Ceriatone faceplates with Metro chassis?

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:30 pm

Does anyone know if the Ceriatone JMP faceplates will fit Metro chassis? Specificallt thinking about the 50w chassis. The Ceriatone panels look mighty nice, and have the JMP lettering which Metro's panels don't seem to have.

While we're at it, does anyone have a source for more authentic-looking JTM45 faceplates than the ones in the Metro kit? I'm a sucker for looks, and would love to take it just one step closer... The ones George uses on the flagship JTM45/100 look terrific, but they're not available separately.

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 6:58 am

anyone? I'm building a jtm50 and am considering the ceriatone faceplate

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:29 pm

Bump for both of us.

Wicksy · Post by **Wicksy** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:38 pm

They might...but i'd just go with the Ceriatone chassis as well. I built my JTM 45 with chassis and plates from Nik, PT, componenets etc from George and the OT from Brian Wallace. They all fitted together perfectly.

the_haunted · Post by **the_haunted** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:16 pm

Wicksy wrote:They might...but i'd just go with the Ceriatone chassis as well. I built my JTM 45 with chassis and plates from Nik, PT, componenets etc from George and the OT from Brian Wallace. They all fitted together perfectly.

+1 Nik's chassis are nice... Just get the set.

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:12 pm

Thought I'd follow up on this since I decided to order some Ceriatone faceplates and try them with Metroamp chassis. I could have gone with Ceriatone chassis as well, but I get the board material and everything else from Metro, and it looks like the board mounting of the Ceriatone chassis doesn't line up with Metroamp's boards.

I got a pair of Ceriatone's new JTM45/100 panels (which can easily be used for JTM45 as well) and a JMP panel.

First of all, the Ceriatone panels look veeery nice - they are thicker than Metroamp's, and not as flexible. The gold background looks nice, slightly paler and not as sparkly as Metro. I don't know which is more correct, but they certainly have a vintage "hue" to them. The plexi surface is nice and thick, which I think is more vintage correct. They also do not have adhesive backing, so you either have to glue them on yourself, or just use the hardware such as jacks, pots and switches to hold them in place. For the front panels, which is all I've tried, that works perfectly well.

The JMP panels are nice, but the font is not as vintage correct as Metroamp. In fact, it matches perfectly with early 70s metal panel ones as far as the font. You can see it most clearly on the "m"s, where the original plexi panels had "m"s had straight edges, the metal panel ones had the edges of the "m"s slightly slanted in towards the top. Metroamp's JMP panels look *spot on* to original Plexi panels judging by online photos, but they are missing the crucial JMP lettering, which Ceriatone's panels have. So as far as looks, I'd say Metroamp wins as far as being closer to the exact font, whereas the overall appearance of Ceriatone wins out slightly for the sturdy construction and thick overlaying plexiglass material, gold hue, and featuring the JMP lettering.

The JTM45 or JTM45/100 panels are exactly the same as far as construction, gold hue and font. Again, not spot on to the originals, but they have a vintage vibe of their own which works very well. The panels which George uses on his JTM45/100 flagship amp are, again, dead nuts on to the original font. I believe the upcoming panels for the Metroamp JTM45/100 chassis will be the same, but without the JTM45 and Mk II lettering. So the scenario is the same as for the JMP panels - if you want the correct lettering, the Ceriatone panels will give you that along with a very nice construction and overall appearance, but the font will be ever so slightly different.

As far as Ceriatone panels fitting Metroamp's chassis, the scenario is this: the holes for the switches, indicator and pots line up perfectly for the JMP amps. The jack spacing is, however, slightly off. I still managed to make it work very nicely by filing down the excess panel material around the input jack holes. The flanges of the input jacks will cover the defect with no problems, so the JMP will definitely work.

I have not tried the JTM45/100 panels, but by eye measurement, the scenario looks to be the same. I am pretty confident I could make it work using the same method.

908ssp · Post by **908ssp** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:24 am

Vintage plexi panels are thin. Thinner than all the repros I have seen. So if the Ceriatone are thicker they are less accurate not more.

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:43 am

Thinner than Metroamp's? If so, I stand duly corrected. I've seen original Plexis, but it's been awhile...

I like the look of them however.

chubs · Post by **chubs** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:54 am

I like the price!!!! They used to be even cheaper... for $50 you get a chassis, 20$ a pop for panels... how can you beat that... who cares how think they are... everything he sells is inexpensive. Carling DPDT heavy duty switches... $2, indicator neon lights $1.50, ... this guy is incredible...

Grosh_Guitars · Post by **Grosh_Guitars** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:32 pm

chubs wrote:I like the price!!!! They used to be even cheaper... for $50 you get a chassis, 20$ a pop for panels... how can you beat that... who cares how think they are... everything he sells is inexpensive. Carling DPDT heavy duty switches... $2, indicator neon lights $1.50, ... this guy is incredible...

Yeah he has good prices and is a hell of a nice guy like George. I have a few Ceriatone's and I like em.