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It is 100w per channel vs. 180 watts in the Mambo, but from what I've read nobody has found the Quilter amps to lack for volume...and they're mostly rock guys so I gotta figure it would be more than enough for jazz. I doubt I'd ever use the extra 100w to run a separate cab.
Originally Posted by Franz 1997
The cosmetics on the "MicroPro" are not to my taste either, but check out the Aviator series which basically adopts the look of a Fender amp. The price is right too - $699 for the Aviator 8, and 22lbs. So I'm down to that, the Mambo 10 or the JZ-15. All under 15" high, and all under 30 lbs. (the Mambo way under at 17.6 lbs.!)
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12-16-2013 05:22 PM
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PSA: I just ran across an announcement on another forum that Pat Quilter will be on something called LA talk radio tonight at 8:00 p.m. (PST) talking about his new amps. http://www.latalkradio.com/Flo.php
(I also had a chance to demo a Quilter amp last year -- very nice solid state amp.)
Good luck with your search. Lots of great choices.
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I agree Chris... it's sort of essential to add a usable mid knob to a blackface amp but then it's up to the right speaker choice. The C Rex is famous because it's cheap, very efficient and has a rolled off high end which jazzers like for cleans and rockers for OD sounds - I personally did not like the one I had. I don't have enough experience with matching speakers to blackface amps but would love to try a good alnico on a small 1x12 combo... one day
I think Quilter did the 100w per channel thing in order to be able to use 100w speakers... with the whole 200w it would be hard to get speakers I guess. It took me a while to figure this one out, but I don't see any other "logic" to it.
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As for a modded Princeton and such, I'm pretty sure the good folks at Sound Island amps put a lot of thought into how to spec their JZ-15 amp to be the ultimate (15w) jazz Princeton. They make the JZ-50 as a "Princeton on mega-steroids" as a 50w option. I'm not sure what speaker is in the JZ-15 but I have to think it's the best speaker for the (jazz) job?
Interesting development regarding Quilter - apparently their 30-day policy applies to us Canadians too (pretty much). Looks like I pay shipping one way, which I could live with. I'm very tempted to give the Aviator 8 a try - $699 is quite an appealing price. It would give me something more "different" than a Mambo 10 (vs. my Mambo 8), it has a larger enclosure so should sound a bit bigger than my Mambo 8, and is pretty reasonable at 22 lbs and 14.5" high. However, it is a closed back. I would really like to have an open-back so the drummer and other rhythm section players can better hear me in big band gigs (we never mic/monitor). The JZ-15 is open back but 30 lbs., which didn't sound that bad at first but compared to 17.6 for the Mambo and 22 for the Quilter...you just know I'm going to be cursing those extra 8 lbs.
Hmmm. Gonna think on this...
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I know VSA developed a variation of the blackface tone stack for jazz but I have no idea what's in there. On their blackface clones if they use a 10k mid pot it will be as useless as in any blackface... a 25k or higher is much nicer because you can have the traditional scooped blackface tone and a more fat sound. I believe they use WGS speakers, which are supposed to be really good.
I would consider Jim's offer... I tried an Evans while in NY this summer and surprised me a lot. The semi-open cab provided excellent dispersion and the sound was very warm / tube like... and quite different from the Mambo.
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Jorge, I don't think the secret in these 'jazz' tone stacks is the value of the mid pot; I think you have to actually shift the mid-dip point from the BF value of 400hz, with a different circuit. I found the 5E8 stack much fatter ( thanks to Jon); it shifts the mid-point to 700 hz., thus fattening up the top strings. The 5E8 is the original bassman stack, I believe
Re 30 lbs, everyone I know uses a B&Q trolley..£25? folds into the boot/ trunk..
Will be interested to hear if you go the Quilter route; price is certainly good.
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I meant the value of the mid pot because as it comes stock it does not change the mid curve... if you use a higher value you can add / remove mids (as I am sure you know much better than I). I actually like 400hz... My shape eq in fixed mode is on that frequency and even when I use a parametric I go there. It fattens the sound without adding much bottom or ice pick. 700hz is where I like to cut but you like the E and B strings fatter than I do
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facinating thread mates
I too believe that when talking about clean sounds
the amp( valve or SS )doesn't make a big difference
to the sound
also the tone stack is fairly irellevant too , given that
you can easily put a parametric or graphic eq on the front
if you need too
The thing to rget right is the speaker and enclosure
for the sound we want ....
speaker model , size , fz response , efficiency ...waterfall plot etc etc
the cab size , open or closed infinate baffle , ported
cab shape etc etc
there's a lot of variables right there !
have any of you guys heard the new phil jones
guitar combo ?
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I've decided to try the Quilter Aviator 8. They have their 30 day return policy, so why not...
It's $700, weighs 22.6 lbs and is only 14.5" high so it fits in my car's trunk. Also it gives me a different "flavour" than my Mambo 8 (vs. buying a Mambo 10).
Since I'm in Canada and I chose the "standard" shipping rather than the pricier options, shipping will probably take forever. Don't hold your breath for an update!
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OK I'm super excited to get this amp and try it out. I found this clip of Rich Severson playing a funk tune in a jazz style through the Aviator 8, using a Gibson 175. His solo comes in around 1:50 and sounds killer! I'm sure much of the tone is in his fingers, but that amp does sounds pretty sweet and kind of nails the sound concept I have in mind.
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Get down with your funky self Rich! Originally Posted by coolvinny
Agree, nice tone, too bad the Quilter amps don't look more . . . attractive?
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Interesting - I quite like the look of the Aviator series. They look like a tool to do the amp job, which is what I like..nice and simple. I really do not like the look of the MicroPro ones, otherwise I might have paid the price differential just to shave off 4 lbs. (the MicroPro is lighter). Originally Posted by ESCC
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I agree, the Aviator series is fine, the MicroPro is not appealing. I had seen Rich Severson with a MicroPro in another video and mistakenly thought it was the same amp. Originally Posted by coolvinny
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Still waiting for someone to A/B Mambo/Quilter.
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Well...the Mambo is like a Poytone and apparently the Quilter is like a Fender tube amp, so I'm not sure they're great "A/B" candidates. I'm not going to be trying to dial in the same sound on both...just looking to get a nice (yet different) jazz sound out of each one. Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
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Hey cats,
Not sure if this is legal, but it's relevant (delete this, Mods, if it's a no-no!):
I just put a Mambo head for sale in the Gear Forum here; located in the US.
Thanks,
Marc
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Received Aviator 8. Must be broken because has no usable tone. Sounds like metal amp no matter the channel/settings, and sound cuts in and out. I think I just got a bad/defective one, which is a shame. I'm returning it, and I don't want a replacement. Mambo is the clear winner in this "A/B" !!
Please no follow-up questions as I'm going "dark" on this site, actually quitting for good. I don't like the way the forum has headed recently. See ya.
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Vinny, Originally Posted by coolvinny
Bummer about the Aviator! A student of mine has the Micropro, and it's been pretty solid.
Hmm, also bummer about your departure ... Curious about your assessment of the forum ...
Regardless, peace, and keep playing!
Marc
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With only a 2 kg difference (4 lbs) between the Mambo 10 and 12 aren't you worrying a lot about very little? I would love to get a Mambo 12, but I have a Henriksen JazzAmp 12 that I love, so I am still thinking about it. Has anyone done an A/B on these two amps, and if so what do you think? Originally Posted by coolvinny
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I have. They are both based on the same "logic" - flat frequency preamp, small cubic ported closed back cab, active eq, reverb and a bass type speaker. That's when the similarities end.
To my point of view - mambo is smaller, lighter, cab has much better dispersion, eq is much more effective and reverb is really good for a stock reverb on an amp. It's also much warmer and natural sounding (I use mine with EV speakers which help). Mambo is also much more open to do custom stuff if you desire.
The henriksen is the best amp I tried to put a preamp in front (Barb EQ, Ethos, etc...). But stock for that jazz polytone vibe, a Mambo wins any day. Also cheaper if you're in Europe!
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The Wedge 10 is 17.6 lbs and the Wedge 12 would be about 23 lbs, so about a 5.5 lbs difference. I jam once or twice a week at a rehearsal space about 3 blocks from where I live, so yes it makes a difference. I carried a 27 lbs tube combo there once...never again. My Mambo 8 goes in a shoulder bag I wear, and then I just carry my guitar. That is how I like to roll. I think I could achieve that with the Wedge 10 but anything bigger would not work. Originally Posted by snoskier63
Anyways, I'm still on the fence for my next amp. I'm using my Mambo Wedge 8 for everything these days: home practice, travel, big band, combo jams, occasional combo gigs (with drums).
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anyone put a light neo speaker in their mambo 8 ?
you could get it down to about 10-11 lbs
(6.5kg =14.3 lbs for the stock mambo 8 wedge)
Thats what I'm talking about !
over the shoulder every little helps
.... I don't do the trolly thing
pingu
aer comp 60 @ 14.3 lbs
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doubt if there's a neo 8 that will handle 180w Jem
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yes, who makes a neo-8? Eminence makes a 6 and a 10. Originally Posted by Franz 1997
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http://www.faitalpro.com/en/products...p?id=101030200
I believe Genz Benz use these in a 8" bass amp (2.1 Kg)
might work ........Last edited by pingu; 02-01-2014 at 10:58 PM.
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