Ceriatone JTM45 - help me pick the right mods / options

[Billy1234]

Looking to purchase a ceriatone jtm45 in the next several days. I want a nice classic 60's / 70's edge breakup to crunch rock tone that also has beautiful cleans, but crunch more important. Would love to avoid overly flubby bass. As a baseline, the tone in this youtube at 22:30 (I have a tele already and a nice boost overdrive in wampler euphoria) or really any clean jtm45 sound from this video


Here's the options:

1. KT66 vs 6L6 - Im leaning KT66, Ive heard its a more vintage sound with slightly more complex mids and a nicer crunch.

2. PPIMV - must have this. Jamming with friends and not gigging this amp, its a must.

3. Split or shared cathode (JTM45 is shared cathode, the other option Im told by Nik "will make it more Plexi-ish")

4. Bypass of the V2A cathode (more mids/slightly higher gain says Nik)

5. Bright switch

Anyone have some strong advice on these? Thank you all!

 

[big mike]

If you want to skip the flub get a jtm50 style. Personally I'd get a germino or park over ceriatone

Master is good
Brite switch a waste

Split cathode puts it into lead territory basically brighter as does the v2a cap

If you want a lead amp buy one. IMO

 

[big mike]

I think you need To know what speakers hes using there too.

If you want that sound skip all mods but the master

 

[coldengray]

You should strongly consider the Avatar 45. It's a JTM with mods to deliver the tone you described.

 

[Shiny_Beast]

IMO cathode bypass switches are the best bang for the buck. Bright switch would be useful if you are using it as a pedal platform and don't want to go into the 2nd channel.

You might be a candidate for the bright tone stack.

 

[Advisable Owl]

If you want to skip the flub get a jtm50 style.

If you want a lead amp buy one. IMO

This. There's a characteristic bass quality to the JTM that you just can't dial out.

 

[LPMojoGL]

If you want to skip the flub get a jtm50 style. Personally I'd get a germino or park over ceriatone

Master is good
Brite switch a waste

Split cathode puts it into lead territory basically brighter as does the v2a cap

If you want a lead amp buy one. IMO

Was my first thought as well. The Germino Club 40 is what you want. A Ceriatone to that spec if $ is a major consideration. Don't forget the ss rectifier switch.

 

[Billy1234]

Thanks all.

I wont be going pedal platform, planning to run it loud enough to crunch, boost into heavier with a transparent boost like wampler euphoria and roll back guitar volume for a cleaner tone (w boost off obv).

Ill be running it through 2x12 sourmash partial closed back with m75 pvc scumbacks.

I guess I mean to say, I dont want farty bass, vintage flub is ok as long as its not offensive

No big opinions on kt66 vs 6l6 to achieve this tone eh?

Ceriatone was first thought as I wanted to keep it around $1k and Niks work looks amazing, heard great sound clips, never heard a bad review and Johans comparison was really positive
. Hard to justify more since my gigging days are long over. I have yet to hear a good sounding avatar45 clip, maybe just bad mics but none of them were appealing really :/ but I love their cabs.

 

[Krausewitz]

Has to be KT66....anything else isn't a JTM45.

Do the PPIMV and nothing else. Leave it as close to stock as possible. If you then don't like it, you can always add mods to change specific hugs you don't like.

What PPIMV does Nik use? Anything but a PEC pot Rich Mod 2 won't work as well as you'd like (in my experience, based on my JTM45).

 

[big mike]

I'm not a fan of JTM with M voiced speakers
If going ceriatone I still say JTM50 Or 1986 with ppimv

 

[Billy1234]

I'm not a fan of JTM with M voiced speakers
If going ceriatone I still say JTM50 Or 1986 with ppimv

I also have a couple et65's, 1 cannabis rex (waaaaaay too loud though) and an EVM12L.

Do you recommend those other two Cerias because they're more versatile than the jtm45 (they can still get the tone I reference and more?) or because you don't like the jtm45 sound? Why do you think jtm45 is the wrong choice? I really want to be able to nail a vintage rock sound, have some beautiful cleans + hair, if I can push into classic ac/dc territory great as well. I already have a fender princeton reverb and bassbreaker for the driven el84 thing. Lusting over the vintage marshall sound to add.

Thanks all! Big purchase for me, really dont want to regret and have to plop this guy onto the used market and start over again - this is a huge help.

 

[Darkburst]

Don't let anyone try and talk you out of a Ceriatone. Nik makes great amps and the workmanship on the Yeti I owned was better than some of USA boutique stuff I've owned.

I had a Rockytop JTM45 and sold it because I couldn't deal with the loose and abundant low end. Even with the Bass off it was too much for me. This was going into a 2x12 closed back cab with Scumback M75 and H75 speakers. I recommend trying out a JTM45 reissue or other clone before deciding. Personally, if I was in the market for a new classic Marshall clone I'd have Nik build me a low voltage JMP 2204. Plenty loud with a master volume and able to get good range of classic rock crunch.

 

[fusionbear]

Don't let anyone try and talk you out of a Ceriatone. Nik makes great amps and the workmanship on the Yeti I owned was better than some of USA boutique stuff I've owned.

I had a Rockytop JTM45 and sold it because I couldn't deal with the loose and abundant low end. Even with the Bass off it was too much for me. This was going into a 2x12 closed back cab with Scumback M75 and H75 speakers. I recommend trying out a JTM45 reissue or other clone before deciding. Personally, if I was in the market for a new classic Marshall clone I'd have Nik build me a low voltage JMP 2204. Plenty loud with a master volume and able to get good range of classic rock crunch.

Ceriatone builds seriously great amps. For the money, they can't be beat IMO. And with a few mods, are world class builds.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Ceriatone builds seriously great amps. For the money, they can't be beat IMO. And with a few mods, are world class builds.

What mods do you suggest to kick them up to the next level?

 

[big mike]

I also have a couple et65's, 1 cannabis rex (waaaaaay too loud though) and an EVM12L.

Do you recommend those other two Cerias because they're more versatile than the jtm45 (they can still get the tone I reference and more?) or because you don't like the jtm45 sound? Why do you think jtm45 is the wrong choice? I really want to be able to nail a vintage rock sound, have some beautiful cleans + hair, if I can push into classic ac/dc territory great as well. I already have a fender princeton reverb and bassbreaker for the driven el84 thing. Lusting over the vintage marshall sound to add.

Thanks all! Big purchase for me, really dont want to regret and have to plop this guy onto the used market and start over again - this is a huge help.

IMO the JTM 45 isn't the traditional
MArshall sound. A bass or lead spec 50 will Be much more Veratile and matched with your Scumback Ms
Will get the tone in that video and be much more fun and have more tones on tap. That JTM 45 flub just flat annoys me

 

[BADHAK]

Ceriatone makes great stuff. For me, a MV is a must, even on a JTM 45, and I like loud.
I sort of agree that if you're after the classic Marshall late 60's through 70's sound, and you don't like a loose bottom, then maybe a 1986/7 would be a better option.

But as an owner of a 98 Superlead reissue with PPIMV and various vintage 2203's (and a Ceriatone 2203 which is 96% as good) I can safely say a vintage 2203/4 will is a great option for THAT sound.

The other guitarist in one of my bands uses a JTM 45 clone with PPIMV into a pair of reissue Greenbacks and I think he has a great tone (though he always does no matter the gear) but he plays pretty clean and couldn't palm mute to save his life.

In any case, a Ceriatone is a great, high quality base to mod however you like. I'm sure a quality tech can tune a stock 45 into your dream amp.

 

[71strat]

I don't know why everyone always says the JTM45 is Bass Flubby ect. I haven't really had that with my amp. It may be pretty warm ect, on the 1st channel, but its not like there aren't Tone Controls. But its not flubby.

Then you have the 1st High Channel.Then you have channel jumping. All together there 8 different combinations if you consider the 4 holes, 4 different sounds. As they are. Every input sounds different.

My Metro GMP45 Head ( NOS Marconi Osram x 1956 coated glass KT66s x 2 Mullard 12ax7 gold pin 10M, x 57 mC1 Mullard LP, x NOS x 61 fat base GZ34. is anything but Flubby. It has as much tone versatility as any amp Ive ever played.

Its as bright and as clean and clear, with better harmonics ( 2 x 1 x 12 cab x Celestion Creams ) than my 69 Backfaced/ODS Mod Dual Showman with either my 2 Altec 418H or 2 Hemp Coned JBL E120s. Or the Celestions

My Metro is exactly as George built it, I have no idea what he used ect, but I wouldnt change 1 thing about it.

I can crank every control x jump the channels on my amp and it aint flubby.

If I use the HCd E120s ( Ported cabs ) with the Metro, I have to Crank the Bass, and turn the treble back to 2, mids 10 presence 3-4. And its still bright by most peoples standards. But I like bright.

 

[fusionbear]

What mods do you suggest to kick them up to the next level?

Oh man, this is really up to the player. But if you want tighter and more aggressive tone, as some others have stated, go to the JTM50 or 1986/1987 models. I only like to change the V1 bypass cap from 330uf down to 10uf and change the 16uf last stage filter cap to a 22uf or 30uf max. Other than that, The JTM45 is what it is.

 

[Advisable Owl]

Oh man, this is really up to the player. But if you want tighter and more aggressive tone, as some others have stated, go to the JTM50 or 1986/1987 models. I only like to change the V1 bypass cap from 330uf down to 10uf and change the 16uf last stage filter cap to a 22uf or 30uf max. Other than that, The JTM45 is what it is.

Which is basically a 5F6-A Bassman.

 

[PGrant]

I have a Ceriatone JTM45, the only mod I got with it was a master volume. I have gold lion KT66 in it. it's fantastic.