Polytone Amps

**Bill C** · 10-16-2012, 07:03 AM

There's this link ...

POLYTONE SERVICE INFO

**jorgemg1984** · 10-16-2012, 07:33 AM

The preamp schematic is also available here

Polytone Schematics

**Krischu** · 10-16-2012, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Bill C

there's this link ...

POLYTONE SERVICE INFO

Thanks. Yes I knew that site and got that one already. It may help as a vage guidance help but it's not the same (componentwise) than the model I have here.

Maybe I'll go ahead with that anyway until I get something better.

--
Christoph

**Krischu** · 10-17-2012, 03:03 AM

I fixed the reverb. Actually it must have been a contact problem or some other weird wiring issue. For one the 1/4" socket could have had a bad contact so that it didn't close when the footswitch wasn't plugged in.
I cleaned the contact. Also the molex connectors might have had bad contact. Not sure though but after I had taken the whole amp apart and connected the modules provisionally, the reverb turned out to be functioning.

So everything is fine now.

**Frank67** · 10-17-2012, 03:06 AM

I have a real old polytone that I bought for cheap from ebay. It came with a broken reverb (even though the seller said it was fixed). I simply gave up on the reverb and use a pedal.

**Krischu** · 10-17-2012, 03:11 AM

I'm not sure whether I should throw in every issue I have with that Polytone Mini/Teeny-Brute I presently have in my lab, but after fixing the reverb on that amp I still have two questions:

The speaker grill (is it a stretch metal thing or a clothed frame?) is missing.
The speaker is still covered by some grill cloth glued on the speaker surround
but the actual protective cover is totally missing. There are some Velcro pads in the four corners. Does anyone have a recommendation what to do to get a protection for the amps speaker?

The other point is the rear side. On the rear bottom, where the plugs and the power cord are connected, there were two screw ends dangling out in the left and the right with nothing connected to them.

Any idea what gets connected to them normally?

Maybe some photos of an intact amp would be helpful.

--
Christoph

**Franz 1997** · 10-17-2012, 04:33 AM

For future ref., musicparts.com has most polytone schematics available for sale, incl the 70s & 80s models. They vary quite a lot over the years.

If a polytone has velcro pads, it probably had a foam grille, and these deteriorate. Most people replace them with generic plastic grilles which are still available.

**mitch_33** · 10-18-2012, 07:05 AM

Might be picking up a Polytone mini brute II, with the sonic circuit? Is there a major difference between these newer polytones and the older ones?

**eddy b.** · 10-18-2012, 08:00 AM

Every Polytone I have owned has had a lot of repair issues(bad luck?) I have a fender jazz king which is the opposite of the JMUL. I want to get rid of it and buy a Henrickson.

**pantz** · 10-18-2012, 10:07 AM

I use a Taurus Elite, which is ostensibly a keyboard amp, and love it. One of my bands uses it with 2 guitars and a bass for rehearsals. I just bought a mini brute but haven't been able to pick it up yet.

**Hammertone** · 10-19-2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Krischu

On the rear bottom, where the plugs and the power cord are connected, there were two screw ends dangling out in the left and the right with nothing connected to them.
Any idea what gets connected to them normally?
Maybe some photos of an intact amp would be helpful.
-- Christoph

They are for wrapping the power cord.

**redwun** · 10-20-2012, 04:49 PM

I wouldn't touch one of those #^%*&@#* accordian amps again with a ten foot pole.I was using Polytones ten-15 yrs ago.I loved the tone I got with them,but as far as reliability,I had nothing but major headaches with the sonic circuit & the reverb on all of them. And the company was NO fun to try and deal with! After four different Polytones,I switched to Acoustic Image,and it's where I've stayed.Through the years I've worked with several players who have had no problems with models from the '80's however.

**woyvel** · 10-20-2012, 09:19 PM

I have a Polytone 1x15" bass amp that I use for guitar. It gives me a good jazz tone, and with the 1x15" I also have plugged my Vox Valvetronix amp into it and it performs quite well for rock when necessary. It has 2 channels , each with bass treble volume, and Bright/middle/Dark switch and a master volume. I considered trading for something else, but the trade value stinks. That's probably because of the reputation for lousy reliability.

Originally Posted by redwun

I wouldn't touch one of those #^%*&@#* accordian amps again with a ten foot pole.... I switched to Acoustic Image,and it's where I've stayed.

Polytone $75 used vs AI at $1000+ new? That's a no-brainer.

**redwun** · 10-21-2012, 12:40 AM

I know,but I've never had an AI crap out on a gig before.The bass player I work with uses an old polytone and never has a bit of trouble with it,& it sounds great.I just never had any luck with polytone,or I'd definitely be using them and I would have saved a good amount of cash.

**mikeSF** · 10-21-2012, 10:38 PM

I've played through nearly every model of Polytone and never found one I liked better than the Henriksen Jazzamp. If you are even remotely considering Polytone, please try the Henriksen. They have nailed the eQ controls. I would frequently wrestle to dial out the nasal sound on the mini brute and mega brute.

**Hjalmiz** · 10-22-2012, 03:53 PM

Wow, i think even the broken polytones ive tried sound better than the jazzamps! To me the jazzamp is a well built totaly dead sounding amp. Funny how every ear is diffrent. I just got a baby brute. It totaly awesome with both My archtop and My semi.
/ H

**jorgemg1984** · 10-22-2012, 04:11 PM

I agree older Polytones sound quite better than the Henriksen. I don't like new Polytones but played and recorded with one once that had a new speaker and sounded quite good.

I think they did not nailed the eq controls, that's the main fault (and also not very warm). But they do love a good eq and a good reverb pedal, so I have one. And they are much better built than a Polytone, no doubt.

**mikeSF** · 10-22-2012, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Hjalmiz

Wow, i think even the broken polytones ive tried sound better than the jazzamps! To me the jazzamp is a well built totaly dead sounding amp. Funny how every ear is diffrent. I just got a baby brute. It totaly awesome with both My archtop and My semi.
/ H

i agree there are amps for all applications and ears, so I wasn't looking to start a debate, but just want shoppers to know about one of many alternatives to the venerable Polytone. I also don't like the Roland JC120, which many jazzers seem to favor, so perhaps something's wrong with ME?! lol.

I have a couple of amp rigs, including a Clarus/Redstone, which I use depending on the guitar. My favorite sound is the Fender Twin and I had a smaller Fender combo voiced similarly which I loved for many years, but all the gigs atop 2-3 flights of stairs in the city really forced me to find something warm and clean without all the weight.

**redwun** · 10-22-2012, 05:19 PM

I had a baby brute some years back.Right out of the box I got nothing but distortion from a fairly "polite" volume on up.I called Polytone,(then I almost called Ripley's when somone answered) They thought it might be the speaker,& sent me a new one.It ended up being a preamp problem again!Luckily for me the place I bought it from was willing to take it back,& said they were going to discontinue selling polytone. (I still have that 8' speaker though)

**mitch_33** · 10-22-2012, 08:05 PM

I just picked up a Polytone Mini-Brute II the other day, and so far I'm loving the sound I'm getting from it. Still in the honeymoon phase though, but everything is working great so far.

**Fred Archtop** · 10-07-2019, 12:48 PM

Hey Jazz afficionados,

All's in the title. Strangely enough,I never tried my ES-350 on my Polytone Mini Brute before this wek-end. And I must say I like very much the combination of both. Very responsive, very dynamic to my ears and a well-defined sound all around the fretboard.

The video's there:

Hope you'll like the sound.

Best to you and your music.

**deacon Mark** · 10-07-2019, 02:29 PM

Fred that is one of the best jazz guitar sounds I have heard. It is so nice and listenable. The sound for sure but you lines are so well connected and very melodic a little voice in me says I can listen to this all day. So while I go through my routine afternoon stretching old runners legs I keep playing this over and over! How did you record it and backing track?

**Fred Archtop** · 10-07-2019, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

How did you record it and backing track?

Thanks Mark. Backing track is from the Jamey Aebersold series, volume dedicated to the music of Bill Evans. I've used the Following recording chain:
Guitar --> Mad Professor silver spring reverb (because Polytone reverb is really crap)--> Polytone Mini Brute --> Microphone Shure SM57 in front of amp speaker --> DAW.

After mixing up, I always do a mastering process with T-Racks 3 to wrap up everything together.

Hope this help.

Best.

**sgosnell** · 10-07-2019, 08:38 PM

Very nice playing and tone. The Polytone is an iconic jazz amp. FWIW, I couldn't play the video in the forum, it says the owner has disabled playing outside of YouTube, so I had to go there to play it.