Which Ceriatone amp is best for OSDM, NWOBHM and death-doom metal?

endless

endless

New member
I would like an amp that can do all of those, but NOT be so tight that I cannot get a nice "bloom" from a lightly palm-muted power chord (loose resonance available on the amp?) for doom metal play. The easiest/best way to get the saturation and sustain I like is with the BOSS MT-2, but I want to get something like that with a mix of tube and transistor distortion --not just a pedal with poor wave structure/sound.

Basically, I want the amp that improves upon what Marshall has tried(?) to do since the 80s or the JCM900, I think. Perhaps their best attempt was the JCM900 SL-X, albeit, maybe that amp has the wrong power tubes for me.
 
Chupacabra comes to mind, especially if you're wanting a not-so-tight low-end. Molecular my be an option as well, although I've not played one of those. A 2203 with NFB and an additional pedal or two might get you there, while still heavily leveraging the grind of the amp.

You should give NIk @ Ceriatone a holler too. He'll have a pretty good idea of which amp will be the best fit, and most of the time you can add a resonance or NFB or other controls to amps they're not standard on to get exactly what you're looking for.
 
[ Donnie B. ] said:
BIG MISTAKE if you don't just talk to the man.
No way you're going to get better advice from anyone else.
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I have tried, but I am not sure that he knows more extreme metal than 80s thrash (like Slayer, which I mentioned) and Meshuggah. He's also unfamiliar with the JCM900 SL-X, which is probably Marshall's highest gain amp in the traditional tube amp, JCM family. I will try to get some insight from other users.
 
DanTravis62 said:
Does ceriatone make a SLO?

Because that's what it sounds like you'd need.
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Yeah, Dan, I have actually considered buying the SLO in recent months. I like that amp and the (cheaper) Peavey 5150 from the early 90s. I had the crappier version of the 5150, the 6505+, but that amp is definitely too tight and, the EQ is shit IMO.

Naturally, I like the lower bass range of the 6L6 power tubes but I don't like the character overall of those tubes compared to the EL-34s; I am still a Marshall guy at heart, despite some nice rhythm guitar recordings from bands like My Dying Bride using the 5150 in the mid-90s. Also, the warranty is voided on the SLOs if you swap out the power tubes (for EL-34s), as per direct contact with Soldano, the company.
 
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endless said:
Yeah, Dan, I have actually considered buying the SLO in recent months. I like that amp and the (cheaper) Peavey 5150 from the early 90s. I had the crappier version of the 5150, the 6505+, but that amp is definitely too tight and, the EQ is shit IMO.

Naturally, I like the lower bass range of the 6L6 power tubes but I don't like the character overall of those tubes compared to the EL-34s; I am still a Marshall guy at heart, despite some nice rhythm guitar recordings from bands like My Dying Bride using the 5150 in the mid-90s. Also, the warranty is voided on the SLOs if you swap out the power tubes, as per direct contact with Soldano, the company.
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Well, the part about the low end being a little bit looser just screams SLO circuit to me.


There are quite a few slo-clones with el34 power sections - brit-tone and scorpion come to mind.

The dual Rectifier is also a slo-clone, basically, and you can either snag a badlander or find one rebiased for 34s, they aren't uncommon. Also, the earlier revision of rectifier the closer the circuit is to the SLO, iirc.
 
DanTravis62 said:
Well, the part about the low end being a little bit looser just screams SLO circuit to me.


There are quite a few slo-clones with el34 power sections - brit-tone and scorpion come to mind.

The dual Rectifier is also a slo-clone, basically, and you can either snag a badlander or find one rebiased for 34s, they aren't uncommon. Also, the earlier revision of rectifier the closer the circuit is to the SLO, iirc.
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I decided that I do not like the character of the 6L6 amps relative to playing a Marshall, for example. I have never liked Mesa either, and every time I try a typically "American" amp, I am not satisfied because I want the Marshall nastiness. I am not hung up on MORE low end; I just don't want it to be too tight. I strongly favor the Marshall character in amps that I have truly enjoyed as my own. Maybe I will try an SLO eventually, but for the moment I am pursuing a Marshall-like sound. Lastly, many Marshall clones are guilty of altering the mids and highs to be "less harsh" or whatever the designer seems to be wanting; that is poop IMO.

I've never heard of Brit Tone, nor the Scorpion (Mojave???).

Badlander is kind of interesting, but from my first-hand and listening experience with EVERY Mesa, I would not likely buy one unless blown away in a studio/shop. The Badlander has gotten great reviews though and I think it comes with EL34s by default, which is why I watched some videos on that amp already :D
 
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endless said:
I decided that I do not like the character of the 6L6 amps relative to playing a Marshall, for example. I have never liked Mesa either, and every time I try a typically "American" amp, I am not satisfied because I want the Marshall nastiness. I am not hung up on MORE low end; I just don't want it to be too tight. I strongly favor the Marshall character in amps that I have truly enjoyed as my own. Maybe I will try an SLO eventually, but for the moment I am pursuing a Marshall-like sound. Lastly, many Marshall clones are guilty of altering the mids and highs to be "less harsh" or whatever the designer seems to be wanting; that is poop IMO.

I've never heard of Brit Tone, nor the Scorpion (Mojave???).

Badlander is kind of interesting, but from my first-hand and listening experience with EVERY Mesa, I would not likely buy one unless blown away in a studio/shop.
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Honestly I have the same experience with Mesa. Though, I always wanted *more" tight, not less, with my Marshall journey.

I guess there's so many amps that could possibly fit the bill, the closest of the ceriatones that's been mentioned to your requirements seems like the CCV maybe? I don't remember what the name of it was, but it seems like it would "fit." That "traditional" marshall big brash uncompressed high end and mids is what seperates some of the super high end stuff.
 
Dan: yes, Nik at Ceriatone seemed to think that I would like a King Kong (Cameron clone, I guess) or the Yeti but with 6550 power tubes instead of EL34s. His frame of reference for extreme metal sound is Slayer, or that saturated, JCM-on-steroids sound, which is about right when it comes down to it.

I imagine that Nik looked up the Marshall SL-X, which is the amp that I mentioned to him for gain/sound in the Marshall lineup and he saw that it uses the 6550 power tubes --which Zack Wylde decided to also use in his Marshall signature amp. It wouldn't surprise me if I liked a non-EL-34 amp that is voiced like a Marshall. Kerry King of Slayer has had KT-88 power tubes in his JCM800. I've just never had a chance to try a Marshall with different power tubes.
 
endless said:
Dan: yes, Nik at Ceriatone seemed to think that I would like a King Kong (Cameron clone, I guess) or the Yeti but with 6550 power tubes instead of EL34s. His frame of reference for extreme metal sound is Slayer, or that saturated, JCM-on-steroids sound, which is about right when it comes down to it.
I imagine that Nik looked up the Marshall SL-X, which is the amp that I mentioned to him for gain/sound in the Marshall lineup and he saw that it uses the 6550 power tubes --which Zack Wylde decided to also use in his Marshall signature amp.
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That seems like it would be a good bet for you, then. I also play extreme metal with a Marshallesque tone, and I've played a Cameron CCV, and thought it could absolutely do it. From all accounts the Ceriatone stuff is great, and he does the circuits really faithfully. I've played a handful of them, and they've all been good.
 
hah, I just had a brand new (Vietnam) Marshall DSL 100HR die while playing tonight. I've never seen an amp crap out so badly. I don't have enough knowledge to know what might have gone wrong inside.
>>>returns dept.
 
I've got a Ceriatone 2204 being built right now. I asked for a JCM800 that is tight and aggressive, so he's building it with the Gargoyle's PT and 6550 tubes.

Running the 6550s with the Gargoyle PT means you can run it almost at 500V, which would result in a tighter, louder amp. Take say, the Kerry King 2203, which also has about same voltage.

Our stock 2204 runs it at about 430V B+. The plus side, I think, is that it's singier, with the lower voltages. More of the brown sound when pushed.
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GreatRedDragon said:
I've got a Ceriatone 2204 being built right now. I asked for a JCM800 that is tight and aggressive, so he's building it with the Gargoyle's PT and 6550 tubes.
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Interesting. what did you indicate to Nik as your desired sounds? thrash/death metal? something else? Gargoyle transformers/preamp and 6550 power tubes?

I should just ask Nik why he thinks Yeti instead of Chupacabra for me. He asked me if I want to play something like Meshuggah and I replied, "no, none of that," then said "King Kong" or "Yeti" with 6550 power tubes might be a good option for Slayer-like tones and death metal (in my case, I want death-doom, or Obituary kind of tone and the NWOBHM sounds like newer Darkthrone, Bathory, Celtic Frost.... CF sound was an inspiration for Obituary's rhythm guitar sound).

I might hold out a bit longer and ask you about your opinion of the amp you ordered, RedDragon. Cheers.
 
Badlanders are on the tight side and don’t have the low end for doom. A Dual or Triple Rec with EL34’s would kill for what you want, but you don’t like them. An Orange Rockerverb would probably work too. Yetis are extremely versatile and can be dialed it to be very tight, or very thick and loose, depending on how you set the dual gains, and the era switch. Chupas are looser than Yetis even. Aren’t the Leviathans supposed to be real thick and chewy on the low end like a Friedman Butterslax?
 
Beyond Black said:
Badlanders are on the tight side and don’t have the low end for doom. A Dual or Triple Rec with EL34’s would kill for what you want, but you don’t like them. An Orange Rockerverb would probably work too. Yetis are extremely versatile and can be dialed it to be very tight, or very thick and loose, depending on how you set the dual gains, and the era switch. Chupas are looser than Yetis even. Aren’t the Leviathans supposed to be real thick and chewy on the low end like a Friedman Butterslax?
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thanks for the info on the Ceriatones!

Mesas are absolute no-gos for me. Also, the "doom" sound I would be shooting for is the "death-doom" sound, known from the UK record label called Peaceville and other early 90s death metal-oriented doom metal as opposed to "doom metal" or stoner doom.

The sound on the most recent Darkthrone album, Old Star is also a good reference point for me in terms of overall rhythm guitar sound. Check out the track:
 
endless said:
Interesting. what did you indicate to Nik as your desired sounds? thrash/death metal? something else? Gargoyle transformers/preamp and 6550 power tubes?

I should just ask Nik why he thinks Yeti instead of Chupacabra for me. He asked me if I want to play something like Meshuggah and I replied, "no, none of that," then said "King Kong" or "Yeti" with 6550 power tubes might be a good option for Slayer-like tones and death metal (in my case, I want death-doom, or Obituary kind of tone and the NWOBHM sounds like newer Darkthrone, Bathory, Celtic Frost.... CF sound was an inspiration for Obituary's rhythm guitar sound).

I might hold out a bit longer and ask you about your opinion of the amp you ordered, RedDragon. Cheers.
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I’m pretty sure Obituary use Rat pedals through JCM800’s. I also heard something about getting Celtic Frost tone by turning the tone knob on your guitar completely off and elevating the treble and presence on the amp to compensate.
 
Beyond Black said:
I’m pretty sure Obituary use Rat pedals through JCM800’s. I also heard something about getting Celtic Frost tone by turning the tone knob on your guitar completely off and elevating the treble and presence on the amp to compensate.
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THAT's 100% correct. And that's typically how I aim my guitar tone by default... pretty much like Celtic Frost and Trevor from Obituary, but not always with the same exact gear. It's just stuck in my head without a reminder, probably from listening to World Demise so many times as a teenager LOL.


The exception is that I really dig MDB's rhythm sound on this album, which is probably from a Peavey 5150:
 
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