Looking for inexpensive Jazz amp

**Elias Graves** · 01-05-2011, 12:24 PM

Anybody have any experience with the Trademark amps from Tech 21?

EG

**newsense** · 01-05-2011, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by Elias Graves

Anybody have any experience with the Trademark amps from Tech 21?

EG

Hi Elias

I have the Trademark 30. I can use it for anything ! The flexibility comes from the 3 different amp characteristics from which you can choose, which roughly correspond to Fender, Marshall/Vox and Mesa Boogie, each with three progressive gain stages. If you are simply wanting the much discussed "jazz tone" (Wes, Jim Hall, etc) it will do it with ease. Dial in the Fender tone on the cleanest setting with low gain. The EQ is active rather than passsive, hence you can accentuate rather than just cut the three frequency bands - this makes it very flexible. However, if you want to hot it up and pretend to be Clapton, Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, Pete Townsend, Keith Richards, B.B. King,...., you can dial in the requisite amp characteristic and gain structure. Although it can dish up far more dirt than I would ever want (Megadeath ?), I have heard it said that metal is not its strongest suit, but low to moderate overdrive it excels at.

Please note the Trademark is not a digital modelling amp - it is all purely analog (even down to the spring reverb). The guys at Tech 21 are just very cunning in making transistors behave like tubes. The distortion even cleans up nicely with the guitar volume control - so the amp is really responsive to dynamics.

Although it only has 30 of those weedy solid state Watts, it also has a balanced XLR out after the effects loop, so can be used straight into a PA, a mixing desk or an active extension speaker. Hence the Trademarks can be used for performance as well as practice.

If you are only into "smooth" straight jazz, the Trademark maybe more than is required, but if you like to experiment with different sounds or other genres, these amps are great.

Can you tell that I like mine ?

Andy

**CGKnight** · 01-05-2011, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by newsense

The guys at Tech 21 are just very cunning in making transistors behave like tubes.

This reminded me of this amp.

(I haven't ever played it, nor am I an amp guru, not by a long shot. ...And it looks like its anything but 'inexpensive'.)

**AZanshin** · 01-05-2011, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well, first of all this is an old thread, back from the dead.

Second, you're listening with your eyes. There's been an extensive review on the Zt Club here, and many (myself included) feel it's a great amp for jazz playing, practice or on stage.

That's "how in the hell" that comment is helpful.

Thanks Mr.B That's why i brought it up

**Elias Graves** · 01-05-2011, 06:11 PM

Right now I'm playing both my guitars through my Champ. I love the responsive nature of the class A structure. You really can "play" the amp as much as you play the guitar. The downsides to it are: No volume, weak bass and not so wonderful overdrive sounds. It's a terrific practice amp but it won't fill up my living room with sound.
So, I'm considering options now. I'm not really after jazz sounds per sen just good sounds.
My favorites right now are either a silverface Vibro Champ (love that vibrato/tremolo/whatever it really is

) an AC15 (class A response) or maybe just a good ole Blues Jr.
Have thought about going a different route as well. My nephew has a buddy who uses a Tech 21 Blonde pedal and an EHX 22 Caliber stomp box 22 watt power amp and a 1x12 cab. Sounds great and it's very portable. When they play live, he often simply feeds the Blonde pedal into the PA.

EG

**cjm** · 01-05-2011, 06:13 PM

I usually recommend a used Polytone Minibrute II or III.

Not necessarily because they're the "best." There is no best.

But if the person asking the question doesn't already have a good idea of how to get a "jazz sound," almost any decent archtop wil deliver an acceptable jazz sound if played through the neck pickup with the tone control on the guitar set full treble and with the treble/mid/bass controls on either of these amps set "flat" (mid-range) and with the slide switch in the middle position.

From that starting point, the tone can be adjusted to the player's taste. But if that particular formula doesn't deliver a sound "somewhere between Herb Ellis and Wes Montgomery" or between "Joe Pass and Johnny Smith," there is usually something wrong: Wrong strings, defective pots or caps, poor quality/defective pickup, picking position too close to bridge...or a fundamental disagreement/misunderstanding as to what constitutes "the jazz sound."

So those two models of Polytone represent something of a standard to me: more uniform between examples than tube amps; acceptable and "authentic" jazz sound. Plus, they don't cost much on the used market.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-05-2011, 06:20 PM

BTW, does anyone know the origin of the trope, "In Soviet Union, you don't <verb> <noun>: <noun> <verb>s you!"

Woops, wrong forum! Feel free to answer anyway!

**bass2man** · 01-05-2011, 08:37 PM

I just got a used Fender Cyber deluxe , ~$300, after wanting some different sounds as I am playing through a Blues Jr..

Cool little amp with 12 in and about 100 watts...solid state with all teh effects, reverb,delay,comp, build in...

Tweed, Blackfaace, Dyna tone and Modern amps built in...great distortion ( which I dont use but available)...each amp has a clean setting...sounds great and each amp is a little different sound..

I have a es-175, a Gibson Tal Farlow and a Triggs archtop w/floater PU...each one has a different voice and the amp options let me adjust to my liking...

**Sailynn** · 01-06-2011, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

BTW, does anyone know the origin of the trope, "In Soviet Union, you don't <verb> <noun>: <noun> <verb>s you!"

Woops, wrong forum! Feel free to answer anyway!

"In Soviet Union, you don't find party, party find you."

**mr. beaumont** · 01-06-2011, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

BTW, does anyone know the origin of the trope, "In Soviet Union, you don't <verb> <noun>: <noun> <verb>s you!"

Woops, wrong forum! Feel free to answer anyway!

Yakov?

**Sailynn** · 01-06-2011, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Yakov?

Yes, Yakov Schmirnoff.

**Dad3353** · 01-06-2011, 11:01 AM

Too late; already answered in other forum...

**mangotango** · 01-06-2011, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sailynn

Yes, Yakov Schmirnoff.

and his backing band, The Red Labels...

**tmlesko** · 01-06-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well, first of all this is an old thread, back from the dead.

Second, you're listening with your eyes. There's been an extensive review on the Zt Club here, and many (myself included) feel it's a great amp for jazz playing, practice or on stage.

That's "how in the hell" that comment is helpful.

First: was there a point you were trying to make other than stating the obvious?
Second: your comments and his have nothing at all to do with my specific questions so that's how in the hell yours and his comments were NOT helpful at all.

**mr. beaumont** · 01-06-2011, 02:58 PM

His comment addressed the original post. He likely clicked on the thread (entitled, "Looking for an inexpensive jazz amp"), read the OP, and gave advice. I realize you posted a while back and the thread veered, but there's also still plenty of posters here addressing the original question.

Your latest post about an amp that is not an inexpensive jazz amp was down at the bottom. Perhaps he didn't read it. Perhaps he felt you posted here by mistake and would start a new thread instead of derailing this one. If you wanted some more traffic and real advice on your amp situation, that's what you should have done.

So I responded to your rude "how in the hell" comment in defense of AZ, who was, indeed, trying to be helpful--the ZT club would make a fine, inexpensive amp for jazz. You see where I'm coming from?

Oh, btw, the people here are really cool, very knowledgeable, and very helpful.

**cjm** · 01-06-2011, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

So I responded to your rude "how in the hell" comment in defense of AZ, who was, indeed, trying to be helpful--the ZT club would make a fine, inexpensive amp for jazz. You see where I'm coming from?

While I haven't heard the ZT Club, I can assure tmlesko that he DOES want a powerful amp if it is a solid state amp, despite his comments about a 200 watt amp being over powered.

Most of the engineering secret of a good solid state jazz amp is no secret at all: Simply build an amp that can wake the dead if cranked to "11" and market it to players who will never turn it up past "4."

Tomorrow morning I leave for Seattle for two months radiation treatment and I'll have a lot of spare time...can only practice guitar for so many hours each day. I think I'll check around a see what shop has a ZT Club -- I wouldn't mind having an amp with reverb again.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-06-2011, 06:12 PM

Seattle? Check out Sound Island. No ZTs but it's all about jazz guitar.

**pingu** · 01-06-2011, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by tmlesko

First: was there a point you were trying to make other than stating the obvious?
Second: your comments and his have nothing at all to do with my specific questions so that's how in the hell yours and his comments were NOT helpful at all.

well they were helpful to me man

you're not the only one here you know .........
its a group discussion you see

Sorry to state the obvious

**jazzguyfromnc** · 01-07-2011, 12:21 PM

I can second (or third, or fourth?) the Cube 60 recommendation. I love mine.

**Tom Karol** · 01-07-2011, 01:27 PM

As a former Cube 60 owner, I've got to agree that you can't beat the tone and versatility for the price (mine was $345 new). For Jazz I used the 'JC Clean' model and sometimes the 'Blackface' (Fender Twin) model and a bit of reverb with a semi-hollow. For Roots Rock I used the 'Tweed' model (4-10 Bassman) and a touch of delay with a Tele. Now, however, I have a Henriksen JazzAmp 112 for Jazz and a ZT Club plus a VOX ToneLab ST for Rock. And by the way, the little store that I traded in the Cube 60 to refuses to sell it!

**pingu** · 01-07-2011, 03:10 PM

Interesting .....
Did you try the Hen Jazzamp with the 10 in it
before you you got the Hen 12 ?

Was the 12 much warmer ?

I'm playing a green board Blues jnr at the mo
but am considering a Henriksen 10 or 12
I've got Compact 60 but I don't get on with it too well

**Tom Karol** · 01-07-2011, 03:17 PM

Nope, didn't try the JazzAmp 110 in spite of its alluring size and weight (same price though), because I knew I preferred a 12" speaker. I'm extremely pleased with the JazzAmp 112.

**Eddie Lang** · 01-07-2011, 04:13 PM

I too have a JazzzAmp 12 and I did A-B it with a JazzAmp 10 before I bought it. I would have loved to prefer the smaller and lighter 10, but I really thought the 12 sounded fuller. The difference wasn't huge, mind you, but enough to go against the bias I had in favour of the the 10.