Jim Hall 1972 Amp

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 08:40 AM

Does anyone here know if Jim Hall here used his Gibson or was already using the Polytone?

Thanks!

**oldane** · 02-06-2017, 08:53 AM

It doesn't look and sound like an old Gibson amp. But is the photo from the session? And is the session from 1972?

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 08:58 AM

Sorry, this is from the 1972 "Alone Together" record. I guess the photo is just a random one? Jim's too old here, athough he always looked old

It does sound like a Polytone, but maybe it's a little early? Polytones did start in 1968, maybe Jim had one right away?

**SamBooka** · 02-06-2017, 09:00 AM

In that pic Jim looks much older than he would have in 72

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 09:06 AM

I agree!

But does anyone has a clue which amp he would be using on that session?

**Nils** · 02-06-2017, 10:53 AM

I'm fairly sure he would have been using his old Gibson GA-50 amp back in '72. That's also what he played on on his duo album with Red Mitchell from 1978.

(Judging by the asymmetry of the headstock, Jim's playing his Sadowsky on that picture, so it must be from the 2000s - Ron Carter also looks quite old on it!!)

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 11:07 AM

Yeah, it does make sense... and I know he modified the Gibson, so it might be more Polytone like.

**Klatu** · 02-06-2017, 11:27 AM

He also looks to be playing his Sadowsky signature model in that picture.

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 12:45 PM

I've edited the original post, to include the full album and also to avoid that picture. My question of the amp comes from a sonic perspective, not the picture - which I hadn't noticed and it was obviously taken much later than this record was made.

So, the question stands, anyone has any idea which amp was Jim using here?

**David B** · 02-06-2017, 01:16 PM

Hi Jorge,

If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Gibson amp, if only because 'Alone Together' was recorded live in NYC. Though Hall moved to the Polytone in the '70s, I have read posts on various forums from people who saw him use the Gibson in NYC performances through the '70s and into the early '80s.

I've seen video of Hall playing the Gibson in Europe in 1969 (so it's likely the amp that he's using on 'It's Nice to Be with You... Live in Berlin'). Certainly by 1973, he was using other amps when travelling (see the 1973 videos with Attila Zoller).

Incidentally, I've a Gibson GA-50T of my own arriving today!

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 02:57 PM

I agree that all logic points to the Gibson but my ears point me to the Polytone

Wow, you got a Gibson? Congrats!!

**John A.** · 02-06-2017, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by David B

Hi Jorge,

If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Gibson amp, if only because 'Alone Together' was recorded live in NYC. Though Hall moved to the Polytone in the '70s, I have read posts on various forums from people who saw him use the Gibson in NYC performances through the '70s and into the early '80s.

I've seen video of Hall playing the Gibson in Europe in 1969 (so it's likely the amp that he's using on 'It's Nice to Be with You... Live in Berlin'). Certainly by 1973, he was using other amps when travelling (see the 1973 videos with Attila Zoller).

Incidentally, I've a Gibson GA-50T of my own arriving today!

+ 1. I saw him in a duo setting with Ron Carter in a club in NJ in the mid 80s, and he was using the Gibson. I saw him many other times after that in various NYC venues, and he used the Gibson up through somewhere in the late 90s when he switched to the Harry Kolbe rig. I never saw him with a Polytone.

John

**jorgemg1984** · 02-06-2017, 05:14 PM

I've seen several reports of him using a Poly and it sounds like one, hence my question. But it's probably the Gibson, I've heard Harry modified it actually.

**hans halmackenreuter** · 02-07-2017, 06:01 AM

Wasn't his change in using Polytone because of the fear of breaking his Gibson amp on the road? Perhaps he still recorded with his Gibson in the studio - at least in the first years.

**jorgemg1984** · 02-07-2017, 06:15 AM

Yeah, but this is a live recording!

**hans halmackenreuter** · 02-07-2017, 06:28 AM

Well I guess maybe you're right with hearing a Polytone. Why would he have changed his mind on not using the Gibson Amp for gigs? I don't think that the fact that it was in New York is that convincing. The threat is still the same.

**jorgemg1984** · 02-07-2017, 07:07 AM

I agree, butJohn saw him in NY using the Gibson, so...

Here's a clip with the Gibson, sounds very different!

**John A.** · 02-07-2017, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by hans halmackenreuter

Well I guess maybe you're right with hearing a Polytone. Why would he have changed his mind on not using the Gibson Amp for gigs? I don't think that the fact that it was in New York is that convincing. The threat is still the same.

Hall lived in Manhattan within walking distance or a short cab/car ride of all the places where he played. There was no risk to his equipment when he played in NYC, so he used the Gibson locally until he switched to the Kolbe rig. The key issue was whether he had to fly or not. In interviews he said that he didn't bring amps on planes, and had it in his contracts that venues provide a Polytone. That's pretty much standard with bigger name guys - they try to travel with as little equipment as possible and have the venue provide something.

John

**Sam Sherry** · 02-07-2017, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by hans halmackenreuter

Wasn't his change in using Polytone because of the fear of breaking his Gibson amp on the road? Perhaps he still recorded with his Gibson in the studio - at least in the first years.

Originally Posted by John A.

There was no risk to his equipment when he played in NYC, so he used the Gibson locally until he switched to the Kolbe rig.

John's right, but it goes deeper than that too.

Jim Hall bought and used great gear but he made it a point to use gear as a tool and not to let it get to be a fetish. As he told JazzTimes:

Originally Posted by Jim Hall

I know it’s a guitar when I see it. That’s about it. I have very little connection to the actual instrument. When traveling, I’ve gotten to the point where I just check the electric thing through-I have a super-case-because it’s gotten so complicated traveling. And it’s disappeared a couple of times overnight. So I just sort of try and separate myself from it; it’s a piece of wood-I can get another guitar. It’s not my dog or my wife.

**oldane** · 02-07-2017, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

John's right, but it goes deeper than that too.

Jim Hall bought and used great gear but he made it a point to use gear as a tool and not to let it get to be a fetish. As he told JazzTimes:

Wes Montgomery felt the same way. In an interview he said that he would not use a customized guitar because it could be stolen, be damaged or whatever, and with a guitar with standard specs, he could just borrow a guitar from a colleque if needed. Now, he actually had the two customized L5's, but apart from the omission of the bridge PU they were standard L5 specs. Reportedly he did play other peoples guitars on a couple of recording sessions. He was photographed with an ES125 at one of the early Pacific sessions and he used an ES175 belonging to Kenny Burrell on "The incredible jazz guitar of Wes Montogomery".