My jazz guitar tone sucks, i need help

[Drifter]

I don't think the tone is that bad at all. Playing with your fingers instead of using a plek would be an instant improvement I guess.

[Stringbean]

You want to talk amp tone and you don't even know your settings? You can't be serious. Did you try the duck butter?

[mr. beaumont]

You want to talk amp tone and you don't even know your settings? You can't be serious. Did you try the duck butter?

I agree--that's the most important thing right there. Without knowing how you're setting that up, all the other advice is useless.

Although part of me is still convinced you're looking for an excuse o buy a new amp. And hey, no harm, no foul...I needed a Zt lunchbox a few summers back, because, y'know, I needed a backup...to my backup...(actually, I'm glad I got it, that little amp rules...but I digress...)

[SamBooka]

I needed a Zt lunchbox a few summers back, because, y'know, I needed a backup...to my backup...(actually, I'm glad I got it, that little amp rules...but I digress...)

You are not helping me!!!

[mattymel]

assuming best case scenario for Vox you are talking about a AC30. there is your problem. EL84s and jazz dont really mix at all in my experience. that tube is meant for one thing...overdrive.

an Ac30 would probably stay plenty clean and loud to play any jazz gig, but basically they dont sound good until they get cranked a bit. its a rock amp...reminds me of the time my old band toured in europe and we had to rent amps. i asked for a 100 watt marshall thinking that would be COOL (this was before i knew jack about what that entailed). worst mistake ever. we played so quiet on stage i was basically putting the volume at 1 and it was like getting stabbed in the eyes with needles every night. switched to an AC30 midtour and it was an improvement, but could have used a AC15 and still been too loud.

that being said, im sure you could still coax a sound out. hard to make a AC sound too dark without it being super muddy, but my general rule is to keep the amp EQ setting pretty bright, and then use the tone knob on the guitar to tame it down. doing it the other way around (on a amp thats not ideal) is always an uphill battle. you may want to think about trying some different caps in your tone knob. crappy caps go from super bright to muddy with little in between.

in an ideal world, tube amps should ideally be 6V6 or 6L6 for jazzing it up.

[mr. beaumont]

I'm pretty sure he's got a modeling amp. He can get a decent jazz sound with it, I'm sure.

[Guitar Bum]

I've never heard a Vox amp that I liked. And jazz would be the last thing I would throw at it.

If you're asking between the two... the amp should go.

Just my opinion.

Daryl Crowley

[ken kantor]

You are not helping me!!!

Yeah, but he's helping me....

-k

[email protected]

[kris]

Sound is in your fingers!!

[Hatim]

I would even state: Sound is in your timing.

The timing on your video #49 is not wrong, but it played so straight that your sound is also very straight forward. Try lean back in time , your sound will lean back also, will get more mellow.

HAns

[mangotango]

I use a Vox Valvetronix (modelling) amp for jazz, currently preferring that even over my Henriksen, even with all the extra weight involved. Each to their own.