Solid State Amps - Lab series/Polytone IV/Yamaha G series

**Jazzman301** · 02-07-2012, 11:07 PM

So I am searching for another SS amp to add to the stable. I currently have a Cube 80XL and there is something about it I am just not digging lately. Granted I somewhat recently got a vintage Ampeg Reverberocket 2 and its just awesome.

So I am thinking I will buy another SS amp and A/B it to the Cube 80XL. Right now I am looking at the Yamaha G50 and G100 amp, the Lab 3 and Lab 5 as well as a Polytone Mini brute IV with a 15" speaker.

I am kind of leaning toward the Polytone with a 15" speaker but have NO experience with this model. My only Polytone experience is with an older one and it sounded decent but I never really got to play around with it.

I have ZERO exprience with the Yamaha and Lab amps.

Ok GO...haha

'Mike

edit: I like a warm smokey tone. More Wes than Jim Hall but warm, dark and smokey. I am NOT looking for a Hi Fi amp that will have crazy crystal cleans...a little coloration(warmth) of the tone is ok...in the way the say tubes color the tone.

**clem_gael** · 02-07-2012, 11:42 PM

Love the g100-115 I bought in a pawn shop last year for 150$...

So light...my g100 in one hand, my guitar in the other and I can walk (and even ride my bike) to my next gig...

...just kidding! This amp is as heavy as a Twin! When I gig I use my Acoustic Image Clarus instead.

But I like it!

**Meggy** · 02-08-2012, 05:33 AM

I have a polytone minibrute and a yam G50 - just my take, but for me the polytone is great as a dedicated jazz amp if you like that kind of tone (I do, but some find it too "nasal" sounding). With pedals, it can do fusion kind of stuff, but generally it is something of a one-trick pony. The G50 does jazz really great too - it has a bit more of an open tone quality, seems to bring out the woody detail very well with an archtop too - but it is much more versatile I find - my strat and tele sound great through it (the polytone tries to make them sound like jazz guitars

). The polytone has a certain something I do like, so the yamaha has not replaced it, but the yamaha is a really terrific amp I have to say (although a bit on the heavy side, the polytone easily wins the portability contest).

**50Hz** · 02-08-2012, 01:36 PM

I have a G50 410 and i really like the tone but it seems to have a lot of line noise/hiss which i'm not a fan of but i just sort of deal with it.

**HighSpeedSpoon** · 02-08-2012, 01:54 PM

I've heard an L3. Some kid used to bring it to a jazz jam I played horn in and plug in a Les Paul Special through it. It sounded gorgeous and it was a pretty light amp too. After I heard the L3 a few times, I shopped for an L5, but only briefly and halfheartedly as I don't really need the gear. My only concerns with any of these amps - including the Poly - are the same concerns I would have with any old amp. If it sounds like less than you were hoping for, you may need to replace some parts - perhaps a cap job or a new speaker if the current speaker is mildewed or worn out. So I would stay away from them unless I had tech skills or knew a reliable tech.

**Jazzman301** · 02-08-2012, 02:26 PM

Any specific era of Lab amp I should be looking for? I know you want to stay away from the Yamaha third gen G series with the colored knobs for instance.

'Mike

**JazzReggie** · 02-08-2012, 04:03 PM

You might want to check out the Quilter MicroPro 200:

Quilter Guitar Amplifiers - Quilter Labs

They are saying it's a new type of amplification, and it seems quite promising. The name might sound obscure, but Patrick Quilter was the founder of QSC, quite famous for higher end professional audio equipment. Would like to try one out myself, but they're only available in the USA for now. It's still a new product, but it's getting great reviews from people who've tried it out.

**krusty** · 02-08-2012, 04:22 PM

The L5 is a superb sounding amp. If you're ever in Toronto, I have one I'm not actively trying to sell, but would let go. I have way too many rigs.

**Jazzman301** · 02-08-2012, 05:17 PM

I am not sure about 2x12 in terms of portability. Might grab a Yamaha G100 212 for $200ish plus shipping. I would like to stay uner $300 and almost every Lab L5 has been closer to $500.

'Mike
p.s anyone have a demo of either of these playing straight ahead jazz?

**ES350** · 02-08-2012, 08:09 PM

I had a Polytone with a 15" for awhile and it just was...meh; too flat. The Lab stuff is an 80s Norlin-era Gibson thing, designed by Bob Moog; very reliable, some well-thought out stuff. I like them. The L5 has more of a 'cachet' since BB King and a few other people use them. The Yamaha G50-112 is also a nice amp...all of the above are relatively cheap when you can find them (The last Lab amp I bought was 50$ with the EVM-15 speaker, from a pawn shop).

**jorgemg1984** · 02-08-2012, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jazzman301

I am not sure about 2x12 in terms of portability. Might grab a Yamaha G100 212 for $200ish plus shipping. I would like to stay uner $300 and almost every Lab L5 has been closer to $500.

'Mike
p.s anyone have a demo of either of these playing straight ahead jazz?

Pat Metheny and Mike Stern

(Yamaha)

**FatJeff** · 02-09-2012, 10:09 AM

Have you considered the Henriksen 12?

**bmw2002** · 02-09-2012, 10:30 AM

Mike, came across this one this morning on craigslist. Meriden is about an hour south of you. No affiliation with the poster.

Guitar Amp - Vintage Lab Series L5

**Jazzman301** · 02-09-2012, 10:53 AM

Thannks BMW. That looks like a great price and you are right its close enough I might actualy be able to test drive it! I wonder if those 2x12s come alive at reasonble living room volumes? I would like something I can also play at home and drive the family more crazy than I already do.

'Mike

**krusty** · 02-09-2012, 01:23 PM

Something to be aware of with the L5 is that they have a built-in compressor. Most people end up thinking that the compressor is broken because the light is intermittent. In fact, the light only illuminates when the compressor is actually doing something. Turn the single knob for the compressor up and you will see it illuminates more frequently. Turn it down a bit and it doesn't come on unless you really hammer the strings.

**HighSpeedSpoon** · 02-09-2012, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jazzman301

... I wonder if those 2x12s come alive at reasonble living room volumes? ...

If by alive you mean that they start to break-up, then I doubt it from what I've heard. If you mean they warm up just a little, then I hope so. I have a G100 212 on the way and the only place it's going to be played for a while is at home.

**Jazzman301** · 02-10-2012, 05:33 PM

I just picked up a 1x15 Standel at a pawn shop for get this...$56. No time to play as of yet but lets see if this meets my needs. I can say that I called Standel and spoke to Danny, who I believe is the owner now, and he highly recomended that amp based on the serial number and description. He said it is very close to the amp that Wes played but with WAY more power than the 35watts Wes had.
As an aside what a gem of a guy Danny is. He took about 45 minutes to chat about this amp, old standel amps, amps and just guitar in general. What a delight it was to expreince a cat like this. Reminds me of what its like dealing with Bob Benedetto.

'Mike

**jorgemg1984** · 02-10-2012, 05:48 PM

I wished I lived on the US... (the best deal I get here is 200€ for an old Roland Cube). Congratulations!

**seabee** · 02-17-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Jazzman301

I wonder if those 2x12s come alive at reasonble living room volumes? I would like something I can also play at home and drive the family more crazy than I already do.

'Mike

Were you able to test drive the Lab Series L5?

I have a Lab Series L7 with four 10" speakers. I find that the sound "comes alive" at whatever level you set it. You can adjust the frequency and volume of the mids, which is really where the Lab Series amps "come alive" for me.

The interaction between the channel volume and master volume allows for getting whatever amount of overdrive you want (which might not be much for jazz).

**seabee** · 02-17-2012, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by JazzReggie

You might want to check out the Quilter MicroPro 200:

Quilter Guitar Amplifiers - Quilter Labs

They are saying it's a new type of amplification, and it seems quite promising. The name might sound obscure, but Patrick Quilter was the founder of QSC, quite famous for higher end professional audio equipment. Would like to try one out myself, but they're only available in the USA for now. It's still a new product, but it's getting great reviews from people who've tried it out.

I agree, this seems promising to me too. Anyhow here tried one out?

From what I've read they are only available from the Quilter website itself.

**HighSpeedSpoon** · 03-11-2012, 08:43 PM

I've been living with the G100-212 II for a while now. Everything works and the amp sounds great. It has the original JA3066 speakers. Other than plenty of volume and a very nice tone, this amp has two main features - flexibility and weight. The weight is easy to describe: 58 pounds.

As for the flexibility: There are two channels, each with volume, three knob tone stack, and two pull switches (per channel) - one for bright and the other for "fat". The lead channel has a separate gain control in addition to the volume. The amp comes with a decent spring reverb, and there is also an onboard parametric EQ. With the archtop, I use the EQ as a notch filter, with tight Q, about 180 Hz, heavy minus dB. With the solid body, I use it at higher frequencies and a broader (lower) Q to adjust mids. BTW, a two-button latching foot switch gets you channel select and reverb on/off.

I really like the sound very much with the archtop. The solid body sounds good too, although in truth, I haven't dimed the amp yet to see just what it would do. Still, for $250, it seems like a hell of a lot of amp to me.

PS It took me a while to find and put together an owner's manual (G100 II series) and service manual (G100; has schematic), so I am uploading them below.

**Gillman Royce** · 04-04-2012, 05:55 PM

The Lab 5 has been B.B. King's amp of choice for decades now. The Polytone used to be the amp of Joe Pass and George Benson but a number of jazzers have gone to other amps. If you can find a Petros I made by Rock Amp Co in the '70's, those have a great jazz as well as country clear tone - warm and bright like the old Fenders of the '50's/early '60s.