I just bought one two weeks ago and couldn't be happier. Probably got one of the last new ones available around here.
It replaces a Mesa Nomad 45 1x12 which I found a nice amp and served me nicely for years but I really wanted the 6L6 tone again.
FWIW but some of you might find the following interesting:
Last Tuesday I gathered with my guitar teacher for a 'gear test evening'.
I brought my F-50 (1x12 combo) along with an extra 1x12 cab loaded with Eminence RWB, my G-Major, Fulldrive II (Mosfet) and BYOC overdrive while he came with his (by himself) modded Ceriatone Overtone Special 50 with a 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion G12-65 and off we go in an empty building isolated enough to turn it up.
Guitars were his Strat copy build by one of the best luthier here in the Netherlands, a fantastic sounding and playing guitar nad my custom build by the same luthier (a common friend), solidbody set neck HSH, also fantastic sounding and playing!
After about three relatively (but not outrageously) loud hours the common opinion in short was:
- - Both amps sound real good and please both owner and buddy
- Ceriatone does have better clean (real piano like bass with the strat) and better dynamic and the low gain is tone heaven and dynamic control with pick attack or guitar volume is a pleasure to experience.
- F-50 has more gain (who had doubts?) and is more in your face, less subtile but on the clean channel with the Fulltone I was very close to the Ceriatone
- Both amps seem to have the same tone texture like they'd have the same bloodline.
On the side we also noted that the Mesa sounds much better with it's own C90 speaker than with the g12-65 while the Ceriatone sounded best with the g12-65. Not bad with the C90 but it sounded more like a Mesa than like itself. The Eminence RWB was also not great with the Ceriatone, not bad but just average.
The Ceriatone, beeing only a Dumble clone but supposed to be close enough, is really a great amp, but the F50 has nothing to be ashamed of and stood proudly, with the Boogie bark and what I find a great warm full clean and singing lead (it's mine after all!).
And both guitar players went back home with a smile on their face and a good ringing in their ears and found a sounding sleep full of dreams of great tones and solos and fame and that's all for tonight kids. Tomorrow I'll tell you the fairy tale of the princess and her prince with his white '62 strat and snakeskin Dumble that changes into a toad.
Cheers
Fabien
