So I Tried a Mambo Amp

**jorgemg1984** · 10-13-2012, 10:21 AM

I tried an 8 recently with my archtop and it sounds very close to old polys and therefore to Kurt's sound. I mean really close... I did not try it with external reverb and delay and a 335 but with that I am sure you can nail it.

PS - The mambo has a more open / acousitc sound than the poly. And the 10 vs 15 speaker (Kurt uses the 15) should also be relevant to the equation.

**Franz 1997** · 10-13-2012, 10:31 AM

I would have thought the mambo 10 could get that KR sound in your clip - I don't use a modern sound myself though, so have never tried. The mambo does the 'polytoney' thing, but with more useful tone control centre frequencies IMO, warmer sound, lighter, and certainly with more headroom.
Yes, mine is the 10" cube electric guitar eq version. The little soundclip I posted was done with the demo 8", which has now gone to Rob.

**jonmambo** · 10-13-2012, 11:27 AM

glad you like it Rob, thanks for posting such a glowing revue, that makes me smile.

just to point out that I think there is a misunderstanding about the demo amp postage. That is my responsibility. Sorry if there's been a mixup Chris, but I thought I had covered the postage of your new amp in return for you posting the demo onwards. Drop me an email to clarify...

Just to be clear, it is my intention to cover postage on the demo amps within the UK at least. I have just sorted a deal with an international courier too so shipping charges have come down significantly, especially to EU territories.

Love the sound clip Chris, many thanks for that.

I think the fact that it has bass and an acoustic flute, and we all know what a flute is supposed to sound like, as well as the mambo-amped guitar gives a reference for the sound, so that this type of clip can show how the amp sounds somewhat independantly of the sound system it's played on.

So yes I think this type of sound clip is very helpful.

Please feel free to post clips, I am certainly not against hearing great music played through my amps...

cheers
Jon

**Rob MacKillop** · 10-13-2012, 11:53 AM

Cheers, Jon. I think it's is amazing that you are willing to shoulder the cost of postage in the UK. It really makes a huge difference being able to have the amp in your home. Hopefully I'll get a recording done tomorrow or Monday morning. The amp has arrived at a time when I'm in the middle of recording an album of 19th-century guitar music by Fernando Sor, on gut strings! So it's a bit weird suddenly plugging in and pretending I'm Joe Pass, LOL!

**edh** · 10-13-2012, 11:34 PM

Very nice sounding amp.

**jamieh** · 10-15-2012, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

Here's a link to a very short recording out-take - only a few bars of guitar, but the bass solo is worth a listen anyway! 8' mambo, set at 6, 5, 5, no eq on the board, a bit of echo added.

my funny valentine - bass solo to end.mp3

Wonderful playing and sound Franz, what guitar did you use?

**Franz 1997** · 10-15-2012, 07:47 AM

Thanks Jamie. 1959 gibson L4C, hacked into an L4CES electric by previous Butlins-performer owner, now with HBs, battered & beat, £212 in 1978 from a Tooting pawn shop, but the only gibson I've never sold!!!He'd cut through the braces, so the guitar has a soundpost to support the top, but I find it has no effect on the tone. I have never found anything that records better, and I love the instrument. Not too much info, I hope!
Chris

**jorgemg1984** · 10-16-2012, 06:34 PM

Small update: tried it again with my Guild. Sounded just perfect as with the Godin... fat with no ice-pick, everything at 5. I am ordering one in the end of the year, a 10 wedge with some custom work by Jon. I will then make a new thread with some clips.

**jamieh** · 10-28-2012, 08:49 AM

Just had to check in again and say what amazing jazz guitar amplifiers Mambo’s are.

Every other jazz amp that I’ve tried has either being too muddy or dry, but this amp gets the perfect balance resulting in a dark, warm sound that’s clear and articulate.

Jon kindly sent me the legendary demo that other members of this forum have been using while my wedge is being made so I've had a few days to get to know it.

The amp blows my ZT lunchbox out of the window in every way. Yeah, I know the mambo costs a little more, but the difference really is night and day.

The feature that has impressed me the most is the harmonics switch which really brings out articulation, dynamics and touch of the player demonstrated so well in Franz audio example in the other mambo thread.

This is also the only amp I've ever had that's sounded perfect with every EQ knob at 12 ‘o clock - I need to gig with it a few more times yet to really test this, but so far so good.

There's also a switch where that lets you go change the amp from ‘dark’ and ‘bright’ presets with something in the middle which makes it much more usable in teaching and playing situations than other jazz amps, and by no means does this sacrifice on tone in any way.

I must also say Jon's customer service has being top notch too, thanks again for ending my search for the perfect jazz guitar amp!

**jorgemg1984** · 10-28-2012, 09:04 AM

Jamie I am really glad you liked it - since I've been a really strong promoter of the amps here!

I am getting a head full of custom options and two wedge 10 cabs. Jon's service has been amazing, he's basically responded to any need of mine! Never had such open attitude to custom stuff before...

I agree, no other jazz amp is so warm as the Mambo. I have an Henriksen that's an amazing pedal platform and a JMUL which is a great Fender meets Polytone sound in a small package but the Mambo is by far the best!

**Franz 1997** · 10-28-2012, 11:12 AM

Glad you like it Jamie...that demo amp's got some mileage on it by now. It's quite cool to think of it doing the rounds like this...

I'll be getting what I think will be one of the first mambo heads next week - will post impressions of it then; it will be the low power 180w version.

**bananafist** · 10-28-2012, 02:02 PM

'Low power 180 watt version'................!!!!

And here's me playing country and RnR with 30 tube watts

.

Marcwhy - if $1000 seems expensive, you should see what we have to pay for Fenders and other American amps.

**jorgemg1984** · 10-28-2012, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

Glad you like it Jamie...that demo amp's got some mileage on it by now. It's quite cool to think of it doing the rounds like this...

I'll be getting what I think will be one of the first mambo heads next week - will post impressions of it then; it will be the low power 180w version.

I am getting a head soon too Chris. Mine will be the new power amp but with a half-power switch so at 4 ohm I will have 150w or 300w, at 8 ohm 150w or 75w and at 16 ohm 75w or 37.5w. This way I can use it two mambo cabs 10 wedge spread on stage but also with my two Dr Z cabs. I will also have more reverb options

I will post when I have it all.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-28-2012, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by bananafist

'Low power 180 watt version'................!!!!

And here's me playing country and RnR with 30 tube watts

.

To be fair, you can't compare SS watts to tube watts. Class D amps like the mambo seem to be able to rack up the most impressive numbers. The Acoustic Image Clarus, for example, is 300W @ 8ohms and 500W @ 4ohms.

**jorgemg1984** · 10-28-2012, 02:28 PM

Watts are watts... no? SS amps like the Henriksen seem as loud as a Twin to me.

**Franz 1997** · 10-28-2012, 03:40 PM

Just back from a funk band rehearsal, using a 50W tube amp blowing my head off, reminds me; yes, watts are watts, but headroom on peaks is the issue with SS amps but far less so with tube amps. The idea is you need massive excess power with SS amps to avoid transient note distortion on peaks, whereas transient distortion on tube amps sounds quite OK; I'd forgotten how good it sounds.

I often agree with Jorge, but really can't buy the idea that a hendriksen sounds a loud as a twin? Certainly not the twin that I sold, along with nearly everyone else here, 'cos I couldn't lift it....

**jorgemg1984** · 10-28-2012, 03:50 PM

Chris I don't have that much experience with Twins but I've always found my henriksen and jmul as loud as them but never A / B them - this is say playing an henriksen plugged to a twin cabinet...

One thing I notice in some tube amps is that they appear to be louder than they are because most of the volume knob works until 4 (not sure if that's true with a twin). I remember that with some Fenders, quite loud at 4 and allmost the same at 6-7. The Henriksen or my JMUL (after a mod) are always increasingly louder.

But you're probably right Chris - you're knowledge on this stuff is much bigger than mine! Back to mambos

**jasonc** · 10-29-2012, 09:59 PM

So for those of you who have tried these Mambo amps and the A.I. Clarus...(Jorge I'm lookin' at you

)...could you give me a rundown on the pros and cons of each. I think I want to sell my Henriksen 112 with the tweety. I just never could bond with it. Thinking I might build myself a little two ten wedge type cabinet for a head with one of these heads. What say you?

**Franz 1997** · 10-30-2012, 06:17 AM

>>So for those of you who have tried these Mambo amps and the A.I. Clarus...(Jorge I'm lookin' at you )...could you give me a rundown on the pros and cons of each.>>

I'm sure Jorge will chip in, but I'll be posting a comparison of the Mambo Head and the Evans AH200 in a day or two. I'd compare the Mambo with the Clarus, but I don't have a Clarus anymore - I found the AI Clarus sound too flat and undynamic for electric guitar, so I sold it. Great for an acoustic/ floater, though.

>thanks for the clip, it sounds really nice.>>

Thanks. Will try for a more extended clip, although this one was studio recorded and I only have a simple zoom HS2 at home, so that will have to do.
I think Jorge and Rob MacKillop are also intending to post clips...guys?

**jorgemg1984** · 10-30-2012, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by jasonc

So for those of you who have tried these Mambo amps and the A.I. Clarus...(Jorge I'm lookin' at you

)...could you give me a rundown on the pros and cons of each. I think I want to sell my Henriksen 112 with the tweety. I just never could bond with it. Thinking I might build myself a little two ten wedge type cabinet for a head with one of these heads. What say you?

Jason I ordered mine yesterday. So I still need to get it

And I will source the speakers myself so it will take some weeks before I have it and can post... But I will!

In my experience the Mambo is much warmer than the Henriksen... but since I have an Henriksen I will tell you when I have both!

The Henriksen benefits a lot from a better speaker, a good reverb and some nice eq / booster to both have a better eq and to warm it up a little. I don't like it much as a stand alone unit but it's a very nice amp with pedals! I will mod mine to have a decent internal reverb soon because sometimes I can't use pedals ...

**jamieh** · 10-31-2012, 04:10 PM

Jon's now updated the mambo site with details of the head, perhaps the one pictured is Chris'? Can't wait to hear how it sounds!

I was completely blown away with the Wedge again today. I had the chance to A/B against a polytone mini brute with a 12 or 15" inch speaker.

As much as I love the mambo I expected to like the polytone more on account of the much bigger speaker, but the mambo sounded far more open and dynamic, there was no comparrison. Unbelievable for such a small amp!

**Franz 1997** · 10-31-2012, 04:58 PM

Jason, the thing is that the demo amp is being passed around the UK...I think gabe is next in line, so gabe, maybe you can do a soundclip or video clip when you get it??

I got the first head yesterday - yes, that website pic is mine. I have A/B'd it against an Evans AH200 and will post a review. In any event, through a 12" Altec cab the head is a fat, punchy & dynamic monster although it looks like a tiny 50s radio. It's the sound from the demo amp, only many times louder. I mean Twin louder.( OK, maybe not JBL Twin )

I thought about doing a soundclip which demonstrated the tonal range of the amp. Its main thing is fat and dynamic, where the notes just jump out of the amp, but it does have quite an eq range using the tone switches and can get near blackface territory, if not exactly inside it. Everyone seems to like the ''harmonic'' feature, which really fattens the sound.

So, yes, I'm quite pleased with it, especially for £380.

Yes, flame maple would look cool..but Jon the designer has a thing about birch.

**jazzkatten** · 10-31-2012, 05:18 PM

The head looks very nice, and the price is very good

**jorgemg1984** · 10-31-2012, 06:19 PM

I am getting the second head... can't wait to hear it with an EV! Jason I'll do a clip don't worry...

But if it sounded good with a tiny 8 Beta cab I cannot imagine with an EV... I will also make clips with a 2x12 Tornado cab and the two mambo 10 wedge cabs in stereo. But I am buy st the Conservatory so it will take a while (and I also need to get the head of course!)