grrr_me_scary
Active member
I had just posted this over at the sevenstring.org site but I thought it would be more appropriate to post it here:
I have known Kyle for around 5 or 6 years now and I have owned most of his amps at one time or I was able to play through them long enough at home to have a good feel for them and all of their cool tweaking options.
This year I had heard the Ceres at NAMM but I really couldn't hear it very well since that place just gets too loud and drowns most things out (I try to get there early on Thursdays and Sundays to hear things properly).
I did get to try it and I thought it sounded good, but again, with the NAMM noise I really couldn't say if I would want one since I am not a pedal person and I currently had his Artemis II amp.
This situation just changed for me.
Last week, I sold my KSR Artemis II in order to get a custom "stereo" version made of the Artemis with "extras" on it.
However, right after I sold it then Kyle said a custom amp probably wouldn't happen for a long time since he is focusing on the pedals right now and his current amp line up.
This changed things for me.
I decided to give the Ceres a try based upon Fluff's videos and a need to lay some guitar tracks in the studio with something different than my JMP-1 and Mesa amp.
I took a BIG chance on the Ceres because I am NOT a pedal person and I love tube amps and preamps.
I received the Ceres pedal on Saturday (shipping was quick from Kyle's to California, like 2 days), opened it on Sunday night, and tried it out.
Holy Smokes Batman!!!
It sounded great going guitar > Mesa 2:90 power amp > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
It sounded amazing going guitar > Marshall EL34 50/50 power amp > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
It sounded even better going guitar > Axe FX XL + (for effects) with the Ceres in the XL + effects loop > Marshall EL34 50/50 > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
And my favorite way is guitar > XL+ with Ceres in effects loop with the cab simulator "on" AND an OwnHammer Mesa IR 4x12 cab using my headphones
It sounded BRUTAL when the gain was turned up and it didn't sound harsh at all to my ears like when you turn the gain up on some/most high gain amps, and I didn't feel I needed a noise gate in any of the set ups mentioned above, and I definitely didn't feel I needed a boost.
I like to play clean to low gain through medium/heavy gain (depending upon the song/style) and the Ceres didn't disappoint at any gain level or not work for any of the many styles that my band plays these days.
You can hear all of your guitar notes very clearly
I was able to really dial in the clean to my specific tastes with a graphic equalizer on the XL+ (I feel it helps just like it did with any of my tube amps or preamps).
Honestly, I fell in love with the Ceres, definitely no regrets, and I decided NOT to get the custom "stereo" version of the Artemis since I can use the Ceres and another preamp like my JMP-1 and get a dry/wet/blending thing going with my Axe FX XL+ and my Marshall EL34 50/50 and any of my Mesa cabs (the 1x12's or the 4x12's).
I purchased this for my birthday present to myself and I feel it was the BEST birthday present I ever received and I look forward to coming home from work and playing on it
In any of my setups stated above, I found this to be something I will definitely keep as part of my live and recording setup, and as I said above, I am NOT a pedal person.
Also, this was me on Sunday night after I stopped playing on the Ceres:
I have known Kyle for around 5 or 6 years now and I have owned most of his amps at one time or I was able to play through them long enough at home to have a good feel for them and all of their cool tweaking options.
This year I had heard the Ceres at NAMM but I really couldn't hear it very well since that place just gets too loud and drowns most things out (I try to get there early on Thursdays and Sundays to hear things properly).
I did get to try it and I thought it sounded good, but again, with the NAMM noise I really couldn't say if I would want one since I am not a pedal person and I currently had his Artemis II amp.
This situation just changed for me.
Last week, I sold my KSR Artemis II in order to get a custom "stereo" version made of the Artemis with "extras" on it.
However, right after I sold it then Kyle said a custom amp probably wouldn't happen for a long time since he is focusing on the pedals right now and his current amp line up.
This changed things for me.
I decided to give the Ceres a try based upon Fluff's videos and a need to lay some guitar tracks in the studio with something different than my JMP-1 and Mesa amp.
I took a BIG chance on the Ceres because I am NOT a pedal person and I love tube amps and preamps.
I received the Ceres pedal on Saturday (shipping was quick from Kyle's to California, like 2 days), opened it on Sunday night, and tried it out.
Holy Smokes Batman!!!
It sounded great going guitar > Mesa 2:90 power amp > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
It sounded amazing going guitar > Marshall EL34 50/50 power amp > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
It sounded even better going guitar > Axe FX XL + (for effects) with the Ceres in the XL + effects loop > Marshall EL34 50/50 > two Mesa V30 1x12 cabs
And my favorite way is guitar > XL+ with Ceres in effects loop with the cab simulator "on" AND an OwnHammer Mesa IR 4x12 cab using my headphones
It sounded BRUTAL when the gain was turned up and it didn't sound harsh at all to my ears like when you turn the gain up on some/most high gain amps, and I didn't feel I needed a noise gate in any of the set ups mentioned above, and I definitely didn't feel I needed a boost.
I like to play clean to low gain through medium/heavy gain (depending upon the song/style) and the Ceres didn't disappoint at any gain level or not work for any of the many styles that my band plays these days.
You can hear all of your guitar notes very clearly
I was able to really dial in the clean to my specific tastes with a graphic equalizer on the XL+ (I feel it helps just like it did with any of my tube amps or preamps).
Honestly, I fell in love with the Ceres, definitely no regrets, and I decided NOT to get the custom "stereo" version of the Artemis since I can use the Ceres and another preamp like my JMP-1 and get a dry/wet/blending thing going with my Axe FX XL+ and my Marshall EL34 50/50 and any of my Mesa cabs (the 1x12's or the 4x12's).
I purchased this for my birthday present to myself and I feel it was the BEST birthday present I ever received and I look forward to coming home from work and playing on it
In any of my setups stated above, I found this to be something I will definitely keep as part of my live and recording setup, and as I said above, I am NOT a pedal person.
Also, this was me on Sunday night after I stopped playing on the Ceres: