How much gain does an Express have with a PPIMV Rich mod?

[Profklamen]

I'm considering a Ceriaton Express clone with a PPIMV mod - how much gain would it have compared to a JCM800?

I know this is a tough question, but could any of you describe the tonal characteristics of this amp, again compared to a JCM800, or to a blackface fender?

thanks

[castor]

I suggest you to ask the same to Nik (at ceriatone). he's very professional and very polite. To my tastes Marshall amps (the hi-gain ones) are very noisy and generally with high distorsions your guitars tend to sound very similar having more compression and loosing dynamics. (My modified soldano is better than a JCM in this way).
my express clone compared to a JCM is:
- bright, very bright ... (I canged supply caps with atom ones and now sound has a litte more bass)
- every guitar/pickup has is specific sound (even with volume at max).. do not think to have a very similar sound if you play a strat or a tele or a lespaul or an ibanez
- even with high gain the amp responds at player pick and so it's very dynamic.
- changing tubes makes more differences in sounds respects to other amps
- do not expect to have a fender clean... specially at high volume
- I suggest you to make the amp as is (without master volume) and use a power reducer (THD, airbrake,...)
my experience: When I decided my amp I tested many (rivera, Marshalls,...,) and at the end I choose a soldano. Now I like playing more my express ... but if you have to play only metal probably you have to look for something different

[Fischerman]

I recently finished a Ceriatone Express kit (with a few twists) and it has a post-PI MV in it...it's a little different than the Rich mod MV but similar. It works similar to the way it does in a non-MV Marshall...you can get tons of distortion at lower volumes but you lose a lot of the harmonic feedback/singing quality that Expresseses are known for. You also lose some of the dynamics. But it also darkens it up a little which isn't a bad thing. It's still a very useable tone...but it's most useful for getting 'full-on' distortion at lower volumes. Many/most of those great 'in-between' tones won't be much easier to get via the post-PI MV (but it might help shave a little volume off of them).

[Profklamen]

I'm not looking for a lot of distortion - more a bit of break up for bluesy music at a shouting volume. I assume I need the MV to get me there.

So the Express is brighter than a JCM800 (which is a very bright amp)?

[tjauernig]

You can try changing the caps on the bright switch, or make a few coupling caps larger to tame the brightness.

As for the gain with a MV. Instead of a MV try making the PI stage variable gain. You'd be surprised how much of the magic is right there. I do this in my 18watters as well. You can tailor the exact point at which the amp breaks up.

Personally, I don't care for the PPIMV, I find it too dark, and destructive to the tone. These are loud amps, and breakup comes at a fairly high level of volume. But, with the PI gain mod, I've used them to play everything from small bars to much larger venues without any problem, and still get the tones I was looking for.

[Deric]

Can you enlighten me - point me to a schem ro just provide more info - on the PI drive/gain control?

Thanks,
Deric