Polytone Amps

**Badge** · 03-21-2011, 02:30 AM

My local shop in Australia found a number of new vintage Polys in its warehouse. They are a Minibrute 3, a Minibrute 5, a Mini-S12L and Mini-S15B.

This shop has some really old (new) stuff - you should see their book shelves! The owners don't seem to know how to manage working capital - but it makes for an interesting shop.

Anyway, I have checked the Ebay thread and these babies seem very cheap in the US (although they are all pre-loved - often a number of times).

The pricing on these new Aussie Polys is very high by comparison - for example they want AU$1900 for the MB 5.

Is it nuts to pay that sort of price for a new (old) Polytone?

I am after a dedicated jazz amp - does anyone have any views on one of the above over the other?

Thank you!

**mr. beaumont** · 03-21-2011, 07:57 AM

I think it's nuts...I'm not sure of the exchange rate, but they're only half that brand new in the states...

What can you get a henriksen for in Oz?

**Eddie Lang** · 03-21-2011, 09:51 AM

Today

1,900.00 AUD = 1,910.44 USD

As much as I'd love the chance to buy a new old stock Polytone, that is WAY too high IMHO. Others may differ.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 03-21-2011, 01:21 PM

Way too high. I hear you Aussies have to pay a lot for bananas, too.

**mattymel** · 03-21-2011, 05:05 PM

paying more than $300-400 for a solid state polytone is ridiculous.

its a strange thing with polytones. they are fine for playing jazz through. but, they arent heads above any used SS peavey amp you can buy for under $200. treating a polytone like its equivalent to some mint BF Fender amp is silly.

i feel like the high prices you see polytones go for is really just the market reflecting the void jazz guitarists BELIEVE there is in regards to suitable amps.

obviously i am tube amp fan. but i would play a polytone if they werent SO overpriced. there is nothing about them that justifies paying much.

**Bill C** · 03-21-2011, 06:25 PM

If you are outside the USA, you'll be very lucky to get a US made amp or guitar for a US price.

take the typical US price for the amp, then factor in the cost of shipping it to your country and the import duties you'd have to pay - that's a realistic price for an imported amp or guitar.

With an amp you obviously need to consider whether it's compatible with your local mains supply.

**IanD** · 03-22-2011, 06:20 PM

Badge that does seem a ridiculous price for the Polytone, even here in Australia. Transport from the US would be maybe around $300-400 and I'm fairly sure you only pay import duties on equipment made in the US if it is over $1000. Personally Polytone amps don't particularly impress me, but if you must have one, then importing would be cheaper than the price you have been quoted, (just remeber as Bill C indicated you will need a step-up transformer or have the transformer changed so add around $100 for that).

Can I make a suggestion? We don't seem to have much in the way of S/S amp builders here in Australia at least of a standard equal to Evans, Henrikson etc, but we do have valve (tube) amp builders that are as good (IMHO) as anything being produced anywhere in the world. For $1900 you could get a very nice tube amp designed especially for jazz.

And yes BigDaddy we do pay a lot for bananas at the moment, bloody rain, drought, fires, floods, cyclones etc etc.

Good luck

Ian

**Badge** · 03-22-2011, 11:36 PM

Thanks Ian and all others for your comments. Way out of the ball park I have concluded. Roland Cube 40 (or even) 80 boxes are around the AU$500 mark (roughly). I'll probably go that way.

guitarguy77 · 03-23-2011, 12:41 AM

Just paid $500 for a Polytone Mini Brute ii, early 90's with black cloth grill, great condition with cover,found it on craigslist in Northridge, CA, and i already had a footswitch, i have played a 70's Twin Reverb Blackfaced for a long time, but I am really loving the Polytone, its a great sound, and to me its lived up to the hype, i guess its 'to each his own'......

**Badge** · 03-23-2011, 12:43 AM

I think they are great... but you can buy 4 in the US for the price of 1 in Oz!

**fws6** · 03-23-2011, 04:31 AM

>If you are outside the USA, you'll be very lucky to get a US made amp or guitar for a US price.

Why ? I am in Europe and buy ALL my stuff in the US for US prices. The costs for shipping and import are not justifying (by far) the exessive pricing that euro shops think they can ask. Everyone has internet nowadays - otherwise you wouldnt be reading this - and its a global economy.

If you buy a $ 400 Polytone in the US, have it shipped for 100-150 and pay about the same in taxes you are still looking at 1/3rd of the local price max. 1900 is rediculous.

**Bill C** · 03-23-2011, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by fws6

>If you are outside the USA, you'll be very lucky to get a US made amp or guitar for a US price.

Why ? I am in Europe and buy ALL my stuff in the US for US prices. The costs for shipping and import are not justifying (by far) the exessive pricing that euro shops think they can ask. Everyone has internet nowadays - otherwise you wouldnt be reading this - and its a global economy.

If you buy a $ 400 Polytone in the US, have it shipped for 100-150 and pay about the same in taxes you are still looking at 1/3rd of the local price max. 1900 is rediculous.

Just to clarify, I wasn't suggesting that $1900 AUS was necessarily a realistic price. I was just saying you won't get an amp or guitar advertised at $400 in the US for $400 if you are in, say, the EU - more like $660 according to my UK-centric calculation which is similar to your calculation. In the UK importing privately always seems to work out to "dollar to pound" in my experience which is often similar to what UK shops charge - if they carry the US gear. I wouldn't be surprised if things are similar in the US if you buy, say, an AER or a Hofner. Obviously, as I mentioned before, you ideally want the original power supply on an amp to be switchable to match your local supply or that's further expense and technical hassle.

**pingu** · 03-23-2011, 08:10 AM

I strange that no-one imports Polys into other countries
Aus UK Germany whatever
Perhaps its the reverb cct reliability problem ?

**Bill C** · 03-23-2011, 09:03 AM

They used to be available in the UK, but I'm going back some years. I'm not aware of any stores which stock them over here now though.

**nado64** · 03-23-2011, 09:34 AM

Don't buy a polytone more than 600$.

It's a very simple solid-state amp...

**Jazzchief1** · 09-01-2012, 07:24 PM

Anyone out there use a polytone amp. Just wanted to know how you like it compared with other Jazz amps. Seems like they are not to heavy to lug around.

**pierre richard** · 09-01-2012, 08:47 PM

I bought my MiniBrute in 1985.....1/12"....

Play my 1977 Ibanez 2355 through it...had a fender deluxe reverb...played through a Mesa Boogie and Berringer but I like the sound of the Polytone...

IMO....it's what you want to hear or what your favorite player plays through is the choice you have to make..right?

It's not the guitar but the musician playing it...it does take years so don't rush it..

time on the instrument..pierre

**TSP** · 09-02-2012, 01:11 AM

I've played a couple and like them a lot. They do have a robust clean solid state sound. I have a Jazzkat TwinKat that sounds similar. Good solid amp.

**Frank67** · 09-02-2012, 02:37 AM

Bought an old one through ebay (I guess minibrute 2). Is a bit noisy but has that nice polytone sound that I like a lot - fat, warm, dark. However, in that ategory of solid state jazzamps I prefer the Henricksen jazzamps.

**kawa** · 09-02-2012, 04:20 AM

A Sound of The Current Model, Mini-brute Ⅱ

My settings for '67 ES-175DN V8, T10, SEG-1040ML, Belden 9778(3m)
1. Listen to the direct sounds at the front of the speaker units.
2. Guitar ; Volume 8. Tone 10, Neck end Picking, Testing phrase and chords.
3. Master (if has) ; Max
4. Volume ; 2.2～3 (Minimum 1 type)
(some types by GAIN, ex ; Peterson P-100G Ⅱ Gain 1～2, Polytone Mini brute ⅡSonic Circuit Mode Gain 1～2)
5. Bass ; Turn up to the moderate fat, not too much. ex ; '65 RITR 3, '74 SFTR 1(Min), JC-120 0, '66 BFVR 3.5
6. Middle (if has) ; 6
7. Treble ; A touch for coloring, ex ; Fender 1～2, JC-120 2

Guitar:Gibson '67 ES-175DN V8 T10
Strngs:Gibson SEG-1040ML
Shield Cable:Belden 9778
"Amps & Settings" Amps were tilted by legs or stand.Sound check point was flont of speaker(Mic set point)
Fender '66 Vibrolux Reverb(Speakers Jensen C10NS):T2 B3.5
Fender Twin Reveb 100W(Speakers:Rola): T1～2.5 M6～8 B1～2 Master Max(Equal to without master)
Fender Twin Reverb '65 Reissue(Speakers: Eminence):T1 M6～8 B3
Peterson P-100G-MkⅡ(Speaker:Eminence ME-10):Gain 1～3( Volume use) L/MIn M1/Min M2/-4 H/-2 Master/Max(Equal to without master)
Polytone MIni-BruteⅡ: Master/Max B/+1 M/+2 T/+1 Gain/2～4(Volume use) Contour/10～11( O'clocK) Program/edge Tone color switch/
Center
Peavey Envoy 110(speaker:Bule Marvel)(Ser.G0113936):Modern mode B3 M2 H0

Important things: Balance for solo tone and backing tone.
LIke to guitar,not like to electric piano.
__________________

**kawa** · 09-02-2012, 05:17 AM

(from #1051 "Good Sounds")
Polytone Mini brute 2, Setting Test
Mini-Brute2, Serial Number P-29428
Inst : '67 ES175DN V8 T10, Belden 9778/1.5m(guitar～Sw-box), 2m(Sw-box～Amps),Amp Stand/Ultimate AMP-150
Reference Amps ; '65 Twin reverb and '66 Vibrolux Reverb(C10NS),the two amps switched by footswitch in quickly for comparsion and close match.
The both amps tilted and listen the front sound directly from about 1.5m distance posision.

Setting : Master/Max(Normal Way for Master VR Type, Equal to Without Master VR.
Tonal Color Switch/Normal(Center Posituon)
Gain/3(Use to VR)
Contour/9～11 O'Clock Position
Program/Edge Position
Treble/+1
Mid/+2
Bass/+1
Results : Excelent Jazztone by use to "Sonic Circuit"

Impression : 1E and 2B's traditional Polytone rounded tone by special Eminence.
3G,4D and 5A's 5flet area tone is thin. Dynamics and rezonant are little less, then I try the Sonic Circuit and got the good sounds .

Notice !!! : Side Handle Design !!! , Prevent for the reverb unit troubles,
As well as keeping the "Upright" (in the car etc)http://www.murchmusic.com/polytone.htm

The any good amps has good characteristecs, pull up the goodness and don't over demands.
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**docbop** · 09-02-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by FrankLearns

Bought an old one through ebay (I guess minibrute 2). Is a bit noisy but has that nice polytone sound that I like a lot - fat, warm, dark. However, in that ategory of solid state jazzamps I prefer the Henricksen jazzamps.

I second that on the Henricksen's I recently picked up a JazzAmp 110 and loving it, warmest SS amp I've ever heard. Polytone's are good and have there own sound, but it sounds SS to me.

**guildmann** · 09-02-2012, 11:34 AM

i have a polytone babybrute 100watt with an 8" speaker... loud and great sound

Rob

**jamieh** · 09-02-2012, 01:33 PM

Awsome amps, I prefer them in solo/duo settings to using them groups as my sound tends to get a little lost, but still great amps.

**Krischu** · 10-16-2012, 06:58 AM

My bands guitarists (I'm playing Hammond organ) Polytone Mini/Teeny-Brute amplifier has a defunct reverb and I'm trying to repair it for him.

Took the amp apart and I'm trying to locate the fault. I'd be glad to have a schematics sheet. The reverb drive circuitry is probably the culprit.

I contacted the company via fax already but they remain silent.

I'd really appreciate someones help here.

Thank you.

--
Christoph

(my first post)