The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #276

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    I have one of the early Little Jazz amps with the loud fan problems and I installed a kill switch for the fan.

    Elevated (as in sitting on a chair) is a great way to go. I also like to do the tilt-back and made myself a little metal brace to tilt the amp back with a piece of sheet metal and some foam tape -- works great, probably tilts around 30 degree angle up. Disperses the sound very nicely.

    Regarding EQ, I have 2 favorite settings. Everything straight up noon (or close) is a good setting. Clean & clear.
    But I also discovered a setting with Bass 5ish, Mids pushed up toward 9, treble rolled way off (maybe 3?) that I like equally well.
    I discovered this setting trying to dial in a good tone with my ES-135 that I subsequently sold. It provides more grit thanks to the boosted mids, and even though I don't have the 135 anymore, I still like this EQ setting on the amp with my other guitars a lot. I also tend to set the amp a little louder than needed and keep the volume control on the guitar down.

    I find the Little Jazz to be a very functional and easy to get along with piece of gear. Good sounds, light and small enough, cheap enough, loud enough for a lot of what I do.

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  3. #277

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    My preference is on the floor, about 12-18 inches from an obstruction, and tilted. The tilt angle changes depending on what I have at hand to use, but the exact angle doesn't seem to be critical. It's fine further away from walls if that is possible, but often it's not. If you have to be close to a wall, sometimes moving it just a couple of inches changes the sound a lot. It's because of the rear ports. I'm not in love with elevating it, because it seems to thin the tone, and brighten it. Mostly I just put it somewhere with something under the front, and adjust until I get what I want. I keep the controls flat most of the time, but sometimes I may turn the treble down just a little, depending on the sound where I am. I tend to run my guitar volume at ~50%, give or take, and the amp volume at whatever it takes to get the level I want, seldom above 50% unless it's really, really loud from others. I usually have the guitar tone control full open, but sometimes I will back it off just a little if necessary, because that's easier than changing the amp tone controls. But flat on the amp and full open on the guitar is my usual tone setting.

    All this is just my preference, and may not be yours. Experiment and find what sounds best to you, and I expect you'll find that you prefer slightly different settings in different locations.

  4. #278

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    I have no experience of this amp but I am confused about the ’no lifting’ thing. This is a small amp. How do You hear Your playing if the amp is on the floor and You stand beside it? Some frequencies of course but how about the attack of the notes straight from the speaker?

    Some use to tilt it but what about those who do not?

    Some (many!) gigs are on a stages that boom. That’s why I have learned to have an amp stand with me nowadays. If I only tilt the amp, the boomy stages just... keeps on booming!

    Sharing the eq adjustments puzzle me too. For me the eq knobs are a way to adjust a) the guitar to the b) room where I play. Same eq positions sound different in different rooms. And with different guitars.

    I am waiting for a DV Micro 50 head. Not Micro Jazz, I thought that the basic model has a better resale value. I am interested to hear will it beat my Polytone and/or my Tweed combo. Or even the Quilter 101Reverb. We’ll see!

  5. #279

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    Quote Originally Posted by Herbie
    I have no experience of this amp but I am confused about the ’no lifting’ thing. This is a small amp. How do You hear Your playing if the amp is on the floor and You stand beside it? Some frequencies of course but how about the attack of the notes straight from the speaker?

    Some use to tilt it but what about those who do not?

    Some (many!) gigs are on a stages that boom. That’s why I have learned to have an amp stand with me nowadays. If I only tilt the amp, the boomy stages just... keeps on booming!

    Sharing the eq adjustments puzzle me too. For me the eq knobs are a way to adjust a) the guitar to the b) room where I play. Same eq positions sound different in different rooms. And with different guitars.

    I am waiting for a DV Micro 50 head. Not Micro Jazz, I thought that the basic model has a better resale value. I am interested to hear will it beat my Polytone and/or my Tweed combo. Or even the Quilter 101Reverb. We’ll see!
    The purpose of the thread is for discussion and comparison. I am new to this amp and to playing jazz guitar in general. As a hobby player, I am typically in the same room and not concerned about other factors like stages, multiple guitars, etc.

    I grasp what you are saying and appreciate your comments. "Paljon kiitoksia" (copied from the internet)
    However, any information is interesting and helpful even if it is not totally relevant due to the number/nature of additional influencing factors.

  6. #280

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    You can use almost anything to tilt the amp. I often use the G10 receiver, but I also have a small camera tripod that works. With the amp tilted, I can hear it fine, not an issue. Even flat, it's loud enough to be heard, but the tone is bassier, which can be an asset in some situations. I marginally prefer the amp on the floor, tilted, but that's a personal preference, and not everyone will agree. It's small and light enough to put on almost anything if you want it elevated.

  7. #281

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    I usually have my DV Little Jazz elevated as it's a bit boomy on the floor.

    My EQ settings at a gig are generally volume on 5-6, bass 3-5, mids 8, treble 3-5 ... I use my Boss Fender '63 Reverb pedal for reverb.
    This gives a very nice "Johnny Smith'' kind of sound to my ears.

    Great little amp - - only criticism of it is that I wish the mid control didn't affect the overall volume so drastically.

    I've recently ordered a Nocturne Jr. Barnyard Preamp, waiting for it to arrive. It will be interesting to hear how that sounds with the DV Mark.

  8. #282

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    I think I mentioned in another LJ thread that I use a couple yoga blocks to raise amp off the ground. They are made of bamboo and raise the amp 6”. Great for coffee shop playing.

  9. #283

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    The mid control affects the perceived volume because that's the range we hear best. If you reduce the mids, you will hear lower volume, there is no way around it other than to increase the volume as the mids are decreased. I doubt many manufacturers are willing to add that feature.

  10. #284

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    I like to put mine on a chair or something of similar height. I haven't thought much about the angle.

    I prefer to use a multi band EQ in front of mine to reduce the low mids and some other minor tweeks while keeping the amp eq mostly flat.
    Since I have a the multi band EQ in a multi effect unit (zoom g3n) I also that for reverb rather than the built in.

    If I could change anything about this amp, I would like more eq knobs.

  11. #285

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    I also find that positioning really matters with this amp. At home I can get a satisfying tone, but on small gigs, where often the placement is dictated by available space it's a crapshoot, and more often than not I'm not satisfied with the tone.
    Plus the reverb is bad. It's a cool thing for the price, but I'm considering various upgrade paths, or maybe just changing to a pre amp pedal that lets me go direct.

  12. #286

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    If the amp has to be right up against a wall, I turn it at an angle. Because of the rear ports, it needs some space for reflection. The reverb is okay, no worse than on any other amp, and if I use it I set it so that it's barely discernable. I don't like heavy reverb from anything. If I decide to go direct, I can do that from my Line 6 G10 receiver. It has both 1/4 and XLR outputs, and I do this regularly. I don't use pedals often, but sometimes I use a reverb pedal between the G10 and the PA, but that means the XLR isn't usable. I have an overdrive pedal, but that was wasted money, because I don't use it. YMMV.

  13. #287

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    I ordered this amp from the Mexican distributor for DV Mark in May when we were still in Nanaimo but I think DV Mark was too busy providing amps for all the Americans on this forum to get around to a single order in Mexico. But I finally got the news that the amp is now on its way from Italy. It's scheduled to arrive in Queretaro next Thursday which means it should arrive here in Guadalajara the following Monday or Tuesday. Yeah!

    EDIT 10-10-2018: I've have a world of problems with my recording setup, none of which have anything to do with the amp, but here's a short recording I managed to get from the line out without too much interference. It's pretty much as is, no EQ, no added effects (the verb is from the amp)

    http://www.solowayguitars.com/Record...zzTest1Mp3.mp3
    Last edited by Jim Soloway; 10-10-2018 at 01:25 PM.

  14. #288

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
    based on my experiences with the Jazz 50 head, I have a lot of confidence that this is going to be a great amp for me. I just really bonded with the whole concept of the Jazz 50. The sound works for me and I love the voicing of the pre-amp. I even like the reverb.
    Well, well, well... Jim with an ITALIAN amp for Jazz!

    Here, you can't even give'em away... this confirms that they're products exclusively for export.





    Not even a player of the caliber of Alessio Menconi sold the idea to the local Jazz guitar market. Just for kicks, I asked my local music shop, (which it even is one of the biggest at a national level) about it, he said they'll get it on an buying order only, no buyer's remorse policy. They only stock Mark bass amps and cabs only.

    For the record, in my neck of woods, Jazz players use a Fender amp of some sorts. Period. No ifs, no buts.

  15. #289

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    Well, it is Italy. I do not like Fenders at all. I own one, and it lives in a closet. My Little Jazz sounds much, much better for jazz than my Vibrolux Reverb, although the last time I took it in for repair, the tech, regarded as the best in the area, remarked on how good it sounded. But it's a Fender, and sounds like a Fender. IMO DV Mark failed to choose the best spokesman for an amp aimed at jazz players. The guy appears to be high, or have been previously drug-ravaged, and is obvously a rock player, not a jazz guitarist. But that doesn't affect the amps, which IMO sound very good for jazz. Maybe not for rock, but I don't play rock. Fenders were made for rock musicians.

  16. #290

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    Even though I own and enjoy my DV Mark Little Jazz, my current favorite gigging amp is my Fender Pro Junior. It's not quite as small and convenient as the Little Jazz and I have to use a reverb pedal with it, but it delivers that organic tubey goodness that I love. I'm not knockin' the Little Jazz -- it's great IMO, but I have a strong personal preference for tube sound over solid state -- and I have a number of really good solid state amps. There's just something rich and nuanced about the tube sound that I am crazy about !!!!

  17. #291

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    Fenders were made for rock musicians.
    This statement would be quite reasonable to make if it wasn't for a little detail: when Fender amps were created and made, Rock didn't yet exist. OTOH, at the same timeframe Jazz actually did exist, apparently. And so did country music, which it was the real engine that propelled Fender amps (and guitars) on the big market.

    Thanks for the laugh, though. Much appreciated!

  18. #292

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    Quote Originally Posted by LtKojak
    This statement would be quite reasonable to make if it wasn't for a little detail: when Fender amps were created and made, Rock didn't yet exist. OTOH, at the same timeframe Jazz actually did exist, apparently. And so did country music, which it was the real engine that propelled Fender amps (and guitars) on the big market.

    Thanks for the laugh, though. Much appreciated!
    Quite right. Leo Fender was a big fan of Western Swing (music that is both Jazz and Country). His guitars and amps were created for use in that genre and spread to other genres including rock and roll (once that genre was created)

  19. #293

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    I have a Boss RV6 reverb pedal in a box of music junk and have thought about getting it out and giving it a try.
    I certainly think it is worth a try. All that will be lost if you are not impressed by it is a bit of time.

    There are certainly a lot of Boss RV6 pedals in use...so it isn't a completely useless product.

    Please let us know your findings/thoughts

  20. #294

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    Why is reverb quality important? It is such a subtle effect that any old reverb will really do. I myself would never carry a reverb pedal for an amp that already has reverb. I have been playing Fender reverbs since 1969 and when used it is set so low and becomes so subtle that the quality is not noticeable. I guess it might be if one is all alone at home obsessing over it in a quiet room. Or you are going to record and promote a solo jazz guitar album to the jazz reviewers and stations internationally, then you could need a better reverb. .

  21. #295

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    Fender tube amps sound great for jazz, imo. Van Gelder had a Fender Deluxe tweed in his studio, Midnight Blue for example by Burrell.

  22. #296

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    Fender wanted to sell product, and didn't care to whom. He tried pushing to country, swing, jazz, and the nascent R&R markets, and anyone else who would listen. The jazz market wasn't interested, and didn't buy many, and mostly ignored Fender's guitars. Other markets were interested, though, and the original instruments and amps were modified to meet market demands. By the mid '50s, rock was well on its way, and soon became a major market for Fender. I'm not sure why Fender amps became popular in jazz, even though the guitars never were. My guess is marketing more than anything, because marketing works. I've never liked the mid-scooped sound of Fender amps, but they certainly sell a lot of them. Lots of things sell well without being very good, so that isn't a valid recommendation, IMO. DV Mark seems to be selling a lot of amps here, because they sound good and don't cost a lot. It's all word of mouth. It's ironic, at least to me, that they can't sell them in their home country, even though some well-known European, even Italian, musicians are using and endorsing them.
    Have you ever owned a TWIN or a Custom 15? A Fender Twin is synonymous with jazz guitar. Read the forum much?

  23. #297

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    Like I said, I have no idea why Fender amps are so popular. I've owned only one. It's an ok amp, but it's heavy, expensive, and sounds no better than, in fact not as good as, my other amps. Now of course that's just my taste, and I fully understand that not everyone agrees with me. I'm sure I'm in the small minority, but that's my opinion. You're welcome to yours.

    After a little more thought, I think I may understand why Fender amps are popular. Tradition! It's what was there at the beginning, and by god if it was good enough for Kenny, it's what we must use. We all know that jazz tone was perfected in the early '50s, and can never, ever be improved upon, no matter what amps might be built later, with better technology. Tradition! That's more important than anything.

  24. #298

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    Reverb quality is more important in a quiet setting or when recording than in a noisy situation, no doubt. Reverb, though, can go from full-on surfer twang to barely noticeable, or lower. I prefer the latter, but lots of people like more. I have a pedal because most of my amps have no reverb built in, and the pedal was cheap. Since I have it, and it's very small and versatile, I often use it, even with the amps that have it built in.

  25. #299

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    Like I said, I have no idea why Fender amps are so popular. I've owned only one. It's an ok amp, but it's heavy, expensive, and sounds no better than, in fact not as good as, my other amps. Now of course that's just my taste, and I fully understand that not everyone agrees with me. I'm sure I'm in the small minority, but that's my opinion. You're welcome to yours.

    After a little more thought, I think I may understand why Fender amps are popular. Tradition! It's what was there at the beginning, and by god if it was good enough for Kenny, it's what we must use. We all know that jazz tone was perfected in the early '50s, and can never, ever be improved upon, no matter what amps might be built later, with better technology. Tradition! That's more important than anything.
    Oh, you've owned 1. Did you swap the stock tubes?

    I always chuckle about the "heavy" twin label. Audiophiles own 150 pound amps if they sound good. There's no justification for a great sounding Twin to ever leave the home. Most guitar players own more than 1 amp. I agree, all sound is subjective to the listener. Everyone listens, and hears, differently. You think a twin sucks, and it doesn't fit your taste, that's fine. Recently I sold a twin variant amp to a life long jazz guitar player from this forum. He'd never previously owned a twin, but was thrilled to get that hand wired amp. I sold it and bought another twin. And although I'm only a piano player I've owned over a 1/2 dozen different Twin variant amps, why because all sound is better if there's a tube in the mix. Traditional too!

  26. #300

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    Solid state sounds pretty but tubes behave more dynamically.