# Ceriatone Gargoyle incoming (Fortin Meshuggah)



## Zado (Jan 14, 2019)

Soon avaiable. Some say it's essentially similar to Cameron Atomica. Heavy 'Shall tones for days.

Do want.


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## technomancer (Jan 14, 2019)

Might want to actually credit FourT6and2's build you posted a photo of since that isn't a Ceriatone even though he used their chassis.... the Ceriatone isn't going to come with NOS components like the Mustard caps or Phillips chicklet...


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## Zado (Jan 14, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Might want to actually credit FourT6and2's build you posted a photo of since that isn't a Ceriatone even though he used their chassis.... the Ceriatone isn't going to come with NOS components like the Mustard caps or Phillips chicklet...


Oppps, had no idea! Kudos to him then!


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## BigViolin (Jan 16, 2019)

There's a joke in here somewhere about fear of modern currency transactions and special secret club membership.

Color me interested.


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## technomancer (Jan 16, 2019)

BigViolin said:


> There's a joke in here somewhere about fear of modern currency transactions and special secret club membership.
> 
> Color me interested.



What's funny is the cloner is the one with a US distributor and that actually takes credit cards for purchases...


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## BigViolin (Jan 16, 2019)

Priceless irony. 

I knew you'd come through.


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## technomancer (Jan 16, 2019)

And now it is called the Gargoyle

View media item 1548


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 16, 2019)

TBH if it's based on the Atomica, that's even cooler. Probably my favorite of all the brown sound amps.


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## KnightBrolaire (Jan 16, 2019)

what makes the atomica different from other jose modded marshall type amps?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 16, 2019)

KnightBrolaire said:


> what makes the atomica different from other jose modded marshall type amps?



I'm not sure, I just know I preferred the Atomica over the other brown amps like the CCV and the Brown Eye in the Axe FX. 

I also always really dug clips of the Atomica's I've heard. It's a very tight and chugarrific amp. 

I think the Atomica is the closest thing to a modern Jose Arredondo modded Marshall.


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## technomancer (Jan 16, 2019)

All of the Jose variants are the same with minor variations... Atomica, Meshuggah, Chupacabra, Yeti, Cali, Ocean etc.

The Friedman is a bit different as it doesn't use the diode clipping on a pre-tone stack master volume, and the HBE is an additional tube gain stage in front (which is something Jose did on some of his amp mods).


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 16, 2019)

That's my build pictured not a Ceriatone. Ceriatone's version will be different in a bunch of ways. The one I built is slightly different from the Meshuggah. And yeah all these amps are the same rehashed design with small voicing changes here and there. But they sound good if you're into that sort of thing.


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## op1e (Jan 16, 2019)

Got sent back down the Ceriatone rabbit hole and now I just wanna sell half my stuff and buy a Son of Yeti.


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## gunch (Jan 17, 2019)

I don’t know jack about amps and EE but where are the tubes in the build in the OP?


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## technomancer (Jan 17, 2019)

silverabyss said:


> I don’t know jack about amps and EE but where are the tubes in the build in the OP?



You can see the sockets in the photos... round brown things towards the top of the chassis. The two larger ones towards the right are the underside of the power tube sockets and the three smaller ones as you move left are the preamp tube sockets. The two round silver things are the back of the bias pots.


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 17, 2019)

False. It's 100% solid state. Actually no, it's digital.


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## technomancer (Jan 17, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> False. It's 100% solid state. Actually no, it's digital.


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 17, 2019)

BTW this is the amp in the OP (not a Ceriatone):


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## gunch (Jan 17, 2019)

technomancer said:


> You can see the sockets in the photos... round brown things towards the top of the chassis. The two larger ones towards the right are the underside of the power tube sockets and the three smaller ones as you move left are the preamp tube sockets. The two round silver things are the back of the bias pots.



Oh word, so the whole thing as viewed in the pic is upside-down?


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 17, 2019)

silverabyss said:


> Oh word, so the whole thing as viewed in the pic is upside-down?



No, it's inside out in the Upside Down with Barb.


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## Bearitone (Jan 17, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> No, it's inside out in the Upside Down with Barb.


Gotta name it the Demogorgon now


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## KnightBrolaire (Jan 18, 2019)

speaking of cameron modded marshalls :


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## prlgmnr (Jan 18, 2019)

Answer me this.... should I have my JCM800 (reissue) modded or keep it stock?


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## technomancer (Jan 18, 2019)

KnightBrolaire said:


> speaking of cameron modded marshalls :




I've been in touch with Mark about that one... there is an extra outlet on the back that he didn't add so somebody else was in the amp after he modded it. It sounds a bit fuzzier than his stuff usually does so I wonder if somebody was messing with the circuit as well.


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 18, 2019)

prlgmnr said:


> Answer me this.... should I have my JCM800 (reissue) modded or keep it stock?



Depends on what sort of sound you're trying to go for. You could always try a boost or tube screamer or distortion pedal first. And it depends on what type of modification you want.


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## prlgmnr (Jan 18, 2019)

Yeah currently I like the versatility of using different pedals, but every time I hear a modded one I think it sounds awesome


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 18, 2019)

prlgmnr said:


> Yeah currently I like the versatility of using different pedals, but every time I hear a modded one I think it sounds awesome



There are a lot of different mods out there. You'll have to choose one or start tinkering for yourself. I know what works for me, but only after building a bunch of amps and figuring it all out.


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## oniduder (Jan 18, 2019)

so is this real? i'm confused

is this an official ceriatone new amp? or just a build on a ceriatone chassis that someone is making?

i'm dumb, and if you say i can't read, i'm ok with that, so you know


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## technomancer (Jan 18, 2019)

^ it is a new amp Ceriatone is coming out with. The layout is the new Ceriatone. The build photo is not the new Ceriatone amp, it's FourT6and2's build so not sure why that was posted.


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 18, 2019)

I built my own version of the Meshuggah (the amp in the photo) and posted the layout and gut shots of the actual Meshuggah to another forum. Some people on that forum then created a (mostly correct) schematic from my layout. Ceriatone is using that schematic to make a Meshuggah clone. Ceriatone posted their layout to their FB group a few days ago and I recognized it and posted the photo of my build to that FB thread as a subtle hint to Nik that I know what he's doing. Then the OP here probably saw it and misinterpreted it as being Ceriatone's.

My version—the one in the photo—has a different bias circuit, different DC heater circuit, an added depth control, a different NFB circuit, a 6-position clipping switch, and a few small voicing changes compared to the actual Meshuggah.

Ceriatone's looks to be closer to the actual Meshuggah. But has a few changes. Some I don't particularly care for. But it's all personal preference.


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## gunch (Jan 18, 2019)

Well Amp dudes are fuckin wizards because they have to be EE nerds and Gear/Music nerds 

 real footage of you


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## Soya (Jan 18, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> I built my own version of the Meshuggah (the amp in the photo) and posted the layout and gut shots of the actual Meshuggah to another forum. Some people on that forum then created a (mostly correct) schematic from my layout. Ceriatone is using that schematic to make a Meshuggah clone. Ceriatone posted their layout to their FB group a few days ago and I recognized it and posted the photo of my build to that FB thread as a subtle hint to Nik that I know what he's doing. Then the OP here probably saw it and misinterpreted it as being Ceriatone's.
> 
> My version—the one in the photo—has a different bias circuit, different DC heater circuit, an added depth control, a different NFB circuit, a 6-position clipping switch, and a few small voicing changes compared to the actual Meshuggah.
> 
> Ceriatone's looks to be closer to the actual Meshuggah. But has a few changes. Some I don't particularly care for. But it's all personal preference.


Well that's.... flattering I guess, right?


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 18, 2019)

Soya said:


> Well that's.... flattering I guess, right?



Well I didn't create this circuit. Mark Cameron did, and it's just been copied a bunch of times by different people so I have no skin in the game. Cameron actually gave me some helpful advice while I was building it.


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## Zado (Jan 19, 2019)

Maybe Mark Cameron copied the circuit as well? Internet forums has a _certain_ opinionabout that guy, and I'm not talking about the drug thing....


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## technomancer (Jan 19, 2019)

Zado said:


> Maybe Mark Cameron copied the circuit as well? Internet forums has a _certain_ opinionabout that guy, and I'm not talking about the drug thing....



It's a variation on the earlier circuits Jose did, and Mark came up with it while working on stuff that was left from Jose that needed completed in LA and refined it over the years. It's not the same as Jose's stuff as he usually did a bunch of other things like an additional tube stage out front and footswitching between different master formats. The irony is that a bunch of "original Jose mods" are actually amps from that shop that Mark did.

Internet forums have a lot of opinions on a lot of things, mostly wrong


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 19, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Internet forums have a lot of opinions on a lot of things, mostly wrong



Didn't the guy that spread a lot of that stuff end up being a creep?


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## technomancer (Jan 19, 2019)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Didn't the guy that spread a lot of that stuff end up being a creep?



Well, there's the guy I'll refer to as captain cupholder that is still building bad copies of some of Mark's stuff who is basically just batshit crazy. Not sure if that is who you are talking about though.

Mark does have some chronic health issues and has had two bad businesses he was involved in, but every dealing I've had with the guy has been incredibly positive.


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## budda (Jan 19, 2019)

prlgmnr said:


> Answer me this.... should I have my JCM800 (reissue) modded or keep it stock?



Keep it stock with a pedalboard of 4 dirt pedals so you can make it do what you want. They are great pedal platforms.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jan 19, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Well, there's the guy I'll refer to as captain cupholder that is still building bad copies of some of Mark's stuff who is basically just batshit crazy. Not sure if that is who you are talking about though.
> 
> Mark does have some chronic health issues and has had two bad businesses he was involved in, but every dealing I've had with the guy has been incredibly positive.



I know that first guy. I think  I think he got banned from Marshallforum from being so fucking crazy. That, or I hope you don't mean Surreal amps. 

Also I was talking about some dude that apparently went to jail for domestic assault.


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## technomancer (Jan 19, 2019)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> I know that first guy. I think  I think he got banned from Marshallforum from being so fucking crazy. That, or I hope you don't mean Surreal amps.
> 
> Also I was talking about some dude that apparently went to jail for domestic assault.



Yep that's him... he's been banned from lots of places. He was never in business with Mark but has been banned from lots of places.

The guy you mean was the second Cameron amps incarnation where Mark was supposed to have nothing at all to do with the business except giving them the amp designs (which he did) yet when the business went to hell because they couldn't run a company it was all Mark's fault.


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## Andromalia (Jan 20, 2019)

That thread is confusing as hell.


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## Shask (Jan 20, 2019)

Andromalia said:


> That thread is confusing as hell.


That's typically when happens when the word Cameron is mentioned.


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## technomancer (Jan 20, 2019)

LOL ignore the other stuff, basically Ceriatone is building a Fortin Meshuggah clone with a couple changes to the circuit like adding a depth control and no NOS components


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## narad (Jan 20, 2019)

Are they the kind of place where you can just send them the NOS components or pay a bit more?


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 20, 2019)

narad said:


> Are they the kind of place where you can just send them the NOS components or pay a bit more?


 
I've heard of them using components if you send them in. But you'll have to ask.


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## technomancer (Jan 20, 2019)

narad said:


> Are they the kind of place where you can just send them the NOS components or pay a bit more?



Email Nik and ask, not sure. I know he has done alternate components for people but not sure about using user supplied stuff.

`d

I also find it hilarious and so ss.org that with the bunch of cool new amps coming out the only thing getting attention is the one about a cheaper clone of a more expensive amp


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## narad (Jan 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> I also find it hilarious and so ss.org that with the bunch of cool new amps coming out the only thing getting attention is the one about a cheaper clone of a more expensive amp



What are these cool new amps you speak of? Only thing catching my eye is the BE-100 Deluxe (and would be the XTC 25 if I didn't have the 20th already).

And I sort of feel like if Mike's outsourcing his amp builds to existing shops, I'm a lot less motivated to pay Mike prices. Not that Metro is a bad shop at all or even any different from Mike's level, just sort of the principle of it.


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Email Nik and ask, not sure. I know he has done alternate components for people but not sure about using user supplied stuff.
> 
> `d
> 
> I also find it hilarious and so ss.org that with the bunch of cool new amps coming out the only thing getting attention is the one about a cheaper clone of a more expensive amp



Because would you rather pay $4K for a JCM800 clone or $1500? lol


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 20, 2019)

narad said:


> What are these cool new amps you speak of? Only thing catching my eye is the BE-100 Deluxe (and would be the XTC 25 if I didn't have the 20th already).
> 
> And I sort of feel like if Mike's outsourcing his amp builds to existing shops, I'm a lot less motivated to pay Mike prices. Not that Metro is a bad shop at all or even any different from Mike's level, just sort of the principle of it.



IMO, Ceriatone's actual build skills are better than Metro's. Ceriatone might be a cloner shop, but they can actually build a good amp and have good lead dress and solder work.


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## oniduder (Jan 20, 2019)

LOL cupholder guy, oh dear, it's surreal out there with the amp builders, womp womp


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## technomancer (Jan 20, 2019)

narad said:


> What are these cool new amps you speak of? Only thing catching my eye is the BE-100 Deluxe (and would be the XTC 25 if I didn't have the 20th already).
> 
> And I sort of feel like if Mike's outsourcing his amp builds to existing shops, I'm a lot less motivated to pay Mike prices. Not that Metro is a bad shop at all or even any different from Mike's level, just sort of the principle of it.



The new BE100 variant, the XTC 25, the new Fortins, Hiwatt will probably have some new stuff and is actually all under the Hiwatt name again etc etc



oniduder said:


> LOL cupholder guy, oh dear, it's surreal out there with the amp builders, womp womp



Surreal != cupholder guy... but I don't want to motivate the nut job I am talking about to sign up here


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## oniduder (Jan 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> The new BE100 variant, the XTC 25, the new Fortins, Hiwatt will probably have some new stuff and is actually all under the Hiwatt name again etc etc
> 
> 
> 
> Surreal != cupholder guy... but I don't want to motivate the nut job I am talking about to sign up here



no no no no no i was not saying surreal is the cupholder master, i was trying to be clever and refer to both without conflating the two,

blazing saddles is a good movie, some of the scenes are surreal!

i guess i could have made two comments one about how surreal some christians can be? and how everyone drinks so much that i can't imagine not having a cupholder built into everything i own


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## FourT6and2 (Jan 20, 2019)

lololol Blazing Saddles...


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## StevenC (Jan 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> The new BE100 variant, the XTC 25, the new Fortins, Hiwatt will probably have some new stuff and is actually all under the Hiwatt name again etc etc


There's also a new Diezel and the Two Rock SSS!


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## technomancer (Jan 20, 2019)

StevenC said:


> There's also a new Diezel and the Two Rock SSS!



I actually missed the new Diezel, any info?


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## mnemonic (Jan 20, 2019)

I think there was a VH4 clone (maybe single channel? I forget) years ago called the Cerberus, but it was either limited or wasn’t released.


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## StevenC (Jan 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> I actually missed the new Diezel, any info?


Peter posted on Facebook and Rig Talk yesterday that they will have a new amp at NAMM. I assume it'll be the small amp they've been talking about. 20 something watts. Not sure what form it'll take, but I know it's went through a few different concepts.


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## Zado (Jan 20, 2019)

narad said:


> Are they the kind of place where you can just send them the NOS components or pay a bit more?


You can ask for specific tweaks in the circuitry as well.


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## MASS DEFECT (Mar 20, 2019)

Up for this thread. It's close to production. Now named "Gargoyle"













Looks like 50 watts too. With a resonance knob.


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## FourT6and2 (Mar 20, 2019)

MASS DEFECT said:


> Looks like 50 watts too. With a resonance knob.



It's nothing different from the Chupacabra with just a few component changes. Same amp. Not sure why he's bothering to release it as a "new" one. I bought a Meshuggah amp. It broke. I sent it in for repair. Fortin opted to refund me instead of sending the amp back. So I built a clone with some changes. I posted the schematic for that amp to the SLO Clone forum. Someone there sent the schematic to Ceriatone. Then Nik emailed me for help interpreting the schematic. Now you see this "Gargoyle" amp. The end. I told Nik a bunch of his "design choices" looked strange and unnecessary. Hopefully he made some updates. Otherwise this thing won't sound anything like a Meshuggah (or the amp I built). For example, he's running some "compliance" resistors in the clipping circuit to soften the effect of the diodes. So the amp won't sound as aggressive. But that was in the layout he sent me. I gave him some suggestions, hopefully he listened lol. He also seemed confused about how to implement the elevated heater mod. In the schematic it wasn't really put in the right place, but the people on the SLO Clone forum know what they're doing and it was just there for reference. Whereas he was following the schematic verbatim without really thinking things through. The voltage I had listed were also specific to the transformers I used. So hopefully he doesn't follow those to the letter...


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## Bearitone (Mar 20, 2019)

Are there any companies like Ceriatone that do Orange style clones for cheaper?


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## FourT6and2 (Mar 20, 2019)

Bearitone said:


> Are there any companies like Ceriatone that do Orange style clones for cheaper?



Not that I'm aware of.


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## Bearitone (Mar 20, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> Not that I'm aware of.


Damnit.
I really want a Dual Dark 50


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## technomancer (Mar 20, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> It's nothing different from the Chupacabra with just a few component changes. Same amp. Not sure why he's bothering to release it as a "new" one. I bought a Meshuggah amp. It broke. I sent it in for repair. Fortin opted to refund me instead of sending the amp back. So I built a clone with some changes. I posted the schematic for that amp to the SLO Clone forum. Someone there sent the schematic to Ceriatone. Then Nik emailed me for help interpreting the schematic. Now you see this "Gargoyle" amp. The end. I told Nik a bunch of his "design choices" looked strange and unnecessary. Hopefully he made some updates. Otherwise this thing won't sound anything like a Meshuggah (or the amp I built). For example, he's running some "compliance" resistors in the clipping circuit to soften the effect of the diodes. So the amp won't sound as aggressive. But that was in the layout he sent me. I gave him some suggestions, hopefully he listened lol. He also seemed confused about how to implement the elevated heater mod. In the schematic it wasn't really put in the right place, but the people on the SLO Clone forum know what they're doing and it was just there for reference. Whereas he was following the schematic verbatim without really thinking things through. The voltage I had listed were also specific to the transformers I used. So hopefully he doesn't follow those to the letter...



He's doing it as a new model because people will eat it up. The hype train on the Meshuggah amp is huge and you can't buy them anymore


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## narad (Mar 20, 2019)

technomancer said:


> He's doing it as a new model because people will eat it up. The hype train on the Meshuggah amp is huge and you can't buy them anymore



Is it huge though? Maybe 1-2 people here bought one? 1-2 people at rig-talk? There's a DSP for it which cannibalizes some of the borderline cases, etc. I saw like a hype push, and obviously they all got bought up, but so does just about anything with a big name and a very finite amount. I don't see people really craving that tone, in anyway comparable to craving a blackmachine in the old days, or even invective hype.

For a Ceriatone offering it'd definitely be a cooler one, but I'm more inclined to grab a model T clone or something they're likely to do more accurately, both in terms of parts and schematics.



Bearitone said:


> Damnit.
> I really want a Dual Dark 50



Then buy one dude. Ceriatone's not really going to beat (or at least significantly beat) a used Dual Dark (of which there are plenty) with a new build.


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## Soya (Mar 20, 2019)

I mean, there's a Fortin Meshuggah amp on reverb for 8,000 bucks, that's pretty hypy?


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## narad (Mar 20, 2019)

Soya said:


> I mean, there's a Fortin Meshuggah amp on reverb for 8,000 bucks, that's pretty hypy?



If there's a ton of demand for it at $8k, yes. The one for sale for $4500 somewhat contradicts that idea though.


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## Soya (Mar 21, 2019)




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## Bearitone (Mar 21, 2019)

narad said:


> Is it huge though? Maybe 1-2 people here bought one? 1-2 people at rig-talk? There's a DSP for it which cannibalizes some of the borderline cases, etc. I saw like a hype push, and obviously they all got bought up, but so does just about anything with a big name and a very finite amount. I don't see people really craving that tone, in anyway comparable to craving a blackmachine in the old days, or even invective hype.
> 
> For a Ceriatone offering it'd definitely be a cooler one, but I'm more inclined to grab a model T clone or something they're likely to do more accurately, both in terms of parts and schematics.
> 
> ...



Lowest I’ve seen one used was like 1750. Was hoping for something more along the lines of 1200 (even lower if i get a used clone lol). But, I also have no idea what to realistically expect as a price for a clone so, there’s that.

There’s so many production preamp pedal type things that emulate orange amps but, it’s all rockerverb/AD-30/OR-15 style. There’s nothing out there (that I’ve found) that does a Dark Terror/ Dual Dark/ Thunderverb/ TH-30 style. 

The Bax Bangeetar was cool but, really loose even with a boost.


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## narad (Mar 21, 2019)

Bearitone said:


> Lowest I’ve seen one used was like 1750. Was hoping for something more along the lines of 1200 (even lower if i get a used clone lol). But, I also have no idea what to realistically expect as a price for a clone so, there’s that.



I've seen plenty $1450-1600 on Reverb. One near me now for $1650 (but it's a 100). I'm also kind of interested in them but I'm not sure if they can compare to a butterslax.

Though, this is too cool:
https://reverb.com/item/20687042-or...annel-guitar-head-owned-by-fall-out-boy-35961

(not the fallout boy connection, but that they reshelled it)


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## technomancer (Mar 21, 2019)

narad said:


> Is it huge though? Maybe 1-2 people here bought one? 1-2 people at rig-talk? There's a DSP for it which cannibalizes some of the borderline cases, etc. I saw like a hype push, and obviously they all got bought up, but so does just about anything with a big name and a very finite amount. I don't see people really craving that tone, in anyway comparable to craving a blackmachine in the old days, or even invective hype.
> 
> For a Ceriatone offering it'd definitely be a cooler one, but I'm more inclined to grab a model T clone or something they're likely to do more accurately, both in terms of parts and schematics.



Given responses to posts on the Ceriatone group about it, he is going to sell more than enough of them to justify introducing it  Especially when from a production standpoint it can use the same transformers and chassis as existing models so the cost to introduce it is minimal.

The FB group seemed like a more direct sample of the Ceriatone market than here or RT


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## cardinal (Mar 21, 2019)

The ones that I'm surprised that Ceriatone isn't building: Ampeg clones. At least two of their amps are towering classics (SVT, B15). Vintage B15s are getting somewhat expensive and are hard to ship with their cabinets.  And yes SVTs are something of the industry standard as they are, so their build quality generally must be OK, but have you ever seen the inside of one of those things? Pity for the techs that have to work on them. A neatly, handwired turrent-board version would be a god send IMHO. Even the B15s switched to PCBs fairly early (in the mid '60s), and turrent-board clones would be very welcome IMHO.

But the Ceriatone market doesn't seem to have many bassists? There's no Hiwatt 400 clone either, and that would be amazing too.


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## Bearitone (Mar 21, 2019)

narad said:


> I've seen plenty $1450-1600 on Reverb. One near me now for $1650 (but it's a 100). I'm also kind of interested in them but I'm not sure if they can compare to a butterslax.
> 
> Though, this is too cool:
> https://reverb.com/item/20687042-or...annel-guitar-head-owned-by-fall-out-boy-35961
> ...



That is the most badass looking orange head ever!


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## Randy (Mar 21, 2019)

narad said:


> Ceriatone's not really going to beat (or at least significantly beat) a used Dual Dark (of which there are plenty) with a new build.



Yeah, that Ceriatone schtick is mostly about getting very rare or expensive amps (Dumble, Trainwreck, Silver Jubilee, etc) and make them in a more affordable and dead-on accurate copy. They're cheapER but still not cheap. I was in my OTS for ~$1000 by the time I was done and that's on an amp I had to build myself.


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## technomancer (Mar 21, 2019)

Randy said:


> Yeah, that Ceriatone schtick is mostly about getting very rare or expensive amps (Dumble, Trainwreck, Silver Jubilee, etc) and make them in a more affordable and dead-on accurate copy. They're cheapER but still not cheap. I was in my OTS for ~$1000 by the time I was done and that's on an amp I had to build myself.



Yeah and in this case it isn't exact either... but eh close enough 

For one of these after seeing what it actually is I'd just build my own (and plan to do so, though just a Jose variant tuned to my liking vs a direct copy of this amp)


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## cardinal (Mar 21, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Yeah and in this case it isn't exact either... but eh close enough
> 
> For one of these after seeing what it actually is I'd just build my own (and plan to do so, though just a Jose variant tuned to my liking vs a direct copy of this amp)



I think some of the other Ceriatone amps aren't exact copies either. I'm pretty sure the Dumble SSS is a Dumble-designed preamp into literally the power section of an Ampeg SVT (like, he pulled the board from an SVT and used it), but the Ceriatone SSS is a 100 watt model. Maybe there are some 100 watt SSS Dumbles out there (I'm not an expert!), but I do think the "original" SSS was 300 watts.

I was interested in getting the Ceriatone SSS and redoing the preamp to clone the SVT until I realized that it only was a 100 watt power section.


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## narad (Mar 21, 2019)

cardinal said:


> I think some of the other Ceriatone amps aren't exact copies either. I'm pretty sure the Dumble SSS is a Dumble-designed preamp into literally the power section of an Ampeg SVT (like, he pulled the board from an SVT and used it), but the Ceriatone SSS is a 100 watt model. Maybe there are some 100 watt SSS Dumbles out there (I'm not an expert!), but I do think the "original" SSS was 300 watts.
> 
> I was interested in getting the Ceriatone SSS and redoing the preamp to clone the SVT until I realized that it only was a 100 watt power section.



All the usual top shelf SSS clones are like always 150W as far as I can tell, so I'd probably guess that. Getting up to 300W with 6L6s is pretty nuts!


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## cardinal (Mar 21, 2019)

narad said:


> All the usual top shelf SSS clones are like always 150W as far as I can tell, so I'd probably guess that. Getting up to 300W with 6L6s is pretty nuts!



The SVT is nuts. It’s silly, but every time I turn mine on, I kinda step back sheepishly afraid that it’ll just blow up or something.


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## Randy (Mar 21, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Yeah and in this case it isn't exact either... but eh close enough



That's a fair point. I'm mostly comparing the Ceriatone stuff to the price range of what you'd buy in a mainstream, production model "copy" in the same price range. Think, like, Soldano vs Jet City or JCM800 vs Windsor or Laney AOR, etc. The Ceriatone circuits or components aren't identical but for my , the reason they have the reputation they do is that they get the vibe of the original stuff a lot better than the usually more accessible alternatives.


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## MASS DEFECT (Mar 21, 2019)

FourT6and2 said:


> It's nothing different from the Chupacabra with just a few component changes. Same amp. Not sure why he's bothering to release it as a "new" one. I bought a Meshuggah amp. It broke. I sent it in for repair. Fortin opted to refund me instead of sending the amp back. So I built a clone with some changes. I posted the schematic for that amp to the SLO Clone forum. Someone there sent the schematic to Ceriatone. Then Nik emailed me for help interpreting the schematic. Now you see this "Gargoyle" amp. The end. I told Nik a bunch of his "design choices" looked strange and unnecessary. Hopefully he made some updates. Otherwise this thing won't sound anything like a Meshuggah (or the amp I built). For example, he's running some "compliance" resistors in the clipping circuit to soften the effect of the diodes. So the amp won't sound as aggressive. But that was in the layout he sent me. I gave him some suggestions, hopefully he listened lol. He also seemed confused about how to implement the elevated heater mod. In the schematic it wasn't really put in the right place, but the people on the SLO Clone forum know what they're doing and it was just there for reference. Whereas he was following the schematic verbatim without really thinking things through. The voltage I had listed were also specific to the transformers I used. So hopefully he doesn't follow those to the letter...




Hmmm interesting? How close will it be to the original? 70%? 80%? I'm just looking for something close to the Cameron Atomica or the Fortin Cali. The Meshuggah is a bit too dry and aggressive for me.


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## godgrinder (Mar 21, 2019)

Bearitone said:


> Are there any companies like Ceriatone that do Orange style clones for cheaper?



Not a whole lot of point in doing it when a brand new TH100 is $1500 isn't it...


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## Bearitone (Mar 21, 2019)

godgrinder said:


> Not a whole lot of point in doing it when a brand new TH100 is $1500 isn't it...


I was talking about the DD50 but sure.


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## godgrinder (Mar 22, 2019)

Bearitone said:


> I was talking about the DD50 but sure.



The 2nd channel on these 2 are close enough I think. If you want 2x high gain channels and built-in attenuator like the Dual Dark then that'd be pretty expensive to clone. I guess there's a reason why most clones are based on simpler designs.


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## TedintheShed (Apr 12, 2019)

It's completed and for sale.

When asked if he could do a King Kong style multi-channel he said it would be possible too.

This is #1, with a special faceplate.

No affiliation with the company.


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## MASS DEFECT (Apr 12, 2019)

^tasty. that silver face should be the regular face. sets it apart. im just not liking the iron maiden font for the gargoyle. plain old english would be better.


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## Zado (Apr 12, 2019)

Looks scary.


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## Zado (Apr 16, 2019)

Heavy mofo


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Apr 16, 2019)

Well shit, I had no idea he was the one behind this amp.


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## gunch (Apr 16, 2019)

mmmmnn ya big mean ol gargle


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## technomancer (Apr 16, 2019)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Well shit, I had no idea he was the one behind this amp.



To be fair the one really "behind the amp" was the one that posted the schematic of the Fortin that was used for this


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## MASS DEFECT (Apr 17, 2019)

Sounds good. But not as aggressive as the Meshuggah.


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## Zado (Apr 17, 2019)

^Might be a good thing for me


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## MASS DEFECT (Apr 17, 2019)

I wish they can have a two channel option for this one. Like a King Kong but a Gargoyle on Ch2 instead of a Yeti.


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## technomancer (Apr 17, 2019)

MASS DEFECT said:


> I wish they can have a two channel option for this one. Like a King Kong but a Gargoyle on Ch2 instead of a Yeti.



If you actually want to buy one email Nick and ask about it.... somebody posted somewhere that they asked and were told it was possible


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## TedintheShed (Apr 17, 2019)

technomancer said:


> If you actually want to buy one email Nick and ask about it.... somebody posted somewhere that they asked and were told it was possible



That was me- Nick said he saw no reason it couldn't be done.


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## Mathemagician (Apr 17, 2019)

So is this Meshuggah in a box? That’s all I want to know. But then I may as well just use the VST. Some help my gas.


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## Zado (Apr 18, 2019)

Mathemagician said:


> So is this Meshuggah in a box? That’s all I want to know. But then I may as well just use the VST. Some help my gas.


Apparently...


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## Taylor2 (Apr 20, 2019)

Okay I want one when are they available


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## technomancer (Apr 20, 2019)

Taylor2 said:


> Okay I want one when are they available



Email, they're not on the website yet but Nick has said you can order them.


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## Taylor2 (Apr 24, 2019)

technomancer said:


> Email, they're not on the website yet but Nick has said you can order them.



Has he mentioned any pricing? I'll email him tonight.


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## technomancer (Apr 24, 2019)

Taylor2 said:


> Has he mentioned any pricing? I'll email him tonight.



I think he said $1500 somewhere but not 100% positive.


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## KnightBrolaire (Apr 24, 2019)

1600+$ is what plague scythe said in his latest vid


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## Zado (Apr 24, 2019)

PTP handmade amp, fair price imho


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## MASS DEFECT (Apr 24, 2019)

1350 from Nik at the FB group.


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