Evans RE200

[Jim Soloway]

I've had the Evans RE200 here for 10 days now, long enough to really get a feel for it. It's the only amp I've used in that time and I've been playing quite a bit. I've played it with both of my down tuned Soloway planks and my Ibanez arch top and yesterday I used it while giving a lesson.

The short version of this is that I'm thoroughly enjoying this amp. It is probably the best combination of size, weight, convenience and tone that I've ever found in any combo amp. It's 16 ½”H x 14 ½”W x 10 ½”D and weighs only 27 lbs. So it's a true grab and go amp but it's loud enough to cut pretty much any gig and the clean head room is best described as unlimited.

The amp is designed specifically for warm clean tone and it delivers as advertised. Years ago I owned a first generation RE150 and in the end I found it brighter than I really wanted and the many tone shaping tone controls were hard to dial in. This is an entirely different beast. It's warm and fat and I was able to dial in a tone that made me smile in just a few seconds. I was able to move from guitar to guitar with just minor tweaks and it did a great job of bringing out the specific characteristics of each instrument. Scot Buffington at Evans has told me about some of the circuit changes that were behind the tonal changes and I have to say that I think he's done a wonderful job. This really is just a MUCH better amplifier than the original RE series.

I've experienced a lot of frustration playing through most solid state jazz/clean amps. The sound is right, but the feel is wrong. They often feel more like playing through a PA with the amp overwhelming the dynamics of the player. With the RE200, it feels like I'm playing through a guitar amp, especially on the regular input (there's also a +6DB input) reacting to the picking dynamics and nuances of the guitar.

One thing it does have in common with that early RE series amp that I owned was a wonderful cab design. It's a very small amplifier and yet somehow it manages to get a wonderful wide spread of sound avoiding the boxiness and beam-like sound projection that seems so common to a lot of small amps. I attribute this to the semi-open back cab and it is very reactive to it's position relative to a wall. Free standing in the middle of a room or right up against the wall, it sounds much smaller than when it's placed 8 to 12 inches from a wall. Sound comes out of the rear port and bounces of the hard surface behind it and really bathes the area in sound. It also has a spring loaded handle on the bottom of the cab that acts as a built in stand, allowing the amp to be tilted back with the bottom of the cab off the floor. It's an incredibly useful and convenient feature and I've always wondered why other companies didn't copy this.

The amp is not perfect. The reverb (which can be switched to either chorus or flange from the rear panel) is adequate but in my opinion, not up to the overall quality of the amp. The chorus and flange alternative were ok, but as a dedicated verb user, I'd rather have better verb with fewer options. This is the one (and only) feature that I preferred in the old RE150 I had. The +6db input was way too hot for my taste and seemed to overwhelm the intimacy of the sound. I can't really imagine finding a use for it. And of course the most obvious negative is the price. $1400 is a lot of money for any amp (by my meager economic standards) but my feeling right now is that given the tonal quality, the volume capabilities, the convenience of size and weight and the long and honorable history of the company, it's worth the investment.

This is the first amp I've played that is able to convince me to move away from my modeling rig. I loved the recording convenience and the level of control that rig gave me, but this just sounds better and much more natural. It's also encouraging me to move towards a warmer fatter tone just because it sounds so good doing that. It's a very big change for me. I've had to buy a trem pedal since that's always been a part of my sound and I'm having to completely revamp my recording rig which has been both expensive and time consuming, but I'm doing both and I'm almost done. I'm hoping that I'll be up to speed with recording in the next few days and I'll start getting down to some serious work on the some new videos and laying down tracks for my next CD. I'll be posting more as those tracks get done but in the mean time I'm just going to keep enjoying my move back into the amp world and thanks Scott Buffington for building such a great piece of gear.

[Patrick2]

I've been a big fan of Evans for a long time now. I've got a JE 150 (Jazz Enclosure 150 watts) which I bought new from Scot in December of 1997. I just looked through my records . . I paid $847 for it and $27 freight charges. Those days are long gone.

I had an issue with it about 3 years ago. Brought it up to Andy Fuchs of Fuchs Audio. He had a hard time doing the work without a schematic. I guess they're pretty complicated as a result of all of the varied controls? He called Scot, then hooked up with some Evans Amp guru down in TX, who was doing all of Evans' warranty work at the time. Andy did the repair and called me to pick it up. When I got there Andy was still playing the amp. He was very impressed . . . said the following;

"If I ever do build a SS amp, this is what I'd like to pattern it after" From a guy like Andy . . that's pretty high praise.

[va3ux]

Well done review Jim. I have a lot of faith in your opinions and observations. I've always wanted to try one of these amps. But being a very casual hobby player, the price has always stopped me from buying one.

On the other hand, if I simply liquidated most of the stuff sitting around here that doesn't get used, I could probably buy a new one and still have a pile of cash left over.

[marcwhy]

Great review, thanks, Jim!

Yeah, I guess $1400 does sound like a lot for a solid state combo ..

[petermelton]

Great review! Ron Eschete says it's the first combo he feels comfortable using without needing to run through his Raezer's Edge cabs. Having seen him play through an Evans a million times I agree. The new design is killer!

[jorgemg1984]

I tried an RE200 recently and liked it a lot - although the tone controls were a little weird and the reverb could be improved. I don't think it was worth the retail price but used it's an excellent deal.. glad you found a solution!

[barrymclark]

Although it is the JE200 that has my interest, I'd love to have a little time on any Evans if for no other reason than to see what the big deal is.

I absolutely LOVE the tone of my Mesa Express. What I don't love and BARELY willing to tolerate on it is its 55# weight.

The JE is almost half that weight AND even slighly lighter than my Cube 80x. If I can get a tone I like as much as my Mesa (notice I didn't say the same tone) in a much lighter box, I'd be all over it.

There is the Mambo... but no place to try that one at all. I really don't want to get into the try out, don't like, ship back cycle. Just a pain and gets pricey.

[jorgemg1984]

The Evans and the Mambo are different amps... I think the Evans would get a closer to a Boogie sound but I am not sure it could deliver the same treble presence, maybe Jim can help you.

[barrymclark]

The Evans and the Mambo are different amps... I think the Evans would get a closer to a Boogie sound but I am not sure it could deliver the same treble presence, maybe Jim can help you.

I get that, but I am not saying I want it to sound like the Mesa but only that I want to enjoy the tone like I do the Mesa if you follow the distinction.

[jorgemg1984]

I get that, but I am not saying I want it to sound like the Mesa but only that I want to enjoy the tone like I do the Mesa if you follow the distinction.

I get you - you need to try them then

[barrymclark]

I get you - you need to try them then

Believe me, I'd love to. Maybe there will be someone nearby that will get one and would be kind enough to allow a test drive. I am in no hurry.

[Jim Soloway]

A few more thoughts on both the amp, the price, and amps for jazz in general...

Firs a bit of background:

I have owned a LOT of amps over the years (my wife will tell you that I have owned an infinite number of amps over the years and she wouldn't be all that far off). A lot of those were either sold as "jazz amps" or were commonly associated with jazz players. I've owned a bunch of Polytones (both older and newer generations), at least four Roland Jazz chorus amps of different models, three Roland Cubes (the modeling versions), two or three Acoustic Image amps (both head and combo), a Fender Twin, a Schertler, two Henriksens, a bunch of Princeton type amps, a few Vibrochamps, a Comins/Alesandro, two Port City Twelves, an Evans RE150 (original version) and now the Evans RE200. I'm sure there have been bunches more that I can't think of at the moment but you obviously get the idea.

Most of you know that after all of that I gave up and went to a modeling rig for the last several years and I was really happy with it, especially for recording, but even with that rig, I kept changing the cab and the power amp. I finally settled on Raezer's Edge cabs and external class D power amps and I was pretty much stable with that setup for the last year or so but I found that the more often I played out, the less happy I got. A rig with three separate pieces that had to be assembled and disassembled every time I went out to play was a pain, especially since the heart of the system was permanently connected to my computer. So I decided to buy an inexpensive combo that I could haul around.

I reported here a few weeks ago that I had found a very cool little amp on Craigslist. It's a Roland Spirit 25A from the early 80's. It cost me $75 and I was really shocked at how good it sounded. It's old and a bit funky and could use some service but the basic tone was really warm and natural without sounding at all sterile like so many "jazz amps". It's not loud enough to cover anything beyond a small room and I'm not sure I would want to count on it being reliable in a crunch but it's really enjoyable to play through and opened my mind to returning to combos.

Right around the time that I bought the old Roland, I received a social/professional call from Scot Buffington at Evans He was just calling me to ask a couple business questions but we ended up talking for about an hour, partly about the changes he made in his business but mostly about the changes he's made to the circuitry in the RE200 over the years. I was really excited by what he told me. He had addressed all of my concerns from my experience with the RE150 years ago and the next thing I knew an amp was on its way to me.

I think a lot of us here, especially those who play out, have a same basic objective in an amplifier: it has to be light enough and small enough to be easy to carry, capable of producing a warm natural tone that can be shaped to our own personal needs without imposing it's tonal characteristics on our playing, and give us enough clean headroom to play without distortion in any situation and at any volume level. That's a very difficult combination of features to achieve, especially given the size and weight concerns. I would add four of my own personal objectives to that: it needs to feel like a guitar amp, not a PA; it has to be quiet; since I play tuned down a lot, it needs to be able to handle a lot of low end; and it has to create enough ambient sound that I feel like the sound surrounds me rather than beams at me. That last one to me is the difference between a good amp and a great amp. A great amp bathes me in sound and as a player, that inspires me. That's a lot of competing objectives and very simply the RE200 is the only amp I've played through that manages all of those in a single box.

Now about the cost...

Is that worth $1400? I think that's a valid question, especially given the state of the economy and my personal finances (and for me it means I'm having to rebuild my recording rig in order to accommodate the amp). I'm trying to pay for much of this expense by selling off a bunch of gear including all my modeling gear and all of the additional components that go with it but in the end there's still going to be some out of pocket and the pockets are pretty lean these days.

One thing that was raised in relation to the price was the issue of it being a solid state amp as vs tubes. If it was a mass manufactured amp being imported in bulk from China, I would probably have the same reaction but I don't think that really comes into play here. These amps are made one at a time in North Carolina, by hand and in tiny quantities. So to me, the real question of value is simple. 1) is there anything selling for less that can meet those conflicting objectives as well and 2) are those objectives worth the price? The answer for me to question 1 was no. I've never played an amp that fits all of those criteria as well as the RE200 (although I've never played a Mambo). The answer to question 2 is more difficult because it depends on both our finances and our priorities. Ultimately I decided that the answer was yes. Playing guitar is the single greatest source of joy and peace in my life. It's worth the investment and I'm willing to make some sacrifices to pay for it. That's a very personal decision on my part and I understand that others may not see it that way but after playing for an hour or so this morning, I just felt like it was worth doing whatever I had to do to be get that feeling when I played.

[Wildcat]

Jim,
Thank you for the excellent description of your thought processes put into context with your overall experiences with jazz amps during your life. Your text is very logical and analytical in nature, but tempered with the emotional experiences that creating music encompasses. I find as a novice player your selection process to be refreshing, based in reality and ultimately with myself benefiting greatly from you willing to sharing your wisdom and knowledge.

[BrightSizeLife28]

Hey Jim just a question; Did Scot say what year the current Evans-circuit came in? Just interested as I have a 2005 JE200, and a 2012 AE200, and (despite the massive difference in speaker sizes) you can really tell the newer circuit is more 'guitar' oriented, both amazing amps though.
Glad to hear you're digging it.

[Jim Soloway]

Hey Jim just a question; Did Scot say what year the current Evans-circuit came in? Just interested as I have a 2005 JE200, and a 2012 AE200, and (despite the massive difference in speaker sizes) you can really tell the newer circuit is more 'guitar' oriented, both amazing amps though.
Glad to hear you're digging it.

We've talked a lot and about a lot of things in the last few weeks so some of the details have gotten a bit vague for me but I believe it was about three years ago so your 2012 almost certainly would be the newer circuit. He's also decided to do a tour box amp so it will be easier for players to get a chance to try the amp. He's basing it on my old touring demo guitar program so you'll get the amp for a week and then ship it on to the next player. I would strongly recommend that anyone interested in the amp give Scot a call about that. He's a good guy and very passionate about this stuff so it's always fun talking to him anyway and there's really nothing better than playing an amp in person for a few days to get an honest idea of what it does.

[garryrenfro]

"Playing guitar is the single greatest source of joy and peace in my life. It's worth the investment and I'm willing to make some sacrifices to pay for it."

Amen.

[Greaser]

Hey Jim,

I'm wondering if you could compare your new Evans to the Princetons you've had?

Thanks!

[Jim Soloway]

Not as much sparkle as a Princeton and a lot smoother and warmer.

[gitman]

first off i'd like to thank Mr. Soloway for his thorough and thoughtful/insightful review. i totally agree with him on all points since i'm also a pro player for 30 years and having owned a few dozen amps over these years .... i got my first Evans about 10 years ago and used it mostly for playing bigband gigs and shows, using various FX devices in front or in the loop. the overall sound was ok, loud and clean bt lacking in warmth and depth. my current Evans is a newer RE200 with the 10" speaker and that one is a definitive keeper. whether played alone in any jazz setting or combined with FX in my funk/soul group it delivers and makes my life a lot easier which in my book counts for a whole lot ... i plan on getting the next larger version with the 12" speaker so if the gig calls for a bigger sound i take two amps on stage and run them in stereo !
i still have an older AER "Acousticube" amp and also an "antique" Polytone Mini Brute V (the one with the velvet covering, no mid-control, 2 x 10" speakers) and use them on occasion for they do have very usable sounds (especially the AER in combination with my Victor Baker archtopand the Polytone with my Super-400 CES) in low volume situations but as far as the ultimate grab 'n' go amp is concerned the RE200 is it. a side note for the fusion-rockers among you : stick a ZEN Drive pedal in front and leave your Dumble at home ;-)

[IanD]

Gitman, could you please expand a little on the differences you hear between the older RE200 and the new one?

I have the first model RE200 and whilst I think it is an amazingly versatile amp, I have always felt it is lacking a little in warnth & depth (just as you said). I would be very interested in some more of your thoughts on the new model.

Thanks

[gitman]

the amp just seems to be "together", a finished product that functions as it should. the controls are such that they take some time to get used to but in the end they afford me to dial in many very useful and always musical tones with my various guitars, and lacking volume/clean headroom is never an issue. i don't miss the "scruff" feature of it's predecessor and i also think that the reverb on the newer version is much better - maybe not the best verb possible but utterly sufficiant for stage use.
i have my Baker archtop (a plywood-topped 17" with a 2,5" rim, like a Byrdland with a 25" scale) strung with halfrounds which give me the more sparkly highs i want when playing fingerstyle (for duo gigs, backing a singer/sax for instance) or old school big-band-comping while my Super-400 with Thomastik flatwound 13's has all the wooly warmth and punch i could want - like the ultimate Kenny-Burrell-tone from his old 60's and 70's albums ;-) hope this helps !

[Jabberwocky]

Please do allow me:

.

[gitman]

yeah, this was my acoustic Super-400 .... the Super-400 CES has even more punch and "voluptious rotundness" ....
an almost Rubens-esque quality , ha ha ;-) i'm certainly very happy with that combination !

[IanD]

Thank you for the response Gitman. I may have a talk to Scott at Evans & see if I can purchase just the pre-amp (assuming the power amp in each model is the same).

Lovely playing & gorgeous tone on the clip posted by jabberwocky.

[Jabberwocky]

...
Lovely playing & gorgeous tone on the clip posted by jabberwocky.

Ian, that's gitman and his Super 400C and his Evans in the video!