New amp day, DV Mark Jazz 12

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-10-2023, 06:46 PM

On sale at GC for $260 plus tax. Free shipping.

It's louder than the Little Jazz. Much bigger cabinet, but not that much heavier.

Sound is similar to the LJ. Lacks a certain softness, for want of a better descriptor.

My more complicated rig, LJ (speaker off) into a Yamaha Mixer and Mackie SRM350 (powered speaker, 10 inch) sounds much better.

I'll report back after using it for the next week or two.

The back of the amp looks like the LJ after the fan problem was fixed.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-11-2023, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

The back of the amp looks like the LJ after the fan problem was fixed.

It’s the same electronics module. Only the cabinet and speaker are different, AFAIK.

Congrats - I think you’ve made a great choice. Play with EQ on both your guitar and the amp - you’ll probably find a sweet spot if you’re patient and make tiny changes one at a time. And you’ll have to find the tiny tweaks that keep you there in different rooms, if you’re gigging with it.

I’ve also found (for most amps, not just these) that tone changes some as you increase your volume. So you have to learn to tweak for that too. Once you define the window of settings in which your preferred tone lives, it usually only takes very minor changes in EQ to stay within it.

I also learned from recording most of my gigs that the “tone issues” above are rarely audible to the audience. We don’t hear us the way we sound to them. Even with IEMs fed a board mix (which I’ve been using for a few years now), it’s just not the same.

Enjoy!

**sgosnell** · 08-11-2023, 09:52 AM

I tend to turn the amp up to at least 50% or more, then turn the guitar volume down to the level I need. That usually gives me a better sound. I'm certainly not the first to do this. And I'm sure you've already discovered that the tone controls on the DV jazz amps are very effective, and a tiny tweak can have a big effect. But the tone you prefer is rather obviously not the same as my preference, so my settings probably won't sound that good to you. However, I would also encourage making small changes and trying them, over a period of time. Maybe there's a sound in there that you like. If not, there is no shortage of other amps to try. All you need is time and money.

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-11-2023, 01:43 PM

Thanks! I appreciate the advice about EQ.

An interesting factoid:

The more complicated system I've been using, which sounds great, is ME80 --> LJ --> Yamaha MG10/2 mixer --> SRM350, powered speaker.

It turns out that I can't get the sound I like without the mixer in the chain. And, almost every dial is set to noon (at least, I haven't yet). Gain is at 10 o'clock, which seems to be the recommended spot (there's a little painted bar there) and bass is rolled off to 10am as well. It's that roll-off in the bass that makes the difference. Apparently, the EQ curve in the mixer is different than that of the LJ.

What it does is get rid of some midrange harshness on chords, without making the low frequencies boomy.

All of this is consistent with the EQ advice -- it makes a huge difference.

**Gitterbug** · 08-11-2023, 02:49 PM

I had a session with people from SICA/Jensen. They suggested throwing a T--shirt into an open-back cab to soften the tone.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-11-2023, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Gitterbug

I had a session with people from SICA/Jensen. They suggested throwing a T--shirt into an open-back cab to soften the tone.

I wonder if there are variations in tone based on the material from which the shirt is made. I'd use 100% cotton for a softer, warmer jazz sound and poly for pop. Of course, you'd want to wash it for a clean sound but wear it first for a bit of dirt. You also have to place it properly. I expect that dumping one in the bottom would have a totally different effect from hanging it on the magnet

Hmm - I just got another novel idea: speaker jackets! Imagine covers similar to a large shower cap, with grommeted holes around the rim to press over or fasten under the speaker's mounting hardware. The complete kit would include wool for thunk, microfiber for a clean flat sound, linen to filter out the lower mids, satin for that high end sheen, and bubble wrap for wider diffusion. We could make a fortune!

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-11-2023, 04:20 PM

The T-shirt thing seems like a good idea. Jerry Garcia always wore black Ts. Maybe that's the best color for his sound?

Or, maybe he was buying pre CBS Fender logo T's and using them in his Boogies?

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-11-2023, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

The T-shirt thing seems like a good idea. Jerry Garcia always wore black Ts. Maybe that's the best color for his sound?

Or, maybe he was buying pre CBS Fender logo T's and using them in his Boogies?

Johnny Smith probably kept neatly folded fresh button down Oxford cloth shirts in his amps.