Best guitar amp for a Gibson L-5 CES

**Jazz_175** · 08-09-2012, 05:35 AM

Hi Gianluca,
why don't you come up to my place with your L5 and Polytone.
I have got a Henriksen 112 ER, a Fender DRRI, a 175 and many other guitars, so we can make comparisons between amps, guitars and play some jazz tunes.
Ciao

**gianluca** · 08-09-2012, 05:48 AM

Originally Posted by Jazz_175

Hi Gianluca,
why don't you come up to my place with your L5 and Polytone.
I have got a Henriksen 112 ER, a Fender DRRI, a 175 and many other guitars, so we can make comparisons between amps, guitars and play some jazz tunes.
Ciao

you are very kind.
where are you?

**Jazz_175** · 08-09-2012, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by gianluca

you are very kind.
where are you?

Vasto, 240 Km North of Bari, according to google map.

**jorgemg1984** · 08-09-2012, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by edh

WOW!!!! Jorge, you are one lucky man!

Why? Because my father works on hi-fi?

**2bornot2bop** · 08-09-2012, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Jazz_175

Vasto, 240 Km North of Bari, according to google map.

Ain't this site just the coolest place. Where else are you going to find a couple Italian brotha's rappin' about hookin' up to play some jazz. Most righteous site on the internet bar none!

Where's my passport, I need to get my ass to Italy too!

**2bornot2bop** · 08-09-2012, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Why? Because my father works on hi-fi?

So what's up my brotha Jorge, in all the years Dad's been tinkerin' with tubes you never got the tube bug?

**gianluca** · 08-10-2012, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

I... turn the Twin volume up to where you can't have the volume setting on the neck pup of the guitar past 5 without shattering windows. Back off the neck tone knob to about 7 or 8, depending upon how linear the pot is. Increase the treble setting on the Twin to 3-4 . . . roll the middle back to 6 and increase the bass to 5.

yesterday i tried it and the result was very nice: soon I hope to be able to post some audio file.
I know, it seems stupid but I never backed off the guitar knobs: I had always seen that as a kind of dishonor.

I often reproach of the foolish are.

back off the guitar volume knob and you can play the twin reverb at 3-4 (1 input) enjoying its fatness;
back off the guitar tone and you can set the amp treble to 5-6 without the 1E and 2B be thinny, and enjoying precise and definite basses, never boomy.

thanks to everybody for the help: I hope to do the same

gianluca

**Little Jay** · 08-10-2012, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by gianluca

back off the guitar volume knob and you can play the twin reverb at 3-4 (1 input) enjoying its fatness;
back off the guitar tone and you can set the amp treble to 5-6 without the 1E and 2B be thinny, and enjoying precise and definite basses, never boomy.

That's exactly how I use my Twin! Good you found that out! You can even experiment: try to put treble, middle and bass full open, on 10. In that way you are more or less (not quite, but alas) switching off or by-passing the tone stack of amp and you can regulate the tone entirely from the guitar.

**gianluca** · 08-11-2012, 01:05 PM

...not a great tone but I'm pretty satisfied of it:
1989 gibson L5 CES
guitar volume 3-4,
tone 7-8,
neck pick up,
TI .012 flat,
dunlop pick 1,5 mm,
65 twin reverb ampli
tremolo channel 1 input
treble 8
mid 6,5
bass 4,5
reverb 1,5

tell me how you should improve it.

**jorgemg1984** · 08-11-2012, 01:46 PM

Sounds fine to me - I would use more reverb and less treble but that's personal taste.

**Larry M** · 08-11-2012, 02:21 PM

Nice clean, classic sound. Nice playing too.

**Patrick2** · 08-11-2012, 02:38 PM

HA!! And you wanted to look for another amp??? No need at all for that now . . is there?

I might agree with jorge on the reverb . . I might boost the reverb up just a tad . . (I don't know if "tad" is translatable to Italian). However, I wouldn't back off the treble at all. The notes are very well defined and crystal clear. However, to jorge's point . . you may want to boost the bass on the amp a "tad" instead of backing off of the treble. There's great clarity in your notes . . . that's not only due to the guitar/amp set up . . . it's your playing technique as well.

**Frank67** · 08-11-2012, 02:41 PM

Nice playing (and love the kids voice in the background :-))! I really like the sound. It is warm and clear and has body and substance to it. A tad more reverb maybe ... but not too much.

Thank also for the tip on the twin settings. I only have a twin in a modeller but trying the settings that you discussed and roll down the guitar volume gave me a result that I liked a lot.

**Little Jay** · 08-11-2012, 03:44 PM

I think it sounds great! Lots of 'wood' in the tone! I like the treble, not too much for my taste. Classic sound!

**sierra trekker** · 08-11-2012, 11:39 PM

Listen to these clips using a Headstrong Lil King S

Headstrong Amplifiers Media Page

**jekyll & hyde** · 09-13-2012, 04:03 PM

I have an early 80's MIJ Epiphone Emperor. Pretty much an L-5 with laminate back and sides instead of solid wood. I think it sound best through my 79 Fender Vibrolux Reverb. The tone is balanced and it seems alot easier to control the low end. The 2x10 configuration also gives it a nice punchy sound and feel. I never think about tone with that amp. For me it's the ultimate plug and play amp.

**StevieB** · 09-13-2012, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Yes - the Henriksen does like a new speaker. Good to know you're enjoying the "Jimmy Bruno settings"

I have a Jazz Amp 10 convertible. I'm curious: what speaker(s) are being recommended to replace the factory Eminence speaker?

And, i've been under the impression Bruno set his Jazz Amp flat at 12:00 o'clock. In fact I've seen at least one video of him playing with that setting. The 9:00 o'clock setting is news to me and interesting, I think I'll dial it in and give it a shot.