New Express Clone: What are your suggested knob settings?

[Steve in Florida]

Hi,

Just got a Ceriatone Express clone, made by Sourmash Cabs. Nice build.

I like it, but... I can't quite dial it right...

Can you help? What settings are you using?

I know these amps are known to be bright, but I can't seem to dial away enough brightness, particularly with a Strat. (A LP works better.)

And if I do get close, then I lose the good Strat cleans when going clean to mean.

I am not skilled enough to take it apart and change cap values and such. I was just looking for where you have your knobs.

Right now, I run a vintage Strat at about 2pm on the gain, and a LP just past noon. All other settings about 10am. (Bright switch up on LP, bright in center with Strat.)

Any suggestions appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Steve

[Gibsonman63]

I run everything on 5 and just adjust the bright switch for the guitar I am playing. My amp does not like Vintage 30's (way too bright). Try a greenback or heritage 30.

Also, long instrument cables are recommended.

Mine was a bit bright when I first built it and required a bit of tweaking, but I would have to dig back through the treads to tell you what I did.

[Steve in Florida]

Thanks, I forgot to mention speakers.

I am currently using a Celestion Gold 1x12 cab.

I tried a G12H-30 1x12 cab at first, but I switched because to my ear it had a bit of mid-scoop and brittle high that didn't seem ideal. I didn't look at the speaker's specs, I'm just going by ear.

Not saying the Celestion Gold is that much better. I want to try to get away with a 1x12 most of the time if possible.

Thanks again,

Steve

[Colossal]

Hey Steve,

IMO and after having tried both the stock Express circuit and modded versions (mostly as an academic exercise), I find the stock circuit to be magical and right "as is". The Express is a chameleon and as you might have read here, changing preamp tubes is very important to finding one's overall perfect sound, especially with respect to the input tube. Don't forget the importance of your guitar's Volume and Tone controls (e.g. dial down the Tone slightly to get a thicker sound, while retaining clarity).

[Steve in Florida]

Thanks guys!

I'm trying what I know to try... and I will keep at it...

I have been working my guitars controls

I did swap out the V1 JJ with a TungSol.

Five minutes ago I ordered a Scumback M75 to try in place of the Celestion Gold.

Thanks again for helping!

Steve

[redshark]

With the bright switch off and all controls at noon it shouldn't be a bright amp with a 1x12 gold. That is what I use.
I use 6V6's as power tubes. That puts the express @ 22 watts and 1 hold can handle it just fine.
Still the express sounds the best with a 4x12 closed back with greenback 25 watters!!

[Jackie Treehorn]

You might try reversing the phase of the speaker. The Express inverts the phase. You get a bit of a different sound, fuller mids with the phase reversed.

I usually set the knobs to provide the most harmonic feedback, then trim off some bass, add some highs to fit the mix/room, etc.

[Colossal]

You might try reversing the phase of the speaker. The Express inverts the phase. You get a bit of a different sound, fuller mids with the phase reversed.

Jackie,

Would you do this via a polarity select switch mounted to the speaker cabinet's input jack plate (on the cabinet)? So, in other words, take the signal off the cabinet's speaker jack, into a DPST on/on, so as to be able to reverse + and - going to the speaker(s).

[Jackie Treehorn]

I just use a phase reversed speaker cable and try to keep the reversed end at the speaker cabinet. The shell of the plug that's reversed will have the ac from the amp output, 30 volts or so, when you're playing, so if you're using an airbrake, you may touch it while you're playing with your hands on the strings. Probably not dangerous, but not optimum. Better to have the reversal at the speaker end.

I did make an amp with a dpdt switch on the chassis to reverse the phase, but mostly I use the phase reversed cable. I like your idea about putting it on the cabinet, though. You could probably do it with just two jacks, too...

[geetarpicker]

My experience is with original Express amps, and for some reason the majority of clones typically end up being brighter for one reason or another. That said, it is rare that I would run just one input cable and I usually use two Mogami 18' cords in series. Pretty sure they run about 600pf per cable. I've tried simulating this with a small cap on a shorter cord but for some reason the cable still seems to sound better. In my experience some cables simply sound more bright and harsh with these amps than others, and low capacitance may not actually be the best. Tips: try short cords with and without the bright switch, and also long cables (maybe up to 40') also with and with the bright switch and see what you like. Also keep in mind the bright switch has less intensity the farther you crank the volume. In that regard the gain of V1 can be changed by swapping tubes which in turn will effect where you might like the volume control, and in turn will then effect how intense the bright switch function is.

Also check your guitar pots. Try 250k pots in Fenders and 500k in Gibsons. If for some reason you have 500k in your single coil guitars that will make for a bright sound. Nice taper 250ks are fairly common, but 500ks are tricky but the new Gibson spec historic 500k pots are the ticket there.

I have a Celestion Gold the I really like in a couple different vintage Fender amps. Still, I tried it once with my Express and (at least in a 1x12 configuration) it was too bright for me. I almost always use vintage Celestion G12M 25s with my Express amps, but I also have a couple cabs with Scumback M75s in them. For a couple years I also ran some felt over the Scumbacks on the inside of the baffle to mellow them a tad, but after a couple years of use I was able to pull the felt after they had plenty of break in time. I never used the felt trick on my old vintage Celestions however they are nicely broken in. Another speaker that might be worth checking into would be the new Creamback Celestion. I've found that since 1x12s tend to be smaller boxes they can sound even brighter in some ways then the sakes speakers in a big 4x12. To me the lack of bass in a smaller enclosure can really make the highs stand out even more and sound too bright. A couple layers of felt and/or basket weave grill cloth can make a 1x12 more balanced. With a few years on the speakers you might be able to pull the felt, though some speakers (like Vintage 30s) can literally take many years to fully mellow out.

My original '89 Express is almost dark sounding without the bright switch on. It's actually a little too bright in some ways with it on full, but it does seem to add clarity to the clean to mean range above what the tone knobs can achieve. In comparison my '85 Express has a bit more clarity, so I often use that amp without the bright switch. Still if you play an original it is noticeable they don't run as bright as most clones, maybe it's a transformer thing. I did notice the one Ceriatone I played was quite brighter than my original, and it was also much louder. The Ceriatone was louder with 6V6s in it then my original is with EL34s!

On your amp don't be afraid to run the treble knob (and maybe the others) way down. The taper of the pots used may greatly effect the control range and it might take quite odd knob settings compared to an original that may work fine with all knobs on 1/2. Many modern pots can come on so quickly that for example the treble and volume knobs may be quite touchy.

[Steve in Florida]

Sorry guys, I don't know what I was thinking...

The amp is now fat as can be...

Again, not sure what I was thinking... but here's the deal...

My Ceriatone TW Expression has a Master Volume. It needed to be dimed (cranked all the way). That's it.

At first, I thought this Master Volume was very good for a Master Volume... I tried another TW Express clone with a Master Volume, and it didn't allow enough breakup -- ever. That Master Volume on that other clone was useless.

This new Ceriatone clone Master Volume is somehow in a better position in the chain of things. It allows breakup where it should break up. That's good. You can turn down to bedroom volumes, literally bedroom volumes, and still enjoy playing.

But with the Master Volume at noon, the amp is loud... but it's not quite there yet... a bit brittle in highs... bright.

Now with the Master Volume dimed, this thing is really fat!

Thanks everyone...

I'm happy now!

Steve

[passfan]

Where are you at in Florida Steve ? I'm about halfway between Tampa and Orlando