Nigel Price reviews portable jazz amps - YouTube video

[ClassyTouch]

I bought a pedal to put in front of my Bud 6 to get a Fender tone with this amp. I got a UA Dream 65. It adds a VERY true (to my ears) Fender sound. So now, I can get two different amp sounds with the same super portable amp (plus I get vibrato).

To the forum members who posted that a pedal could get a Henriklsen Bud into Fender territory, Thank you!

When I got my ES 175 I came to realize what made me fall in love with it was that I tested it through a Fender Deluxe Reverb. That squishy sparkly sound is so unique. The Bud just doesn't do that, so instead of buying a Fender... I too have put a UAD Dream 65 in front of my Bud and Boom! There it is! That Fender bloom coming out of my Henriksen! We are indeed in a golden age of amplification!

[Little Jay]

I bought a pedal to put in front of my Bud 6 to get a Fender tone with this amp. I got a UA Dream 65. It adds a VERY true (to my ears) Fender sound. So now, I can get two different amp sounds with the same super portable amp (plus I get vibrato).

To the forum members who posted that a pedal could get a Henriklsen Bud into Fender territory, Thank you!

Yes, I do this with my Quilter Superblock US in front of it. I also have an AER Alpha that serves as a mini PA sometimea for vocals, bass and guitar. I put my guitar thru the QSBUS into the effect return of the Alpha. Sounds great as well

[Stringswinger]

When I got my ES 175 I came to realize what made me fall in love with it was that I tested it through a Fender Deluxe Reverb. That squishy sparkly sound is so unique. The Bud just doesn't do that, so instead of buying a Fender... I too have put a UAD Dream 65 in front of my Bud and Boom! There it is! That Fender bloom coming out of my Henriksen! We are indeed in a golden age of amplification!

The UA Dream 65 gets rave reviews for good reason, it is an amazing pedal. In addition to expanding the capabilities of my Bud 6, it will also be useful for just going direct into a PA.

I can also report that the people at Universal Audio are very nice people. Prior to the pandemic, I used to play their employee Christmas party every year and we were well treated and we were paid fairly. They are located in Scott's Valley, CA.

[Stringswinger]

Yes, I do this with my Quilter Superblock US in front of it. I also have an AER Alpha that serves as a mini PA sometimea for vocals, bass and guitar. I put my guitar thru the QSBUS into the effect return of the Alpha. Sounds great as well

I imagine running two Class D amplifiers in tandem gives you lots of headroom.

I have a Quilter Mach 3 and I love the Blackface sound it delivers. The Dream 65 may be even a touch more authentic to the Fender sound and touch feel. My one complaint about the Dream 65 is that the treble knob is also part of the Tremolo effect, so if you use the footswitch to turn on the Tremolo, you are stuck with the Tremolo speed setting that your treble setting has your Tremolo speed at.

[Little Jay]

I imagine running two Class D amplifiers in tandem gives you lots of headroom.

I have a Quilter Mach 3 and I love the Blackface sound it delivers. The Dream 65 may be even a touch more authentic to the Fender sound and touch feel. My one complaint about the Dream 65 is that the treble knob is also part of the Tremolo effect, so if you use the footswitch to turn on the Tremolo, you are stuck with the Tremolo speed setting that your treble setting has your Tremolo speed at.

You can use the Superblock as a preamp, you don’t have to use the internal poweramp. Or is that not what you meant?

[Stringswinger]

You can use the Superblock as a preamp, you don’t have to use the internal poweramp. Or is that not what you meant?

How do you bypass the power amp?

[Little Jay]

How do you bypass the power amp?

By not using the power amp output (speaker output) but the DI/line out!

[bleakanddivine]

Here he is tearing it up at our local jazz club on Tuesday evening.

[Christian Miller]

What's going off with that jack cable?

[GuyBoden]

He is playing at the Wrexham Jazz Guitar Weekend Workshops, starting tomorrow night (Friday 10th April 2026).

So, hopefully, I'll get to hear some Nigel Price chord soloing.

Wrexham International Jazz Guitar Weekend

[alltunes]

I recently picked up an AER Compact 60 and it has been a game changer. It just sounds great right out of the box with EQs set flat. Currently playing a mandolin with a piezo and a Fender Acoustasonic through it which also has a piezo as well as humbucker. The AER is definitely designed for the acoustic world. I use a Red-Eye preamp in front which gives me a little more control at my feet to balance out instrument swapping.

I have also owned a Fishman Loudbox Mini and still own a Bose S1 Pro.

[Aiq]

Here he is tearing it up at our local jazz club on Tuesday evening.

Sitting! As I will be if I ever play out again.

Enjoy the music you lucky enough to be there.

[Joseph2]

The Quilter Mach 3 gets you the Fender sound, but it is not as small and light (it is more comparable to the Henriksen Bud 10 in regard to weight and size).

How well does the Mach 3 combo emulate older non-master volume tube amps with big transformers? I currently play through vintage (early 70s) Traynor bassmaster amps, into a Mesa Thiele cab with an EVM12L 200 watt speaker. Each unit (head and cab) weigh around 30 lb each, so it's not too bad, but it's certainly not featherweight. But it sounds great, which is why I still have them.

[Stringswinger]

How well does the Mach 3 combo emulate older non-master volume tube amps with big transformers? I currently play through vintage (early 70s) Traynor bassmaster amps, into a Mesa Thiele cab with an EVM12L 200 watt speaker. Each unit (head and cab) weigh around 30 lb each, so it's not too bad, but it's certainly not featherweight. But it sounds great, which is why I still have them.

The Mach 3 does a credible job replicating vintage tube amp sound and feel with lightweight performance (There is no sag, so amp sounds with a rectifier tube are not on the Quilter menu). It does not (IMO) get you all the way to classic tube amp tone, but it is close enough for jazz.

[GuyBoden]

I was at the Nigel Price and Alessio Menconi gig last night at Cheadle near Manchester.

Both players were exceptional, but I've got to say that Alessio Menconi plays some astonishing lines.

Trefor takes some good quality video footage at these gigs, I'll post it here, when it is becomes available.

[David B]

I was at the Nigel Price and Alessio Menconi gig last night at Cheadle near Manchester.

Both players were exceptional, but I've got to say that Alessio Menconi plays some astonishing lines.

Trefor takes some good quality video footage at these gigs, I'll post it here, when it is becomes available.

Nigel's already got some up on YouTube.

[MoMan]

Really enjoyed this video. Was cool seeing how a pro jazz guitarist approaches setting up these things. Seems to be fairly flat EQ, no modulation on the verb. He literally made every amp sound great! Perhaps a lesson there too.

A friend has the Bud and I'm fond of it. He also has old Polytone, Quilter, AER and wonderful amps laying around everywhere! Not jealous at all.

I have a Deluxe Reverb re-issue and the Yamaha THR practice amp featured in the video. I wouldn't use the Yamaha live (or at least never explored it but might work for duo or solo settings as Nige suggested). For practice it is literally the best money I've ever spent, so easy and convenient to just have everything ready to go. Love the wireless relay and Bluetooth connects automatically to laptop for my Aebersold backings etc. The less barriers to practice the better.

Played the Deluxe Reverb live once and received lots of compliments so that will do me. I'd love to consider Bud 6 but I'm not yet old enough for weight to be an issue, could probably use the exercise etc. so I'll continue to stick with the Fender.

For me: Gibson into clean Fender Amp is sonic heaven. I see no need to complicate things anymore.

I love it so much I was considering selling all my pedals and other gear... let's see if that ever happens