Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight Alternatives

[cfc25]

Hi there,

I've been after a Jazzmaster Ultralight Amp for a while but as they seem to be so rare I really need to look at alternatives and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. So basically I'm after something that's really, REALLY light and portable, gets a good tube amp sound (it doesn't have to be solid state like the Jazzmaster Ultralight but I'm assuming it'll need to be for the weight) and is loud enough for most gigging situations.

Thanks

[jorgemg1984]

I've had a jazzmaster ultralight and played once an Evans and thought it could reach a similar tone. Quilter in theory too but never tried one.

[vernon]

Quilter Aviator head... 9 lbs. Fantastic warm clean sound great for jazz. It took the place of my Evans JE-200.

[rpguitar]

I have a JMUL cabinet that I'd part with if you ever get a suitable head. Feel free to note my username for future reference (ya never know).

[Joe Carlson]

I have the jazzmaster head and cabinet I'd be willing to sell. Great amp, but I am playing more pedal steel these days, so I am needing something voiced for steel.

Make me an offer if you're interested.

Also, there are currently two listed on ebay.

Thanks,
Joe

[Jim Soloway]

I have a Gallien Krueger MB200 that I really like. It's actually a bass amp but it works really nicely with both my Archtop and my plank. It weighs under 2 lbs and is the size of a paperback novel.

[drbhrb]

Obviously I'm not an unbiased source but I am selling a Mambo amp head that is super light and is reminiscent of the JUL.

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/sale/...ad-%24425.html

I wrote a review here:
https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...-earcandy.html

Great round tone and the box is only 9"x8"x4"


I'd also second whoever mentioned Quilter. I'm very happy with my Quilter combo.

[jorgemg1984]

The MB200 and the Mambo are both quite far from a JMUL (from a tone perspective). A Mambo with a BarbQ can get close.

[monkmiles]

I'm thinking a Quilter head (Aviator or MicroPro) would be in the neighborhood of the Jazzmaster Ultralight.

[Klatu]

The Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight must have been some amp to remain in demand so many years after it was discontinued.

I remember reading some threads about reliability concerns back when the unit was in production. Can someone who has owned one of these units for some time comment on any malfunctions or repairs that you might have experienced?

[drbhrb]

It came out at a time when hardly anyone was catering to jazz guitarists. It sounds pretty good but more importantly it is the right size and weight for the types of gigs most jazz guitarists play. My friend had one crap out on him but it seems his second unit is going fine.

[Woody Sound]

Here's an 8 year old blast from the past. From JazzTimes:

Jazz Instruments: Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight Guitar Amplifier - By Evan Haga ? Jazz Articles

[jorgemg1984]

I had some issues but my tech solved them, not a big deal. I also did some mods. I believe Fender had some problem with inital units and, as a lot of other big companies, they prefer replacing to repairing.

[Jim Soloway]

The MB200 and the Mambo are both quite far from a JMUL (from a tone perspective). A Mambo with a BarbQ can get close.

I was really only thinking in terms of size and weight. I've never had an opportunity to play through the Fender Ultralite so I don't really know what they sound like.

[jorgemg1984]

I was really only thinking in terms of size and weight. I've never had an opportunity to play through the Fender Ultralite so I don't really know what the sound like.

Thanks for the clarification Jim. The MB seems a good solution for a backup.

[vejesse]

Wow, I didn't realize these went for so much. The two that are on Ebay are listed for $1000 and $1100. Is that the going rate these days? I've got one for sale in that case!

I can't seem to get a dark enough sound out of mine. The cabinet I use with it is about the size of the Fender, but it's a generic closed back cab with a Jensen Tornado neodymium 4 ohm. The speaker is newer so maybe it has to break in. The "ultralight" head/cab concept seems neat in theory and I was excited about it for a minute. But my Tech 21 Trademark 60 sounds nice and dark to my ears and that doesn't weigh much either.

[Jabberwocky]

Fender Mustang 3 V2. Go into FUSE, modify and store a preset for your tone. The classic Fender amps models are good but you need to finagle them to suit yourself. So, it requires a bit of work that some may not want to do. The Fender Super Champ XD2 is also a viable choice but I don't know whether it is "loud" enough.

Ibanez TSA15C (6V6) or TSA30 (6L6) combo. Roland Cube 40GX or 80GX. The just discontinued Roland Cube X combos are essentially the same as the GX combos.

Edit: I suggest these because they are widely available and the OP may test them out for himself.

[krusty]

I've owned the Jazzmaster Ultralight, and sold it. If you are looking for a lightweight head, I find my Polytone Mini Brain actually sounds better, as does my current AI Clarus 2 S4. The Fender was OK, but the second channel suffered from the same issue as every other SS amp with a drive circuit, rendering the amp useable as a single channel amp only, but with the option of switchable effects. The Fender was a very dark and bass heavy amp, and I honestly don't know how much of that was due to the cabinet voicing. The cabinet is absolutely necessary, because if you use the head with 8 ohms, you get a vastly reduced output. It really needs the 2 ohm cab.

The Polytone (if you can find one) seems to put out more, and more easily, and mine is only rated at 75W into 8 ohms. The AI is current and easy to find. You could tinker with the sound by using it with a true guitar speaker, allowing a little of the driver's character to enter your tone. I use an Eminence Beta 8 in a reflex cabinet of my own design, and couldn't be happier. I can get a fantastic jazz tone with a very nice bass response at bedroom volumes or stage volume. The Polytone can do that too through a guitar cabinet.

[jorgemg1984]

There are two reasons for the bass heavy thing 1) blackface preamp 2) ported cab with a jensen neo, which is a heavy bass speaker. At 4 ohms it's still plenty loud.

A polytone trough a guitar cab or trough a jazz amp cab (like a ported cab with a beta which is quite different from a regular guitar cab) still sounds very different from a JMUL:

[DanH8482]

I also have one that I'm selling. Feel free to message me about it.

I I have been using an Acoustic Image Clarus head instead of the JMUL lately.

[Danny W.]

I played one of these and also a Jazz King at Fender's booth at the winter NAMM 8-10 years ago. I wasn't that impressed with the JMUL, especially considering that at the time I had both an Acoustic Image Coda and an AI/RE NY8 and felt that either one of these sounded better, could play louder and was in the same weight range. The other thing I really didn't like about the JMUL was the 2-ohm power rating--it's something of a cheat.

The JK sounded great, but was 65 pounds.

Danny W.

[jorgemg1984]

Personally, I think the JMUL is the closest I've heard a solid state get to a classic Blackface Twin tone. You don't have that tube responsiveness, but it's great for 99.9% of gigs.

curious people think these are dark, I think it has that Fender top end that is much brighter than I've heard on Henriksens, Polytones, Lunchboxes, Clubs, or Jazzkats I've played and owned over the years.

i've been experimenting with a darker, rawer, and more mid-heavy tone with the JMUL and have been really liking it. Some nice funky dirt even on the clean channel. I never touch the overdrive.

Dark can mean few treble or too much bass. I meant the latter not the former.

[drbhrb]

The Quilter heads are only 7 pounds(Micro pro) or 9 pounds (Aviator). About on par with the JMUL head. They provide 200 watts at a much more reasonable 8 ohms vs the JUML's 2 ohms.

[AlsoRan]

This thread shows how you just can't please everybody.

A person may rave over one particular amp, while another may despise it.

Interesting...

[docbop]

This thread shows how you just can't please everybody.

A person may rave over one particular amp, while another may despise it.

Interesting...

I think that comes from having a zillion options. Talking along these lines the other day with people on what gear legends used. Back in the early days there were only a few brands and models of amps so you got an amp and you sat and worked with it to find your sound. That could take weeks to really get to know your amp and how to dial it in for different situations. Today people get gear, expect a certain sound and if it doesn't happen in a few days or weeks they start looking replace it. Back in the day you part of practice was learning to dial-in amps to get your sound. From working in the music school you'd hear students whine about the school gear or their own, then someone like Robben Ford would come in and play on the school gear, sometimes borrow a students guitar to demo something and sound great. Students would be scratching their heads like it doesn't sound that good when we use it. Well two thing part of it is in the hands, but part is learning how to use gear. How many time have you seen posts.... I had a <fill in the blank> and sold it, just heard <fill in the blank> using one, wish I had kept mine.