Solid state amps that are lightweight and can do fusion as well as jazz tones?

**LtKojak** · 03-31-2016, 11:49 AM

Fender Mustang III v. 2.0.

Light (36 lbs.) for a 100-watter, cheap and it gracefully delivers both styles.

And if you get acquainted with the FUSE software, a lot of nuances can be added just by adjusting the BIAS.

I own a Mustang floor, which is based on a slightly evolved v. 1.0, but anyway it gets the job done.

HTH,

**jorgemg1984** · 03-31-2016, 12:01 PM

A Mambo combo in a 12 open back format with the nambo eq / fender eq switch

**quilterlabs** · 03-31-2016, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by RonD

I couldn't get a jazz tone that I like on the Quilter.
I asked for help, from Pat Quilter and the Facebook Quilter tone group... nuthin.

Realizing you might have missed it, we copied the replies here but they are still on the Users Group if you want to read them there...
Just search under this link... (You would need to be logged into Facebook for it to work.
Sorry for any delay in responding.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/quil...y%20MPM2%2012.

Solid state amps that are lightweight and can do fusion as well as jazz tones?-reply-jpg

Solid state amps that are lightweight and can do fusion as well as jazz tones?-reply-jpg

**Jim Soloway** · 03-31-2016, 12:27 PM

Jack, I tend to be obsessively single tracked so a single rig works for me but I think if I were in your position, both willing and very able to play multiple genres of music, I'd focus my gear quest on putting together a mix and match setup of small pieces: separate power amp with multiple preamps for different functions that can be used with different cabs depending on the need. As much as it would be ideal to have a single rig that covered both your straight ahead jazz and bop tones as well as fusion, I think it ultimately leads to a rig that is likely to be unsatisfying for either. You may well be able to use a single power amp for all purposes but the preamp and cab (and possibly some of the effects) are probably going to have to be more specialized if you want to be really satisfied (and in all the many years I've known you, I've never seen you settle for anything less than full satisfied).

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 12:44 PM

I'm really happy with the axefx for all genres. I have an axefx II for studio and an AX8 for portability. They sound great for all genres that I play from roots rock to country to wes to joe pass to benson to holdsworth to metal and beyond. I don't think it's a compromise.

The only drawback is you have to carry separate pieces which i don't feel like hassling with for teaching and jamming...

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

Jack, I tend to be obsessively single tracked so a single rig works for me but I think if I were in your position, both willing and very able to play multiple genres of music, I'd focus my gear quest on putting together a mix and match setup of small pieces: separate power amp with multiple preamps for different functions that can be used with different cabs depending on the need. As much as it would be ideal to have a single rig that covered both your straight ahead jazz and bop tones as well as fusion, I think it ultimately leads to a rig that is likely to be unsatisfying for either. You may well be able to use a single power amp for all purposes but the preamp and cab (and possibly some of the effects) are probably going to have to be more specialized if you want to be really satisfied (and in all the many years I've known you, I've never seen you settle for anything less than full satisfied).

**Greaser** · 03-31-2016, 01:38 PM

The Roland Blues Cube seems a good fit for what you're looking for but not interested in trying it out?

I would second Jorge's suggestion. You already know you like the Mambo, so grab a Mambo head and open back cab (or have one made with the amp head built in to make a combo out of it.) And carry along your favorite OD.

And I agree with mr. beaumont, you are not alone in what you're looking for. I'm on the same hunt. I prefer open back cabs most of the time.

**John A.** · 03-31-2016, 02:18 PM

Jack, what are your weight and power/headroom requirements?

**jads57** · 03-31-2016, 03:04 PM

There is no perfect amp for all genres, but again the Quilter products are as close 95% as I need them to be happy for my actual gigging needs. And I'm pretty darn picky about my gear. One thing I've come to appreciate is not depending soley on my amp to get a great tone as well. That was the issue w/ owning a Dumble in particular. It might sound fantastic for one application, not so much for other uses. And having so much value in any peice of equiptment starts to become a big hassle in many ways.
I think as a pro player you need to find the tools that are avialable at reasonable prices and get the job accomplished. There are so many more great options these days, that I find it hard to believe you couldn't be happy w/ a number of them. I think even Eric Johnson found this to be negative for the actual music, to be so microscopic about his gear.
After all all the greats have had much less great gear available to them, and they made it work great!

**DanielleOM** · 03-31-2016, 03:16 PM

I wanted to like the Quilter but when I went to the dealer he could not even start a demonstration for me as he could not figure out how to bring down the hiss level. I suppose it would have been fine in a noisy bar, but it certainly was not something I could ever see myself using at home or even at a quiet coffee house gig. He had the same problem with both the aviator and micro pro combos.

**JazzyJim** · 03-31-2016, 03:35 PM

Nonexistent for me, too. Best I've found is my Mambo 12, plus EQ, compressor and a couple of dirt pedals. For the amount I play fusion, it's a bit of a pain.

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

Jack, what are your weight and power/headroom requirements?

35lbs max, 100w min (SS), 1x12 (mainly because I haven't heard any 10" speakers I like)

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 04:33 PM

Clearly you are a quilter fanboi...As much as you state how great they are, I can conclusively say they don't sound good to me, no matter how many times you post the same thing!

I happen to think the dumble amps are the perfect amp, tonally. I haven't found any that are dogs.

The ceriatone, fuchs, two-rock, mark kane and several others I've tried all sound amazing. You don't need the dumbleator if you use a wet reverb or echo. Those work fine in a passive loop. I'm just done with tube amps, otherwise I'd be playing a dumble clone. I disagree that it sounded bad for a particular application. Whether I was playing solo guitar, bop, funk rhythm, SRV/blues tone, fusion leads or country, it always sounded like the best amp I ever played. Not just one of the dumble clones. Everyone I owned was that way. No solid state amp comes close other than the mbritt dumble ODS preset. The axefx dumble tone is great but not as musical as the kemper/mbritt.

But again, I'm looking for a 35(ish)lb combo. I don't want to deal with head and cab for this application. If I have to carry separates, I'll just use my ax8 and alto powered cab....

Originally Posted by jads57

There is no perfect amp for all genres, but again the Quilter products are as close 95% as I need them to be happy for my actual gigging needs. And I'm pretty darn picky about my gear. One thing I've come to appreciate is not depending soley on my amp to get a great tone as well. That was the issue w/ owning a Dumble in particular. It might sound fantastic for one application, not so much for other uses. And having so much value in any peice of equiptment starts to become a big hassle in many ways.
I think as a pro player you need to find the tools that are avialable at reasonable prices and get the job accomplished. There are so many more great options these days, that I find it hard to believe you couldn't be happy w/ a number of them. I think even Eric Johnson found this to be negative for the actual music, to be so microscopic about his gear.
After all all the greats have had much less great gear available to them, and they made it work great!

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Greaser

The Roland Blues Cube seems a good fit for what you're looking for but not interested in trying it out?

I'm not. I've had incredibly bad experiences with boss/roland gear at every level from amps to pedals to midi pickups and synths. I'm just not interested in their guitar products.

**sgcim** · 03-31-2016, 04:36 PM

I was surprised to find my JazzKat AcoustiKat does both pretty well. I heard it at a guitar show where great players like Howard Alden and Jimmy Bruno were getting great jazz sounds out of the same JazzKat amp, so I thought that it was a one trick pony like the Polytone, Acoustic Image and Henrikkson amps.
So I bought a used one for $440 when my old Cube amp started to die, as a grab and go jazz amp.
I tried it out on some shows where I had to get an archtop and rock sound, and it sounded fine with my Parker solid body.
Last week, they called a funk/fusion chart in a jazz big band i play in, and I was able to get a much better funk sound on my archtop on my solos than i ever got out of the aforementioned amps. They're loud little amps
The fact that it only weighs 17lbs. has also saved my back.
The only situation I wouldn't use it in would be a trio gig in a large hall where I'd need a strong, full sound; its speaker is too small for that.

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 04:58 PM

The problem with the jazzkat, the henriksen and the AI amps is that the treble control doesn't work at the right frequency to get good funk, fusion and pop music sounds. They sound great for that dry, middy bruno-type sound but you can't get a sweet wes/benson tone out of them. And without a working treble control centered at 4.5k(ish) you can't get sizzle or cut through for fusion tones.

I love the sound sheryl bailey gets out of hers for straight-ahead stuff...

Originally Posted by sgcim

I was surprised to find my JazzKat AcoustiKat does both pretty well. I heard it at a guitar show where great players like Howard Alden and Jimmy Bruno were getting great jazz sounds out of the same JazzKat amp, so I thought that it was a one trick pony like the Polytone, Acoustic Image and Henrikkson amps.
So I bought a used one for $440 when my old Cube amp started to die, as a grab and go jazz amp.
I tried it out on some shows where I had to get an archtop and rock sound, and it sounded fine with my Parker solid body.
Last week, they called a funk/fusion chart in a jazz big band i play in, and I was able to get a much better funk sound on my archtop on my solos than i ever got out of the aforementioned amps. They're loud little amps
The fact that it only weighs 17lbs. has also saved my back.
The only situation I wouldn't use it in would be a trio gig in a large hall where I'd need a strong, full sound; its speaker is too small for that.

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 05:01 PM

this looks promising...

DV Mark FGC121

http://www.amazon.com/DV-Mark-FGC121...ds=dv+mark+amp

**John A.** · 03-31-2016, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

35lbs max, 100w min (SS), 1x12 (mainly because I haven't heard any 10" speakers I like)

From what I've seen, the Fender Mustang III is about as close as you can get to that (published spec's say 36 LBS) in something that doesn't say "Roland" on the front. I tried one very briefly, and I thought it did to the Fender clean thing pretty well.

John

**Bluedawg** · 03-31-2016, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by John A.

From what I've seen, the Fender Mustang III is about as close as you can get to that (published spec's say 36 LBS) in something that doesn't say "Roland" on the front. I tried one very briefly, and I thought it did to the Fender clean thing pretty well.

John

I really like my Mustang III .... it's portable, flexible and it was inexpensive ....

Like any modeler you need to tweak it to get your sounds ....

For me it's a good 95% solution to cover everything ......

YMMV

**Wildcat** · 03-31-2016, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

You may be incredibly happy but not only did I own one but I spent today listening to almost a dozen clips and to me it just sounds harsh and nasally for jazz. I don't like the sound at all. It doesn't get that sweet, velvety fendery wes or benson tone and it doesn't get that dark and smokey joe pass tone and it doesn't get that high-fi jimmy bruno or pat martino tone. It just gets a nasally , middy clean tone. I'll say it again but it sounds great with a strat. I think they eq'd it with a strat or tele in mind. Sounds very good for classic rock tones.

I tried it through a bunch of great speakers including an EV. I owned it for a couple months so I gave it plenty of chances. The mambo blows it away for a jazz tone. It sounds better for fusion than the mambo 1x10 due to the cabinet size but I couldn't deal with that clean tone.

I already have an axefx so I'm not looking for that. I'm looking for a 1x12 SS amp. Peavey Bandit would be great it it wasn't so heavy.

Peavey Envoy 1 x 10 sounds great AAAA++++

**jzucker** · 03-31-2016, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Peavey Envoy 1 x 10 sounds great AAAA++++

bought my son a peavey Vyper amp and it lasted 2 months before it literally started falling apart. The jack came loose and fell into the amp and one of the knobs stopped working. Unfortunately, their new stuff is junk ...

**jovialspoon** · 03-31-2016, 08:43 PM

I had a similar experience with a Vyper. Very unsatisfactory amp.

**vintagelove** · 03-31-2016, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

Clearly you are a quilter fanboi...As much as you state how great they are, I can conclusively say they don't sound good to me, no matter how many times you post the same thing!

I happen to think the dumble amps are the perfect amp, tonally. I haven't found any that are dogs.

The ceriatone, fuchs, two-rock, mark kane and several others I've tried all sound amazing. You don't need the dumbleator if you use a wet reverb or echo. Those work fine in a passive loop. I'm just done with tube amps, otherwise I'd be playing a dumble clone. I disagree that it sounded bad for a particular application. Whether I was playing solo guitar, bop, funk rhythm, SRV/blues tone, fusion leads or country, it always sounded like the best amp I ever played. Not just one of the dumble clones. Everyone I owned was that way. No solid state amp comes close other than the mbritt dumble ODS preset. The axefx dumble tone is great but not as musical as the kemper/mbritt.

But again, I'm looking for a 35(ish)lb combo. I don't want to deal with head and cab for this application. If I have to carry separates, I'll just use my ax8 and alto powered cab....

would 2 6v6 in the power section get you there? Ceriatone ots mini

Ceriatone Amplification

the 100w is, let's just say, not light.