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Did anyone compile a list of small jazz guitar amps? Anything other than the usual suspects?
The DV Mark looks interesting but I can't imagine 45w being enough to play organ trio or big band.
Last time I tried a quilter I thought it was muddy.
I like the henriksen and AI amps but the tone controls aren't in the right places.
Not interested in tube amps...Last edited by jzucker; 05-25-2015 at 12:38 AM.
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05-24-2015 08:15 AM
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Jack, what will be your main purpose for this amp?
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jam sessions where I don't feel like taking the kemper rig
also just practicing around the house (not in my office/studio)
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I've gone back to the lunchbox. That plus a tech 21 blonde pedal gets me a tone i could use pretty much anywhere.
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tube amp-combo 15 kg and 35-40 watt is a my dream...:-)
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What's your upper limit on weight. I have an Evans RE200 hybrid that is ~25lbs that I will probably be looking to sell soon, I'm currently test driving an RE500 that I am going to buy. The RE200 was built in 2007, pretty small & portable, excellent condition.
Originally Posted by jzucker
EDIT: Also, what's your price target?
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Jack,
My list is comprised of all of the "usual suspect" light weight solid state amps; most of which I believe that you have owned or auditioned and found flawed in some respect: Acoustic Image, AER, Benedetto, Evans, Henriksen, Jazzkat, Mambo and Quilter. I think it comes down to deciding what sonic flaw you can live with and focus on enjoying making music. Save your optimal rig for recording, and find a light weight, reliable, descent sounding rig to gig with.
Good Luck,
BobLast edited by iim7V7IM7; 05-24-2015 at 02:02 PM. Reason: Forgot one
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25lbs(ish) is about the max. $600(ish) on price Originally Posted by riovine
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wish I had never sold the mambo. It'd be perfect for what i'm now looking for. Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7
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Can't you just buy another one? Originally Posted by jzucker
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i could but the last one sold for $425 so they don't have much resale value. I'd buy a used one though.
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Used Peavey Classic 30? 17.9kg about $350-450. Re-tube and put in a good speaker, 500-600 all in.
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I'm surprised. I've sold 2 mambo combos and they have gone immediately for around 80% of the cost price. In the Uk, though.. Originally Posted by jzucker
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The one I sold was a head. Bought it for $575, advertised it for $575 and eventually ended up with $425 after a couple months. Originally Posted by Franz 1997
Not interested in tube amps.
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I like the tone a lot because I imagine it cutting through the band very effectively. Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
It also sounds like your playing has improved. In my case, I can usually tell when I've made some progress in my playing, as I can connect chords and ideas more fluidly, etc. What progress, if any, have you noticed in your development, and what have you been working on to achieve said results?
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not crazy about the tone of the lunchbox and it doesn't work for my style because I dig in and play a little too aggressively for the amp so it tends to distort.
That's the thing people forget about. An amp that sounds good for one person may not sound good for everyone.
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You are fond of the Kemper. What about the Kemper Profiling Head that you already own plus an active monitor or the Kemper Power Rack and a monitor?
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Henriksen 110er or Little Bud would seem good.
I know . . . the knobs on top & the $$$$ but still . . .
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i think i already mentioned this but the henriksen and AI amps don't have tone controls in the right place. The treble control doesn't do anything unless you're playing acoustic.
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Sorry, I thought you meant you didn't like where the knobs were located! True enough about the Henriksen tone controls -- hard to think of them as "tone" controls really, but their amps do manage to deliver a great jazz sound IMO. The Benedetto/Henriksen looks cool too, but once again $$$$.
Too bad you didn't like the Quilter sounds -- also seems a pretty good fit for your criterion.
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both the AI and the Henriksen are very dark. If you want a jimmy bruno type sound you can get that but you cannot get a bensonish tone out of either of them because the treble controls just don't effect the proper frequency. The treble control of the quilter is in the right place but the amp is mid-rangey and it's hard to get a natural, pretty jazz guitar sound like johnny smith, benson, martino, etc. My take is that it was designed with a strat in mind. I talked to them about tweaking the tone controls but in the end I just sold it. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
The one I had was the aviator. I've heard that the micropro is voiced a little differently so it might be worth a try. Also the reverb was horrible on the quilter...
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JZ, what didn't you like about the Evans, which one(s) did you try out. This new RE500 I'm currently trying out is an absolute beast. It has a much bigger sound than my 2007 RE200 hybrid, it's more full bodied and throaty, with some of the highs of my RE200 tamed. I can dial in everything from a dark, Jim Hall tone, to a to a cut glass Grant Green tone. I've been able to dial in great tones for my 17" Campellone with a floater, my Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno, and my Gibson ES356 semi. I'm really impressed with this amp, same size & form factor as the RE200, but I give up ~6lbs, from ~25lbs for the RE200 to ~31lbs for the RE500. I will be passing this amp off to the next person in the demo chain next week, perhaps if you talk to Scot, you can get in the demo pool for this amp, it is currently in the Dallas area, it will probably be heading to a guy in Austin next week. I've ordered one after demo'ing this one, of course it aint cheap. I'll be listing my RE200 once I get the new one. Don't get me wrong, I think the RE200 sounds great, but this is in another league. Originally Posted by jzucker
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the evans amps I've owned have all had kind of a gritty/nasally midrange that I couldn't dial out. If I found the right one, I'd probably take it for a jamming amp though. The treble control wasn't quite in the right place though and i never cared for the scruff/body controls. I'd rather just have working tone controls. How much do you want for yours?
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Jack,
For lightweight portability, I use an AER Compact 60. Mine is the second version and weighs 18 pounds. The newer third version weighs 14 pounds. It is 60 watts and is loud enough to play organ trio, big band, etc. Used examples can be had for $600 if you are lucky. I bough mine used for $750, but it is the deluxe version with a solid oak cabinet (I had one of the regular plywood cab versions and believe that the oak improves the tone a bit)
My friend Mimi Fox uses this amp as do most of my European jazz guitar friends. It sounds great with both electric and acoustic guitars.
If you have not tried one of these, you should.
Cheers,
Marc
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I think you should try a Sessionette 75 or a Session Rockette:30: power enough for playing with a loud drummer or a B3 (I know, 'cause I did), not dark at all and the MosFets that power those really have some tube-thing going. (Although not many made it to the US I believe.) In the 80ies and 90ies all conservatory guys over here used them.
I would recommend my modern Session BluesBaby 22 for tones, but for your purpose it doesn't have enough watts and thus too little headroom. The two older models do, the stay clean all the way, the 75 watts of the Sessionette definitely have the edge over the 30 watts of the Rockette, but I have gigged my Rockette in loud circumstances and it held it's ground.
(unfortunately there are no decent jazz-demos on youtube.....)
*edit: hmm, the Sessionette 75 is 35 lbs, so it's too heavy already...
http://www.award-session.com/pdfs/SG...structions.pdfLast edited by Little Jay; 05-24-2015 at 02:38 PM.
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mid-ranginess?
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