Quilter Amps

**Loobs** · 01-19-2014, 06:59 PM

You've had bad luck then, because with all the tube amps I've ever owned I must've only had one tube go bad on me.

What amp was it? Perhaps you didn't take good care of it.

**jzucker** · 01-19-2014, 07:19 PM

it was a gries 35 and i babied it. Tubes have never been worse. New Sensor is being forced out of business by the russian mafia, NOS tubes have been picked clean, china and prague are struggling with their tube businesses. The modeling amps have never sounded better and SS amps are getting closer. The kemper and axefx can fool 99% of people out there. I wouldn't hesitate to use a kemper or axefx for a gig and the quilter sounds great. Benson, Metheny and almost every jazzer out there has switched or is switching to SS.

Writing's on the wall. Maybe time to update your sound?

**Petimar** · 01-23-2014, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by Loobs

Out of curiosity, why are you guys all looking for the lightest amp? Are you using the subway to get to gigs?

Because I carry 3 instruments and an amp from the car to the gig. With a 19lb MicroPro, I can do it in one trip, without needing a cart. Couldn't do that with ANY of my (now all sold) tube amps. Plus I like the sound better from the MP.

**jzucker** · 01-23-2014, 07:42 AM

plus, why *WOULDN'T* you want the smallest, lightest rig possible? And this is nothing new. Jazz guitarists have been looking for the smallest most portable amp for literally 40 years. That's about when polytone started it's quest...

**jzucker** · 01-23-2014, 12:31 PM

I think Loobs has a good point. I'm no longer looking for the smallest lightest amp. i am now looking for the largest jazz amp I can find because big, large amps == great tone. Here's a picture of my next rig:

As a side note, I'm actually amazed at how many people think that you have to have heavy amps to get good tone. I was talking to a guitarist friend of mine and he told me he hates neodymium speakers because heavy speakers mean great tone...<sigh...>

Quilter Amps-marshallstack_slayer-jpg

**fep** · 01-23-2014, 02:01 PM

Jack thanks for the reviews. I really like how you are open to pointing out the pros and cons. Many after buying new gear just love to rave about it (cognitive dissonance?).

Have you used it for an acoustic dreadnought with a piezo? I'd love to have an amp that would work well for acoustic and electric (and a mic'd nylon guitar too for that matter).

**jzucker** · 01-23-2014, 02:33 PM

yes, I have run my taylor 514ce through it. Sounds ok but I actually think the coloration works against it in that setting with the classic lead 80 speaker and lack of a tweeter working against it. This is where the full range, hi-fi speaker setup like the corus has makes for a better solution.

But that's a compromise because the corus doesn't have the open/transparent sound of the quilter.

I'd be interested in trying the full range version of the quilter at some point...

**Loobs** · 01-23-2014, 06:51 PM

I'm glad you're happy with your amp Jack. Hopefully your quest for tonal utopia will end with this one.

**jzucker** · 01-23-2014, 07:33 PM

it won't end with this one because there are pluses and minuses to it. I hope they improve it and address the issues. There is no single tone utopia.

**Jazz_175** · 01-24-2014, 02:18 PM

What are the main differences between the Micro Pro 200 series and the Aviator series?

**jzucker** · 01-24-2014, 04:04 PM

micropro is a tuned, closed back cab but the amplifier has many more settings for various levels of overdrive and gain. Kind of ironic because it's typically the micropro which is bought by hardcore jazz guys and the aviator which is bought by guys doing pop and rock music. They really should re-think the feature sets for each lineup...

**StevieB** · 01-24-2014, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

micropro is a tuned, closed back cab but the amplifier has many more settings for various levels of overdrive and gain. Kind of ironic because it's typically the micropro which is bought by hardcore jazz guys and the aviator which is bought by guys doing pop and rock music. They really should re-think the feature sets for each lineup...

What does 'tuned' mean in this context?

**mikesoland** · 08-08-2015, 03:51 PM

hi Jack...thanks for your thoughts.....if you had to choose this or the Henriksen for a darker but sweet Jazz tone only, which one would you say gets the heads up?

**jzucker** · 08-08-2015, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by mikesoland

hi Jack...thanks for your thoughts.....if you had to choose this or the Henriksen for a darker but sweet Jazz tone only, which one would you say gets the heads up?

the henriksen by far. I ended up struggling to get a sound that wasn't honky out of the quilter. Supposedly The newer Micropro Mach 2 fixes all the issues I had with the tone controls and reverb but I have not tried it. For jazz, the henriksen would be a far better choice.

**mikesoland** · 08-08-2015, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

the henriksen by far. I ended up struggling to get a sound that wasn't honky out of the quilter. Supposedly The newer Micropro Mach 2 fixes all the issues I had with the tone controls and reverb but I have not tried it. For jazz, the henriksen would be a far better choice.

Thanks so much Jack...hey I just went to Henriksen's site...I was going to order the 112er but now there is a new 12 inch called the 312...new and improved....can't find one demo on it though...improved reverb and EQ and some other stuff...

I will call them Monday..

thanks gain...

mike

**jzucker** · 08-08-2015, 09:18 PM

i have not played through the new henriksen but everything I have heard is that they are better. The treble control is still voiced too high, IMO. The other viable candidates are the acoustic image and the mambo. I love my mambo amp. Perfectly voiced for archtop guitar.

**entresz** · 08-10-2015, 12:33 AM

I have an Aviator Twin Ten and love it. Very light, very loud, and sounds really good. With my archtops I can get a really nice 50's bop sound, but it's possible to get a pretty convincing blackface Fender sound too by playing with the EQ. I have a 1976 Peavey Session 400 that does sound better for jazz, but that amp weighs three times what the Quilter weighs, and is nowhere near as versatile.

**Boston Joe** · 07-25-2016, 09:29 AM

I had a chance to try out a quilter over the weekend. It was a quasi-jam session/performance situation, so I didn't have time to really explore it. Just dialed in a nice tone and went for it.

My provisional impression was that it was a very nice sounding amp, but nothing life-changing. The tone I got was good, and serviceable, but I've heard better. (Again, I only had a moment to get set up, so it may well have been able to sound better if I'd had a chance to spend a little time tweaking.) In terms of feel, it had a nice snappy response (though not as quick as, say, a Polytone) and good headroom, so dynamic changes come through nicely.

It squealed when I tried to plug my delay inline with the guitar, but it was fine when I put it in the loop.

I did like the fact that it was very light and very powerful. If I were looking for my one-and-only jazz amp, I'd probably consider it, since I think it would be a snap to take to sessions and gigs.

That said, my curiosity is pretty much sated, and I don't really feel the need to run out and buy one or anything.

**jads57** · 07-25-2016, 12:06 PM

Well as a Quilter owner(Aviator 1x12, MP Mach 2 Head) and gigging musician I'll chime in here w a few observations. I too at first was not as impressed until I started gigging with it regulary and in different situations with different guitars. I've played archtops, laminates, solid bodies,flat tops. synths,etc. From loud Rock/Pop to quiet Jazz Trios, and always sounds equally good no matter the venue! It doesn't depend on wall voltage, so no crappy power issues ever. It weighs like a little tube amp at 23lbs or less but can sound as loud and stay clean as large Fender combo amp.
I never have had any issues with it not working(tubes,etc) or taking any pedals including delays.etc. for over 2 years now.

Now I state all this coming from playing tube amps (Mesa Boogie in my case) for the last 30 years at least. It's not that it that it sounds better than excellent tube amps, it's that it preforms as well w/out the problems associated w/ them!

**Boston Joe** · 07-25-2016, 12:08 PM

Well, GAS for a new amp would not be a good thing right now, so I think I'll let things lie as they are.

FWIW, I was using an Acoustic Lead 60 most of the time, and I thought it sounded great. But then, I had plenty of time to dial in a tone.

jads57: does your squeal when you put a pedal in front of it?

**Woody Sound** · 07-25-2016, 12:18 PM

These are all valid observations/opinions. I've been using mine (MP200) for maybe two years. I love it. It's not a PHENOMENAL amp, but it's VERY good, if portability and versatility is a high priority.

**bmw2002** · 07-25-2016, 12:23 PM

To the extent folks have experience with each of Quilter and Acoustic Image, I'd appreciate your views. I may be in the market for a small s/s head to go with a Buscarino Chameleon speaker and have been going back and forth between each of the makers. (For the record, I've owned both for short periods of time, but never simultaneously.) In particular the Quilter Pro Block looks like a great unit, as does the Acoustic Image Clarus SL.

**Boston Joe** · 07-25-2016, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

These are all valid observations/opinions. I've been using mine (MP200) for maybe two years. I love it. It's not a PHENOMENAL amp, but it's VERY good, if portability and versatility is a high priority.

The portability factor is definitely a plus. My Acoustic is pretty light, but the Quilter was lighter. It'd be a great subway amp. Now, I have yet to hear an amp that sounds better than my Dr. Z, but that thing might as well be made out of solid cement.

**jads57** · 07-25-2016, 01:42 PM

You'd be hard pressed to find a more versatile light weight loud clean amp then the Micropro Mach 2 HD 1x12" Combo.

Boston Joe:does your squeal when you put a pedal in front of it? No, never had that problem in over 2 years.

bmw2002: To the extent folks have experience with each of Quilter and Acoustic Image, I'd appreciate your views. I may be in the market for a small s/s head to go with a Buscarino Chameleon speaker.

The AI Clarus sounds great w/ the Buscarino Chameleon w/ archtops and flat tops as well. This is because it's like a P.A. lots of clean headroom and Flat response. The Quilter is more like a Fender response that can do extremely clean tones as well.
The Quilter is probably more versatile. But the Pro Block lacks the normal EQ controls like the Aviator,MP200,Steelaire have.

**agentsmith** · 07-25-2016, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by bmw2002

To the extent folks have experience with each of Quilter and Acoustic Image, I'd appreciate your views. I may be in the market for a small s/s head to go with a Buscarino Chameleon speaker and have been going back and forth between each of the makers. (For the record, I've owned both for short periods of time, but never simultaneously.) In particular the Quilter Pro Block looks like a great unit, as does the Acoustic Image Clarus SL.

I have played both the quilter and the AI amps. To me, the AI amps are clinically clean and lack the sparkle magic that the fender amps have. I find that it's even darker and more muddy than a polytone. The problem I have with it is that because of the darkness, you have to turn it up more at the gig to cut through than you would if you were using a fender amp.

The quilter had the sparkle but something was amiss in the midrange and no amount of dialing mids or treble up or down on either channel could combat this. It was similar albeit much more extreme than the evans amps I've owned which also have a dark and nasally character to them that cannot be dialed out. However, the evans amp was a little less nasally than the quilter. The quilter was close but seemed tweaked for single coil pickups. I could not get an early Wes or Joe pass sound with either an L5 or 175.

Unfortunately, I have not found a solid state amp that captures the essence of the fender amp brilliance combined with the headroom and portability of a class D amp.