The Best Tube Amp For JAZZ Guitar

**Jazzman301** · 02-05-2012, 05:42 PM

I will say that the 60's Ampegs are awesome and can be had at a fraction of the cost of a Fender.

'Mike

**Jazz_175** · 02-05-2012, 07:07 PM

Here is a video of an Ampeg Gemini I

**Jazzman301** · 02-05-2012, 07:33 PM

The Gemini I or II with a 1x12 or a Gemini V or VI with a 1x15. I have a Reverberocket 2 GS 12R and I love it. The echo(Ampeg for reverb) sounds great.
Cruise Ebay because there are always old Ampegs floating around.

Also the Guild 66J(I think) with the reverb is also a gorgeous amp but MUCH more rare.

'Mike

**starjag** · 02-06-2012, 09:27 AM

Curious... anything in the Marshall camp with jazzy cleans?

**cosmic gumbo** · 02-06-2012, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by starjag

Curious... anything in the Marshall camp with jazzy cleans?

Playing the tube heads at a sane volume gives a nice jazz tone.

**Larry M** · 02-06-2012, 11:18 AM

Anyone have success using a pedal (like Xotic RC, PreSonus, or BBE Boosta Grande) with a solid state amp to get tube-like tone?

**Scot63** · 02-06-2012, 11:48 AM

Glad to see Ampeg getting such shout-outs. My mid-60s Reverberocket is a tone monster—as long as you don't want much growly gain—and was a fraction of the cost of Fenders. While we're on effects, can anyone recommend a good tremolo pedal? They seem to really run the gamut from very inexpensive to pretty fancy.

**monkmiles** · 02-06-2012, 11:48 AM

I use a Princeton Reverb RI with a efficient/loud 12" speaker for small jazz (and rock) gigs. I have a 1971 Bandmaster head that I put into a 2x10 combo cabinet for when I need more volume/headroom. I'm using my PRRI on a jazz trio gig tonight actually.

The thing with tube amps and headroom, is tube amps tend to sound good when they are pushed and start to clip a bit. But it all depends on the type of tone you're after.

**Double 07** · 02-07-2012, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by ruiner54

fender hot rod deluxe amps are abundant on the used market at least where i live and although a stock hrd is not great for jazz as it overdrives early on the clean channel, can be transformed into a fantastic jazz amp by simply switching out preamp tubes. I replaced the stock 12ax7s with low gain 12au7s which are extremely clean...they also lower the overall volume and make it useable for practice. 12at7s are somewhere in between and are apparently good as well.

Gotta be careful with that last one. 12AT7 has a different capacitance than a 12AX7 and could damage the circuit when used where a 12AX7 is supposed to go. Would probably be okay but if I had a nice vintage or boutique amp I wouldn't risk hurting it when there are other tubes you could sub.

**Insufferable_Rhythm** · 02-07-2012, 06:10 AM

Excepting special cases, there is very little danger in placing some other 12A*7 tube in a socket intended for a 12AX7. Certainly none to worry about, as damage would more likely occur to the tube itself than the amplifier. There may be some danger in the opposite, that is, placing a 12AX7 in a socket intended for some other 12A*7 tube. The issue is not the (slightly) different interelectrode capacitance. The issue arises from the fact that the resistors which define the operating point of a tube are selected for that tube (and the desired operating point). Resistors selected for a 12AU7 may cause a 12AX7 to dissipate too much power, for example.

In general, though, the ill-matched resistor values and tube may, at most, yield negative tonal results.

**krusty** · 02-07-2012, 09:33 AM

For mind-blowing cleans with more headroom than anyone could possibly need, I have a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording preamp into a Rectifier 2:100 Stereo amp. Actually, I find all my Boogies have tremendous cleans.

**monkmiles** · 02-07-2012, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Gotta be careful with that last one. 12AT7 has a different capacitance than a 12AX7 and could damage the circuit when used where a 12AX7 is supposed to go. Would probably be okay but if I had a nice vintage or boutique amp I wouldn't risk hurting it when there are other tubes you could sub.

Originally Posted by Insufferable_Rhythm

Excepting special cases, there is very little danger in placing some other 12A*7 tube in a socket intended for a 12AX7. Certainly none to worry about, as damage would more likely occur to the tube itself than the amplifier. There may be some danger in the opposite, that is, placing a 12AX7 in a socket intended for some other 12A*7 tube. The issue is not the (slightly) different interelectrode capacitance. The issue arises from the fact that the resistors which define the operating point of a tube are selected for that tube (and the desired operating point). Resistors selected for a 12AU7 may cause a 12AX7 to dissipate too much power, for example.

In general, though, the ill-matched resistor values and tube may, at most, yield negative tonal results.

I've been using a 5751 in place of a the v1 12ax7 in my amps.

**SamBooka** · 02-07-2012, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Insufferable_Rhythm

Excepting special cases, there is very little danger in placing some other 12A*7 tube in a socket intended for a 12AX7. Certainly none to worry about, as damage would more likely occur to the tube itself than the amplifier. There may be some danger in the opposite, that is, placing a 12AX7 in a socket intended for some other 12A*7 tube. The issue is not the (slightly) different interelectrode capacitance. The issue arises from the fact that the resistors which define the operating point of a tube are selected for that tube (and the desired operating point). Resistors selected for a 12AU7 may cause a 12AX7 to dissipate too much power, for example.

In general, though, the ill-matched resistor values and tube may, at most, yield negative tonal results.

What he said ... if you want to cook at 12ax7 try putting it in the reverb driver stage of a BF/SF amp. It may take a couple of years.. but then again some of the less robust current production tubes may last only weeks or months.

**brad4d8** · 02-07-2012, 12:28 PM

I'll add to the chorus for old Ampegs. My 60s Reverberocket was a great sounding amp. I have one of the 90s reissues and it's not quite the same, but still pretty good.
Brad

**tonyknight** · 02-07-2012, 01:01 PM

I too have been thinking about not-so-expensive and findable tube amps, although I personally want something small and with great tone at home or on small stages (restaurants etc). I personally love the colour added by tubes.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the Hughes and Kettner Statesman dual? It's just 20W, and apparently most are dual EL84s. There's one for sale about four hours drive from me for less than $400 (in southwest France) but I'm not sure how those tubes will play out, or whether it will even be feasible to get the great tones at low enough volumes. Today I use a Hot Rod Deville, and can get a good tone - but the volume is just a little over the top for my archtop, and the tone is only 'good' - too boomy, but a nice bit of Barney-Kessell 'dirt' on the sound. I've also wondered about whether different tubes might make this a good amp despite its weight!

**Double 07** · 02-07-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Insufferable_Rhythm

Excepting special cases, there is very little danger in placing some other 12A*7 tube in a socket intended for a 12AX7. Certainly none to worry about, as damage would more likely occur to the tube itself than the amplifier. There may be some danger in the opposite, that is, placing a 12AX7 in a socket intended for some other 12A*7 tube. The issue is not the (slightly) different interelectrode capacitance. The issue arises from the fact that the resistors which define the operating point of a tube are selected for that tube (and the desired operating point). Resistors selected for a 12AU7 may cause a 12AX7 to dissipate too much power, for example.

In general, though, the ill-matched resistor values and tube may, at most, yield negative tonal results.

Okay I found this on the website of a tube vendor/amp repair guru. I guess this clears everything up regarding preamp tube subs.

Preamp Tube Gain and Compatibility Guide:

All of the following tubes are interchangeable and may be used anywhere one of the other tubes was originally specified. The only possible exception is that 12AY7/6072As should be used only in circuits where the plate load resistor is rated for at least one watt.

Tube Number Gain Factor Comments 12AX7/12AX7A/7025/ECC83/CV4004 100 The ubiquitous guitar preamp tube 5751 70 Military 12AX7 with just slightly lower gain than a 12AX7. Less highs too. Great for cleaning up a harsh or overly bright sounding amp channel. 12AT7/ECC81/E81CC/CV4024 60 Fender reverb driver and phase inverter tube. Sometimes used to replace 12AX7s where lower gain and more note definition/clarity is desired. 12AY7/6072A 44 First gain stage tube in Fender tweed amps from the 1950s. More of the same effect as the 5751 above. Good for cleaner blues tones. Harp players like these to reduce feedback. 12AU7A/5963 20 Phase inverter in Vox amps. Sometimes used by harp players to reduce feedback in 12AX7 stages. Also a great substitution in 12AX7 type guitar distortion pedals. Allows for more usable range on the gain controls with less fuzzy/more bluesy distortion.

**HighSpeedSpoon** · 02-07-2012, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by krusty

For mind-blowing cleans with more headroom than anyone could possibly need, I have a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording preamp into a Rectifier 2:100 Stereo amp. Actually, I find all my Boogies have tremendous cleans.

+1 for Mesa Boogie. One of the reasons I got my Transatlantic-30 head was for the marvelous cleans. I play my archtop through the Boogie now instead of the Cali Blonde. The head weighs 20 pounds and puts out 15/30/40 watts via either of 2 channels (with lots of tone options too).

**Double 07** · 02-08-2012, 12:30 AM

Yea those Mesa Boogies are some bad ass amps. The Recto Recording Preamp idea with a power amp sounds like a rig I could love.

**gavino** · 02-13-2012, 07:00 PM

i had many tube amps. i built them and restored them for friends. if i had to buy a tube amp, i definitely go for a vintage amp or a boutique. today the amps made by fender, vox, orange are totally crap. crappy output transformers and power transformers, pcb, chinese tubes, wrong capacitors and filter caps and they are pretty expensive too! maybe some are well built but it's a russian roulette. the last decent new amp i bought is a ampeg j20, assembled in korea but wired point to point. with some mods he plays quite good. i not read yet on this thread so my suggestion is to go for an old traynor. late 60 or early 70. traynor's reverb master, custom reverb, bass-mate, bassmaster and the ts series (ss) are excellent amps. today i own a ygl3a (basically a blackface twin reverb with better tranformers) and a ygm2 guitar-mate (a fender deluxe reverb). the guitarmate sound much better than any (also some blackfaced) deluxe reverb i've ever heard. it have a complex sounding, rich harmonics, he's got an excellent reverb and tremolo and it's built like a tank. take a look.

**Olric** · 02-14-2012, 12:57 PM

DV Mark seems to make nice things. This demo is quite good anyway :

**eddy b.** · 02-14-2012, 05:37 PM

I use a rivera clubster 40 watt amazing cleans and all the drive and overdrive one could ever need, buit for the long haul and jazz a beautiful piece of gear. When I'm going for the real old school sound I use a 15 watt Ampeg Jet its class A and I use the accordian input super warm tube tones and a very lightweight amp to carry.

**Little Jay** · 02-15-2012, 05:48 AM

There are so many good suggestions here that one can only conclude that any tube amp will do for jazz, when set clean, not pushed to much and volume levels are kept reasonable, with the vintage and boutique amps sounding somewhat sweeter than the regular modern production models..... ?

**gavino** · 02-16-2012, 07:51 AM

yes little jay, vintage and boutique amps sound better that any regular modern production amps. see on google images the inside of any vintage (in good shape obviously)/boutique amp and compare with the other ones: trasformers size, wiring, pots, etc etc. the images speak clearly. dv mark amps are well build and very reliable, hand made in italy with good components.

**Kuz** · 02-16-2012, 08:48 AM

I really think my archtops sound great through...

-1967 Vibrolux
-Carr Rambler
-Headstrong Lil' King

I would love to get a vintage Fender Pro Reverb someday.....

**ruiner54** · 02-16-2012, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Gotta be careful with that last one. 12AT7 has a different capacitance than a 12AX7 and could damage the circuit when used where a 12AX7 is supposed to go. Would probably be okay but if I had a nice vintage or boutique amp I wouldn't risk hurting it when there are other tubes you could sub.

OH REALLY!!? Yikes...there are a lot of people on the web that recommend swapping out specifically for the 12at7s . I guess I am glad I went with the 12au7 then......it's an old original made in the USA HRD that I paid $250 for, so I wasn't terribly worried about experimenting with it, but I wouldn't want to be the reason someone else messes up their nice new HRD III

When I got it the preamp tubes were toast and it still could use a new speaker (was thinking Celestion vintage 30).

The 12au7 tubes make it sound like a completely different amp.