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JGO has no doubt provided valuable info for thousands of jazz guitar beginners over the years. While the article and product highlights about jazz guitars are still quite valid, the amp info is definitely outdated and less than helpful. I believe the amp poll and examples of outstanding jazz amps were there when I joined JGO in 2009. DV Mark and Quilter, for example, did not even exist. Some of the featured amps, including Fender's solid-state takes, are too rare to be valid second-hand choices. The newest featured amp at the time of writing, Roland Cube 60, has been superseded by successive model generations, not necessarily for the benefit of jazz players.
The megatrend towards lighter gear really gained momentum around 2015-2016, with the introduction of Henriksen's Bud and Blu, DV Mark's Micro combos and heads, as well as Quilter's offering gaining reputation and getting better all the time. Class D technology, notably the ICEpower power source/power amp modules, enabled smaller operators - Seymour Duncan, Raezer's Edge and Milkman, for example - to join the trend. Today, the same modules can be found in Fender's Tone Masters. Tube amps have their tonal merits and stalwart proponents, but in a recent Forum poll, over 60% of voters favored solid state. We're now in a situation where bass amplification was 10-15 years ago.
Discussion about individual amps, fx pedals, modeling gear, speakers etc. is part and parcel of the Forum's Guitar, amps and gizmos section. However, a Jazz guitar amplification 101 intro ought to reflect the current situation, not the way our world was soon 20 years ago.
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02-28-2025 05:01 AM
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That would be good.
Any volunteers?
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A poll for amps that are currently in production would be a good start. The category can be broadly called "amplification solutions" so the responses aren't limited to combo amps.
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Megatrend?
Get real. The only reason solid state won is because we are on a jazz forum that is mostly geriatric geezers. No one is gonna be carrying a Twin with JBL's because they can't lift it anymore.
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We are so lucky to have one real man left with us.
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That’s what I love most about the community of musicians - the respect we all have and show for each other. As a sign of that respect, I’m sure that Fender developed and sells Tonemasters only to please a thousand geriatric geezers who play jazz in their nursing homes.
Originally Posted by DawgBone
What other kinds of geezers are there besides geriatric, DB?
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I see more solid state than tube amps in the wild lately. I haven't seen ANYONE gig with a tube twin in at least a decade. I know it's your rootin' tootin' thing, but it's not popular, at least, not in and around Chicago. Originally Posted by DawgBone
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Is a foolish consistency the hobgoblin of little minds, or is consistency the last refuge of the unimaginative? I have such a hard time deciding ... Originally Posted by DawgBone
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I understand people who like the sound they can get out of lighter, solid state amps/modules, so they don't bother with tube amps. But I don't get people who say "I love my tube amps and they sound better than my lighter solid state amps but they are too heavy so I don't bring them to gigs anymore.". Unless you have to use public transit to get to your gigs or you have severe physical limitations and gig 6 nights a week for a living, the latter case doesn't hold any water.
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“When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Originally Posted by John A.
Next!!
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If you haven't noticed a trend towards lighter amps, guitars, and everything else you've either been living under a rock or you've been swimming in that river in Egypt, you know, DeNile. There's a reason the current most desirable Fender combo amps are Princetons and Deluxes when back in the day bigger amps like Pro and Twin Reverbs were what everyone wanted. It's been a 180 about face if we're being real about it. Whether it's laziness, physical issues or whatever, it's not just confined to a trend among older people.
That said I'm still using my '67 Twin on just about everything, it's got the exact sound I want that I haven't been able to find in anything else and I'll continue to use it until I can't lift it anymore. Hopefully that day won't come anytime soon, but I'm not gonna act holier than thou and put down people that can't/won't lift one.
It's that old ymmv thing again.
Too heavy? Don't use one.
There's room for everyone and whatever they feel like using w out being a jackass about it.
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I had a hard time carrying my Twin with JBL's when I was 17. At 67 it would be foolhardy to try to carry one of those. Hell, these days, I don't like carrying my 35 pound Raezer's Edge Stealth 12ER (That is the heaviest piece of gear I own).
My Henriksen Bud 6 is a godsend for my descent into geezerhood. And remember folks, becoming a geriatric geezer (is there a redundancy there?) beats the alternative!
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At almost 69 I don't carry my twin or Marshall JCM 4104 but still use my MBIII and Musicman 65RP. Can't see me ever changing now though. Originally Posted by DawgBone
Edit. I write 'no stairs' in my contracts these days
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Well this Geezer willingly left tubes at least ten years ago! So here are some of my reasons
1.) No Tubes to replace
2.) No wall voltage issues to affect performance
3.) No repair bills
4.) Prefer the Clean Tone overall
5.) Can leave in sub zero garage w/ out any issue
6.) Smaller size for way more Power.
7.) Got Tired of being Furniture Mover!
P.S. I’ve owned most of the coveted Tube Amps including Dumble,Silver Jubilee Marshall, Marshall Plexi, Mesa Boogies Ampeg vintage Fender Vintage, etc…..
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Points 1 - 4 I can live with Originally Posted by jads57
Point 5 n/a
Point 6 I don't need more power
Point 7 I'll keep lifting until I physically can't
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I'm not aware of any laws enforceable by the jazz police, nor any other police force, which require or forbid the use of either tube or solid-state amps. One is free to use whatever floats one's boat. Personally, I own one tube amp, a Fender Vibrolux Reverb that I acquired used back in about 1990. It has died more than once, and it's now dead again, and I can't find anyone to repair it. I'm leaning toward not spending any more money on it. It's currently doing duty as my preferred cabinet for my Quilter Soundblock US, because the two 10" Cannabis Rex speakers in it sound great. But only at home, because that boat anchor isn't easy to move. If I go out of the house, my Toob Metro BG+ is what goes with the Quilter. Sounds good, and I can carry both on my little finger without any strain. But that's just me, and I can't quarrel with anyone who wants to lift heavy weights without going to the gym. Lift away. It's not my back that's in danger.
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Curmudgeons. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
That’s what I love most about the community of musicians - the respect we all have and show for each other. As a sign of that respect, I’m sure that Fender developed and sells Tonemasters only to please a thousand geriatric geezers who play jazz in their nursing homes.
What other kinds of geezers are there besides geriatric, DB?
Fender makes Tonemasters cause it's high profit low production cost junk and people who don't know any better will buy them because they are cheaper than the tube amp it's trying to model. Some guys will buy them because they are lighter. They make a great throwaway, that much is certain. How many will be operating in 50 years? 25 years?
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We know, we know. here's what'll be left standing in 100 years.... Originally Posted by DawgBone
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I like Tonemasters. They are more practical than 'the real thing' in every way and sound great.
My basic reissue tube Princeton does me well (loud enough for the stuff I play), but people look at you funny when you ask to have it mic'ed on a theatre gig and so on. It's increasingly a DI world these days - sound people just want to take a line out because everyone who plays these shows rocks up with an Axe FX or whatever (although some tube amps such as the Peavey classic DO offer DI in fact). Tube amps are nice but increasingly they live at home.
So for me that road probably leads to some sort of pedal board modelling solution rather than a TM if I can justify the outlay with work that requires it. ATM I'm mostly playing in pubs with a - good god - tube amp and being asked to turn down haha. (In ears? What are they?)
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There are at least two of us. I'll be 70 next year. Originally Posted by docsteve
I take one of the Twins or the Supers (and the Deluxe as a spare but never have had to deploy it). I adjusted down the back floor of my wagon's cargo space so lifting only as high as the bumper is necessary, and I use a dolly.
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I know one guy who usually brings a Victoria brand copy of one of the smaller Fenders. That guy sounds great on everything he plays. I verified that it's not the amp by plugging into it once.
I can't think of anyone else bringing tube gear lately. Not that I hear all that many different players, but I get out now and then.
One of the two best guitar sounds I ever heard was a Fender Twin, so I'm not trashing tubes. The other, btw, was solid state.
As an individual who is both geriatric and a geezer, resulting in a slightly larger senior discount at GC, I use solid state. Too bad the term "death metal" is unavailable.
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So a lot of us geriatric patients have a lot of money to spend, at least compared to when we were 20. Then I wish I could afford a Fender tube amp and I couldn't. No I could buy ten and I settle for a cheap and light DV LJ. It's a crazy world. Btw, I'm 62. And btw, my 175 was not so cheap. And not so light, I think I need a smaller and lighter guitar nowadays. The wishlist never ends
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A person who disses another's choice of amp and calling that person a curmudgeon is rather oxymoronic.
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The moment a piece of gear passes the gigging threshold of sound quality, dependability, practicality, value for money etc, musicians will use it. Usually it makes sense to be practical, have options when it comes to gear, and making everyone's lives easier at the gig. Tubes, solid state, direct, in ear..
I do prefer tubes and good guitars, but have done months and months of theater with a Steinberger spirit and a Pod Xt. I would leave it in the dressing room for half a year. Weekend gigs 12-4 AM playing pop-rock tunes with singers, carrying only a guitar and a small multi effect direct, h€ll yeah! Touring in a van with a sansamp board and three guitars, of course. And now, walking 200 meters in hotels with a Toob 3 kilo rig, again more than happy to do it.
These days Jazz guitar is the easiest genre sound wise, because it is a lot less dynamic than guitar in other styles, and doesn't use overdrive. I used to think a tube sound was the absolute in jazz sound, but playing my Elferink (which is very acoustic sounding) through my Henriksen and Aer I found a different sound, which is also very beautiful. Still prefer an archtop through fender tubes though.
Imagine tubes and solid state amps having the same weight and size, same reliability problems (modern tubes...), same cost. Would you then choose solid state for just its sound over a Twin or a Super Reverb? Or is it prioritizing other factors over the sound quality leading to that choice. For me that's the case.Last edited by Alter; 03-08-2025 at 12:44 AM.
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I suppose it's possible to imagine that, but it's not possible to actually attain it. In the real world in which we live, that's just pie in the sky fantasy.Imagine tubes and solid state amps having the same weight and size, same reliability problems (modern tubes...), same cost.
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