Lightweight amp recommendation for jazz and rock

[Desafinado9]

Princeton '65 Reverb Reissue with the speaker swapped for a more efficient one (i.e. any decent speaker almost! I use an Eminence) has plenty of headroom for band stuff. Weighs about 15kg. Here is how it sounds with my new tele:

It's an expensive amp, but worth it. I have too much cheap gear in my life.... I should have bought a PPRI years ago.

I like the Fender Princeton Reverb RI for this kind of all-around work. It is a great amplifier for nearly everything, but for rock and jazz it's a real winner.
I like the tweed Deluxe even more, and it's even lighter...but no reverb. You can remedy this with a small reverb pedal, of course. The Deluxe is one of the greatest sounding amplifiers EVER--both for rock and for jazz. Pricey, though.

Thanks for the recommendations, I agree that they're both expensive! and totally out of my budget, at the price they're being sold here I don't see myself having one of these in a long long while. I'm not a pro so I'd rather have gear that can be quite easily replaced (mean without breaking the bank) if broken or stolen.

[nosoyninja]

Fender champion 100

[Desafinado9]

Fender champion 100

Thanks! But given its 2 speakers, I guess its not that compact as to carry it on a bus or in the metro. It also weights a little more than I'd like.

[eddy b.]

I've been using a Randall RG 80 for the past month. It is solid state 80 watts 12" speaker. Very loud clean very very loud clean no problem staying clean playing with drums. It's drive side is 80's metal all the way. 3 band eq baxandall, crappy reverb. It is giggable, but requires a little bit of a learning curve the eq is very sensitive. It's cheap $250 US. It weighs about 38 lbs so not real light but with a folding dolly it's all good. I like it enough so far. I wouldn't record my next cd with it but it serves my needs for cheap durable loud clean tones for corporate gigs etc. I like it better than my ZT Lunch box for a couple of gig situations. Though I use my ZT for all the small rooms and restaurant work.

[nosoyninja]

Thanks! But given its 2 speakers, I guess its not that compact as to carry it on a bus or in the metro. It also weights a little more than I'd like.

You will either have a light and loud amp, or loud and cheap, or light and cheap. Never all three.

In anycase, there is no small, light amp that would be loud enough for a noisy rock drummer. Least of all from the major vendors available in latin america (fender, marshall, etc).

I use a really loud acoustic amp from fishman, or just powered PA speakers with a modeling pedal. Either way, I'm confident I could do any rock or jazz (or even bolero or norteño gig) with these setups.

Based on your situation, I would recommend the roland 80GX. The hiss thing shouldnt be a problem.

K

[IanD]

Greentone, you have often mentioned the Tweed Deluxe as your favourite amp, excuse my ignorance but is it the 5E3 circuit you are talking about?

Sorry to kinda hijack OP, back to the subject.

[Fidelcaster]

What about the Roland Blues Cube (Stage or Artist with 1x12")?

[Desafinado9]

You will either have a light and loud amp, or loud and cheap, or light and cheap. Never all three.
In anycase, there is no small, light amp that would be loud enough for a noisy rock drummer. Least of all from the major vendors available in latin america (fender, marshall, etc).
I use a really loud acoustic amp from fishman, or just powered PA speakers with a modeling pedal. Either way, I'm confident I could do any rock or jazz (or even bolero or norteño gig) with these setups.
Based on your situation, I would recommend the roland 80GX. The hiss thing shouldnt be a problem.
K

Well, I'm still not sure if I'll be able to cope with the Cube's buzz. I just listened some samples from premierguitar review of the 80x (http://www.premierguitar.com/Stream/...7-D827361579E8) and I can hear it there as well, maybe you'd call me picky but so far I think it'll bother me.
And I don't want dirt cheap either, I thought since the Cube exist, there could be an alternative of similar characteristics around that price range, available from other brands but without such noise.
I just saw the Vox 80vt+ on Vox' site and while it lacks a few things I like from the Cube, I'm realizing I'll have to consider it as an option if the audio quality is better.

I've been using a Randall RG 80 for the past month. It is solid state 80 watts 12" speaker. Very loud clean very very loud clean no problem staying clean playing with drums. It's drive side is 80's metal all the way. 3 band eq baxandall, crappy reverb. It is giggable, but requires a little bit of a learning curve the eq is very sensitive. It's cheap $250 US. It weighs about 38 lbs so not real light but with a folding dolly it's all good. I like it enough so far. I wouldn't record my next cd with it but it serves my needs for cheap durable loud clean tones for corporate gigs etc. I like it better than my ZT Lunch box for a couple of gig situations. Though I use my ZT for all the small rooms and restaurant work.

I'll have a look to see if Randall is available here. And good call on the folding dolly, I was already considering if I'd need one..

What about the Roland Blues Cube (Stage or Artist with 1x12")?

I've looked up for those since I saw them on Roland's site, but they didn't bring em here yet.

[John A.]

Hi all! can you please help me with some advice/recommendation on amp choice?
I'm in the search for a portable combo single speaker and need to meet these requirements for my intended uses (gig -rock & jazz- and practice at home without disturbing family/neighbors):
sturdy/rugged, powerful enough to stand on its own (high headroom) without mic'ing or a PA against a drummer, compact and lightweight (preferably under, but up to, 15 kg/34 lbs); aux in, line out & speaker out are desirable. Speaker can be 10" or 12". No need for on-board effects, reverb not at all a must but would be welcomed.

In the sound department I need a very good clean sound, and a decent OD channel, or at least nice to pedals. As long as it sounds good it can be SS or hybrid design, I'm not considering tubes because I've read they are heavier and need more maintenance.

As I live in Argentina it's got to be a brand widely available (ie: Fender, Vox, Peavey, Line6, Laney, Roland, etc can be found here; Quilter, Henriksen, et al haven't reached this latitudes, and I doubt they will because there's isn't a big market here and direct imports are a p.i.t.a.). Was considering a Roland Cube 80XL till I found it has a trailing drumsnare-like hiss when the notes decay that puts me off and that made me start a thread to see if there were people actually using it to gig (here @ https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...ling-hiss.html).


Any help will be welcomed!

Best regards and thanks in advance,

Have you checked out any Peaveys? The Vyper VIP 3 is 100 watts and 13 kg (according to Peavey's spec sheet). I tried one at a jam. I got a decent clean Fender-ish sound out of it; it has tons of different models and settings for OD, but I didn't try them. Sounded fine with my Fulltone OCD pedal. There's also the Envoy -- 40 watts, 10 kg. I haven't tried this model, so I can't comment specifically on it, but I think it's basically a smaller/lighter version of the Bandit, which is a good sounding amp. It's always difficult to whether an amp has enough clean headroom People seem to have very different needs in that domain.

John

[Fidelcaster]

There's also the Envoy [...] I think it's basically a smaller/lighter version of the Bandit, which is a good sounding amp.
John

That's correct (including the "good sounding" part).

[christianm77]

Have you checked out any Peaveys? The Vyper VIP 3 is 100 watts and 13 kg (according to Peavey's spec sheet). I tried one at a jam. I got a decent clean Fender-ish sound out of it; it has tons of different models and settings for OD, but I didn't try them. Sounded fine with my Fulltone OCD pedal. There's also the Envoy -- 40 watts, 10 kg. I haven't tried this model, so I can't comment specifically on it, but I think it's basically a smaller/lighter version of the Bandit, which is a good sounding amp. It's always difficult to whether an amp has enough clean headroom People seem to have very different needs in that domain.

John

Peavey's are great amps. They seem to have realised this and raised the price...

[Desafinado9]

It's always difficult to whether an amp has enough clean headroom People seem to have very different needs in that domain.

Well, if it was my choice I'd like a clean channel with no breakup whatsoever and a second one which does.

Have you checked out any Peaveys? The Vyper VIP 3 is 100 watts and 13 kg (according to Peavey's spec sheet). I tried one at a jam. I got a decent clean Fender-ish sound out of it; it has tons of different models and settings for OD, but I didn't try them. Sounded fine with my Fulltone OCD pedal. There's also the Envoy -- 40 watts, 10 kg. I haven't tried this model, so I can't comment specifically on it, but I think it's basically a smaller/lighter version of the Bandit, which is a good sounding amp. It's always difficult to whether an amp has enough clean headroom People seem to have very different needs in that domain.

John

That's correct (including the "good sounding" part).

Peavey's are great amps. They seem to have realised this and raised the price...

I'm afraid I haven't looked into these, but I'll try to now that you say they're good. I thought they were more voiced/oriented to hard rock and metal.

Btw, I haven't checked the Line6 Spiders either but someone mentioned em to me lately as an option, anyone have experience with them?

[jads57]

It's not even a contest QUILTER! And I've owned tons of great tube amps from Marshall to Dumbles!