Ceriatone 183 and Ford Amp

[paulster]

That assumes that the owner of the site actually has a problem with Nik.

To date I haven't heard Allyn complain and it's his site and his rules.

[vibratoking]

Is there a way that the actual schematics can be locked down so only members can see them?

There are other sites that will not make certain information available until a specific number of posts have been made or until a membership introductory period has elapsed.

[oldtelefart]

Racism is never pretty.

A $1300 amp that does pretty much the same as a $3K-plus amp will always be unpopular with the guy who makes the $3K amp.

[ampdork]

Not always so....I make a 3K amp and feel Nik has every right to make a $1300 one.... others maybe do not share my view but this is of course their own choice....Just making it known that there is one who thinks it's just rosy. ;O)

I think racism is a strong word....I think that jingoism might be more accurate.

Also humorous is the fact that Andy ripped off Alf Hermida yet no one, especially Andy, seems to have any issue with that.

Oh and Andy... I'd argue with you but I know how it would get moderated so that my comments would be stricken, you get some last snipe in, then Scott would lock it... So it would be a waste on that level alone.
But more so then that? I simply don't respect you enough to bother wasting my own time putting you straight.

[dogears]

You probably realize I am pretty hands off most of the time.... Argue away.

As for Nik, he has every right to do what he does. He makes a product with great value. I have tweaked several and after mods, they came out superb. Not so much before tweaks fwiw. But I digress.

My only gripe is that he registered as a member and has made zero contributions here and has not ever acknowledged nor thanked anyone for all the hard work and sharing. Therefore, it is my right and the right of anyone else to call a spade a spade. Nothing to do with Asia or his prices. Everything to do with his leaching and lack of gratitude.

Not always so....I make a 3K amp and feel Nik has every right to make a $1300 one.... others maybe do not share my view but this is of course their own choice....Just making it known that there is one who thinks it's just rosy. ;O)

I think racism is a strong word....I think that jingoism might be more accurate.

Also humorous is the fact that Andy ripped off Alf Hermida yet no one, especially Andy, seems to have any issue with that.

Oh and Andy... I'd argue with you but I know how it would get moderated so that my comments would be stricken, you get some last snipe in, then Scott would lock it... So it would be a waste on that level alone.
But more so then that? I simply don't respect you enough to bother wasting my own time putting you straight.

[Structo]

The Ceriatone amps do find an appeal to guitarists that live on the other side of the globe.
And possibly budget minded people here.
I looked at them before I built my D'lite.
I had trouble sending that kind of money to a foreign place never knowing if I would get the goods or not.

I don't know how the prices work out to be for someone say living in Australia.

But geez, look at a OTS head cab. They are $200 but cost $202 to ship to the USA!
But he does have the weight down as 27 kg, I don't think even stuffed that cab is going to weigh 59 pounds.

Here's the deal, somebody who buys a Ceriatone most likely is not the same kind of person that will fork out $3K for a new D clone that is built here.
So I don't feel he is robbing anybody here of a sale.

[talbany]

Racism is never pretty.

A $1300 amp that does pretty much the same as a $3K-plus amp will always be unpopular with the guy who makes the $3K amp.

Does that 1,300. include shipping to the states?

Tony

[oldtelefart]

I've been lurking on this forum for about two years, now two posts in one day!
I am not an amp builder or tech. I am a poor working musician. I got interested in these amps after I discovered that a lot of my favourite guitar tones were created with them. Many decades ago I bought the live Jackson Browne album with David Lindley. The tone he had still blows me away. Ditto for Lowell George, Robben, Larry, etc.
For someone like me, Fuchs or Bludo or Glaswerks or Van Weelden products are as financially impossible as a real Dumble. But a Ceriatone is just within reach. I would have to sell some stuff, I'd be making my own cab, but with some saving and sacrifice it's possible.
I have corresponded some with Nik Azam. He is a shining example of what customer service and communication could/should be. My take is that he just can't be bothered putting up with the attacks on this forum, the insinuations that his "Asian components" are not good enough, that he is somehow cheating by using the same publicly available information as everyone else does.
As far as his not being "in the club" here, I think that is simply his right to participate or not. You can criticise him for that, that is your right. I'm just very glad that he makes a good product at an affordable price. And that's all I have to say about that.

[leodiditright]

I've been lurking on this forum for about two years, now two posts in one day!
I am not an amp builder or tech. I am a poor working musician. I got interested in these amps after I discovered that a lot of my favourite guitar tones were created with them. Many decades ago I bought the live Jackson Browne album with David Lindley. The tone he had still blows me away. Ditto for Lowell George, Robben, Larry, etc.
For someone like me, Fuchs or Bludo or Glaswerks or Van Weelden products are as financially impossible as a real Dumble. But a Ceriatone is just within reach. I would have to sell some stuff, I'd be making my own cab, but with some saving and sacrifice it's possible.
I have corresponded some with Nik Azam. He is a shining example of what customer service and communication could/should be. My take is that he just can't be bothered putting up with the attacks on this forum, the insinuations that his "Asian components" are not good enough, that he is somehow cheating by using the same publicly available information as everyone else does.
As far as his not being "in the club" here, I think that is simply his right to participate or not. You can criticise him for that, that is your right. I'm just very glad that he makes a good product at an affordable price. And that's all I have to say about that.

+1000

[leodiditright]

You probably realize I am pretty hands off most of the time.... Argue away.

As for Nik, he has every right to do what he does. He makes a product with great value. I have tweaked several and after mods, they came out superb. Not so much before tweaks fwiw. But I digress.

My only gripe is that he registered as a member and has made zero contributions here and has not ever acknowledged nor thanked anyone for all the hard work and sharing. Therefore, it is my right and the right of anyone else to call a spade a spade. Nothing to do with Asia or his prices. Everything to do with his leaching and lack of gratitude.

Not always so....I make a 3K amp and feel Nik has every right to make a $1300 one.... others maybe do not share my view but this is of course their own choice....Just making it known that there is one who thinks it's just rosy. ;O)

I think racism is a strong word....I think that jingoism might be more accurate.

Also humorous is the fact that Andy ripped off Alf Hermida yet no one, especially Andy, seems to have any issue with that.

Oh and Andy... I'd argue with you but I know how it would get moderated so that my comments would be stricken, you get some last snipe in, then Scott would lock it... So it would be a waste on that level alone.
But more so then that? I simply don't respect you enough to bother wasting my own time putting you straight.

Are your mods the ones posted on the Ceriatone forum by Jack Zucker ? and do you know if the actual regular OTS (not S&M and the rest) is made like this today. Thanks

[dogears]

Over the years many of my mods and advice has been incorporated into his designs. Direct tweaks I made have been reported back and incorporated.

Never received a thanks or acknowlegement. Nik is the only builder who has never reached out and said thanks. Not once. All others have.

I really don't give a crap and don't need or want anything. A simple thanks goes a million miles.

As for the Zucker mods, both Gil and I helped Jack. Not sure to what degree what is on the Ceriatone forum is my input. If you post it here I can verify. I do believe the newest ones are in line with what I suggested. A far cry from the originals fwiw.

Thanks!

You probably realize I am pretty hands off most of the time.... Argue away.

As for Nik, he has every right to do what he does. He makes a product with great value. I have tweaked several and after mods, they came out superb. Not so much before tweaks fwiw. But I digress.

My only gripe is that he registered as a member and has made zero contributions here and has not ever acknowledged nor thanked anyone for all the hard work and sharing. Therefore, it is my right and the right of anyone else to call a spade a spade. Nothing to do with Asia or his prices. Everything to do with his leaching and lack of gratitude.

Not always so....I make a 3K amp and feel Nik has every right to make a $1300 one.... others maybe do not share my view but this is of course their own choice....Just making it known that there is one who thinks it's just rosy. ;O)

I think racism is a strong word....I think that jingoism might be more accurate.

Also humorous is the fact that Andy ripped off Alf Hermida yet no one, especially Andy, seems to have any issue with that.

Oh and Andy... I'd argue with you but I know how it would get moderated so that my comments would be stricken, you get some last snipe in, then Scott would lock it... So it would be a waste on that level alone.
But more so then that? I simply don't respect you enough to bother wasting my own time putting you straight.

Are your mods the ones posted on the Ceriatone forum by Jack Zucker ? and do you know if the actual regular OTS (not S&M and the rest) is made like this today. Thanks

[leodiditright]

Over the years many of my mods and advice has been incorporated into his designs. Direct tweaks I made have been reported back and incorporated.

Never received a thanks or acknowlegement. Nik is the only builder who has never reached out and said thanks. Not once. All others have.

I really don't give a crap and don't need or want anything. A simple thanks goes a million miles.

As for the Zucker mods, both Gil and I helped Jack. Not sure to what degree what is on the Ceriatone forum is my input. If you post it here I can verify. I do believe the newest ones are in line with what I suggested. A far cry from the originals fwiw.

Thanks!

You probably realize I am pretty hands off most of the time.... Argue away.

As for Nik, he has every right to do what he does. He makes a product with great value. I have tweaked several and after mods, they came out superb. Not so much before tweaks fwiw. But I digress.

My only gripe is that he registered as a member and has made zero contributions here and has not ever acknowledged nor thanked anyone for all the hard work and sharing. Therefore, it is my right and the right of anyone else to call a spade a spade. Nothing to do with Asia or his prices. Everything to do with his leaching and lack of gratitude.

Are your mods the ones posted on the Ceriatone forum by Jack Zucker ? and do you know if the actual regular OTS (not S&M and the rest) is made like this today. Thanks

http://www.sheetsofsound.net/images/OvertoneModded.pdf

[PierreL]

Here's the deal, somebody who buys a Ceriatone most likely is not the same kind of person that will fork out $3K for a new D clone that is built here.
So I don't feel he is robbing anybody here of a sale.

From my experience here in France, I would agree with that, most of the people I see buying Ceriatone are craving for a Two Rock or a Fuchs, but just cannot afford them. So they go for a cheaper option, if they didn't have that choice most of them would not buy a Two Rock of a Fuchs anyway.

[dogears]

Yeah, that looks pretty close to what I suggested. Stuff like adding PS stiffness, using 4.7uf bypass caps, etc... All I did was suggest the standard values and remove Nik's changes which would make the amp brighter, gainier, and thinner.

I'd further suggest you look at talbany's Ford amp layout and use those values.... You can try the 2.2uf presence vs the 1uf and see which you prefer.

Scott

http://www.sheetsofsound.net/images/OvertoneModded.pdf

[FUCHSAUDIO]

I simply don't respect you enough to bother wasting my own time putting you straight.

Problem solved then.