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Hi, everyone.
Looking for a small (no wider than about 14-15 inches) clean pedal platform amp with a closed back that need only get as loud as a 20 or 25-watt tube amp (nothing louder). Been doing research and can't really find anything that people are mostly favorable on. The old Roland 40- and 60-watt Cube and "Super" Cube amps (in orange or silver) of the late '70s and '80s do come up and I'd love to try one, but jeez, everything I see is in real rough shape, which is not surprising given how old they are at this point and how much abuse they've likely suffered.
I've also tried a Quilter, which I thought was quite good, but for what I need, it seems expensive and it's open back, anyway. I prefer a closed back for this next purchase because in one of my steady restaurant gigs with a very tight stage, I'm not far from several tables and I don't want to blow them away as they dive into their mussels, clams and steak au poivre.
Henriksens are crazy money, as are AERs and even if I went that route, I'd need something with a defeatable tweeter, as the overdrive I sometimes must use generally does not get along with tweeters.
I've been using an old Shertler Unico I bought from Mandolin Brothers back in the early 2000s. It's the perfect size, but does not speak the perfect tone, at least not for pop/rock or anything with drive. It's fine for straight-ahead, but not the whole enchilada.
Thanks!
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05-01-2023 08:28 PM
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Used Quilter 1x8” closed back combo!
Quilter Aviator Gold 1x8 Combo Amp | Reverb
FSOT - Quilter aviator gold combo | The Gear Page
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This sounds like exactly what you need. ( I have one)
Originally Posted by jads57
Great sounding, small, under 20 lbs, closed back.
These are rated at 200 watts, 100 to the 8” speaker and 100 to an extension if desired.
Volume is equivalent to a very clean 30 watt tube amp.
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Old Polytone Minibrute or Babybrute. Cheap, and they come in various sizes from small to really small. Cheap, tough, and easy to fix (that's been my experience).
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Used Henriksen Jazz amp V2 should be about 600$. I would not say it is my fav tone for rock/pop but it works. It is a little dark. With a couple of pedals, it can carry itself well.
Fender pro jr is also something to think about. I had one. It was a loud 15watts, if I have the number right. I am not sure if it could cut enough with a heavy handed drummer playing full out. Then again, I never had it dimed, and I try to avoid such drummers.
There is also the ZT Lunchbox amp, just make sure you get the one with the higher wattage. Those things work better then I would have guessed. I ended up with two. Prices are a bit high, but they come up used.
Another idea is the DV Mark jazz cab (2x8). Those things are small and weight very little.
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If you only want a true combo, I’d go for a Little Jazz or a Jazz 12 from DV Mark. The price is right, especially when on sale (which is often). I loved my LJ & only sold it when the Blu 6 and the Quilter Superblock I ordered finally arrived after their Covid delays (which was over a year for the SB and several months for the BLu). I still have a Jazz 12 in the backline at the little club in which I play regularly, and it’s excellent. The only complaint I’ve heard about current DVMs is that the reverb is a bit spacey if turned up beyond a fairly low level. But I use it low and like it fine.
You might also consider a Toob Metro driven by a class D micro head like a Superblock, a TC BAM, or a Warwick Gnome. Yes, it’s a separate head - but the little heads Velcro onto a small platform on the speaker, so you’re effectively dealing with a combo. The whole package is about 10 pounds, fits in a small (10x10x12) gear bag, sounds great, and only has damped rear ports that won’t bother patrons behind them. I love my Toobs!Last edited by nevershouldhavesoldit; 05-02-2023 at 04:23 PM.
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I have the Quilter Micropro 8 that is a closed speaker, fits your size requirements, it is a good amp for pedals.
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If price is important, state your budget. Originally Posted by revlimitbounce
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Around $500-600. Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
Last edited by revlimitbounce; 05-02-2023 at 02:10 AM.
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One of the Roland COSM Cube 60 amps would fill the bill. Workhorses, reliable, lots of tones and findable for about US$200.
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I've done many restaurant/solo gigs with either a nylonstring guitar or an archtop plugged into a Roland STREET amp - I owned the first edition for about 5 years and since last year I have the newer/bigger version which has more muscle for outdoor gigs. They are unobtrusive, light, have a small footprint, an angled baffle, can run on batteries, have inputs for backing tracks and mic and for clean amplification at moderate volume levels (for that type of gig) the sound is absolutely ok.
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The Little Jazz has a rear port. To me, when sitting behind it, it sounds like a cocked wah, a little bit.
One thing to consider about the LJ (and maybe the alternatives too) is that it is very sensitive to position.
Yesterday, I used it with a big band. I had it on the floor, as usual, but after a few tunes I was concerned about volume (I usually arrive very early and stake out the space I need, but this time, the setup was underway before I arrived and there was no great amp position available).
Anyway, I took it off the floor and put it on a chair. Couldn't stand how bright it sounded and I had to return it to the floor position. Coupling to the floor matters.
I have a regular gig with a very tight bandstand. After trying different things I ended up with the LJ on the floor in front of me (which is why I know what it sounds like from behind). This is far from ideal, but it was the best of a bad lot of options. Still usable though.
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This. ^^^ Originally Posted by Cunamara
I still have an old orange Cube 60 and newer black 80GX, that sound great and built like tanks.
The 60 has an ext. spkr. jack, but minimal effects. The 80 has amp models, effects and a pretty good acoustic amp simulator.
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I had a very bad experience with a Polytone many years ago and kinda wrote them off back then. Damn thing gave me the shock of my life. Originally Posted by Hammertone
Last edited by revlimitbounce; 05-02-2023 at 05:23 PM.
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In my situation, position isn't really a concern on this stage. I'm really using the amp as a monitor for myself and for the rest of the quartet because I'm micing it for FOH (even though it's not a big P.A.). Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
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Do you mean an electric shock? Originally Posted by revlimitbounce
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me too , i have a toob metro bg Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit;[URL="tel:1263805"
upfiring with a bam200 velcro’d to
it
the upfiring works great especially
in a tight , cramped stage area
no hotspots and everyone hears equally ….
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I've been liking the Little Jazz lately with it set facing the wall, slightly tilted, getting the reflected sound. It's fine facing in the usual way, but I find that I like the sound with it bouncing back instead of straight on. There is more dispersion, less beaminess, although an 8" speaker isn't that beamy anyway.
For using it elevated, I find that turning up the bass helps a lot. Elevating plus turning down the bass doesn't give a great sound, but with the bass up it's fine for me. Using it flat on the floor with the bass all the way off doesn't make sense to me, but my preferences are different from anyone else's.
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A little bass combo can sound good if you want a very clean sound.
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The Toob Metro + Class D is a great option.
I have used it with a Acoustic Image Contra Head, Quilter 101 (no reverb) and Aguilar Tonehammer 350.
Sounds great with all three.
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Yer looking at the wrong Quilter models. Originally Posted by revlimitbounce
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this is a great option for high headroom, flat frequency response, especially if it has a graphic EQ Originally Posted by Lionelsax
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DV Mark Jazz sounds good in demos to me. I'd recommend Mambo but it is probably outside your budget especially in US.
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Originally Posted by Lionelsax
I agree for straight ahead jazz and have used bass amps for decades. But the OP wants a “pedal platform” and expresses both a need to cover “pop/rock or anything with drive” and an aversion to tweeters. Most current small bass amps are not that simple and don’t deliver great basic tone like the little guys of old. Originally Posted by burchyk
The Harte HD50 is old school and makes a fine utility infielder for gigging guitarists. The Harte cone will deliver a broad range of fine tones, and it’s a very simple amp. The little Phil Jones amps are also great (I’ve had 2) but fairly expensive. The M7 is cool, but it has a horn tweeter that AFAIK is not defeatable.
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You can make hollow and semi hollow guitars sound good even with a non defeatable tweeter with acoustic amps. And you also have something to gig acoustics with!
I do use an amp sim pedal if I have to play with strat/tele through an acoustic amp, but with humbuckers there's no need. Here's a 335 through an Aer with nothing else.
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