PSA-CCV Proto #1

[johnpace2]

@gtrwun-

Honestly, it was a combination of all the things you mention.

Ripping amp, for sure, and definitely had a different vibe from most (but not all) of the other CCVs I've owned or played.

Every amp Mark did for me after that, was in that same vein; he knew exactly what I dug about his amps (and what I didn't) and really built some great amps for me, over the years. Tremendously talented guy, as a player, and modder/builder.

I think that's why I like that Custom CCV (chrome face plates) I got from you so much. It sounds way more like that video than any other CCV I've owned. That video always blows me away.

....annnndd thats why I kept telling you to just buy it, and be smart enough to keep it.

haha! I'm keeping it for sure. It's safely in my basement. I love that it's one of a kind.

 

[Dingleberries]

Happy NAD man, if it took 4k to get a bucket list amp, enjoy the hell out it!
Rock on my friend ,
Bella

 

[keennay]

Nice, congrats again!

Was there ever a PTP Cameron CCV (or would this be it)?

I vividly remember my reaction upon opening up my pre-production CCV:

 

[Equ1nox]

Not sure. It's in transit and I don't have in-hand. I should have it Wednesday or Thursday.

My Standel amp Mark gutted and built "is" 100% PTP (no PCB, turret, or eyelet board)....just the use of 8-terminal strips and soldiering everything together!

 

[jcj]

Not sure. It's in transit and I don't have in-hand. I should have it Wednesday or Thursday.

My Standel amp Mark gutted and built "is" 100% PTP (no PCB, turret, or eyelet board)....just the use of 8-terminal strips and soldiering everything together!

The purple one isn't PTP.

 

[Equ1nox]

"The purple one isn't PTP."

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't think so.

 

[Equ1nox]

Ok, it's Friday and I got to play with it for a couple hours. I hooked up the new Roland RF-3 and it's all set. SW1 = Channel 1, SW2 = Channel 2, SW3 = Solo!

The bias I felts (as others was WAY too hot at 61.0 and 62.0mA at 516V-since I know it, I can always set it back) and I set it to 52.0mA and 50.5mA at 526V (109.4% and 106.3%) on HI and 31.0mA and 35.2mA at 440V (55% and 62%) on LO

THE AMP CRUSHES! Channel 1 can get you everything from chimming cleans to AC/DC and rhythms. Channel 2 gets you the dirty and the best metal money can buy. Channel 3 get's you of course everything on 2, but you can use it to physically make the amp louder while leaving the tone the same as without solo or you can change the two.

MIDI works PERFECTLY and the amp is DEAD, DEAD quiet when not played!

LO mode is more compressed and HI mode is more Hi-Fi

I am a VERY happy camper and owner of THE #1 amp and "Grail Tone" built and labeled completely by Mark as well and parts hand picked by him!

 

[Racerxrated]

Congrats! I'm sure the other pre Brad King CCV owners will chime in on their amps also having the #1 designation and also having Mark's hand picked components as well. What makes yours 'better' than the other pre BK CCVs? I know you paid a shit ton of money for it, and I'm not against an expensive rare amp which you have...but you kinda seem a little "hey look at me" about the whole thing. Just saying...no offense. I'd be happy too.....

 

[glip22]

Ok, it's Friday and I got to play with it for a couple hours. I hooked up the new Roland RF-3 and it's all set. SW1 = Channel 1, SW2 = Channel 2, SW3 = Solo!

The bias I felts (as others was WAY too hot at 61.0 and 62.0mA at 516V-since I know it, I can always set it back) and I set it to 52.0mA and 50.5mA at 526V (109.4% and 106.3%) on HI and 31.0mA and 35.2mA at 440V (55% and 62%) on LO

THE AMP CRUSHES! Channel 1 can get you everything from chimming cleans to AC/DC and rhythms. Channel 2 gets you the dirty and the best metal money can buy. Channel 3 get's you of course everything on 2, but you can use it to physically make the amp louder while leaving the tone the same as without solo or you can change the two.

MIDI works PERFECTLY and the amp is DEAD, DEAD quiet when not played!

LO mode is more compressed and HI mode is more Hi-Fi

I am a VERY happy camper and owner of THE #1 amp and "Grail Tone" built and labeled completely by Mark as well and parts hand picked by him!

The word that always comes to mind for me and some others when it comes to Mark's talent is " It's a shame". Mark is an amp artist,. If you ever watched him work an amp you would understand. He told me years ago about one particular amp I had, that he listened to the amp and then he painted a picture he saw about that amp. That's why the Dude doesn't function too well from a business standpoint.

 

[keennay]

Everytime I walk into my local Guitar Center's Platinum room and see the whole lineup of Friedman amps, I think to myself, "It's a shame... Cameron Amps could've been here too."

 

[journeyman73]

Congrats! I'm sure the other pre Brad King CCV owners will chime in on their amps also having the #1 designation and also having Mark's hand picked components as well. What makes yours 'better' than the other pre BK CCVs? I know you paid a shit ton of money for it, and I'm not against an expensive rare amp which you have...but you kinda seem a little "hey look at me" about the whole thing. Just saying...no offense. I'd be happy too.....

yeah, its sort of seemed like that from the start to me

 

[keennay]

This is my real Schmidt/Cameron era CCV. The real HOLY GRAIL!. Was built way before the Brad prototype stuff...

Schmidt? How many eras of the CCVs exist?

Very nice by the way!

 

[Alex_S]

Congrats on the amp and I am glad to hear you like it (after the emotional ride on the auction on the other CCV). Reading your description, does it sound like the clips from the other CCVs? Any chance you will some clips of yours? I think we need more clips as these amps are so rare, most of us will never see/hear one in person...

 

[rottingcorpse]

Congrats on a dream amp. Price is not an object for a dream piece. Screw the haters.

 

[glpg80]

This is my real Schmidt/Cameron era CCV. The real HOLY GRAIL!. Was built way before the Brad prototype stuff...

Schmidt? How many eras of the CCVs exist?

Very nice by the way!

Back in the day Schmidt was dealing with the business side of the proto CCV models. Advertising, ordering lists, contact, money handling, etc. He did this as a favour for cameron while cameron could concentrate on just building the amps.

Eventually more orders were made than could be filled, cameron got pissed, schmidt got pissed, and customers got pissed. Schmidt quit his job and abandoned ship. Rest is history.

 

[jcj]

Ok, it's Friday and I got to play with it for a couple hours. I hooked up the new Roland RF-3 and it's all set. SW1 = Channel 1, SW2 = Channel 2, SW3 = Solo!

The bias I felts (as others was WAY too hot at 61.0 and 62.0mA at 516V-since I know it, I can always set it back) and I set it to 52.0mA and 50.5mA at 526V (109.4% and 106.3%) on HI and 31.0mA and 35.2mA at 440V (55% and 62%) on LO

THE AMP CRUSHES! Channel 1 can get you everything from chimming cleans to AC/DC and rhythms. Channel 2 gets you the dirty and the best metal money can buy. Channel 3 get's you of course everything on 2, but you can use it to physically make the amp louder while leaving the tone the same as without solo or you can change the two.

MIDI works PERFECTLY and the amp is DEAD, DEAD quiet when not played!

LO mode is more compressed and HI mode is more Hi-Fi

I am a VERY happy camper and owner of THE #1 amp and "Grail Tone" built and labeled completely by Mark as well and parts hand picked by him!

Very glad you dig it!

 

[jcj]

Congrats! I'm sure the other pre Brad King CCV owners will chime in on their amps also having the #1 designation and also having Mark's hand picked components as well. What makes yours 'better' than the other pre BK CCVs? I know you paid a shit ton of money for it, and I'm not against an expensive rare amp which you have...but you kinda seem a little "hey look at me" about the whole thing. Just saying...no offense. I'd be happy too.....

There's really no dispute as to which CCV was number one, I posted it earlier in the thread.

All of the CCVs Mark built (post Chris) were made from basically the same core components, left over from the Schmidt days, and whatever he had on hand, or could get cheaply and easily; he made most anything work.

There were also a few "pre-Brad" CCVs made from parts remaining after Brad (and co.) and Mark parted ways, so, what you think you have, may not be exactly what you actually have.

FWIW, the OP's amp isn't a pre-Brad CCV, it's the production prototype for Brad's run; Ive played it plenty of times (as have several others, here), through multiple tweaks.

 

[LanierP]

I am the dude that sold this amp and owned it for about a year. I paid 3500$ Plus100$ to ship from Brad. You take out the reverb fee, PayPal fee and the 43$ above the 100$ shipping price that was charged to ship this 75# box 2 day FedEx air, and I'm walking away with an extra 183.52$ net profit. This price was totally fair for a very special piece, and it couldn't be going to a better guy. This amp sounds crazy good, and the only reason I'm letting it go is because I am moving on musically in another direction.
I'm passing the torch here and hope that the OP will enjoy this amp as much as I did. Next on the auction block for me is a Mesa Boogie Mark 2C+. The real deal.

 

[Racerxrated]

Congrats! I'm sure the other pre Brad King CCV owners will chime in on their amps also having the #1 designation and also having Mark's hand picked components as well. What makes yours 'better' than the other pre BK CCVs? I know you paid a shit ton of money for it, and I'm not against an expensive rare amp which you have...but you kinda seem a little "hey look at me" about the whole thing. Just saying...no offense. I'd be happy too.....

There's really no dispute as to which CCV was number one, I posted it earlier in the thread.

All of the CCVs Mark built (post Chris) were made from basically the same core components, left over from the Schmidt days, and whatever he had on hand, or could get cheaply and easily; he made most anything work.

There were also a few "pre-Brad" CCVs made from parts remaining after Brad (and co.) and Mark parted ways, so, what you think you have, may not be exactly what you actually have.

FWIW, the OP's amp isn't a pre-Brad CCV, it's the production prototype for Brad's run; Ive played it plenty of times (as have several others, here), through multiple tweaks.

Cool. Thanks for the info. I'm sure its a great amp, all Cameron's are. I've had 4 Aldrich and one 'one off' that I've never seen for sale....whoever bought it loves it. It was a 2203x with a modern type mod I think, should have kept it. Anyway congrats on the amp again.

 

[Equ1nox]

Thanks guys and Len

Again, smoking busy, but got to finally play it for an hour tonight. Sounds killer and yes, I will put together a video and post it. I can't believe people get rid of stuff like this.
I'm also glad I didn't purchase the one recently on ebay that Mark alledgedly finished late last year. The new owner has a few CCV's and said it's different! To me, this is not good. Especially folks that have more than one of the same amp usually do it as "backup" amps, just in case. If it sounds different, wtf good is it?

In any even, this was a MUCH better deal and the holy grail in my eyes. Thanks again for everything!

p.s. - are you serious about getting fid of the Mesa Boogie Mark 2C+?? Fuck. I have 20 amps at the house, but that is one I don't have! God damn it! lol