Portable Guitar Amp for Rehearsals and Small Gigs

**Alter** · 03-12-2019, 09:45 PM

Is it loud enough to do a quiet jazz gig? How is the sound with solidbody guitars?

**coolvinny** · 03-13-2019, 03:18 AM

I'd suggest Mambo. I think the sound of Mambo is less 'flat' than in Henriksen, at least the older Henriksens (I have a Henriksen Alfresco and have had a Henriksen jazzamp head in the past). The Mambo 8 is surprising loud and only around 7.5 kg. The Mambo 10 is still only about 8.5 kg I think and could handle almost any gig. Also Mambo are quite affordable in Europe I believe.

I still have my Mambo 8 Wedge which I bought in 2012. Still sounds great.

**vashondan** · 03-13-2019, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Pacordes

I totally agree with you rpjazzguitar! And I’ going to quote you: “It's a lot of amp for the size, weight and money.”
It’s so easy to have a good sound with the LJ. The sound is round, warm and full and you set and forget. The eq seems extremely useful and effective with the mid knob providing a volume boost that should help on cutting in the mix.

I tried the external speaker out with a celestion v30 12’ and will be helpful on bigger venues if needed; provided more volume and more bass as expected.

I don’t love the reverb, and with a boss rv pedal I could easily notice a fuller and warmer voice.

So I already decided: I’m keeping the LJ!

The pro junior is a different beast and definitely improves with a reverb pedal. With the jensen speaker, It’s easy to dial a beautiful vintage voice and the dynamics you expect from a tube amp.

I used an attenuator to achieve full volume, and what a great sound for blues!!!

So it’s a keeper too!

No more gear this year! it’s a promise..

Ah c'mon. Can't stop now. This LJ keeps coming up and now, based on your summation, I've been pushed over the ledge. I will get one for my living room practice amp.

**Pacordes** · 03-13-2019, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by coolvinny

I'd suggest Mambo. I think the sound of Mambo is less 'flat' than in Henriksen, at least the older Henriksens (I have a Henriksen Alfresco and have had a Henriksen jazzamp head in the past). The Mambo 8 is surprising loud and only around 7.5 kg. The Mambo 10 is still only about 8.5 kg I think and could handle almost any gig. Also Mambo are quite affordable in Europe I believe.

I still have my Mambo 8 Wedge which I bought in 2012. Still sounds great.

I thought about the Mambo too! But for the same price of the mambo, I bought two different amps, with different voicings, both portable, and both with a great jazz sound!

**Pacordes** · 03-13-2019, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by vashondan

Ah c'mon. Can't stop now. This LJ keeps coming up and now, based on your summation, I've been pushed over the ledge. I will get one for my living room practice amp.

Go for it! The LJ was a great purchase, so portable, seems reliable, and great for practice! Yesterday I did use it as my living room practice amp! Just plugged a boss reverb rv6 pedal with the spring setting, provides a fuller sound than the in built reverb, and with my es330 (with daddario pure nickel 11s), it had a great warm sound at a sensible volume for practice. The LJ is so light to carry, I just keep the ac cord in my mono vertigo es bag, and it’s good to go.

what a great setup!

**don_oz** · 03-13-2019, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Alter

Is it loud enough to do a quiet jazz gig? How is the sound with solidbody guitars?

I tried it with a stratocaster and it was nice, but don't forget this is an amp voiced for jazz. They have other amps, same size and weight and volume, etc. But it's more for solid bodies. It is loud enough for a quiet jazz gig.

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-19-2019, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by don_oz

I tried it with a stratocaster and it was nice, but don't forget this is an amp voiced for jazz. They have other amps, same size and weight and volume, etc. But it's more for solid bodies. It is loud enough for a quiet jazz gig.

Not sure if this question is about the Little Jazz.

The LJ is clearly loud enough for a quiet jazz gig. In fact, it's loud enough for at least a medium-loud jazz gig.

I played an octet gig for about 200 people (my idea of a big room) with it. The guitar comping isn't loud in that band (it's more of a piano avoidance thing), but the solos have to cut through, which they did.

I played a 19 pc big band gig in a much smaller room, again trying not to interfere with piano, and it worked.

I played a 17 piece big band rehearsal in a small room (for that many), no piano, and it worked.

I doubt that it would work for loud dance music where the comping has to be more prominent.

And now, with a little more experience, here are the negatives.

1. The power cord is detachable. Bug or Feature? If you need to replace it, clearly a feature. If you forget to bring it to a gig, clearly a bug.

2. The reverb sounds cheesy (to me) when you turn it up. My son liked it for the pop music he plays. I get my reverb from my pedalboard, mostly. I have the LJ reverb at about 9 o'clock.

3. DV apparently makes more of a dust cover than a carrying case. Somebody suggested a Meinl cuica bag, which looks good, but isn't widely available in the US, apparently, and isn't that cheap. Also, if you walk into a new situation and somebody knows what a cuica is, there could be trouble. I searched for insulated lunch bags on Amazon, but I could not find one that would clearly fit.

One last point. I find that, on average for different amps, I get my sound by turning the bass most of the way down, mids near noon on the dial and treble turned down slightly, like 10 o'clock. That's true for the LJ too.

**sgosnell** · 03-19-2019, 08:33 PM

1. Detachable power cables are the new thing. I have several of them lying around from old computers. I keep one in the amp cover and another in the gig bag. Every amp I own, except for the boat anchor otherwise known as an early '80s Vibrolux Reverb, has a detachable power cable.

2. I don't like the reverb in any amp, but this one is better than most. I never turn it much above the first mark. There is a fine line between not enough and too much. I don't play surf music, so I don't want much at all. YMMV.

3. The case is available from Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, etc. Maybe not in stock at your local GC, but they can get it.
Meinl Professional Ibo Drum Bag | Guitar Center
Keep the power cord in the pocket so you don't forget it.

I generally set mine flat, with maybe a little rolloff of the highs. But my guitar, and taste, is different from yours. The tone controls are very effective, whatever you prefer.

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-19-2019, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

1. D

3. The case is available from Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, etc. Maybe not in stock at your local GC, but they can get it.
Meinl Professional Ibo Drum Bag | Guitar Center
Keep the power cord in the pocket so you don't forget it.

.

Thanks for the info about this bag. Apparently, it comes in three sizes.

The small is too small.

The large is maybe a little bigger than needed.

The medium looks about right, but they don't give interior dimensions -- and the exterior dimensions are very close to the size of the amp.

Might you know, for certain, which one(s) work for the LJ?

TIA

**sgosnell** · 03-19-2019, 10:35 PM

The one I posted the link to should fit, but I've never seen one in person. The interior dimensions are listed as 11w"x11d"x14.5"h. The LJ is slightly smaller than that, at ~1.5" cubed. Those can't be the exterior dimensions, because with the pocket it's not symmetrical. You can get one shipped to a local store for free, and when you pick it up, if it doesn't fit, just get your money refunded and leave it. I don't see the dimensions for the large bag, no idea what size it is. But you could get both shipped, just in case, and get a refund for the one that doesn't fit, or both if necessary. GC is famous for that.

**mje** · 03-20-2019, 10:11 AM

I took advantage of a sale at Musicians Friend and credit I had there to buy a DV Mark Little Jazz for practice and playing with friends, and I’m very happy with it. Mine doesn’t seem to have the fan noise others have complained of (or maybe I’m just not pushing it hard enough), and it has exactly the classic jazz guitar tone I had in mind with my new AR371.

**sgosnell** · 03-20-2019, 10:56 AM

Has anyone seen a new Little Jazz for sale in the US with the black covering? I'm a little jealous of Jim Soloway's black one. The white looks nice, but white things show dirt very easily. When I ordered mine I really hoped for white with the red trim, but those don't seem to have been available after an initial run, and maybe never in the US. Not that I'm going to get rid of mine just to get a different color of Tolex, but who knows, I could hit the Powerball jackpot any day now...

**omphalopsychos** · 04-18-2019, 12:49 AM

I’m going to NY in a couple weeks and will be packing a guitar and a small amp. Problem is I don’t have an amp small enough to travel with. Can someone recommend the best amp for power to weight? I’ve heard decent remarks on the lunchbox. I also just met someone who plays a quilter mini reverb through a lunchbox cab and that sounded great. Any recommendations? Want something loud enough to play with others. I have a henriksen bud with is great for local portability but I wouldn’t fly with it.

**rpjazzguitar** · 04-18-2019, 03:47 AM

I had the original Lunchbox. I could not get a sound that I liked.

Recently, I bought a DV Mark Little Jazz. 15 lbs. Sounds great. It's loud enough to keep up with a drummer, but probably not in a rock band.

Others have praised the Blu, Bud and Mambo.

**medblues** · 04-18-2019, 06:30 AM

Yamaha THR10C if your player friends are not too loud.

If you want to carry a small head Gallien Krueger MB200 or consider one of the pedalboard amps (EHX 44 Magnum or Seymour Duncan Powerstage).

I had the Lunchbox Acoustic for a while, it was OK but was replaced quickly by the Henriksen Bud.

**Little Jay** · 04-18-2019, 07:17 AM

I know Corey Christiansen travels with the Positive Grid Bias Mini.

Could be an option if you can arrange speaker enclosures in the venues you are playing. Or you find or build a really small 6” or 8” speaker enclosure.

**darkwaters** · 04-18-2019, 07:39 AM

Don't own myself, but if I was in the market for a travel amp I'd consider a Roland Micro Cube GX.

**marcwhy** · 04-18-2019, 07:42 AM

Hey Omph,
Are you needing it for gigs, or just practicing in your hotel room??

**child as audience** · 04-18-2019, 07:50 AM

The “play with others” part, and you’ve already got a bud....got me.

Well, I’ll say what I was gonna say anyway - iPad or iPhone > interface > Bluetooth speaker.

**John A.** · 04-18-2019, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

I’m going to NY in a couple weeks and will be packing a guitar and a small amp. Problem is I don’t have an amp small enough to travel with. Can someone recommend the best amp for power to weight? I’ve heard decent remarks on the lunchbox. I also just met someone who plays a quilter mini reverb through a lunchbox cab and that sounded great. Any recommendations? Want something loud enough to play with others. I have a henriksen bud with is great for local portability but I wouldn’t fly with it.

How many others, and does that include a drummer?

I do jam sessions with drummers in rooms ranging from a small practice room to a ~40 seat club with a Fender Champion 20. It might be a bit bigger than a Bud, but more rectangular/less cubic so it might pack better, and it's lighter; plenty loud. For quieter, drummerless stuff (such as duets with an unamplified bass or a singer) I use a Roland Microcube.

John

**omphalopsychos** · 04-18-2019, 09:01 AM

Jam sessions with potential drummers but not gigs.

Why not Bud? It’s super convenient but would like something even more compact if possible. Something I can toss in my luggage. Maybe it’s just not possible.

Anyone try the quilter through a lunchbox cabinet?

**paulkogut** · 04-18-2019, 09:50 AM

I've flown a bunch of times (US/Europe/Japan) with Buds and Blu-s. I usually pack them in a big duffle suitcase for some extra padding, but Peter says he knows folk who just send them down the baggage chute in the gig bag and they do fine. It would probably work as a carryon as well, but I always have a guitar and pedalboard to lug so I've never tried. If I'm not taking my Henriksen rig with me, I've packed a Lunchbox ZT Jr and Boss Reverb for hotel practice, I've played a few sessions with it but it really struggles to keep up, especially with a drummer involved. For what it's worth, the Blu is easier than the Bud when going between US and Euro voltages, but the Buds can be switched with a bit of effort.....

PK