What is your favorite guitar amp for jazz?

**jazzgtrl4** · 12-21-2018, 12:38 PM

The Bud
Poytone Mini Brute

**Tom Karol** · 12-21-2018, 12:40 PM

Henriksen JazzAmp 112 - dead solid perfect!

**henryrobinett** · 12-21-2018, 01:48 PM

Original Deluxe Reverb is the last amp I really liked for jazz. Weber speaker. But for the last several years I've used Fractal Axe-Fx pretty much exclusively. I have most amps at my fingertips. And I mostly use the DR/Carr Rambler block in that, which is an updated improved version.

Oh yeah, the Carr Rambler. I used that for several months several years ago. A lot of severals.

**lawson-stone** · 12-21-2018, 02:04 PM

DV Mark Little Jazz or Micro50 Mark I head+4 Ohm 10" speaker cab.

I also love Polytones, either MiniBrute II or the small ones (8" speakers).

Coming to love the Fender Super Champ X2 head and 12" Quilter cab.

**Stringswinger** · 12-21-2018, 02:39 PM

I would bet that the four makes that most jazz guitarists would choose are:

Fender
Polytone
Henriksen
Acoustic Image

Smaller Boutique makers (Evans, Carr etc. have their proponents)

There are many decent Asian made amps that do well with jazz guitarists (DV Mark, Roland etc.)

Some jazz guitarists take a road less traveled (Mesa, Marshall, Fishman etc.)

The AER amps are well regarded among the European guitarists who rely on public transport to get to the gigs

The high tech modeling amps have a few proponents as well.

But the top 4 that I listed are the benchmarks and will probably be for awhile.

We have better choices today than ever before.

**zizala** · 12-21-2018, 02:49 PM

I play through a variety of old amps but my one most favorite is a '69 Princeton (no reverb).
It enables my preferred sound with a variety of instruments and theres no need for any external EQ.

I'd follow that with my '69 Princeton Reverb....second by a just a tad.

One or the other gets most of my play and practice time.

**Gitfiddler** · 12-21-2018, 02:56 PM

Current favorites, in no particular order of preference...

Fender Princeton (1968/69 w/EV10 spkr)

Fender Princeton Reverb II (w/EVL12 spkr)

Fender Silverface Deluxe Reverb (1977 modded to Blackface spec w/Weber California spkr)

Heritage Victory (w/Celestion AlNico Gold 12 spkr)

Heritage Patriot (2x12)

Yes, I love tube amps!

**helios** · 12-21-2018, 03:04 PM

I've had a Fender Concert (1983 Rivera design), Carr Rambler, Rivera Jazz Suprema. While all are great, I've preferred the Clean tones of my various EL 84 based Mesas (Nomad, Express Plus 5:25, and current Mark V 35).

**Alfonso** · 12-21-2018, 03:23 PM

I like princeton reverb!

**Frank67** · 12-21-2018, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by pauln

Twin Reverb, vibrato channel #2 input, tones [T=1 M=10 B=1], reverb=2 using 12AU7.

That summarizes it perfectly ... nothing better than that!

**.02$** · 12-21-2018, 04:41 PM

1966 Ampeg Reverberocket II

**John A.** · 12-21-2018, 04:50 PM

My favorite amp is the one that's already at the venue so I don't have to schlep mine. If it's a Princeton Reverb, it's even favoriter.

John

**wintermoon** · 12-21-2018, 08:02 PM

'67 blackface Fender Twin w brown gold foil Jensens
Sometimes @ home '66 blackface Vibrolux w the same speakers but in 10" configuration.

**Alter** · 12-21-2018, 09:53 PM

An old Fender Super Reverb is my favorite choice, with the Twin Reverb a second. However, for something i will actually carry to gigs, Fender Princeton Reverb or Deluxe Reverb.

**Jonathan0996** · 12-21-2018, 10:11 PM

I've got a big old Evans from the '60s that's warm and sweet and very very heavy. It's a tube hybrid amp with a 15' speaker and markings on the back panel in electric pencil. Gravity requires that it stay in my music room.

**sgosnell** · 12-21-2018, 11:06 PM

If I don't have to move it, AI Clarus and RE Stealth 10. If I have to go out, DV Mark Little Jazz. But even at home, the difference is minute.

**jschiele** · 12-22-2018, 01:37 AM

I have two favorites. To indulge my love of tube amps I have a 1952 Fender Pro which at lower volumes sounds great for jazz (plus crank it up and it kills for classic rock!). However... if I could only have one it would be the Henriksen Bud which has been my number one gigging amp the past couple years. The tone controls are very flexible, it's plenty loud for most gigs and it's easy to carry. On the occasions that I need more volume I add a Redstone Audio 1x8" cab to the Bud, they sound great together.

Jonathan

**Alder Statesman** · 12-22-2018, 01:47 AM

I am approaching my three year anniversary with this one: Fender Supersonic 22 on the Vintage Channel (Deluxe Reverb) with fat switch engaged, GA-SC64 speaker, with a GE JAN 5751 in V1 and kick back legs.

**deacon Mark** · 12-22-2018, 01:59 AM

My AI Claris r2 with Reazors Edge Twin 8’s. I don’t think many use AI these days.

**hot ford coupe** · 12-22-2018, 04:14 AM

1965 Ampeg Gemini 1. You could get diabetes from the reverb because it's so sweet.

**feet** · 12-23-2018, 05:06 AM

with the proviso that i'm not 100% sure that i don't prefer tubes with built-in pickups and solid state with floaters, i'll go with the monolith: my pile of old, modded rack gear with 16 tubes in it. because nothing says "jazz" like 100 watts of el84 majesty melting your face.

but honestly, plugging into a nice studio preamp with some eq has been pretty nice, too. almost infuriatingly so, given how much time and money i've spent on amps over the years.

**cosmic gumbo** · 12-23-2018, 06:02 AM

Fender Showman has got the sound.

**Cordalis** · 12-23-2018, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

I would bet that the four makes that most jazz guitarists would choose are:

Fender
Polytone
Henriksen
Acoustic Image

Smaller Boutique makers (Evans, Carr etc. have their proponents)

There are many decent Asian made amps that do well with jazz guitarists (DV Mark, Roland etc.)

Some jazz guitarists take a road less traveled (Mesa, Marshall, Fishman etc.)

The AER amps are well regarded among the European guitarists who rely on public transport to get to the gigs

The high tech modeling amps have a few proponents as well.

But the top 4 that I listed are the benchmarks and will probably be for awhile.

We have better choices today than ever before.

I agree, but DV Mark is an Italian brand, not Asian. And, BTW, I use Henriksen 310.

**JazzNote** · 12-23-2018, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by Cordalis

I think it would be interesting also to ask other band members which of our guitar amps they like best. I for myself can say that i kind of hate it when bassplayers come to the gig with a markbass amp. I prefer the sound of the doublebass to be as acoustic as possible and none of the bassists i know is able to achieve good results with markbass.

**JazzNote** · 12-23-2018, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Stringswinger

I would bet that the four makes that most jazz guitarists would choose are:

Fender
Polytone
Henriksen
Acoustic Image

Smaller Boutique makers (Evans, Carr etc. have their proponents)

There are many decent Asian made amps that do well with jazz guitarists (DV Mark, Roland etc.)

Some jazz guitarists take a road less traveled (Mesa, Marshall, Fishman etc.)

The AER amps are well regarded among the European guitarists who rely on public transport to get to the gigs

The high tech modeling amps have a few proponents as well.

But the top 4 that I listed are the benchmarks and will probably be for awhile.

We have better choices today than ever before.

I used to play AER's extensively, they are very good amps, but i feel that the archtop sound needs a rounder voice. I find that AER's have a "hole" somewhere in the mid frequencies with the effect that they lack drive and warmth. I replaced my AER's with Mambos and am very happy with them. In fact i know a couple of other guys here who also replaced theirs with Mambos after hearing and playing mine.

my second choice, very close to the AI/RE is the 8" Mambo