Tech 21 Trademark 60 -- any (previous) users here?

Helgo · #1 11-15-2011, 01:49 PM

Hi everybody.

I am currently looking for a new amp setup and I am doing a lot of wondering, internet-windowshopping, thinking, calculating, oh, yes, and of course playing, too

I play in a Souljazz Band with drums, bass, organ and saxophone and while we don´t play really loud we do play louder than your average jazz trio/quartet....so headroom is an issue for me.
The sound I am after is maybe best described by an example: I really dig how Peter Bernstein sounds on the records he made as a sideman for Dr. Lonnie Smith. This is what I am aiming for... not too (JC-) clean, but with a little graininess...

Another issue is weight. I do not own a car and use public transportation most of the time. Anything more than 30 lbs. is a compromise, more than 40 is simply impossible. The nearer to 30, the better....
(This issue gets more complicated when I tell you about my hatred for speakers smaller than 12").

I am constantly sneaking around the Tech21 Trademark 60 and I would like to hear if anyone has experiences playing this amp in a live situation.
Specifically in which line-up did you use it, what style/sound did you play on it (with which guitars used) and so on...

What were the things you were unhappy about with this amp? (No amp is perfect, right....)

I for example heard people complaining about the amp not being abled to cut through the band sound and/or having a bad stock speaker.

On the plus side, the amp looks great, is very affordable and it weighs "only" 36 lbs. But being a solid state amp I think it should be sturdy enough to be lugged around town with a handcart or something...
(oh, AND it is made in the USA, which I like...)

Any answers are appreciated,

Cheers,
H.

ps: Of course the younger brother of the TM60, the TM30, has caught my eye with it´s coequally nice looks and a mere 14 (!) lbs but I am really afraid it won´t have enough headroom and/or won´t sound big enough.

mambosun · #2 11-15-2011, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helgo

Hi everybody.

I am currently looking for a new amp setup and I am doing a lot of wondering, internet-windowshopping, thinking, calculating, oh, yes, and of course playing, too

I play in a Souljazz Band with drums, bass, organ and saxophone and while we don´t play really loud we do play louder than your average jazz trio/quartet....so headroom is an issue for me.
The sound I am after is maybe best described by an example: I really dig how Peter Bernstein sounds on the records he made as a sideman for Dr. Lonnie Smith. This is what I am aiming for... not too (JC-) clean, but with a little graininess...

Another issue is weight. I do not own a car and use public transportation most of the time. Anything more than 30 lbs. is a compromise, more than 40 is simply impossible. The nearer to 30, the better....
(This issue gets more complicated when I tell you about my hatred for speakers smaller than 12").

I am constantly sneaking around the Tech21 Trademark 60 and I would like to hear if anyone has experiences playing this amp in a live situation.
Specifically in which line-up did you use it, what style/sound did you play on it (with which guitars used) and so on...

What were the things you were unhappy about with this amp? (No amp is perfect, right....)

I for example heard people complaining about the amp not being abled to cut through the band sound and/or having a bad stock speaker.

On the plus side, the amp looks great, is very affordable and it weighs "only" 36 lbs. But being a solid state amp I think it should be sturdy enough to be lugged around town with a handcart or something...
(oh, AND it is made in the USA, which I like...)

Any answers are appreciated,

Cheers,
H.

ps: Of course the younger brother of the TM60, the TM30, has caught my eye with it´s coequally nice looks and a mere 14 (!) lbs but I am really afraid it won´t have enough headroom and/or won´t sound big enough.

You might be disappointed with the TM30, it's cute but sounds like a mini amp, rather boxy, nothing to be compared with it's bigger brother.
While I never had experience with the TM60 in live situation, I really loved the tone, mostly the dirt channel with little gain, really sweet!

jorgemg1984 · #3 11-15-2011, 06:10 PM

Bernstein has the best archtop direct to amp sound imo. It will be hard to get that sound... He uses a Vibrolux 2x10 and I think he has a "Fender" sound.

I doubt you can get that sound from a Trademark 60... Its a fine amp but a little bright for my taste. Personally I think it does too many things I would never use.

Have you checked "jazz amps"? An Henriksen with a 12 speaker will meet your weight requirements. I think Evans and an AI head with a light 12 cabinet also. Of course the jazzmaster ultrlaight is perfect for what you need (I need that a lot too) but you can only get it used.

Pierrot · #4 11-16-2011, 08:27 AM

I had years ago one TM60, sold it, and now I regret to have done so. (Oh, and btw I don't care at all if it was made in the USA or in Tamanrasset)

Anyway, if you are after a grainy sound, as you mentioned above, I guess you are in the right way with this amp.

elinfoot · #5 11-17-2011, 08:38 AM

Another option is the ZT Club which will be loud enough and light enough.

Helgo · #6 11-17-2011, 08:47 AM

Hi everybody.

Thanks for your input. Opinions seems to be divided so I will have to test it out myself.

As for the Henriksen: I do find these amps very attractive but they are very hard to come by here in Germany. I could order one but I don´t know about the return policy of the only dealer in Germany (it´s a small shop and I guess he would have to order it himself...so it would be a bit unfair to have him ship one to me "just for looking")
Plus, if it turns out that the Henriksen wouldn´t serve my purposes it would be harder to sell around here, because here they are lesser known.

I will try out the ZT Club and the TM60 comes time.
I will let you know how my considerations develop.

Thanks for your postings,

Cheers,
H.

jorgemg1984 · #7 11-17-2011, 08:54 AM

Benelly, gitaren, guitars,

7-day return on the Henriksen... And maybe its not even far from you (don't know how far you are from Holland in Germany). The Henriksen is better than the TM60 imo - never tried the Club. With a better speaker and a good reverb pedal it becomes a great and expensive amp...

Groove-in · #8 11-17-2011, 09:09 AM

Sometime back, I saw a special on TV, which featured Les Paul at a Lounge that he supposedly played at, one night every week up until his death. It appeared as though he was playing through a Tech 21 amp.

Little Jay · #9 11-17-2011, 09:26 AM

Helgo,

Here in Holland it's fairly easy to get hold of old Session amps: mosfet amps with a Celestion speaker that sound realy tube-like. Session's most know amp in the 80ies was the Sessionette 75. I read the German Gitarre & Basse magazin and see them pop up for sale in there ever now and then, so I guess it shouldn't be too hard to find in Germany.

I have a Session Rockette 30: 30 watts, 12" Celestion with spring reverb. It handles most situations with drums and hammond (it's loud!). This little amp is the best you can get for around a 130 euros I think! It's light, sturdy and sounds very good with enough headroom and a very nice direct punch that reacts very well to my playing. I read it's circuit is based on a Fender Bassman and compared to my Fender Blues Deluxe it indeed sounds very Fenderish and tube-like. The nice thing is that you can use the clean and dirty-channel simultaniously, so you can use the latter to dial in some 'gritty-ness'.

For an impression what it sounds like, you can hear me using the Rockette here: "Four On Six" covered by Tracin' Tracy - YouTube

YouTube Video

Helgo · #10 11-17-2011, 01:06 PM

Hi guys.

Thank you for your tips. To be looking for equipment in the Netherlands is a very good idea. I live in Cologne, fairly close to the border, and I am in the Netherlands a couple of times per year, usually... (I always had a thing for the Dutch people, their language, their culture.... )

So I´ll keep looking and may be testing a Henriksen over there.

I will also keep an eye open for that Rockette Amp. Sounds great! Great playing, Jay! Very nice sound and good phrasing and feeling!

If I find one of those amps for a price under 200 EUR I might just give it a try....if they really are findable at the rates that you implied it might be a thing where you can´t really go wrong....

Can you please tell me how much it weighs? That would be greatly appreciated!

Dankjewel

Cheers,
H.

Little Jay · #11 11-17-2011, 01:25 PM

It weighs around 13 kgs, light enough to carry by hand if distances are not too long. I have a very handy foldable mini-trolley for it, which enables me to go to any gig by train, tram, or bus!

Check: http://www.award-session.com/pdfs/Aw...istory0027.pdf

Helgo · #12 11-17-2011, 01:42 PM

Thanks, Jay. That really sounds nice.
Can I please ask another question?

I just did some research on the net and saw that this amp has an fx-loop. I know that there are two different kinds of loops (parallel and serial, if I remember correctly, but I don´t know jack about the technical side of things...).
Anyways, there are effect loops that enable you to just use the power amp section of an amp (as with Fender´s Hot Rod Deluxes for example) and there are loops that don´t work that way (as with my old trustworthy Marshall Valvestate Hybrid)....

Which one is it on the Rockette?

----
( edit: ) I found this online: http://www.award-session.com/pdfs/Aw...istory0026.pdf
From this I gather that you can use the FX-Return as a "Power Amp In"
----

Cheers,
H.

Little Jay · #13 11-18-2011, 06:58 AM

I don't use the fx-loop, all I know is that it's a serial fx-loop, not parallel, so when you plug an effect device in, you will only hear the signal that goes thru the effect-device. You can easily plug another preamp in the power amp, but I don't know whether you could still use the amp's own preamp or it shuts down then

I have a patch-cable permanently plugged in the fx-loop, because after almost 30 years the jack outputs are a little corroded and I suffered from signal los, because the effect loop cuts the signal (there's a switch in those plugs that normally only activates when you plug a jack in). Would be easily cured with new outputs, but the patch-cable works jsut as well (I am lazy ;-)

I hope that answers your question?

Little Jay · #14 11-18-2011, 07:01 AM

I could have been shorter: it is a pre amp out/power amp in loop, the same as on the HotRod/Blues Deluxe amps.

Little Jay · #15 11-18-2011, 07:06 AM

btw, here's a Rockette for sale in a Dutch musicstore: https://www.muziekhuisdacapo.nl/prod...&subGroepId=67
But it's a little expensive for EUR 195 (I got mine for EUR 130) and a long drive from Köln.....

Helgo · #16 11-18-2011, 01:01 PM

Hi Jay.

Thank you very much for your time and patience. And the link, too.
I´ll contact them and see if we can figure something out with shipping it here.
We will see...I found another one for sale right here, 20km from the place where I live...I emailed and we´ll see...

I´ll keep you guys posted!

Thanks, everybody,
Bye

Helge

ps: Jay, I checked out some of your other videos with Tracin´ Tracy. You are a really good guitarist! I hope one day I´ll have your skills and "relaxedness" in my playing.
Are you a professional musician or do you "just" gig around in your free time?

Little Jay · #17 11-18-2011, 02:09 PM

Wow, you are too kind... thank you! Proffesional?!? I wish!! I just gig around in my spare time actually!! I spend 40 hours at the office, working for the Dutch government.... when I come home I have a 2 and a half year old girl demanding most of my attention, so I play mostly late at night, either unplugged or silently with my thumb to not wake up wife and daughter..... ;-)

Good luck with the Rockette, I hope it works out and you'll find one. Good luck!

Ranglin01 · #18 12-15-2011, 05:30 AM

Hi,

Just bought a used Tech 21 Trademark 60. Was eyeing on this one since a long time !!

Should have done this move a long time ago.

With no hesitation, my roland cube 80x is listed for sale (it was not my main amp anyway).

IMHO the tech 21 TM-60 is a great amp for jazz & would definitely do it in a soul jazz context. If you like having a little grit in your clean tone and if you dont mind having "punch mode" on (more mid & treble), then volume should not be a problem in a live context.

I you like (as I do) a balanced clean but with a darker tone, then maybe you would miss a few watts (but I doubt it, it has to be tested). The power felt with "this setting", is about the power of cube 80x with volume at half way (and cube stays clean almost all the way up).

And of course, if you have been interested in this amp, you are probably aware of the possibility to link another trademark 60 amp (or a power engine). but then, the weight...

the perfect amp only exists in our minds. But for now, I am pretty happy with the TM-60.

Helgo · #19 12-15-2011, 05:39 AM

Hi!

Thanks for the review.

Actually, a used Rockette 30 came my way by accident and I even had a chance to try it out before buying it.

It was a bargain an it works perfectly well for my needs at the moment.
Especially considering it´s weight of under (!) ten kilograms.
I can slur it around halfway across town and still be in shape (and in the mood, lol) for playing.

Cheers,
H.

Little Jay · #20 12-15-2011, 06:05 AM

Helgo, ssshhht, we gotta keep quiet about the Rockette now before everybody discovers it and rising demand will turn it into a wanted (almost) vintage amp that jazz guitarists can't afford anymore....

Ranglin01 · #21 12-15-2011, 07:38 AM

Too late !!! now i want one ;-)

I had never even heard the name before reading these posts. I'll try to keep the name in mind in case I have the chance to see one in a shop.

It is true that <10kg sounds interesting. Doesnt it come at the expense of the "bottom end" of the tone ??

Helgo · #22 12-15-2011, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranglin01

Too late !!! now i want one ;-)

lol...GAS is a mighty disease

Quote:

I had never even heard the name before reading these posts. I'll try to keep the name in mind in case I have the chance to see one in a shop.

I think they aren´t built anymore and you would have to look for one used.

Quote:

It is true that <10kg sounds interesting. Doesnt it come at the expense of the "bottom end" of the tone ??

Well I don´t miss any bottom end, but I play only at soft volumes at home and in my band there are a bass player and an organ player, so bottom end really is not too important to me when playing loud.

Check out LittleJay´s clip he posted in this thread. He recommended this amp to me and I had never before heard of "Session" before...

I will write a longer review about mine when I gigged it.

Cheers,
H.

Little Jay · #23 12-15-2011, 11:36 AM

The Rockette 30 obviously hasn't got the bottom-end of a twin or even a Henriksen JazzAmp for example, but is has enough, especially in a band situation where too much low end only gets in the way of the bass and the piano and easily gets boomy. So I think it fits perfectly in the mix with jazz, funk, soul and even pop-bands.

It's really a little gem, with a nice jazz-voice and it even does the slightly overdriven tones very well when you crank it a little. It can be very raw in a nice way, the MosFets sound very tube-like (you can mix the clean and OD-channel, which is a very nice feature). I think the tones and sound are not unlike (very much alike actually) a little 50ies tweed Fender à la a Deluxe of a Princeton, only with good sounding reverb and more headroom

If you can find one: don't hesitate!

uncletele · #24 01-16-2012, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranglin01

Hi,

Just bought a used Tech 21 Trademark 60. Was eyeing on this one since a long time !!

Should have done this move a long time ago.

With no hesitation, my roland cube 80x is listed for sale (it was not my main amp anyway).

IMHO the tech 21 TM-60 is a great amp for jazz & would definitely do it in a soul jazz context. If you like having a little grit in your clean tone and if you dont mind having "punch mode" on (more mid & treble), then volume should not be a problem in a live context.

I you like (as I do) a balanced clean but with a darker tone, then maybe you would miss a few watts (but I doubt it, it has to be tested). The power felt with "this setting", is about the power of cube 80x with volume at half way (and cube stays clean almost all the way up).

And of course, if you have been interested in this amp, you are probably aware of the possibility to link another trademark 60 amp (or a power engine). but then, the weight...

the perfect amp only exists in our minds. But for now, I am pretty happy with the TM-60.

I use a Trademark 60 with my ES-175 with good results on Channel One. It's a versatile amp if you play blues/rock/fusion/country styles too. Plenty of clean headroom and very lightweight and reliable.