeter and the harshness was gone. The AT7s really added to the clarity and increased the ability to not only turn up the volume and gain with out the gain just over taking the clarity of the notes and becoming too compressed. Also the ability to roll back the guitar volume and gain wonderfull cleans out of my Lollar Imperials is right there! Before the change the amp started to loose definition with the volume around 9:30 and the bass was not useable above about 11:00 or 12:00 Now I can bring the volume up to about 12:00 before it starts to fall apart and there is more usable gain. The bass is now usefull up to 3:00 and with the bright switch in the upper position it isn't harsh unless you crank the treble and presence.

I have never experienced tubes having such a dreamatic affect before! That was a typo but seems appropriate.

I am blessed to have wonderful friends that will take the time to share their knowledge and time with me, I can't thank Terry enough.

These were all old stock tubes mullard, telefunken and genelex. I am going to try the new counter parts from JJ or GT to see how much the difference is there. I want to gig with this amp so I am trying to get it to a point where I can duplicate the tone as close as possible and will post results later.

FWIW I also own a Komet 60 and for the record, that amp loaded with Mullards is the best sounding amp I have ever owned. I am getting a tone quality very close to it in the Ceriatone now. That being said, I would pay the money for another Komet in a heart beat if this one were ever lost. Terry has one as well and when set up with the same tubes you can't really tell them apart. Yes they cost 5 times the Ceriatone clone but the diference is priceless, to me. Interestingly whe I tried the KT77s in my Komet they sounded dark and lifeless, again the right tubes in the right amp can be incredible.

If Nik clones the Komet that could be amazing.

I will leave the ethical battles to others and be happy to be able to afford and enjoy both.

The main thing is for any of you who were none believers or at least skeptical as I was, of tubes having a dramatic affect....THEY DO!!!