What amp has the closest sound to a Polytone?

[Tal_175]

This thread, started nine years ago, is a prime example of how backward-looking part of the jazz guitar community can be. There's people who owned Polytones years and and years back. There's a few diehards who struggle to keep theirs in working condition. There were many Polytone versions and circuits, so probably not a singular Polytone tone. For those who used Polytones back then: are you sure they would sound the same to your ears, 40 years later? For those who still use them: what makes them superior to the contemporary offering?

In my neck of the woods, there's one Polytone guitarist who plays his guitar like a banjo. There's one Polytone bassist. So not an awful lot to refer to. I'm all ???

In my case, I don't really care what jazz guitar players used 40 years ago. For all I now, I lot of them also used Fenders. I have many amps (including a quilter), but I seem to prefer the sound of my polytone more often than not. I wish I didn't.

[Doctor Jeff]

This thread, started nine years ago, is a prime example of how backward-looking part of the jazz guitar community can be. There's people who owned Polytones years and and years back. There's a few diehards who struggle to keep theirs in working condition. There were many Polytone versions and circuits, so probably not a singular Polytone tone. For those who used Polytones back then: are you sure they would sound the same to your ears, 40 years later? For those who still use them: what makes them superior to the contemporary offering?

In my neck of the woods, there's one Polytone guitarist who plays his guitar like a banjo. There's one Polytone bassist. So not an awful lot to refer to. I'm all ???

Good point.

In any event, current jazz guitarists who use Polytones must be an increasingly trivial number. There are a lot of alternatives out there these days. It's certainly rare to find a Polytone in shops or on Craigslist in good working order (though I keep looking!).

I've always thought Polytones were fairly neutral compared to tube amps. My Fishman Artist has a very neutral response. I have assumed it is more similar to a Polytone than a tube amp. Maybe I'm wrong in this.

[coyote-1]

The Polytone sound is unique to that amp. And as noted there were successive versions, each with their own sonic footprint.

HOWEVER.

We can also say that there was (is) a general character to them. Instant response, fullness across the tonal spectrum, a great tendency to be kind to hollowbody instruments. So IMO the point is not to try to duplicate the Polytone as a jazz amp (as such amps as the Ibanez Fulltone tried but missed the mark), but to go back to its original concept as a character reference. Which IIRC was an amp for the accordion!

Which would explain how it has high end clarity, while not having high end brashness. And has low end oomph, minus low end mud.

Component-wise, it has serious headroom in the amp and has a large full range speaker. What amps most closely match that concept now? Might it be bass combo amps? Personally I think so. I have an old Crate BX100 100w solid state combo with a 15” speaker, and my jazzbox sounds great thru it. A 335 sounds great thru it, and a Telecaster sounds great thru it. Clean, full, defined without brashness or mud. Were it not a 66 pound behemoth and missing reverb I would definitely consider it a good jazz guitar amp.

Among new amps I would consider the Fender Rumble 40 a very good jazz guitar amp with a “Polytone character”. Has all the same characteristics as the aforementioned Crate, while being smaller and only 1/3 the weight. It’s also inexpensive. I wish this amp had reverb, or an effect loop. I’ve not heard the Rumble 100, but it does have the effects loop and is only four pounds heavier along with more midrange flexibility. It should presumably fill the role fairly well.