What the best practice guitar combo (weighting 15-17 pounds)?

**krusty** · 05-17-2013, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by pingu

Yeah Boogies are major heavy , most amps would seem light after !

I own some (really heavy) Mesa rack amps, and after schlepping Ikea furniture for the last few days getting ready for the impending 6-month visit of my in-laws (married 9yrs and I've never met them or spoken to them), the Boogies seem positively featherweight. I'm kinda bummed about losing my dedicated music room....

**Eddie Lang** · 05-25-2013, 01:53 PM

I was away for about a week. In the meantime, I've been thinking some more about this great sounding small and very light amp business. Many things to consider, including available amp models, pre-amps, equilizers, and maybe the possibility that no 15 pounds combo will ever sound as good as I wish...

Anyway, I've decided to put that on the ice for now. I am sure that I'll start thinking about it again someday though.

Thanks for the replies. Bring some more if you have other suggestions or insights on the matter.

**coolvinny** · 05-27-2013, 12:26 PM

Well if we're seriously talking about a practice amp and if you also want to be able to use it in real-life situations, then the Mambo is a great choice. I have a ZT Lunchbox and a Phil Jones Cub as well, but I almost never use them.

What I love about the Mambo is that Jon can do mods to customize it for you. In my case, I wanted a headphone circuit. And what a circuit he included! It sounds AMAZING through the headphone circuit. Absolutely not overly dry or sterile (the reverb obviously helps). I gave him the specs of the headphones I planned to use and he chose an appropriate headphone circuit to match. I don't use the headphone circuit often, but sometimes it is very handy, and I could see that if someone had kids and wanted to practice early in the morning that the headphone circuit would be a godsend. I went on a trip and I brought the Mambo along just so that I could use the headphone feature. Sometimes if there are too many distractions around I will use the headphones, or in my mind I could see myself using it while loosening up etc at a performance.

The fact that is is also insanely loud and sounds great are also key. The Lunchbox is loud enough for big-band but at those volumes its sound gets a bit abrasive.

And as a performance amp, yes something like a Princeton Reverb sounds better to my earls...but it weighs more/is physically larger, relies on tubes and has no headphone option.

**Eddie Lang** · 05-27-2013, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by coolvinny

Well if we're seriously talking about a practice amp and if you also want to be able to use it in real-life situations, then the Mambo is a great choice. I have a ZT Lunchbox and a Phil Jones Cub as well, but I almost never use them.

Yeah, from what I read on this forum, the Mambo might just be what I am looking for. Still, although I know that they ship overseas, I wish there was a North American distributor. I might hold on a little, just because of that, and see if they come up with someone on this side of the Pond. Either way, it's possibly what I will end up buying.

**rgiaccio** · 05-29-2013, 02:48 PM

Doeas anyone know this one? Schertler Giulia
In Italy it costs about 350 Euro, which seems not bad for the (supposed) quality.

Roberto

**konstantine** · 05-30-2013, 11:50 AM

Giuila looks like a solid and very reasonably priced amp, its a pitty there is not much info about it..

I think it should be like an AER Alpha

**rgiaccio** · 06-01-2013, 05:57 AM

Yes, it looks similar to an AER Alpha. As far as I know (I had an AER AG8, the monitor version of the AER Compact 60), they have an 8" full range speaker, while the Giulia is two-way, with a smaller 5" woofer and a dome tweeter, bi-amped.
Bejond the technical differences, it seems to cost half of the AER, and I am considering getting one for my office.
I would like to try one, because the AER was a little too much acoustic-oriented, and I am courious to see how the Giulia works on an electric archtop, maybe with the "warm" switch engaged.

Roberto

**kris** · 06-01-2013, 10:16 AM

Giulia -it is a good idea...:-)
I use AER Compact XL but I think about Giulia Shertler amp.

**Reg** · 06-03-2013, 09:59 AM

Aer...

**tonnie** · 06-03-2013, 12:48 PM

Am planning to look further into the Mambo Wedge 10. What are your experiences with the Mambo?
Tonnie

**jorgemg1984** · 06-03-2013, 04:22 PM

Brilliant amp, do a search, plenty of info already.

**pingu** · 06-03-2013, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by Guitar

Everybody wants that.

I think one of the best small venue/practice amps for Jazz with vintage pups is the criminally underrated Marshall JTM30 series (210 or 112, flavor depending) of small valve combos.

Are they 15-17 lbs ?

**SamBooka** · 06-04-2013, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by tonnie

Am planning to look further into the Mambo Wedge 10. What are your experiences with the Mambo?
Tonnie

I have heard the Mambo Wedge 10 is a great little amp.. I would avoid Mambo Number 5 tho.

**coolvinny** · 06-04-2013, 04:50 PM

I know of at least one other pro who was recently very impressed with the AER Alpha (further to Reg's comment above).

**konstantine** · 06-05-2013, 06:04 AM

I had the chance to compare the Alpha Plus with the Compact 60/III side by side for about an hour with various guitars, IMHO the Compact 60 was better and bigger, especially with archtops!

**disco~juice** · 06-05-2013, 06:17 AM

I will say again, Mambo 10'' is a great amp.
It's super lightweight, very clean, very loud, can make a sh***y guitar sound great (I'm not exaggerating), nice reverb (if you go for the mods), nice creamy tone with the "harmonic" setting, great great eq.
Plus, Jon Mambo is the nicest guy!
And pretty cheap for what it is.

If you think of a new amp, give this a though, you won't regret it.
I still cannot understand how this small box sounds so good and so loud if you need it.