Ceriatone Creme Brulee Kit: Go / No-Go ?

[Michael_B]

I'm completely happy with my two modeling amps (Fender Mustang III & VOX Valvetronix AD120VT "Blue Series"). But, all you rat bastards going on about your fancy tube amps have got me wondering what fun I may be missing.

Being one to jump in over my head, I was thinking of assembling a kit. Then, I stumbled across this local CL listing for Ceriatone Creme Brulee kit.

I wanted to ask the HFC Experts:

1) Opinions on the Creme Brulee?

2) Opinions on a novice tube guy jumping into a partially done kit?

3) Opinions on what would be a fair offer?

4) Opinions on being totally happy with the gear that one already has, still looking for reasons to be dissatisfied and parting with a bunch of cash for a somewhat ill-defined reason?

[bubs_42]

Way too many amps out there in that price range or slightly higher (after you buy tubes and calculate hours of putting it together) that will be of better sounding and hold value better than a kit. This is one of the reasons why I haven't done a kit. WTF do I know about building amps that the pro's don't? Budda Superdrive 18 or 30, Peavey Classic 30, ect, ect, ect.

[Michael_B]

With all those points in mind, I was thinking of offering something substantially lower than his asking price. Some price, where after all the tubes and time, I feel like I got a decent deal. Worst he can say would be "no."

I spent about 15 seconds searching for the cost of the missing tubes; it looks like about $90, shipped.

[django49]

I am (also) NOT a person with the ability (read:willing to commit the time to learn) to take it on. I suppose you could look up Ceriatone and price out their kits, cabs, the speaker, etc.

MY problem would be.......Here is a seller that is, supposedly, a pro. HE has not found time to finish it. Says it is great sounding. But he has not even finished wiring it(??!)

LIfe DOES get in the way of plans. But buying a kit AS IS, for an apparently not great price, is a recipe for disappointment.

If you are not sure which way to go, tube/tone wise, I am sure there are many here who would be happy to offer demos if/when you are in the neighborhood.

[Michael_B]

Solid points, Don.

I was just reading up on kit-building and it looks like it's a day's work to complete it.

All right, fellas, I'm convinced; I'll give it a pass.

Thanks for the useful feedback. What they say about you guys, is clearly not completely true.

[bubs_42]

No i'm pretty sure its true.

[hamerhead]

Positive it's true.

[Ralph]

I have a Mesa combo if your interested.

[hamerhead]

I have a Trademark 60 I could dismantle and send. That way you wouldn't have to mess with all those pesky tubes.

[mrjamiam]

IF you were interested in learning about the innards of tube amps, THEN a kit could be a good way to go. It won't have any resale value to speak of, I suppose, so getting a non-famous amp name one for cheaper and filing the expense under "tuition" instead of "musical equipment investment" would be the way I would go (and have).

And getting a new one that you start from step 1 is the way to go. Once you have a few under your belt you can think about taking on what others have attempted, but until you really learn what goes on under the hood, the way it SHOULD be, you'd have no idea how to troubleshoot.

[django49]

I've got a "thang" or three you could test drive if you are still heading thru here on the way to Seattle.

[Michael_B]

I have a Mesa combo if your interested.

Thanks for the offer, but a big part of the allure was to build it.

IF you were interested in learning about the innards of tube amps, THEN a kit could be a good way to go. It won't have any resale value to speak of, I suppose, so getting a non-famous amp name one for cheaper and filing the expense under "tuition" instead of "musical equipment investment" would be the way I would go (and have).

And getting a new one that you start from step 1 is the way to go. Once you have a few under your belt you can think about taking on what others have attempted, but until you really learn what goes on under the hood, the way it SHOULD be, you'd have no idea how to troubleshoot.

Yep. Taking the opportunity to learn how tube amps tick (they tick, right?) was what I was interested in- and having it partially completed was a negative to me. My thought was to make an offer at a price where I could learn a thing or two and sell it without taking a bath. An amount less than the price of a non-famous amp kit.

But, as Don pointed out, the seller's story doesn't add up considering that assembling a kit amp should just be a day's work for someone experienced in it.

I was probably diving in way over my head.

I've got a "thang" or three you could test drive if you are still heading thru here on the way to Seattle.

Seattle move's been scratched. Wife and kids are moving back to Tampa in July/August. It's been a great 7 months of solitude.

[gorch]

If you seriously want to go tube, I'd recommend a Valvetech VAC 25 to start.

[Michael_B]

The Valvetech VAC 25 looks very cool.

My interest in owning a tube amp is actually a pretty mild curiosity. I'm actually more interested in simply assembling one and seeing how they work.

[mrjamiam]

I started with a predecessor of this one: https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/K-MOD102

It was a manageable build and a good learning experience. It did what a tube amp should, but I'm not going to make any claims about magical tone. Instructions, which I consider VERY important for an inexperienced amp builder, were good.

Next up is this one: https://tubedepot.com/products/tweed-5e3-vacuum-tube-amp-kit

Kind of like in the craigslist ad, being an adult sucks, and I've gotten part way in, just need time to finish, or to sell it on craigslist....

Nope, not going to sell, going to finish. And the instructions on this one are a step above the first one.

There are others, of course, but these are the ones I know about personally.

[Michael_B]

Cool kits. Thanks for the links. I know PCBs (used on the Tweed 5e3) are practical, but being able to see/make the physical connections (like on MOD-102) would help me better absorb what's happening.

[mrjamiam]

Cool kits. Thanks for the links. I know PCBs (used on the Tweed 5e3) are practical, but being able to see/make the physical connections (like on MOD-102) would help me better absorb what's happening.

As I said, there are others, especially with reproductions of the Fender tweeds. Alternatively, tag board, turret boards, etc. are also available, and a motivated amp builder could make substitutions. Some folks like to do that with the reproductions of the old designs, to make them hew more closely to the originals.

I'm a reader and a researcher, so I had already gotten some idea of how tube amps work before I committed to building a kit. I liked Dave Hunter's tube amp book (and some of his others, too) best.

[Michael_B]

I'm a reader and a researcher, so I had already gotten some idea of how tube amps work before I committed to building a kit. I liked Dave Hunter's tube amp book (and some of his others, too) best.

I've started reading up on the web. I like the cost: free. But, the info is rarely well consolidated and like all information on guitar-related subjects... well, opinions differ. Last night, the book Design and Construction of Tube Guitar Amplifiers caught my eye. I'll check out Dave Hunter's work, it may be more accessible.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[mrjamiam]

Hunter's book is more conversational. The Megantz book, while not flat-out an engineering text, is much more in that direction. I'm an electrical engineer by degree, and I preferred Hunter's book as an intro to the topic. I have some others, including Megantz, and one day I swear I'm going to sit down and do the math.

One that I don't have, but lots of people reference, is Aspen Pittman's book. I gather that his book was first in the market on the popular side of tube amp documentation (as opposed to the engineering side), and some other people have taken the idea and run with it.

Sorry if this has drifted away from the theme of your original post. I agree with previous comments, something was fishy about that ad, over and above the general principle of not picking up someone else's unfinished project unless you know exactly what you're doing. Vague on things that someone who had built several beforehand should be definite about.

Here's a guy who has his ad together better, but I still wouldn't give anywhere near that much for his homebuilt amp: https://huntsville.craigslist.org/msg/5046335180.html

[django49]

^^^^

A great choice for a Dube Brothers cover band.

[Michael_B]

Hunter's book is more conversational. The Megantz book, while not flat-out an engineering text, is much more in that direction. I'm an electrical engineer by degree, and I preferred Hunter's book as an intro to the topic. I have some others, including Megantz, and one day I swear I'm going to sit down and do the math.

One that I don't have, but lots of people reference, is Aspen Pittman's book. I gather that his book was first in the market on the popular side of tube amp documentation (as opposed to the engineering side), and some other people have taken the idea and run with it.

Sorry if this has drifted away from the theme of your original post. I agree with previous comments, something was fishy about that ad, over and above the general principle of not picking up someone else's unfinished project unless you know exactly what you're doing. Vague on things that someone who had built several beforehand should be definite about.

Here's a guy who has his ad together better, but I still wouldn't give anywhere near that much for his homebuilt amp: https://huntsville.craigslist.org/msg/5046335180.html

Thanks for the suggestions. I went ahead and ordered Hunter's and Pittman's books. Held off on Megantz.

[fractal]

Hunter's book is more conversational. The Megantz book, while not flat-out an engineering text, is much more in that direction. I'm an electrical engineer by degree, and I preferred Hunter's book as an intro to the topic. I have some others, including Megantz, and one day I swear I'm going to sit down and do the math.

One that I don't have, but lots of people reference, is Aspen Pittman's book. I gather that his book was first in the market on the popular side of tube amp documentation (as opposed to the engineering side), and some other people have taken the idea and run with it.

Sorry if this has drifted away from the theme of your original post. I agree with previous comments, something was fishy about that ad, over and above the general principle of not picking up someone else's unfinished project unless you know exactly what you're doing. Vague on things that someone who had built several beforehand should be definite about.

Here's a guy who has his ad together better, but I still wouldn't give anywhere near that much for his homebuilt amp: https://huntsville.craigslist.org/msg/5046335180.html

Thanks for the suggestions. I went ahead and ordered Hunter's and Pittman's books. Held off on Megantz.

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

[Brewmaster]

I saw this post and even though it is months old I felt the need to interject something.

1) If you buy from Ceriatone buy the completed amp. Their work is impecible.

2) Be aware that there have been issues with their transformers. I have had several 18 watt Ceriatones hit my bench with dead power trannys.

I also tweaked the circuit while I had it which leads to......

3) You may have to tweak the circuit to get it to where you think it should be. You can learn a lot by doing this as well as gain intimate knowledge of not only the amp you own amp but the varoius related circuits and what makes them different.

All this being said I serviced a Ceriatone Plexi and was stunned by how well it was put together. The amp sounded every bit as good as a Germino I was working on a the same time. No wonder I can't compete!!!!