Quilter Aviator Cub vs DV mark jazz 12

**nicaguitar** · 12-10-2025, 06:52 PM

Hello guys and gals!

I recently moved into a new city and I am looking to buy a new amp. I previously owned the DV mark jazz 12 for some years and I loved it so much so that is my first option, but the last 2 years I have been playing in cruise ships and had the opportunity to play a deluxe reverb for a lot of it and man, its my dream amp (unfortunately I do not have the budget to buy one and I do not want to carry it around also). I have an es-330 style hollow body and a telecaster and have a pedalboard with a bunch of analog pedals. I play a lot of straight ahead but also like to play with overdrive, experiment and play a lot of fusion. I have been researching a lot and it seems the Quilter aviator cub is the closest thing I can get to that fender sound while maintaining the portability of the DV mark plus having the effects loop and other voicings.

Unfortunately, there is no store where I am where I can try the 2 of them side by side so I'm not sure if I want to risk buying the Aviator cub online or just going for the sure thing and going for the DV mark. For any of you who have played both, what is your thoughts on both amps? What would you do in my situation? Cheers and thanks in advance to everybody! (where I am the Quilter aviator cub would cost me 777euro while the dv mark would cost me 480euro, its still in my budget but its about 60 percent more so I don't know if its worth it ! It does have the effects loop and the 3 voicings which are very attractive but I don't really know)

**Tal_175** · 12-10-2025, 08:59 PM

Since you liked using a Deluxe Reverb but looking for something a bit lighter and cheaper, did you consider finding a used Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb or Princeton?

**nicaguitar** · 12-10-2025, 09:02 PM

Yes I have! but they are out of my budget ( 1100 or 1000 euros here) ! pretty pricey.

**SOLR** · 12-10-2025, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by nicaguitar

Yes I have! but they are out of my budget ( 1100 or 1000 euros here) ! pretty pricey.

Have you looked into this : Update on TC Combo Deluxe 65 pedal review

Jack Z has reported a few times on this model..

might fit the bill

S

**nicaguitar** · 12-10-2025, 09:24 PM

That looks great ! and quite more affordable than the UA Dream. Might look into it also! I would have to buy a speaker to go with the pedal though so that's the hassle I was trying to avoid (hence the quilter aviator cub which is all in 1 amp).

**omphalopsychos** · 12-10-2025, 09:31 PM

Of the two you suggested, probably the Quilter, given that it is capable of Fender tones. I have not played the DV Mark, but I have heard others play through them and it's not my cup of tea.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 12-10-2025, 10:52 PM

The Aviator Cub is a lot more versatile than the Jazz 12. If all you want is decent clean jazz tone, light to moderate OD, and a few Fender voices, the Cub will do it all without pedals. I think the Jazz 12 will put out a warmer and deeper jazz tone with a Tele or a semi, and it takes pedals very well. But you need pedals to get the variety of tones the Cub will make on its own.

I used a Jazz 12 for a few years with an archtop for trio jazz shows (with bass & drums) and a Tele for blues. It was great for jazz - a little thunky and on the warm side. With the Tele into a Zen pedal, the J12 did blues & fusion well, although no one thought I had a Dumble. If you like more than a hint of reverb, the J12 gets spacey with the reverb beyond “barely there”.

They’re pretty equal in clean volume with flat EQ, but the Cub will get a fair amount louder with some drive and the EQ knobs past 2 o’clock (or with a boost effect). Since you already have and presumably use a pedalboard, the J12 is probably a better alternative for you.

**nicaguitar** · 12-11-2025, 06:50 AM

Thank you so much for the detailed response! Yeah, the DV mark is my first choice since I already had it and I loved it! I think I just fell in love with the tube amp tone too much while I was using the deluxe xD! I also Have a bunch of pedals and an IR2 with a twin model and York audio IRS that I use as backup if the amp doesn't work and it sounds pretty decent! I wish they had the aviator cub in the store so I can try them side by side!

**SOLR** · 12-11-2025, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by nicaguitar

That looks great ! and quite more affordable than the UA Dream. Might look into it also! I would have to buy a speaker to go with the pedal though so that's the hassle I was trying to avoid (hence the quilter aviator cub which is all in 1 amp).

a TooB might do ?

But most venues have a powered cab for PA...

S

**nicaguitar** · 12-11-2025, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by SOLR

a TooB might do ?

But most venues have a powered cab for PA...

S

I´ve lookd into the TooBs but them needing an external power amp puts me off a bit, I dont want to buy extra gear just to make it sound.

**Jx30510** · 12-11-2025, 10:43 PM

I'd go Aviator Cub without a question. I think it's much better suited for your needs. Versatile and vastly better EQ options. You have an analog pedal collection, a DV Mark is quite behind compared to the Aviator in terms of voicing options.
Moreover, you've already had the Jazz 12 in the past, something new and fresh is always more exciting and fun. If the Aviator doesn't suit you, which I doubt, just return it.

**SierraTango** · 12-12-2025, 04:21 PM

+1 on the Quilter Cub. I've had both the Cub and the DV 12 and while the DV was just OK, the Cub was much more versatile. I found the DV to be a bit sterile and boxy sounding. Although I was happy with the Cub, I went with a Koch Jupiter Jr and sold the Quilter to a friend that plays Classic Rock. He loves it. I bought my Cub for U.S. $500 and sold it to him for the same amount.

**nicaguitar** · 12-12-2025, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by SierraTango

+1 on the Quilter Cub. I've had both the Cub and the DV 12 and while the DV was just OK, the Cub was much more versatile. I found the DV to be a bit sterile and boxy sounding. Although I was happy with the Cub, I went with a Koch Jupiter Jr and sold the Quilter to a friend that plays Classic Rock. He loves it. I bought my Cub for U.S. $500 and sold it to him for the same amount.

Thanks for the input!!! I am leaning towards the aviator cub now.

**Stringswinger** · 12-12-2025, 05:30 PM

I have never owned any of the DV amps but I do own a Quilter Mach 3 and can report that the three different Fender voiced preamps are great for dialing in whatever tone a particular guitar sounds best doing.

I also own a couple of Henriksens which have a one trick jazz sound (I do like that sound and I do use both amps for jazz gigs), but for rock or blues, I would use my Quilter (or my Milkman).

**omphalopsychos** · 12-12-2025, 05:53 PM

FYI I have owned the aviator and mach 3 and can confirm that the channels sound the same, just that the mach 3 has more power. same with the SBUS.

**Cunamara** · 12-12-2025, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by nicaguitar

I´ve lookd into the TooBs but them needing an external power amp puts me off a bit, I dont want to buy extra gear just to make it sound.

I have a Toob and it is outstanding. Combine it with a Quilter SBUS and you've got... well, pretty much the same thing as the Aviator Cub but much lighter and portable.

**John A.** · 12-13-2025, 10:37 PM

I have the Aviator Cub, have played a DV LJ several times, and tried the DV 12 briefly once. As others have said, the DV’s sound good for a clean Polytone-like jazz tone, which is fine if that’s what you’re looking for, but the AC sounds more Fendery and is much more versatile.

A neat treat with the AC is that you can use a y-cable or ABY pedal to combine two inputs. I do that with the Tweed and Blackface sounds.

**nicaguitar** · 12-14-2025, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

I have the Aviator Cub, have played a DV LJ several times, and tried the DV 12 briefly once. As others have said, the DV’s sound good for a clean Polytone-like jazz tone, which is fine if that’s what you’re looking for, but the AC sounds more Fendery and is much more versatile.

A neat treat with the AC is that you can use a y-cable or ABY pedal to combine two inputs. I do that with the Tweed and Blackface sounds.

Thank you so much! Yeah I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the aviator cub. the extra 200 bucks for an effects loop plus all the tone options seems more than worth it!