Help deciding on a solid state!

[morfeo_ur]

Hey! i am looking for a solid state amp that provides smooth n clean jazz tones without compromissing other genres like blues and classic rock, not metal. As far as i know, the best choice for jazz is the Roland Cube 30x in this case, however, i was looking too at the new Fender Mustang because of its versatility and the plug in PC option. I have read some good comments and some really bad ones about the Mustang but i think that maybe the Fuse software that comes with it deserves an oportunity.

What do you think?

Oh, by the way, its impossible for me to try any of those, and if i dont like the one i chose, i would not be able to change or return it... sots a though decision... H E L P!! PLEASE

If you have any other suggestion my budget is U$200.

Thanks!

[fep]

A used Yamaha G100 or G50, I or II, don't get the later III. This amp was used by Holdsworth, Metheny and I believe is still used by Stern.

They're great deals if you can find them.

[Al_F]

I have a cube, and it is a really good amp that does everything well. It would be a safe bet. I haven't played a Mustang yet and I must say they look very interesting, especially the 40 watt Mustang II at $199.

If you can do it and haven't been doing it, check your closest Craig's List, SS amps come up all the time for really reasonable prices. I've seen all sorts of cool stuff including the Yamaha amps mentioned above, Mustang II's for $150, and I just saw a Cube60 for $175.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by fep

A used Yamaha G100 or G50, I or II, don't get the later III. This amp was used by Holdsworth, Metheny and I believe is still used by Stern.

They're great deals if you can find them.

I agree but I heard from a buddy that some of the transistors are no longer made so it may be hard/impossible to repair.

The best amp that fits the OP's description is the peavey transtube bandit IMO...

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by jzucker

I agree but I heard from a buddy that some of the transistors are no longer made so it may be hard/impossible to repair.

The best amp that fits the OP's description is the peavey transtube bandit IMO...

SS amps are almost impossible to repair anyways. Transtube is probably the best option though.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by jeffstritt

SS amps are almost impossible to repair anyways. Transtube is probably the best option though.

you can get a used transtube for $199 on ebay

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by jzucker

you can get a used transtube for $199 on ebay

Do it! That is the best sounding amp out there for the money.

[medblues]

TWO Vox Pathfinders, run them in stereo with a pedal or splitter.

[Jazzophobe]

Roland JC 77! Yay!

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by Jazzophobe

Roland JC 77! Yay!

hissy

[tele jazz]

i had a vox ad50vt for a bit and it was pretty good. nice cleans.

[Jazzophobe]

Originally Posted by jzucker

hissy

No hissy for my JC!!

[sdr]

Do the Roland Cube 30's or 40's have enough power to play with a heavy hitting drummer without cranking them to 11? Or is the 60/80 a better fit?

[jzucker]

all jc amps are hissy. It's a well known problem. Even the newer JC55 is hissy. They used the same power amp design. They also use speakers that attenuate anything over 3.5k to minimize the hiss. I once replaced the speakers with a 100hz-4.5khz speaker in my JC120 and the hiss was 3x as loud!

[bob32069]

I bought a jc120 a couple of years ago. Very hissy. Got rid of it.

[RonD]

Owned a bunch of JC's. They all hissed.

[HotClubBrampton]

ZT lunchbox

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by HotClubBrampton

ZT lunchbox

they sound awful IMO. Not very loud either. About like a prince reverb (12 watts)

[mangotango]

Originally Posted by tele jazz

i had a vox ad50vt for a bit and it was pretty good. nice cleans.

+1 on vox, I have a Valvetronix 60, sold state but with a valve in the pre-amp. Has excellent warm, clean tones, but also provides the full range of rock tones.

[woyvel]

New: I like Vox Valvetronix amps too, and use 2 of them (older AD30VT, and new Cube3), but would certainly consider a Cube too.

I say this all the time since following the advice in another thread here: Consider a bass amp too! I picked up a Polytone 180W 1x15 bass amp at a pawn shop for $75. Unbelievable steal of a deal and it's a great amp for jazz. For rock I can run my Vox through it for crunch tones. You may have to do something with a pedal to get your rock stuff, but the Vox multi-effects pedals will probably do exactly what the Valvetronix amps can do for you.

[lpdeluxe]

My favorite, hard to find, but does-it-all amp: the Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight. 26 lb, 250 watts into 2 ohm, small footprint, great sounds. If I could have only one guitar amp, that would be it. I'm glad I bought mine when I did -- Fender no longer makes the speaker cab, which are impossible to find used. I suspect that every player who bought one has kept it. I know I have. I've never seen the head+speaker for sale on eBay.

Here's a photo I took not long after I got it: it came with the bag for the head, the foot pedal, and all cables.

http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p...g?t=1302791556

[HotClubBrampton]

Originally Posted by jzucker

they sound awful IMO. Not very loud either. About like a prince reverb (12 watts)

Wow! not very often I have the chance to clear out opinions like these...

Sound:
Listen to the opening guitar, it is the same that comps and takes the second solo. Heritage eagle with ZT Lunchbox. All the other songs in the link are played with it too. Beautiful tone!
I'll see you in my dreams by Le Hot Club de Brampton
Video too
YouTube - ‪Hot Club de Brampton - All of Me‬‏

Loudness:
I play it with two big bands and a loud classic rock band. They actually asked me to turn it down!. Here is a video where I play the lunchbox on a theatre, live! No miking
YouTube - ‪CSO 2011 Jump Jive an' Wail‬‏

Sounds pretty loud to me

[pingu]

Perhaps the confusion is over the Lunchbox 'acoustic'
which is considerably quieter than the Lunchbox apparently

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by pingu

Perhaps the confusion is over the Lunchbox 'acoustic'
which is considerably quieter than the Lunchbox apparently

nope. I played one next to a princeton and until you get it to the point where the white noise is unbearable it's not any louder than the princeton. You can get more volume out of it but it's not very pleasant sounding.

[jzucker]

To each his own. I heard those clips on the heritage forum. They wouldn't work for what I do. They sound good in your setting.

Originally Posted by HotClubBrampton

Wow! not very often I have the chance to clear out opinions like these...

Sound:
Listen to the opening guitar, it is the same that comps and takes the second solo. Heritage eagle with ZT Lunchbox. All the other songs in the link are played with it too. Beautiful tone!
I'll see you in my dreams by Le Hot Club de Brampton
Video too
YouTube - ‪Hot Club de Brampton - All of Me‬‏

Loudness:
I play it with two big bands and a loud classic rock band. They actually asked me to turn it down!. Here is a video where I play the lunchbox on a theatre, live! No miking
YouTube - ‪CSO 2011 Jump Jive an' Wail‬‏

Sounds pretty loud to me

[manu68]

The cube 30X is a very nice amp.
Very quiet.

With the simulation JC-120 at 50%, it is always about to loud to stay in a bedroom.
Also, i think it should be possible to play with a "normal" jazz drummer.

I would be you, i will give it a try for sure.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by jzucker

nope. I played one next to a princeton and until you get it to the point where the white noise is unbearable it's not any louder than the princeton. You can get more volume out of it but it's not very pleasant sounding.

I own a lunchbox...It's a fine backup amp--I don't use it as a main amp or for recording, there's a good amount of hiss.

Putting the gain up about halfway instead of raising the volume cuts the signal to noise ratio a good deal. This is still completely clean with most guitars.

In my experience, the lunchbox can do clean louder than my princeton (non-reverb model)--but the non-reverb princeton is not a loud amp. The lunchbox is pretty darn loud for it's size, definitely loud enough for any small gig. I don't like it for solo/dup work because it doesn't ave much low end with that little speaker.

JC's most definitely hiss. Not an issue on stage, as that hiss just fades away into background noise. Wouldn't want to use one in a venue where I was mic'd or for recording.

Many of the modeling amps mentioned are a good choice if you plan on doing things other than jazz. Otherwise, I'd think about going with a used Bandit (although I like the older models better) or saving up another hundred bones and snagging one of the many polytones on ebay that regularly go for around $300.


Will the amp be for performance or primarily practice?

[jzucker]

by the way, the HotClubBrampton gig that was posted was with a fairly quiet drummer and with acoustic bass (no amp i'm guessing).

Playing a lunchbox with electric bass and electric keys and a saxophone wouldn't work. I'm sure it's a fine amp for small gigs but my newly aquired evans ah200 head weighs 3lbs and my raezers edge NY8 weighs about 12lbs and I can cut through a screaming big band with an amplified rhythm section and mic'd horns.

[HotClubBrampton]

Originally Posted by jzucker

by the way, the HotClubBrampton gig that was posted was with a fairly quiet drummer and with acoustic bass (no amp i'm guessing).

Playing a lunchbox with electric bass and electric keys and a saxophone wouldn't work. I'm sure it's a fine amp for small gigs but my newly aquired evans ah200 head weighs 3lbs and my raezers edge NY8 weighs about 12lbs and I can cut through a screaming big band with an amplified rhythm section and mic'd horns.

me again, last time, I promise

I played in these gigs, we had a crazy loud drummer and electric bass w/amp on the theatre, with a full blown sax, trumpet, trombone sections, drums, percussion and keyboard too. The recordings of the gig, show the Lbox cutting through like a charm
On the other video/gig, there is no drummer and the stick bass is amplified. The other player has a Henriksen jazzamp 110; Granted, it is a wallpaper music gig

Guys, I know it's hard to believe, and everyone is protecting their investments, but true...this thing is incredibly loud! I am sure you know the company's slogan: 'the loudest little amps in the world'. All the other amp manufactures would have legally shut down this statement if it would not hold true.

There is a way to use it (for those ones who still say it was quiet), the gain needs to be past 12, and the volume controls...the volume... ( the manual is pretty explicit on this combination). The technology is not the traditional one.

Other thing, on the rock band ( 2 guitars/bass/drums/singer) they told me it was too loud, although for me it was sounding fine. it seems that the amp is very directional and it might be quiet on your side ( head over the amp), but the guy in the next block might be covering his ears...be aware of this

Not affiliated with ZT or anything...just indicating I am a happy customer with this, it holds for all my (hectic) gig needs...

no more comments on my side, enjoy your playing!

[va3ux]

Originally Posted by jzucker

I agree but I heard from a buddy that some of the transistors are no longer made so it may be hard/impossible to repair.

The best amp that fits the OP's description is the peavey transtube bandit IMO...

Speaker change recommended for jazz for the Bandit, Jack ?