CeriaTone 36RP

This amp is a puristic one. But it doesn't mean it has no features. It features big sound. No channel switching here. No reverb. But you know what, it doesn't need them!

The sound is already plastic and multidimensional. So why using reverb? When recording you can always put it afterwards if you want but you can never take it away if you don't like it. 1:0 for CT.

The channel switch is built in your guitar: It's your volume pot! Pull your guitar back, you have a perfect rythm sound. Push it and you're in the middle of the song. Of course your band must play with and not against you but that's how a good band should work anyway. 2:0 for CT

It features, however, a half power which I don't use because I need the headroom. It also has another switch I left the way it is. It also has a one more channel, the EF86 channel. It sounds slighly different, springy and fresh. Very nice character. For a puristic concept of an amp this is a big list of features. They are also realized in a highly professional manner. 3:0

It also features a high skill of amp making. The turret, soldering, all components, transformators, thubes, pots, switches, connectors - simply everything ist the best of the best. Many features here too...

We differntiate between the EF channel ant the "normal channel". The EF channel has Master and a Tone switch, the normal channel Bass, Middle, Treble and Volume (=Gain).

The normal channel sounds like a very, very good Bassman. The sound has fundament accompanied by velvety highs and sonorous mids. You have to play with the knobs in order to get the sound you want to. You can even vary the sound character quite a lot.

The EF channel is a bit different. I always have a slight tendency to swich to the bridge pickup. With a Tele you get the sound from Brad Paisleys records - altough he's using other amps. Probably because he never tried Ceriatone ;).

Just like Nik himself said: This is like having two amps inside of one. Jumered you get many, many more possibilities to get _your_ sound.

Now this is where the sun shines. I have never, ever heard a better clean and light to medium crunch sound! I've had and have many amps, the amp CT kicked off the throne is a Mesa Lone Star Special. Any questions? I also have a Marshall JMP 2204 which is also very good, but(!) - no chance, sorry Jim. Suddenly you hear everything. The Strat pickups sound sooo different! You hear bad signal cable, bad pots, bad guitars. Or let me put it other way: you can recognise if you have good or bad equippment in your setup because the amp is so honest. On the other hand it inspires you to use different playing techniques because everything is so clearly presented like on a silver tablet. Just unbeleivelable. This is not a high gain amp but in that what it does, it's perfect.

You can also jumper the channels: Jumper the high inputs and plug your guitar into the low input of the "normal" channel. Now you can use everything like before and mix the channels by using the two volumes. Through this you can achieve a huge variety of different sounds.

So far no problems and the way the amp is built I suppose there will never be any.

I ordered the amp simply by an email. The confirmation and payment via PayPal worked very well and within hours. Nik answered me on Sunday - these guys seem never go to bed.

It seems that customer support and contact is very important overthere, I feared about the money at no time, which should be normal I guess. At last I live in Germany and Ceriatone is in Malaysia.

The shippment was *very* fast, the amp came within 4 days, after it was built. The duration of the building was just like I was told by the purchase. No false promises here, which I appreciate a lot. Honest, reliable, kind and helpful - that's Ceriatone in the eyes of their customers. Just the way things should be and even beyond. Thank's Nik!

I play the amp for about 2-3 weeks now. From the first tone on this amp thrilled me to the max. I forgot playing fast because I wanted to enjoy every tone. Forget features like reverb or channel switching when you have a tone like this. You simply don't miss them. In my eyes this ist the best value for the money you can get these days and the amp is built to last decades.

Thumbs up! Fantastic value!

My Ceriatone is the 36W TMB EF86 build. Has a GZ34 tube rectumfryer, four EL84 output tubes, a 12AX7 PI, two 12AX7s in the TMB (Treble-Middle-Bass) plexi-style channel, and one EF86 in the "normal" channel. Has the half-power switch to take two output tube offline, the NFB (negative feedback) switch, and 4, 8, and 16 ohm speaker outputs. TMB channel has a "master" volume which is not post-PI (phase inverter) and therefore functions as a post-gain volume for the TMB channel. The tone control on the EF86 channel is a 6-position rotary switch that fattens up the signal as you turn it clockwise.

No FX loop or channel switching on this one, although you can jumper the channels and blend them or just use an A/B box to switch between. I also had Nik add a bleeder resistor to drain the voltage from the caps when powered down because I'm a persistent tinkerer and he also sent me some extra parts to help me tweak it to taste. So far the plate resistors have been retro'd back to carbon comps to get some more mojo when driving the amp hard and a few cap values adjusted to suit my ear... but I'm surprised at how little I had to do to get it right where I want it. It won't do backflips, but it's not supposed to... it's not 3 grand either!

Knocking off one point because Nik didn't have the plexi plates ready for this kit yet when he sent me the amp so the EF86 tone markings are not correct. That, and the fact that it's not wired HiWatt style like Harry Joyce would do... I'm anal-retentive about things like that. Even so, the build is very clean and there is ZERO noise in this circuit! Nothing's perfect, but this chassis is VERY close. I made my own head box but there are dozens of very good sources out there. Just be sure to pick something that's on par with this amp's quality, please! ;-)

I play many styles and this amp can cover most of the bases gracefully. For over-the-top high gain tones I use a Rodenberg GAS-808 pedal on the TMB channel and for most other clean/rhythmn/lead switches I just use the volume on the guitar or my Super Hard-On pedal... or Rangemaster clone like God intended.

Guitars I use vary but I find that it's hard to keep my '74 LP Signature away from this amp for too long. With its phase and impedence switching it makes the amp so much more versatile. The EF86 channel adds extra sweetness to my '66 Fender Electric XII (no compressor pedal needed... every string can be heard) and when driven hard with my '77 LP Special DC it's raw and very Vox-like. The TMB channel works best with humbuckers and can nail all of those classic rock tones mentioned in the other posts.

In 36W mode everything is fatter... you get extra girth without sacrificing clarity. This is where it can really shine with a Strat on either channel. 36W is not really that much louder than 18W, but it makes up for it with tighter, punchier bass and extra lush harmonic content all over the spectrum.

I actually thought that the amp broke up a little too soon so I've been using a Mullard CV4024 (12AT7) as the PI and although the max. volume went down slightly the amp now can do much louder cleans and has just the right grind when dimed... and is dead quiet doing it, too. Anywhere below "8" on the volume is super quiet... above that and I start picking up stray noise from the lighting in the room... but it's much quieter than anything else I own at that volume.

I'm using this mostly to record with and I have extra tubes and fuses on hand anyway and always test gear before Rawkin' Out anyway, so...

Components are top-notch. Even the wire that Nik used is better quality than most. Everything is heavy duty, the chassis is sturdy and the transformers are HUGE! They sound great and I can honestly say that thoughts about whether or not I should have gone with MM or Heyboer iron went out the window the first time I played the amp at full tilt.

Ordered on January 19, 2007... delivered to me as a working chassis February 01, 2007. Nik worked with me to get all of my requested mods right and got it to me in 13 DAYS?!? From Malaysia?!? CrAzY!!! Nik is terrific to work with BTW... what everyone says is true.

Send him an email at any time of the day and you'll get a response in a few hours. When does he sleep?!? I don't know...

He has an agreement with a repair facility in the States, not that I think I'll ever have to use them. The build quality is very good like I said and I bought the amp to tinker with so I'd probably just do minor stuff myself. Again, the ruggedness of the parts and the build quality have left me with only one thing to worry about... what speakers to use it with... but that's a book's worth of posts in itself, so...

I'm going to be ordering another kit soon from Nik. He only charges around $60 to fully assemble an amp, but I'm gonna do it myself next time for the experience. Between him and the great people over at 18watt.com I can't imagine that I'd encounter a problem that they couldn't help me with.

As for the future of this amp?!? I'm thinking of adding a Tube/SS recifier switch and maybe a "mode" pot that would take it from Marshall response to a more Vox-like response by cold-biasing the PI... neither of which are required for the amp to sound amazing but would make it that much more versatile.

OK, to sum up... picture a Venn diagram with three circles intersecting (or John Bonham's rune for those versed in all things Zeppelin) and in one circle you have a Marshall 18W, in another a Plexi, and in the last a Vox AC30... the point at which those three things meet is the Ceriatone 36W TMB EF86. I would have easily paid twice as much for this amp. (Don't tell Nik.)

Well, I said it in my previous review of the Hi-Octane, I wanted a 36RP....and got it ;)

This AMP is new, fully point to point boutique Marshall amp. It is basically an 18 Watt TMB with double the power and a switch to go from 18 to 36 Watt. Clean Channel has Tone and Volume, MasterVolume Channel has MasterVol, Treble, Mid ,Bass and Volume. The two channels are bridgeable because of the 2 inputs per channel. 4,8 and 16 inputs and a switchable ON/OFF negative feedback loop.

Well, this is a hooped up 18 Watt. The OT is much bigger, and the headroom is dramatically increased. It sounds very full, nice and warm sparkling bright in the clean channel, AC/DC levels of distortion on the MasterVol. channel keeping the deep rich tube sound. I have a Nady TD-1 Tube Distortion stompbox in front which pushes the MasterVol. into high gain sound. The TMB section works extremely well, going from bright metalish to dark Stonersound. I will stick with this baby !

Gigging yes...very sturdy chassis, Tube protectors the whole thing. I am sure the amp will last for many years to come.

Nik is very responsive and helpfull....he never failed me in the various projects I have done!

Unbeatable for the price. It IS like the original Marshall....but with some nice additions. And on top of that, Marshall started selling them but without Tube Rectifier. The 36RP is fully Tube!

This amp is loaded with FEATURES....just not many FRILLS. Depends what you're after I guess. It FEATURES: 4-EL84s, tube rectifier, 2 channels, global master volume,Half power switch and negative feedback (mojo) switch, individual speaker outs for each impedance...NO dangerous switch.
One of it's greatest FEATURES is that it was custom built BY HAND for ME! The workmanship and attention to detail is absolutely second to none. It was tested and tweeked to perfection and all the different valued components that were tried during testing were included for me to "play with".
It doesnt have all the frills like push pull pots, gain knobs, digital modeling or neon lights...it delivers a wide array of amazing tones at everything from a whisper to a scream.
oopsies...guess I should add...doesnt have reverb and it doesnt have a CABINTE....compete chassis only!!! guess that's kind of an important "feature". I found one online for a hundred bucks.

It's still very new to me but...I'm amazed at every sound this thing makes. It has the 18watt EL84 attitude and growl but with a lot of headroom. It uses a transformer for a 50 watt I believe. I played it at a gig right out of the box and didnt find out till the next day at home that I had it on half power. It sounds absolutely HUGE, on full power it's downright scary...for real. I'm a marshall lover/owner and have 100s and 50s from each decade. I tell the truth when I say that this thing has bottom end that can de-rail a train and strikes fear into my 100 watters. I have a '70SF Twin Reverb..."THE" clean amp....this ceriatone's are more articulate and tasty than the twin. The negative feedback switch tightens the amp up a bit. With it in the off potition this thing "outsings" a 50 watt plexi. The 2 channels are voiced differently. The first channel has more "stuff". I have NEVER played an amp that is more responsive to EVERYTHING....guitar volume, attack, effects.....just everything.

This is a brand new point to point hand wired and built amplifier. We'll see how reliable it is down the road. I would NEVER gig without a backup no matter HOW reliable something is. I know that this amp was built as well as an amp can be built with some of the best available components. I'm confident.

customer support...well.....
Nik at Ceriatone is AMAZING. He worked with me to come up with an amp that would hopefully be exactly what I was looking for. There were SO MANY options. He catered to ALL my needs and even entertained every one of my stupid whims or big ideas. His responses always started with "we can do that"...or..."that will be easy, thats no problem at all". He spent a LOT of time before even accepting payment. This is a SERIOUS amp from a SERIOUS amp builder. It's a thing of beauty and if something in it fails or breaks I'll fix it myself...thats the other beautiful thing about this type of amp.
visit www.ceriatone.com

There are vintage amps, boutique amps, re-issue amps, DIY kits blah blah blah...some boutique amps cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. I play mostly small to medium clubs and have been on the hunt for that "Goldilocks" amp for about as long as I can remember. I think I can finally stop...this is the one. Not only is it the amp that gives me what I've always been after, it is essentially a one of, custom built, boutique amp. If I would have tried this amp in a store (which I NEVER DO) I would have given my first born for it.
I think that Ceriatone sells a lot of parts and components to amp builders mainly. They do a lot of kits and are becomming well renowned in the industry as a leader. That is what they mostly do I think...kits and parts...not sure if they even really WANT to sell complete amps. I know that NO ONE else could have done a nicer job though. I'm baffled at how they do what they at the prices they charge. It cant last. They should be charging triple what they are...AT LEAST. I guess the fact that they're in Malaysia keeps SOME costs down but...??? Shipping isnt cheap but not outrageous. It only took 7 days to get to Canada. A guitar mag reviewer will surely stumble upon one of these and then LOOK OUT!
The guy will make anything you want. Not just 18 or 36 watters. He does matchless, fender, vox, marshall.....clones.