Can anything replace a Polytone?

[Jthompson48]

I just ordered a brute EQ pedal after going down the Polytone rabbit hole here. I generally prefer my Blu for archtops, but sometimes like the color a polytone can add, especially when jazzing with non jazz boxes. My polytone is in storage far away from me for awhile, and also quite heavy, so figured i would give the pedal a shot.

[Fusionshred]

I’m sorry I didn’t read all the posts here but hopped on to point you in the direction of Raezer’s Edge.

These are great amps and if you’re looking for something in the Polytone camp, Geoff makes a Luna 1x8 combo that is small, lightweight and as loud as you could possibly tolerate. It also comes in 1x10 and 1x12.

Plus, he makes the Eclipse 1x12 combo which is based on a Polytone MiniBrute.

I agree with those who say that the DV LJ is more Polytone like than Henriksens. But I A/B’d the LJ against a Blu 10 and ultimately the Blu was louder, fuller and cleaner.

The reverb sucks on all of them. Of course if you don’t use it, it doesn’t matter.

The only digital reverb that I have found that is a worthwhile alternative to actual spring tanks are the ones found in Fender TMs, Quilters and my Evans.

[Stringswinger]

The reverb sucks on all of them. Of course if you don’t use it, it doesn’t matter.

The only digital reverb that I have found that is a worthwhile alternative to actual spring tanks are the ones found in Fender TMs, Quilters and my Evans.

I have to say that the one weakness I have found with Henriksen amps (and I own one Henriksen amp and have owned three others) is the reverb. Like Fusionshred, I like an actual spring tank reverb. I own two Quilters (and have owned one other) and I find the reverb on the Quilters quite acceptable. I owned a Milkman amp that had a great digital reverb.

IMO, Henriksen needs to up their game in the reverb department.

[omphalopsychos]

The new quilter combo coming out later this month will have the neunaber wet reverb algorithm (one of my top 3 reverbs) baked into the circuit.

[Gustavo Eiriz]

I played in stores many amps, and none of them paired with and L-5 Wes like a Polytone.
Maybe Fenders Twin or Deluxe were very good too, although i didnt play a Princetone
I played in gigs with Henriksen and they were close but they didnt stimulate my playng as Polytone did, beside they are too expensive for what they offer (and i see that reverbs sometime breaks).

There is a kind of mid bump (around 350hz?) that fattens the sound in a way that is pleasant for me. Also Polytone seems to have a low cut which is key to not muddy the sound too much. I couldnt tell you if it compresses somehow, but it seems to do it too.

I believe that NAM 2 will open the possibilites to many pedals that might do the trick

[garybaldy]

I played in stores many amps, and none of them paired with and L-5 Wes like a Polytone.
Maybe Fenders Twin or Deluxe were very good too, although i didnt play a Princetone
I played in gigs with Henriksen and they were close but they didnt stimulate my playng as Polytone did, beside they are too expensive for what they offer (and i see that reverbs sometime breaks).

There is a kind of mid bump (around 350hz?) that fattens the sound in a way that is pleasant for me. Also Polytone seems to have a low cut which is key to not muddy the sound too much. I couldnt tell you if it compresses somehow, but it seems to do it too.

I believe that NAM 2 will open the possibilites to many pedals that might do the trick

Which Polytone(s) did you compare with which Henriksen(s)?

[Little Jay]

I have to say that the one weakness I have found with Henriksen amps (and I own one Henriksen amp and have owned three others) is the reverb. Like Fusionshred, I like an actual spring tank reverb. I own two Quilters (and have owned one other) and I find the reverb on the Quilters quite acceptable. I owned a Milkman amp that had a great digital reverb.

IMO, Henriksen needs to up their game in the reverb department.

Very true. The reverb on Henriksen amps is weak. I usually use my Boss FRV-1 with it, waaaay better. But it’s a shame I have to bring a reverb pedal, would be so much more practical to have a decent onboard reverb……

The reverb on my Quilter Superblock US is much better.

[KevinV]

The other problem is people say that Little Jazz give some form of distorted sound (clipping?) when you play chords. Have you ever experienced or heard that?

I hooked my LJ and Bud 6 up to an AB pedal a few weeks ago and went back and forth with them both set as equally as possible. It was only then that I noticed some distortion. I hadn't noticed it playing the LJ on its own, but could hear it clearly when compared. I still think it's a great sounding amp, but the headroom is not on par with the Bud. Then again, their power sections are not equal.

[Gustavo Eiriz]

I played i think the 80s minibrute the smallest one, another 15 inche speaker old one, and also the late ones which i didnt like that much, and a few Henriksens, dont take my opinion as a true please. It was just my experience at the time.

[Navdeep_Singh]

I literally gave away my old PolyTone (that was actually given to me) and sold an older PolyTone before that, one I had bought for about $500. Meh. Meh. Meh. There are better options out there now.

[jaymen]

It's all in the fingers!
I played through a Polytone and the guy who was selling it said it never sounded like that for him.

Technique has a lot to do with your sound. A good amp will make it better, but will not magically give you that Jazz sound , unless of course you already have mastered making it. A good indicator of that is creating the jazz tone on an acoustic instrument, unplugged.

[rpjazzguitar]

I hooked my LJ and Bud 6 up to an AB pedal a few weeks ago and went back and forth with them both set as equally as possible. It was only then that I noticed some distortion. I hadn't noticed it playing the LJ on its own, but could hear it clearly when compared. I still think it's a great sounding amp, but the headroom is not on par with the Bud. Then again, their power sections are not equal.

$1400 vs $400.

[rpjazzguitar]

$1400 vs $400.

If it was cars, that would be a Porche 911 Carrera vs a Toyota Corolla. A factor of 3.5 in price.

[Christian Miller]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from people who have experience with jazz amps.

I’m about to buy a dedicated amp for jazz guitar, but I’m having a hard time deciding. My budget is limited, so I want to make the right choice. The idea is to leave the amp at the jazz club where I regularly play, so I don’t have to carry one back and forth every time.

The guitar tones I love the most are players like Jonathan Kreisberg and Kurt Rosenwinkel. I know both of them have used Polytone amps, and I’ve always wanted to own one and experience that sound for myself at least once.

At the same time, I’m a bit worried that I may be idealizing the Polytone sound. When I listen to YouTube demos, the results are all over the place—some sound incredible, while others sound nothing like the warm tones I’m after. I realize that many recordings probably involve EQ, effects, studio processing, or simply different guitars and players.

My goal is a warm, mellow, singing jazz tone with strong mids, dark but still articulate, without harsh or piercing highs. I mostly play straight-ahead jazz in small clubs with a drummer, upright bass, and piano. I don’t need huge volume, but I do need enough clean headroom so my guitar sits well in the mix and isn’t buried by the band.

The amps I’m currently considering are:

Polytone Mini-Brute
Henriksen JazzAmp (110/112/310/312)
AER
DV Mark Little Jazz
Mambo (if anyone has experience with it)

If you were in my position today, with a limited budget and looking specifically for that warm, classic jazz sound, which amp would you choose and why?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have owned or played both a Polytone and one of the more modern alternatives. Does a Polytone still have something unique that newer amps don’t, or have modern designs essentially caught up?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

I think any of those would be a decent choice except the AER. Beyond that it’s a matter of budget and preference really.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GuyBoden]

Can anything replace a Polytone?

Yes.

[garybaldy]

Can anything replace a Polytone?

Yes.

But the replacement won't be the same.

[rpjazzguitar]

Hi everyone,
Polytone Mini-Brute
Henriksen JazzAmp (110/112/310/312)
AER
DV Mark Little Jazz
Mambo (if anyone has experience with it)
!

My experience and taste. I play a semi and a solid, not an archtop. And, mine is probably a minority view.

1. I've played a few Polytones. I never understood what the fuss was about.

2. I've played the Blu, not the JazzAmp. I preferred the Little Jazz. The Blu is louder, but not by enough to make that much of a difference. 3.5x the price.

3. I've heard great guitar sounds out of the AER Compact 60. Jack Wilkins used it at the Zinc Bar.

4. No experience with Mambo.

If the LJ is loud enough for what you're trying to do, it will give a warm sound.

[Gustavo Eiriz]

I think there is a kind of boxiness but still clear (since Polytones has a low cut) that incentivates you to play (if you have a gibson es-175 or L-5 style guitar). Not very hi-fi but very responsive and at the same time maybe compressed.

Just hear Joe Pass jazzbaltica performance with his custom es-175 and polytone. Does any other amp sounds like that? I am not sure, is it the best ever possible sound for jazz guitar: well yes for me, not for everyone.
Is his fingers only? no, not at all. Its his fingers, the guitar and the amp. A twin reverb does not that sound, while fender stack tone cuts in 650hz polytone seems to be flatter there, so you have a fatter sound, of course not great for rock where you need to cut through.

[Gitterbug]

I don't know exactly when Dirk conducted the gear survey which can still be found on JGO. Some of the comments are of later date, probably early 2010s, and do mention Henriksen, DV Mark and Quilter. Yet, I can't recognize a single avatar.

The survey itself existed before 2009 when I joined the Forum. Not surprisingly, Fender was the clear favorite, with 30% support, while Polytone - even back then - raked in 3%.

Dirk did conduct a new survey late last year, but perhaps the replies were too fragmented to be analyzed and reported in a meaningful way. Perhaps just too much to digest in the time available.

Why am I chiming in, repeatedly? After all, I have seen a Polytone in guitar use only once, about 20 years ago. I have no recollection how it sounded, let alone any benchmark for comparison. There must be something special about the sound, at least of the earlier, less feature-laden versions. What puzzles me is that no-one has managed to recreate the magic. It shouldn't be impossible to autopsy a sample that's no longer repairable: circuitry, electric components, speaker, cab architecture and insulation.

I know the owner of the Finnish sample I referred to. If it's still in working order, I'll try to arrange an audition and A/B it against some of my wares. Better ears than mine must be present.

[JazzNote]

Polytone Mini-Brute
Henriksen JazzAmp (110/112/310/312)
AER
DV Mark Little Jazz
Mambo (if anyone has experience with it)
!

Of the above mentioned amps I owned:
two Mini Brutes (1 late eighties and one early nineties, I sold both long ago)
3 Aers of which 2 are Compact 60, 1 is Compact 60 mobile (bought between 2000 and 2010 I still have all 3)
2 Mambos, a 8“ wedge and a 10“ wedge

my favorite of all of them is the 8“ Mambo Wedge because it suites my archtops best, sounds warm & round, with lots of power and a great reverb while being super small & light.

I sold the Mini Brutes because at the time I discovered the MesaBoogie Mark III the Polytones felt to be not responsive enough dynamically.
I find the AER sound okay, but a little cold compared to the Mambo. For some gigs I combine my 8“ Mambo with a Compact 60.

I never played a Henriksen, neither a DV Mark little Jazz

Best of luck to you for choosing the right one!

[Dean_G]

I recall playing through a polytone a couple times in the eighties. All I remember is it seemed very tight, not in a good way, and very solid state. I was surprised when I bought a DV Mark Jazz 12 some years back and actually like it. For my taste I don't see why anyone would want a polytone these days, there are so many lightweight and improved solid state amps available.

[MiniMerckx.22]

I am not a tech guru, very far from it, but I seem to remember reading somebody who did build amps say that....(paraphrased) part of the Polytone sound was the fact that they had 3 ohm speakers that would create a subtle " distortion" that the ear would interrupt as " warmth" like a tube amp. Hence a PT was made to sound less sterile than other SS smps of the day.

The other problem is people say that Little Jazz give some form of distorted sound (clipping?) when you play chords. Have you ever experienced or heard that?

[Stringswinger]

I am not a tech guru, very far from it, but I seem to remember reading somebody who did build amps say that....(paraphrased) part of the Polytone sound was the fact that they had 3 ohm speakers that would create a subtle " distortion" that the ear would interrupt as " warmth" like a tube amp. Hence a PT was made to sound less sterile than other SS smps of the day.

I think there was some secret sauce in the speaker choice of their combo amps. When the speaker blew on my last Polytone Combo amp, Polytone was out of business. I contacted Eminence Speakers and they told me that they could not make that speaker for me as the Gumina Estate (Tommy had died and Polytone was defunct) owned the rights to the design. So I bought a suitable guitar speaker as per Eminence's suggestion and the amp sounded different. Not bad, just different. It was then that I knew my journey with Polytone was coming to an end. I sold the Combo amp and a year later, I sold my Polytone head to a forum member here.

I played a LOT of gigs using Polytone amps and I will always be a fan.

[Jthompson48]

There must be something special about the sound, at least of the earlier, less feature-laden versions. What puzzles me is that no-one has managed to recreate the magic. It shouldn't be impossible to autopsy a sample that's no longer repairable: circuitry, electric components, speaker, cab architecture and insulation.

Someone did (allegedly) recreate the preamp of a brute and make a pedal out of it called the brute EQ. You can find posts about searching the forum. It is just one variable of several... but my impression is that it captures some of the elements of the Polytone that I like. Or at least it reminds me of them. My polytone isn't currently available to me to compare.