NAD: Ceriatone 2203, modded by V2 Amplification

[GreatRedDragon]

Back in March I contacted Nik about ordering a customized 2204, which would be my first tube amp. As the months went on I began to have second thoughts about some of the features I requested, and the long wait began to wear on me. As luck would have it, V2A put a pair of Ceriatone 2203s up for a killer price. I contacted him about some modifications and he knew exactly what I was looking for: a modded JCM 800 that still sounded like a JCM 800, just one that could be skewed in a few different corners of the ballpark. I was quoted a great price and the fact that he is local to me was just the cherry on top, so I cancelled the Ceriatone order (Nik was very gracious and reduced the cancellation fee from 50% to 10%).

A few weeks later I went out and picked up this:

The best rundown of the modifications is the one supplied by V2A himself:

Switches from right to left:
1. Gain structure switch (top switch). This is now a three-position switch. Middle is low gain; down is mid gain; up is highest gain.
2. Fat switch (bottom switch). This changes the low-frequency response of the first preamp gain stage, and so it affects tone only when plugged into the high-sensitivity input. Down is fat; Up is tight.
3. Bright* (top switch). Boosts high frequencies when the preamp volume knob is dialed back. Middle is no boost, down is a bit of a boost, up is full boost.
4. Bite* (bottom switch). Boosts mids and high frequencies when the preamp volume knob is dialed back. Middle is no boost, down is a bit of a boost, up is full boost.
* Bite and Bright can be used together, but in this case, the switch circuits combine into a bite switch to boost mids and highs. It will be like using the bite switch alone, but you will lower the threshold above which you boost gain (it'll go from mids to lower mids).
5. Clipper. A diode-bounding clipper circuit. Adds distortion (in up position) and lowers volume. To compensate for volume drop, turn up master volume a bit.
6. Depth. Wired so that you get a bass boost when in the DOWN position. No bass boost when in the UP position. The amount of boost can be varied with an internal trim pot.

On their own each of these switches has a somewhat subtle effect. However, they are deceptively powerful and versatile when used in combination, shifting the overall character of the amp. The amp can be thick and meaty, for a great Zakk Wylde sound, or thin and sizzly, more in Slash's realm, and everything in-between. The Bite and Bright switches in particular are interactive, my preferred setting so far is Bright on full and Bite on half. And with the Clipper or the High Structure engaged I can afford to roll back the Preamp to really make them felt. Everything just hits that nice sweet spot.

This is even more true when boosted. The humble, right-off-the-shelf Boss SD-1 is an absolute dream with the amp, and its well known EQ curve is able to be exaggerated or tamed by the amp's switches. Again, nothing crazy, it's just sweet spot central. With the SD-1 I have no problem hitting excellent heavy metal tones, and the hard rock tones the amp does very well on its own just get pushed to the next level.

As fun as the High input is, it's not a surprise. I knew what I was getting into. But the Low Sensitivity input is a hidden weapon. While I only wanted to use it as a pedal platform, with the Gain Structure at the highest setting it pulls a great Plexi crunch, something both unexpected and welcome.

Future work that may be done is a buffered effects loop (I haven't tested the stock Ceriatone loop yet), and a small tweak for higher gain was offered as well. For now, I am extraordinarily happy with it.

 

[Samhain]

Lets hear it.

 

[fek]

That sounds like something that could be right up my alley! Nice choice.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Back from vacation and I have a few clips prepared.

Everything was recorded with the same setup: A Bacchus Les Paul with a Duncan Slash pickup, into my pedalboard (Boss TU-3, SD-1, CE-5, all bypassed save for the last clip), into the amp, into a Suhr reactive load, into my Focusrite interface, into Amplitube loaded with some freebie 4x12 V30 IR, dry with no effects.

The first is a demonstration of the nine (!!) combinations of the Bright and Bite switches. In order they are both off, Bite down and up, Bright down and up, both down, Bite down Bright up, Bite up Bright down, and both up.

I've got the amp dialed to my preferred "sweet spot" settings: Present at 8, bass at 6, mids at 6, treble at 4, master at 6 and to exaggerate the effect of the switches I've got the preamp down to 2. All other switches are in the stock position.



As you can hear, engaging just one of the switches adds a fair bit of attack and distortion. The variation thereafter is quite subtle, although with both up there is a prominant clankiness. These switches are definitely a "flip em till it feels right" thing, and they're useful for tweaking the amp for an individual guitar without messing up your knob placements.

The next clip is demonstrating the Depth and Fat switches. For this one I rolled the presence back, the bass and treble up around six and the preamp up to six with the structure switch down. In order the configuration is: Fat and Depth both up, Fat down, Depth down, both Down. All other switches are off.



Again, quite subtle but it's a way of adding that bit of oomph, if a tone is too ratty.

Next, testing how the Structure switch behaves with the Low Input. I have the MV cranked to about and the Preamp right to 11. Depth is down, and all others are off. Just going from low to high.



As can be heard, huge boost switching to the highest setting. It's got a lot of meaty crunch.

Finally, a comparison of this hidden Plexi mode raw and with an SD-1 (level at 2 o'clock, tone at 3 o'clock, drive at 0). For this I rolled the bass and treble down a bit and put the presence back up.



The SD-1 is transformative. The High Input is what made the 800 a legend of course, but the sizzling pissed off tone I can get with the Low Input on this amp blows me away.

That's it for now. I'll do some more clips in a while.

 

[Donnie B.]

Awesome. Ceriatone and Nik are the best.

 

[ClintN667]

I have a V2 Caldera that was a kit build. John actually did a good bit of the work for me and I just had to wire in a few things. I did make a mistake but once I got it resolved I was extremely happy with the amp.

Mine is 20-30 watts with 2 EL34's instead of 6v6 or EL84's that most amps of this wattage have. It has a bunch of tone shaping options that make it very versatile. I use an SD-1 with mine if I want to get heavier with it but straight in it's basically what I would expect from a JCM800 at high volume but with a better tone stack. Really fun and cool amp. I use it alot when I'm playing stuff other than my typical death metal like Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pixies, Interpol etc etc.

When I saw him post the Ceriatones I was hoping someone would grab it so I would quit G.A.S.'n for them. John is a class act and does great work. I've learned a lot from him in the short time we worked together on this amp. If I was in the market for another 20 watt marshall type amp I would totally skip looking at Friedman or any other guys and just get another v2.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

I have a V2 Caldera that was a kit build. John actually did a good bit of the work for me and I just had to wire in a few things. I did make a mistake but once I got it resolved I was extremely happy with the amp.

Mine is 20-30 watts with 2 EL34's instead of 6v6 or EL84's that most amps of this wattage have. It has a bunch of tone shaping options that make it very versatile. I use an SD-1 with mine if I want to get heavier with it but straight in it's basically what I would expect from a JCM800 at high volume but with a better tone stack. Really fun and cool amp. I use it alot when I'm playing stuff other than my typical death metal like Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pixies, Interpol etc etc.

When I saw him post the Ceriatones I was hoping someone would grab it so I would quit G.A.S.'n for them. John is a class act and does great work. I've learned a lot from him in the short time we worked together on this amp. If I was in the market for another 20 watt marshall type amp I would totally skip looking at Friedman or any other guys and just get another v2.

I am incredibly pleased with his work and service as well. Every idea I had he was either game for it, or was able to come up with something even better. Without asking, he put in extra work to reduce noise and while I cant compare it to stock it is very quiet.

I am very happy to have found someone this capable locally.