Quilter Amps

[Longways to Go]

I got an AI clarus this summer & I love it. Warm & clear IMO & easy to dial in.
I am getting along very well with this amp.

I had a Quilter Aviator 8 & sold it. Nothing wrong with it, but I found it a bit uninspiring for some reason.

[marcwhy]

Boston,
Which Quilter were you playing?? They have so many models!

I have an Aviator 8, which I've mostly used for rehearsals, and it's been great. "Life-changing?" No, and I prefer my tube amps for gigs, but it's a heck of an amp, and I'd recommend them to others. A student of mine has a first-gen Micro-8, and I much prefer my Aviator!

[jads57]

Quilters tone controls seem quite active compared to say Fenders. A little patience goes a long way when trying to find your tone.
For my Aviator 1x12" Combo I find I set the Preamp Volume : a bit higher at around 2 O'clock ,Bass :Noon to 2 (depending on guitar)
Mids: 10 O'clock, Treble: 2 O'clock, High Cut: off except when plaing a Tele (LOL!) And finally Master at Noon- Full depending on gig.

* I use pedals and a Boss FV(guitar volume pedal)

I recently bought a MP Mach 2 head and am starting at the same settings, but this amp has a lot more tonal possibilties w/ different amp voicings, Boost w/ 4 different possibilities, Limiter, as well as tone knob for the Reverb .
Wow, I really need a bunch of gigs under my belt before I understand this Beast!

[Boston Joe]

Boston,
Which Quilter were you playing?? They have so many models!

I have an Aviator 8, which I've mostly used for rehearsals, and it's been great. "Life-changing?" No, and I prefer my tube amps for gigs, but it's a heck of an amp, and I'd recommend them to others. A student of mine has a first-gen Micro-8, and I much prefer my Aviator!

I'm not sure which model. Didn't have time to really look it over.

[agentsmith]

Quilters tone controls seem quite active compared to say Fenders. A little patience goes a long way when trying to find your tone.
For my Aviator 1x12" Combo I find I set the Preamp Volume : a bit higher at around 2 O'clock ,Bass :Noon to 2 (depending on guitar)
Mids: 10 O'clock, Treble: 2 O'clock, High Cut: off except when plaing a Tele (LOL!) And finally Master at Noon- Full depending on gig.

* I use pedals and a Boss FV(guitar volume pedal)

I recently bought a MP Mach 2 head and am starting at the same settings, but this amp has a lot more tonal possibilties w/ different amp voicings, Boost w/ 4 different possibilities, Limiter, as well as tone knob for the Reverb .
Wow, I really need a bunch of gigs under my belt before I understand this Beast!

my feeling was that the treble and mid controls were not positioned properly relative to where a fender amp would have them. So adjusting the treble ended up boosting the upper mids and was basically a "harshness" control and not a treble control. I don't know why it's so hard for these amp makers to get this right. Peavey figured it out. Why can't evans, AI, quilter, evans, etc?

[entresz]

I have a Quilter Aviator Twin Ten. I have not tried any other Quilter amps, but I'm very impressed with mine. It's been my main gigging amp for a few years now. Previous to the Quilter, my main amp was a mid 1970's Peavey Session 400. The old Peavey is still a better amp for straight ahead jazz sounds, it has a very lush spring reverb and tremolo, but it's incredibly heavy and massive. Also, the Peavey has no overdrive, so pedals were needed.

The Quilter has a really nice clean sound - and the Celestion G10 Vintage speakers sound more like 12s than 10s. It's voiced more like a Fender blackface amp- it doesn't really do the dark Polytone thing, I don't think that is what it was designed for. I tend to favour a Johnny Smith kind of tone, so I usually have the mids almost all the way up and bass + treble to taste. It does that sound really well.

[ian_rhythm]

[I'm not asking anything very specific here - just posting about my current journey as a gigging musician, playing lots of different styles. If anyone relates or has input, I'd love to hear your thoughts!]

Never thought I would be looking for a solid state rig, but then again I didn't know I'd be into jazz and arch-tops. Just pulled the trigger on the Quilter Aviator Gold 1x12 HD! To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about it, since it's a significant investment - and to leave the tube sound behind completely has me second guessing my decision.

Before, I was playing heavy rock, punk, metal stuff with a Schecter through a Traynor CV40. But then I started playing gypsy jazz and indie rock. So I bought a Godin 5th Ave Kingpin. The indie rock band is fronted by an electric piano using only natural piano tones - and there is a jazzy vibe to it. I've been very pleased with how the Godin sounds in support of a piano, as well as how it fits in the mix with the Tele player, bass and drums.

Basically, I've been running with the idea of incorporating the gypsy jazz chord voicing into other forms of music. So my goal has been to get a jazzy tone in a indie/rock band setting.

But, the clean channel on the Traynor would break up too much and get soggy at the volume levels I need for the band, and especially when I am playing with my fingers.

When I decided to pair the Godin with something better suited than the Traynor, I tried VoxAC30, numerous Fender amps, Roland JC, Orange, Supro ... basically all the standard amps. I know that jazz players prefer solid state, and I do have and AER for my acoustic gypsy jazz rig. But for the indie rock, I wanted something with more character than an AER, since the arch-top is an electric guitar.

I tried most of the Quilter combos and heads. The Aviators with the Celestion Lead 80s sounded pretty good, but I wasn't sold. One combo I liked that is not marketed as a pair by Quilter was the Aviator head with theFrontliner 2x8W Extension Cabinet (that extension is made for the smaller block heads but I think this combo sounded better than those). It had a great clean response. Still, I wasn't sold.

I called up a different shop here in MN, and they agreed to order the Aviator HD for me to try, the one combo I hadn't ABed yet. The HD is an upgrade from the Lead 80 to the BN12-300s, which I read is actually a bass speaker. In the shop, it seemed like it was everything I wanted for cleans, is loud as heck, and has a huge HZ response range.

I've only had one rehearsal with the indie rock group with the HD, and I do still love the cleans, but once I started using overdrive and fuzz pedals, messing around with the gain on the amp, etc, I realized very quickly that what I made up for in cleans has given me a new challenge for my other tones. For example, whereas before the Traynor clean channel had enough break up to nicely pair with a fuzz, now I think I will have to switch on amp gain or OD pedal with the fuzz. That's me missing the tubes.

I think it's too soon to be objective. I'm learning a new piece of gear after using the same Traynor amp for 10 years or more. It's fascinating how our ears become so accustomed to certain sounds as a player. As I change my guitar, amps, effects, and overall rig, I'm confronted with how easy it is to get "stuck in your ways" and making judgement based off what you are used to hearing.

If I had to guess, I think the Quilter's transparency will force to me not hide behind the muddiness and breakup of a tube amp, and ultimately help me become a better player.

Thanks for reading! This is my first post by the way

Ian
Battlerat
Mississippi Hot Club
Dream on Nilsson
Hyperslob & the Goat Meat Explosion

[jads57]

Went from Mesa Boogies to Quilters 2 years ago and have never been happier w/ my tone, weight issues, dealing w/ tubes or malfunctions,etc.

Just get some great boost and od/dist pedals and you'll be set!

[rhoadsscholar]

I found something that pairs great with the Quilters. Zoom just came out with the upgraded G3n multi-effects box (upgrade from the G3). They traded some connectivity choices for upgraded modeling/electronics.

Its small form factor is really a great match and I have found it to be a very close representation of the pedals they emulate.

I still have a great pedal board and tube amps but the line is starting to blur between the solid state amp technology vs. tube amp, and some of the (non Axe FX or Kemper profiler modeling solutions) vs. multi-effects units.

The zoom 3gn can be had for about $125 which is about the price of a good pedal. The major downside for me between the zoom g3 and the g3n is the g3n requires power where the g3 could run on batteries or via USB. The better presets and sounds you can create though for $125 are pretty amazing.

BTW: I am glad to hear the quilter 2 x 8 speaker combo you tried was a winner. I am intrigued by that product and hope the price may come down. Tell me about why you preferred that over your other cabinet choices. Inquiring minds want to know.

[johnzias]

I have an Aviator Gold head. It replaced my beloved Two Rock Classic Reverb 100 and Studio Pro 100 that I gigged with at home and on the road for the the past 10 years. I also replaced my 2X12 loaded with Altec 417's with a 1X12 cabinet. At 63, weight matters!!

I play clean about 90% of the time, but the Aviator does take pedals well. I would agree with some here that it is a bit more voiced for Rock than a classic Jazz archtop sound, but it certainly functions well as a Jazz amp. I have a VSA Vintage 20, (a Princeton style amp with a bit more power) for my Jazz boxes.

I would liken the Aviator to a Blackface sound more or less. If you like a clean platform I have nothing but praise for that amp, and you can't beat the price and reliability.

[ian_rhythm]

I found something that pairs great with the Quilters. Zoom just came out with the upgraded G3n multi-effects box (upgrade from the G3).

BTW: I am glad to hear the quilter 2 x 8 speaker combo you tried was a winner. I am intrigued by that product and hope the price may come down. Tell me about why you preferred that over your other cabinet choices. Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks for the input rhoadsscholar. I am only familiar with the Zoom portable recorders, I will have to check out the FX.

I was really amazed by the response of the 2x8 Extention Frontliner (not combo). As I mentioned, those are made for the smaller "block" heads because they fit into the chassis, but on a whim I tried the Aviator Gold head with it because I think the Aviator head sounds better in general than the 101s etc.

The 2x8 sounds very tight, clean and packs a punch. There is so much clarity, definition and HZ response that it's almost like plugging into a hi-def PA. You will be blown away by the low end response from the 8" - probably due to the closed construction of the cab.

The Mach and Aviator cabs are good. Mach are closed speaker and Aviator are open back. So those are the obvious differences in sound, which would be purely preference. Both have options for the Lead 80s and the HD, if I remember right.

In the end, I went with the Aviator Gold 1x12 HD combo because I prefer the EQ/channel set up of the Aviators and the roominess of the open back cab. Plus, I've read on forums that people end up switching out the Lead 80 anyway - and I'd tend to agree that they leave something to be desired.

[ian_rhythm]

I would agree with some here that it is a bit more voiced for Rock than a classic Jazz archtop sound, but it certainly functions well as a Jazz amp.

That sounds like the sound I'm going for. Jazzy, but in a rock band.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

They're smart guys at Quilter. I was just lining up the head prices -- one at nearly every price point. (I added $1 to each!)

MicroBlock 45: $150
101 Mini Head: $300
101 Reverb: $400
Tone Block 201: $450
Pro Block 200: $500
Aviator Gold Head: $550
MicroPro Mach 2 Head: $700
Steelaire Rackmount $1000

[ian_rhythm]

They're smart guys at Quilter. I was just lining up the head prices -- one at nearly every price point. (I added $1 to each!)

MicroBlock 45: $150
101 Mini Head: $300
101 Reverb: $400
Tone Block 201: $450
Pro Block 200: $500
Aviator Gold Head: $550
MicroPro Mach 2 Head: $700
Steelaire Rackmount $1000

Quilter posted on facebook that they are sold out of the new 101 Reverb. So once they're gone from the local dealer or online dealers, it will probably be a while before they get more.

[ian_rhythm]

And of course they come out with a new awesome tone block right after I get the Aviator!

Quilter Performance Amplification

By the way, just spent 4 days in the studio with my Aviator HD and it recorded great!

The Tumnus is a very good pairing. I usually have the gain at 10 oclock at rehearsal, but in the studio it didn't need that much gain. It was adding a nice warmth with barely any gain at about 7 or 8 oclock. It also adds a nice warmth when running it before other ODs or fuzz or your dirty channel on the amp.

Honestly, I think Quilters sound better than most tube amps at this point. The other guitarist plays a tele through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and it sounded OKAAAY. But the Quilter takes pedals so well that IMO I could get my tones dialed in better than he was.

You can see I brought my old Traynor along, just in case. And it didn't power up once.

[docbop]

They're smart guys at Quilter. I was just lining up the head prices -- one at nearly every price point. (I added $1 to each!)

MicroBlock 45: $150
101 Mini Head: $300
101 Reverb: $400
Tone Block 201: $450
Pro Block 200: $500
Aviator Gold Head: $550
MicroPro Mach 2 Head: $700
Steelaire Rackmount $1000

I wish they would make a 101 Reverb but with the power and DI of the Tone Block.

[boatheelmusic]

They now do - the Overdrive 200, brand new?

[boatheelmusic]

"Honestly, I think Quilters sound better than most tube amps at this point. The other guitarist plays a tele through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and it sounded OKAAAY. But the Quilter takes pedals so well that IMO I could get my tones dialed in better than he was. "

I think this is somewhat misleading. My brand new Quilter 101 mini reverb, through a Fender George Benson extension cab (Jensen C12K) sounds exactly like my George Benson Hot Rod Deluxe, same speaker in it. Quilter has done a great job!!!

Bass 3, Mids 5, Treble 1 on both amps.

Gibson ES175, tone and volume on 7, and Baja Telecaster, volume full up and tone dialed down to taste.

Very pleased with both amps, and the extension cab adds to flexibility.

[rhoadsscholar]

My back is begging me to get that 2 x 8 extension cabinet. Love all the demos I have seen and will be the perfect match for the PowerBlock 200 I have. Best price I could get was $640 though and I find it hard to pull the trigger for a 2 x 8 cabinet for that much dough.

[docbop]

My back is begging me to get that 2 x 8 extension cabinet. Love all the demos I have seen and will be the perfect match for the PowerBlock 200 I have. Best price I could get was $640 though and I find it hard to pull the trigger for a 2 x 8 cabinet for that much dough.

I agree like the design and the sound from demo videos, but that price is a shocker to me. I two 2x8 cabinets I first got a used Ear Candy 2x8 and nice, then I finally found a used RE 2x8" at a good price which is what I originally wanted. I think the RE sounds great. With patience you can find a Ear Candy or RE for a quite a bit less.

[ian_rhythm]

"Honestly, I think Quilters sound better than most tube amps at this point. The other guitarist plays a tele through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and it sounded OKAAAY. But the Quilter takes pedals so well that IMO I could get my tones dialed in better than he was. "

I think this is somewhat misleading. My brand new Quilter 101 mini reverb, through a Fender George Benson extension cab (Jensen C12K) sounds exactly like my George Benson Hot Rod Deluxe, same speaker in it. Quilter has done a great job!!!

Bass 3, Mids 5, Treble 1 on both amps.

Gibson ES175, tone and volume on 7, and Baja Telecaster, volume full up and tone dialed down to taste.

Very pleased with both amps, and the extension cab adds to flexibility.

Curious. So you're saying my statement about Quilter amps being better is misleading because they sound exactly like that tube amp?

[sgosnell]

Pingu, Quilter's website is not the most intuitive on the world wide webs. You can find the 101 reverb here:
Quilter Performance Amplification

[Woody Sound]

They keep coming up with so many cool new things, I hate to buy one because the next thing might offer more of what I need! Arrrggg!

[ian_rhythm]

They keep coming up with so many cool new things, I hate to buy one because the next thing might offer more of what I need! Arrrggg!

That's what I was getting at. The main reason I didn't like the "block" heads is because I don't like the EQ on them, and prefer the standard bass, mid, treb of the Aviator. I would have seriously considered the OD 200 if it had been out when I was ready to buy.

[NSJ]

My small portable rig now has options .

sounds great when you roll the treble off.