The pre-built Ceriatone '800 2203 clone is only about £425 + postage and any customs charges, and the 2204 £345 + postage and customs. Whats the difference between 2204 and 2203? Theres also the JTM45s, Plexis and 18ws to choose from.
The 2203 is the super lead 100w 'holy grail' jcm800, the 2204 is the 50w version. The 2205 i have has 2 channels and has reverb, its the more versatile and expensive version, ist a 50watter though, compared to a 100watt beast i think its a bit tuned down, not as high gain and a bit darker then the 100w versions IMO.
The MKII JCM/Plexis have the best tone IMO, allthough the jcm's can get close there is always the EL34 nastyness coming trough. Basically the older ones have better clean tone and the newer ones better drive IMO, at least if your more into the vintage rock kind of drive and not the slayer kind of drive the 2203 has. Then again, you will need a master volume if you want to use the amps gain at lower volumes, so that kind of limits the selection i guess, well unless you can pick one up with a master volume mod allready done to it. Saw one on ebay a month ago or so which went for about 250 pounds or so, a MKII master modded, need to run into a deal like that too........
The 18watters have great tone and great drive, but dont sound as big as their big bro's IMO. Or well, better said small tube amps just sound fundamentally different then the biG pHat ones.
The type of tone i still want to get someday is in the old bassman design range though, so if i dont end up with a plexi it will be a bassman head. Just huge headroom and allmost perfectly balanced and neutral cleans, the purists wet dream :lol: .