Favorite unconventional jazz amp ?

whiskey02 · #1 11-07-2011, 01:01 PM

What's your sleeper "secret weapon/oddball/why didn't I try that/cheap but sounds $$$" jazz guitar amp? A great amp is a great amp, even if it's marketed to a different crowd. Let us in!

jmstritt · #2 11-07-2011, 01:21 PM

I use a Mesa Boogie Rocket 44. That is a definite sleeper amp in the Mesa line up. It is a compact 1x12 45 watt combo, with 2 channels, reverb, effects loop, silent speaker recording, lots of greate features. I use that for pretty much everything be it jazz gigs, r&b, top 40, you name it.

jazzbow · #3 11-07-2011, 01:26 PM

Ha, how about a Marshall DSL40? Two channel valve combo with separate tone stacks for each channel, reverb, emulated speaker output, fx loop, 12" celestion and f***in' heavy! I was saving me cash for a nice 20 watt valve amp but the Marshall came up second hand at half its RRP. The clean channel can do clean without crunch at around half way up on the volume scale which would be equal to a 10-15 watt output.
It is bassy but the tone controls work well with each other to combat this and of course kick in the dirty channel with an option to boost to a further 20dbs and you are riding a bad monkey..... Waaahhhhh Hooooooooooo.......Ahem!

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #4 11-07-2011, 01:41 PM

Many a bass amp. Some sound a bit sterile with a guitar, but try dialing it in -- you may like it.

mr. beaumont · #5 11-07-2011, 01:51 PM

I almost think you can get a useable tone for jazz with any amp...It might not be exactly what you heard in your head or exactly like such and such a player, but I think there's pretty much a useable jazz tone in everything.

I don't know if it's a sleeper or unknown, but I love a non-reverb fender princeton for jazz...kinda quiet, but still essentially clean when dimed with all except the hottest pickups, and a really good tone.

jorgemg1984 · #6 11-07-2011, 01:53 PM

80s several solid amps - Roland Cubes, Peavey Bandtis, Yamaha G Series, Fender M80 and Ultimate Chorus, the list goes on...

jorgemg1984 · #7 11-07-2011, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I almost think you can get a useable tone for jazz with any amp...

Not in my experience :/

mtierney · #8 11-07-2011, 02:07 PM

I used a Vox AC30 for a long time. I know people do it, but I got a really trad-jazz sound out of it. It was really unreliable though, so I just recently sold it for a Mesa Lonestar, which I have to say is one of the best sounding jazz amps I've ever heard, if you're into tubes. I'm also pretty into having a head/cab... Even though I have to take two trips, the pieces weigh much less.

helios · #9 11-07-2011, 02:09 PM

I'll be the second person to weigh in with an Mesa EL84 powered amp for jazz. I have an older Mesa Nomad. Mesa has newer (and better) designs (Lonestar Special, Transatlantic TA-30). The EL-84 doesn't have great headroom, and will break up sooner, but I like the EL84 sound. This is a somewhat contrarian view, to the ubiquitous use of 6l6's, EL34's, and solid state circuits in jazz amps.

I'm the last person on this forum who should demo such an amp (as there are so many great players here), but my crappy amateur playing aside, at least you'll the get tonal idea. Cheers!

YouTube Video

Uncle Meat · #10 11-07-2011, 03:18 PM

I was trying out a bunch of amps today, and the Fishman Loudbox Mini was my favorite. It's an acoustic amp, but with my semi hollow I was getting some really great sounds at any volume I wanted. It had way more clean volume than Deluxe Reverb, Blues Jr, Cube 80, and everything else I tried. Plus it's $300 and 20 pounds...

Al_F · #11 11-07-2011, 03:39 PM

Westbury , a SS amp from the 80's made by Univox.

mr. beaumont · #12 11-07-2011, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Not in my experience :/

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I almost think you can get a useable tone for jazz with any amp...It might not be exactly what you heard in your head or exactly like such and such a player, but I think there's pretty much a useable jazz tone in everything.

Well, even if you disagree, you can at least quote my whole comment...

jmstritt · #13 11-07-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helios

I'll be the second person to weigh in with an Mesa EL84 powered amp for jazz. I have an older Mesa Nomad. Mesa has newer (and better) designs (Lonestar Special, Transatlantic TA-30). The EL-84 doesn't have great headroom, and will break up sooner, but I like the EL84 sound. This is a somewhat contrarian view, to the ubiquitous use of 6l6's, EL34's, and solid state circuits in jazz amps.

YouTube Video

I also like the EL84 sound. If you look around you will find companies like Groove Tubes that will rate them and you can request a clean set for jazz, or an early break up set for rock, etc. A lot of the old Gibson amps from the 50s and 60s used EL84s and are GREAT sounding clean amps. EL34 though? That one stumps me...

The good thing about Mesa Boogie amps for jazz is that Mesa Boogie amps are set up so that the clean channel will be clean over the total scope of the output range. A lot of heavy metal bands used the Mark IV amps, but guess what? They have a great clean channel that works beautifully for jazz. I saw a clinic with Mike Moreno one time where he was using a small Mesa Boogie combo (A DC-5 I think? Not sure...) and it sounded fantastic!

tejastani · #14 11-07-2011, 04:21 PM

I like my Phil Jones Cub AG-100. I have a Holy Grail Nano pedal, but almost like the Tele thinline without reverb. Depending on where you stand, it can sound a bit boxy, so don't stand there! It actually sounds best dimed-- the soft clipping whatevers really respond to touch with the Tele neck pickup rolled back a bit. Did I mention it weighs 11 lbs? So with my thinline tele at 6 lbs and a couple of items in the gig bags, I'm at about 20 lbs to schlepp to the gig.

fep · #15 11-07-2011, 04:42 PM

To be a sleeper doesn't the amp have to be a good deal, one you can buy cheap?

Seems that would eliminate any mesa boogies.

robertm2000 · #16 11-07-2011, 04:48 PM

No name 8 in. speaker in homemade cabinet, 40 watt Phonic rack power amp, Radio Shack phono/mic preamp! i can switch out the phono EQ on the preamp-it has a "mic" setting that is a flat response. I run the guitar with volume almost all the way down because the Radio Shack preamp has a lot of gain. But the whole setup, when the guitar has the right level, has a smooth and full tone that fits very well for jazz. My playing is the weakest link here....

seanlowe · #17 11-07-2011, 04:55 PM

+1 for the phil jones/AAD cub. Its a modern classic, tho cheap as chips. Sometimes miss having integrated reverb, but i now have a really long bare concrete room for real reverb \o/

jmstritt · #18 11-07-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fep

To be a sleeper doesn't the amp have to be a good deal, one you can buy cheap?

Seems that would eliminate any mesa boogies.

I found somebody who was desperate to sell mine on Craigslist. I got the Rocket 44 1x12 Combo with an ATA flight case for $500.

There is always deal to be had ;-)

jorgemg1984 · #19 11-07-2011, 05:19 PM

Oh by that standards the jazzmaster ultralight used at 600€ / 700€ as I have seen them is a HUGE sleeper...

osvi · #20 11-07-2011, 09:19 PM

+2 for the Phil Jones AAD Cub 100, with my Heritage Eagle '91 is fantastic, great sound, intuitive controls, very light amp and very sweet jazz sound.

Osvi

tejastani · #21 11-07-2011, 09:39 PM

Btw... my phil jones cub was $300.00 at sam ash. half price!

whiskey02 · #22 11-07-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fep

To be a sleeper doesn't the amp have to be a good deal, one you can buy cheap?

Seems that would eliminate any mesa boogies.

No, cheap is always cool, but not always the way things work out; things cost what they cost. Anything that you love and I don't know about is a "sleeper".

krusty · #23 11-07-2011, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmstritt

The good thing about Mesa Boogie amps for jazz is that Mesa Boogie amps are set up so that the clean channel will be clean over the total scope of the output range.

Precisely why I love my Mesa 2:90 - 90W per channel into a 2x12 with Eminence Swamp Thang speakers (to handle that kind of power). More clean headroom than any jazz gig could possibly need, with a Triaxis pre. Mesa doesn't have to mean high gain. My jazz tone with this rig is not "traditional", but it is very clean and every note is defined and blooms beautifully. I also play filthy Delta slide with this rig. All I have to do is change my preset on the Triaxis.

morroben · #24 11-07-2011, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I almost think you can get a useable tone for jazz with any amp...It might not be exactly what you heard in your head or exactly like such and such a player, but I think there's pretty much a useable jazz tone in everything.

+1 The best jazz tone comes when the amp gets out of the way.

bborzell · #25 11-08-2011, 01:06 AM

I am fine with my Roland Cube 60 for any of my guitars and electric mandolins. The Genz Benz acoustic has some settings that sound good for jazz, but mostly only for a larger hollow body.

Overall, my favorite is the Princeton 65 Reissue. Pretty much anything sounds good thrugh it. Then again, for full HBs, my Polytone 101 Bass amp sounds great (with a reverb box added).

jayx123 · #26 11-08-2011, 01:28 AM

I love my old 1980 solid state yamaha Jx30, it has the best jazz tone from all the amps I tried. If I could find another one I would get it instantly.

oldane · #27 11-08-2011, 01:45 AM

The preamp in my old Evans FET500JE began to act unreliably, so I bought a Sansamp Paradriver DI to use as preamp into the FX return channel of the Evans. It works fine and gives a nice tone - and of course much more tone coloring options than with the Evans' own preamp.

I havealso ordered a Behringer B205D powered speaker. I got curious to see how a small PA/monitor speaker would sound with the Paradriver. Its powerful (150Watts),small, light (3.5kg) and cheap, where the Evans is much heavier (over 20kg) and bigger. I'll see how it works. If the Behringer speaker doesn't work for guitar, it can be hooked up to my MP3 player or a mike - or everything else - and is light enough to be talen anywhere. Of course, I don't expect it to sound like a Twin Reverb, but it might actually sound decent. In additon it can easily be carried in an old Domke camera bag with cables, the paradrive and a reverb pedal.

mangotango · #28 11-08-2011, 03:38 AM

Had a Fender Musicmaster Bass combo once. It could do clean perfectly, was light and had a nice warm sound. Not even close to being a traditional "jazz guitar amp", but what a sweet sound for guitar.

Fender Musicmaster Bass Combo Amp

Of course, when wound up to "honk" levels with some kind of pedal, it also worked for blues guitar or harp, and I foolishly let it go to my harmonica player of the time. Talk about taking one for the team.......

Little Jay · #29 11-08-2011, 06:33 AM

My Session Rockette 30. 30 MosFet watts, spring reverb and sweet sounding 12" Celestion speaker.... rare as hen's teeth across the Atlantic, but in Europe to be found for little money. I use it more then my Fender Blues Deluxe and I think it even sounds more tube-like than that too.... and weights a lot less ánd has enough clean power and headroom to gig with fairly loud drums and hammond B3!
But I am not going to tell you guys about this, I'll keep this little secret to myself...... (it's pretty much the ultimate jazz and jamsession amp for me).

Little Jay · #30 11-08-2011, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayx123

I love my old 1980 solid state yamaha Jx30, it has the best jazz tone from all the amps I tried. If I could find another one I would get it instantly.

One of my old teachers had one, and it sounded very sweet for jazz indeed! (and weights next to nothing.... which is also pretty convenient!)