View Poll Results: Is your main jazz guitar amp a solid state or a tube amp?
- Voters
- 384. You may not vote on this poll
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Tube
168 43.75% -
Solid State
216 56.25%
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I like my Henriksen JazzAmp 110ER a lot - loud, warm, clean and with the tweeter engaged, nice for acoustic guitar. I don't care for the onboard reverb, so I use a Keeley reverb pedal that has spring and plate settings.
I also have an old Polytone that gets THAT sound - not necessarily my favorite sound, but a very familiar one to Joe Pass/Herb Ellis '70s/'80s fans. I've used it more for bass than anything.
I have a modified Fender Blues Junior with upgraded tubes and a hemp cone speaker, but it's best for stuff where you want some breakup or overdrive.
I had a 1980s solid state Yamaha G-112 that I wish I had never parted with - beautiful clean tone.
The Henriksen is the mainstay.
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12-19-2020 03:22 PM
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I love the feel and response I get from my 5e3.
Tubes all the way for me.
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5e3 --
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A perennial question with perennial answers. As I sit and think about this, I've come to the conclusion that the performance of any given type of amp is pretty specific to that amplifier. I have played solid-state amps that sounded fantastic and solid-state amps that sucked; I have played tube amps that sounded fantastic and tube amps that sucked. Sometimes these are the same models. I would say the solid-state amp are a little more consistent from one example to the next than is the case with tube amps.
My current two favorite amps are my 5E3 clone and my Polytone Baby Taurus. Other amps in the house include an AI Clarus 2r with either a Redstone 8" cab or a RE 12" cab, Roland Cube 60 COSM, Egnater Rebel 30 combo and a Fender Pro Reverb (pre-master volume, ca. 72-73). They all sound good to great but other than the two favorites rarely get used. I need to just sell them off and make some room, along with the guitars I never play. I wouldn't even think about taking the Fender to a gig as it weighs about 80 pounds (it has two JBLs instead of the stock speakers)- I'm 61 and I am not sure that I could even pick the darn thing up off the floor let alone carry it down the stairs, out of the car and get it in the trunk.
So why are those two my favorites? They are tiny to small-ish in dimensions and weight. I can easily transport them. I like their appearances and my wife thinks they look decent enough to leave out in the living room. But more importantly they sound very warm and flatter my guitars and my playing. The 5e3 has a very round, sweet top end which I particularly like with the tone on 3. I have had to modify it (Bruce Collins/Mission Amps humbucker mods) to reduce the bassiness, as it feeds back like crazy with my archtops otherwise. And it sounds really great with my Tele and my Strat too.
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I am hearing that the new Fender Blues Junior lV is great. Any experience with this amp for jazz guitar?
Thanks. Alan
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Originally Posted by RationalAlan
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Many thanks. I'll give it a listen. Regards, Alan
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Loving these 2 heads and Raezers edge Custom Mini 6 cab. You would be amazed as I am with the tone quality. Dire hard tube guy here also.
Last edited by Wildcat; 04-18-2021 at 05:32 PM.
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I'm not playing amplified jazz right now, but I imagine this amp would cover that too. PRRI SE 12" 15w 33lbs. The clean tones are amazing. I also have to play seriously heavy overdrive in church music weekly which it does equally well, especially with the Celestion which has created a very big sound (can't get it up to 4). Light enough that even with my 66 year old back I don't have to consider investing more in another amp.
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Thanks Roy. My back turned 76 this month, damn it! I sold me Deluxe Reverb to a young guy with a young back.
as my old German professsor used to say, (Too soon oldt ... too late schmardt!). So I need tube tone with portability. Now I can go buy one..
Thanks, Roy. Alan
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Originally Posted by Wildcat
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Sorry for the confusion as that particular pen is 2 meters in height. Its a display model.
Originally Posted by Hammertone
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My latest mini-stack [ed: now replaced with other, equally silly gear]. The Koch Studiotone (with a massive 20 watts of Class A EL-84 tubey goodness) fits perfectly atop the Avatar 1x12" cube, loaded with a Tone Tubby AlNiCo Hempcone. It's 8 miles high, maaaan:
Last edited by Hammertone; 01-05-2023 at 03:10 PM.
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If someone else would carry, I would always play a Twin Reverb. Otherwise, I will stick with one of several Polytone amps until they are dust.
If I had to buy an amp today I'd probably buy a Quilter.
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Tube amps have character. I own a Fender with a single 15” woofer. The amp is a beast. It’s planted in my playing room. It’s got clean on steroids. I’ll never own another tube amp. All my amp needs are satisfied.
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My sound is a Fender Pro Junior (5751 sub for preamp tube). It's small, easy & loud enough for me.
If I'm out on a gig, the Henriksen 110 ER gets the job done.
I've got a pile of amps -- I think tubes sound better even if they are more finky.
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Originally Posted by Longways to Go
What I like to do is run a wet/dry type of thing with those amps. (Not full wet). I typically use an Eventide H9 for the wet. I really dig the Eventide verbs. Sometimes I use a Source Audio Ventris or an Empress Zoia...
I typically take only one amp with me for rehearsals or jams because I am lazy. However when I take both, it sounds and works great.
(I am planing on setting up a very moveable low weight wet/dry/wet thing, but I have to get some cash together. Once I do that IDK, what will happen with those amps. I do not see getting rid of them because they sound so good together, however you have to make sure the phase is right).
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Keep in mind while we state our tube vs ss preferences, exactly what style/genre/sub-genre we're are referring to. Are you a traditional bop, swing, jazz funk, fusion, jazz/blues, blues influenced rock player? Or, do you primarily play something else? It helps the forum reader to know whether you are a bop and swing fan like myself or if you have other preferences.
It doesn't matter to me whether an amp has sag. But that's just my preference. There is no right or wrong sound. I look for something with just a pure, clean, tone and with a quick, clean, attack and no distortion and very little, if any, overdrive. I prefer pretty much straight ahead traditional jazz guitar tones. I particularly like the sound of Kenny Burrell's various set ups over the years.
This is somewhat the antithesis to the overdriven tone preferences of many smooth jazz and jazz rock players. And there are even some forum members that don't play jazz at all. Sometimes the style of music we play influences the tones we prefer. There is no single jazz sound or jazz tone. However, there are the more standard/traditional jazz guitar sounds and they have generally been characterized as very clean and natural sounding. Sounds that tend to allow the natural guitar tone to come through. Any added effects tend to be very subtle. Whereas, there are some jazz guitar sounds/styles that are distorted and overdriven. So, when we're characterizing our preferences for tubes vs ss we need to consider what type of jazz we are playing. Or, if we're even playing jazz at all. Apologies for straying somewhat off topic. But I think most understand what I'm struggling to say.Last edited by jumpnblues; 11-06-2021 at 11:08 AM.
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With so many of you advocating very small amps with 6" speakers – are you actually gigging with these?
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Originally Posted by guavajelly
Fishman LoudBox Mini. 16 piece Big Band. Or Mini Charge for outdoor gigs.
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Both are great. My friend has Vypyr 3 and he plays jazz. No problem.
But in general I like tube sound
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Originally Posted by joe142
Nonetheless, I will look into the amp.
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I would loooove to hear a direct comparison of, say, a modeler like the Katana to a Polytone to a tube amp. My guitar amps are tube amps. Fender Princeton Reverb II, and Marshall 40w combo. The Fender works great for jazz… but I also have an old Crate BX100 (solid state) bass amp that works great as a jazz guitar amp.
The issue is that both of ‘em are heavy. I’m approaching 60 and have a few lower back issues, and am starting to like the idea of losing some weight in my music gear. So a lightweight, inexpensive amp that can get the job done would be a good thing.Last edited by coyote-1; 11-09-2021 at 10:07 AM.
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Originally Posted by coyote-1
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Originally Posted by coyote-1
Resonator plus toaster pickup for the perfect...
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