What is the best Jazz Solid-State Amp for under $500 - Page 3

mattymel · #61 01-11-2012, 10:24 PM

okay. i'll start and stop with my Peavey Bandit 112. $50. i would add any other similar or prior era peavey with a 1X12. I've literally dropped it down stairs on more than one occasion. i was initially inspired by seeing bobby broom using one. though he also uses henriksons nowadays.

I've also found that its much easier to coax any SS bass amp (which is what polytones were originally designed for) into getting a good jazz tone than it is to use a cube.

my best advice is to go to any music store that carries used gear and try a few out with your exact guitar while keeping an open mind. guitars are meant to be matched with amps and you never really know until you plug in.

black faced fenders (the other most common jazz tube amp) weren't meant to use with arch tops either. they were meant to be used with solid body fender guitars, which is why the mids are scooped. still, i find it much easier to work around that than a dead sounding digital amp.

jorgemg1984 · #62 01-12-2012, 04:17 AM

The WT-80 is probably better than the Cube for jazz but didn't impress me much either honestly - I think people hear a lot with their wallets. But it resembles a Polytone for 1/3 of the price in Europe - for those who want that sound it might be a good idea.

Jazzman301 · #63 01-12-2012, 11:42 AM

I think you need to try stuff for yourself and do your rearch. Youtube is an ok source to get an idea of tone but there are so many variables its certainly not the omega of sources. There are so many great sounding amps out there beyond fender and roland. I know I am extremely happy with my vintage Ampeg. Grab a guitar and maybe your camera phone and hit up a few music stores and plug into as many amps as you can and play. Close your eyes and listen. Buy the sound/tone not the name.

'Mike

Double 07 · #64 01-12-2012, 05:19 PM

Mathew I'll give the Bandit a listen sometime and let my ears be the judge not the name. Peavey does have some excellent sounding amps out there. Peavey get's kind of underrated overall I think because they have some really great ones but also some mediocre amps too.

Great advice Jazzman301

. I still like hearing other players experiences with different gear tho.

jorgemg1984 · #65 01-12-2012, 05:27 PM

Examples of solid state amps with Archtop Jazz Guitars - The Gear Page

Here's a great source for youtube clips

Honestly almost no amps are made for archtops - blackface not certainly but also almost every other amp is made with solid body single coils in mind. I usually get too much bass (which is necessary with teles and strats) and too harsh treble (which blues, country and rock players like) with most amps I play.

Of course Henriksen or AI are made to jazz players but they tend to sound more like PAs than guitar amps to me - which lots of players love of course.

Changing a blackface to suit archtops better it's a question of trial and error I guess - cheap and easy. Vintage Sound Amps has some jazz models that are only a blackface with a different tone stack.

My Bandit 65 and Fender M80 were not made with my archtop in my mind also and despite they already sound very good I will probably work their tone stack to have a more usable range with the tone controls.