As a brand new Jazz guitar student, this video was very helpful! So, last week I looked online for a Roland Cube 40, couldn't find one anywhere close to my area, then a few days ago located a Cube 60, but the seller never responded. However, today I found a mint condition Roland Cube 80GX, and plan to buy it in a few minutes. Thanks again...
Thanks for the reviews. They were a lot of fun to watch. I have a Roland Jazz Chorus 40 which is still freaking loud in the house! It's pretty nice. For jazz (and my archtops) I think my ASG-150 (Godin) amp is pretty gorgeous. It's got a lot of headroom and 4 inputs all with equalization, reverb etc, so it's like having a mini mixing board as well as amp.
I own a Roland Cube 30, and I love it much. It will certainly stay with me on my soon-to-begin journey with a jazz-tweaked 7-string solid body guitar. Love this amp.
Ritchie, you are such a friendly and professional friend to all jazz guitarists. 'Thank You sooo much' I am a gigging professional and I always heed and reccomend your great advice. What a public spirited soul you are. Bless you.
Great video! I have a Fender Bassbreaker 15 and the low gain structure has a wonderfully warm jazz sound with lots of headroom. I preferred it over the Blues Jr.
I have a Boss Kitana amp that I'm pretty pleased with. One 12-inch speaker, up to 50 watts, delay and amp modeling. I got it from a local music store some years back, and remember paying about $250 for it. Highly recommended as a jazz amp. All my guitars sound good through it.
Snap! For me, the Boss Katana is excellent. My one misgiving about it is that on one occasion I dropped it, and the amp repair specialist had considerable difficulty in repairing it. His comment was that it is built to a budget and is therefore rather more delicate and vulnerable than many other amps. My suspicion is that the (now discontinued) Roland Cube 40 and the Roland Jazz Chorus JC 40 are more robust amps.
Great video! I chuckled about the Twin and Jazz Chorus reviews about their weights. Never seen the Quilter or Clarus amps although they sound like they'd be cool. I've seen a Henrikson Jazz amp but didn't have the time that afternoon to try it. Thanks for sharing!
The Clarus SLR can be had as a combo. You need to order it that way from a dealer. Raezers Edge makes a speaker cab designed to accommodate a Clarus head.
Great reviews. I used to have a Polytone 100W, I bought it from Ron Eschete. For me this is the best amp for jazz, there is no feedback for hollowbody guitar and it has a parametic EQ which is excellent. Thanks.
That's a classic and wonderful amp. When I saw/heard Joe Pass in the late '70's that's what he was playing. I remember they were expensive. I ended up getting a Mini-Brute II, and was (still am) happy with it. But the full size sounded even better. Too bad you no longer have it!
I really appreciate your insight and experience with being truthful and accurate with your amp descriptions. Very helpful to me... especially as I am a 58 yo bassist playing some rudimentary licks on jazz guitarr. BTW, I thought I had to learn a lot with those bass charts during studio sessions over the last 35 years! ....Then I discovered YOUR OF THE STORY. Santa Claus didn't grant my wish...A fifth finger to make those chords! God bless you and those your love, and a happy new year to you, my friend! Also, I purchased a AI Clarus and a Raezers Edge cab last year based on your advice. I am totaly happy with my choice. Also, the AI can double as my upright amp. Again, thanks!
A superb video! I have been a big fan of jazz ever since I heard Wes Montgomery as a kid in the ´60s. He was my first inspiration for wanting to play guitar. I saw him twice in concert while attending high school. His amp back then was a Fender Super Reverb. I once owned a Super Reverb myself . Unfortunately, it was stolen many years ago. I now use a ´65 Twin Reverb Reissue along with a Marshall JVM410. I play both amps together clean, in stereo, and somehow the sound is phenomenal. For what it´s worth, I´ve heard that DV Mark amps are excellent for jazz. Frank Gambale swears by them.
DV Mark amps are lifeless and sterile.. I bought one and sent it back after 5 minutes. Gambale is also a sterile player so you can't listen to anything he says.
Great vid, Richie! I'm another owner of the DV Mark Little Jazz and I'm superhappy with it, great clean tone, packed with useful features for the price tag, and ideal for bedroom practicing even though it also can be incredibly loud for its small size.
Nice roundup of jazz guitar amps! The Fender Deluxe Reverb is my go-to jazz amp for smaller venues - brings out the tonal nuances of my Gibson "Tal Farlow" guitar!
@@hackerguitar Hah. I've got a pair of JBL D120F's in my '68 Fender Twin - as if it wasn't heavy enough with the standard Jensens. I like the D120's better than the later K120's (sweeter vs. punchier).
I have a fender twin reverb that I absolutely love m but it’s size and weight indeed has meant that it stays in storage amback where I grew up as it’s to expenseice To ship and I haven’t had the ooopetunity to do a cross country road trip with it yet….but someday!
I pined for a JC-120 for decades. I finally bought a JC-40 earlier this year; it's much more practical for me. I love it. Great video. Just subscribed!
@@michaelmcclain3399 I know you didn't ask me but I've had the jc-40 for a few years now and I think it's great. The built in distortion isn't anything to write home about but the clean tones are wonderful. I will say that it's still decently heavy at almost 35lbs, but for a practice amp that occasionally makes it to the session, I love it.
Some years ago I gigged with a jazz guitarist who used an Ampeg Gemini II. It hasn't been made for years, but produced a great jazz tone through its single 15" speaker. Every now and then you can run across a used one.
The Henricksen is a great amp. Price is around $1000 for the 310. Sounds great. I did some servicing on one a couple of years ago. Great build quality.
Thank you Richie very helpful and succinct. In the UK a second hand possibility could be the Laney VC15 - tube amp (10 inch speaker), similar to the Fender Blues Junior.
i use an old 80s fane minicub 60..bought it on ebay for 50 dollars..it really does an amazing jazz job..warm and deep..i use a vintage stimer pup.. your vids are very enjoyable..many thanks indeed
I have several of the old (late 1960's) Kustom rolled-&-pleated Naugahyde amps. Various wattage's ... various speaker configurations. They are extremely versatile (rock guitar, keyboards, bass ... even P.A. Some models work very well at producing astounding jazz-guitar tones. Plus -- the "cool factor" (visually) is off-the-charts.
My high school has some Roland cubes in our music class, I LOVE the reverb of it, can get some Smiths or Cure sounds outta there. The Roland JC-120 is one I def have my eyes on, but that weight does sound scary. Last spring-summer (when there was no covid in my small town) me and my friend would jam, and carry our gear across town and even just my small ~15 pound Behinger amp was a pain to carry around! (great video btw!)
80# is not very heavy. I have never gigged, I play at home for myself. But I carry bundles of shingles around at work all day, weighing in at 80lbs. Unless you are packing that thing a 1/4 mile it seems like a twin in one hand, and guitar in other is no that big of a deal, up a flight of stairs, or two. If it is, mabey get a hand truck. SFTR run $800 in the used market. And are hand wired. They also sound beautifull. I use a blond Bandmaster, a SF Vibrochamp,and one of my absolute favorite sounding clean amps, a 1974 Peavey Classic. S.S. pre, 6L6 output, and $200 all day long. Not hand wired, but pots,and input jacks are not board mounted. The early ones like mine have shit speakers, later mdels are better. My opinion
80 pounds wasn't heavy when I was gigging with my Twin Reverb in my late teens and early twenties. Now that I'm 50? Too heavy. Enjoy your youth, good sir. ;-)
I recently purchased The Roland Jazz Chorus 40. Roland produced it in 2015 and is a 40th Anniversary, scaled-down from a JC120, it has great effects, 2x10's, and only weighs 35 lbs. I highly recommend it for jazz. Great video!
I was thinking the same thing. There's been a whole line of Roland Jazz Chorus amps, and if weight and price are issues, the JC120 nearly tops out the line in both categories. But if you can find one, a JC77 is a great option, too. Think of a JC40, but with twice the power!
When I was using a Marshall stack, playing full time, hanging out in music stores in Toronto, I was told to try a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 the first year they came out. That was the first transistor amp that sounded warm, and that was the clean sound, not having any usable distortion. I borrowed one and took it back to my hometown music store, and they ended up getting the franchise.
I have a JC-40 and found the stock speakers a bit too thin sounding for jazz. I replaced with Eminence Rajin Cajun's which gave it more bottom end punch, but also lost some volume (8 vs. 4 ohms?). I am using it for jazz but find it tops out in volume at about 6 and tends to get buried when everyone else gets loud. The JC-40 also has a little of the hiss, but not as bad as the JC-120.
I watched this video when it came out and, based on Richie's advice, I bought the Quilter 101 mini head. I also found a used cabinet and put an Eminence V128 12 inch speaker in it. Wow! This mini head has a killer jazz tone! I also play blues and classic rock with it. It has a very sweet tube-like overdrive, It takes pedals very well. Thank you Richie for sharing your experience with us.
Richie, another great jazz amp which comes as a combo and weights less than 18 lbs is the "DV Mark Jazz 12". This is a superb amp for jazz with a Neodymium speaker, 45 Watts, XLR out, a headphones output, and even a AUX input for your Ipod to play along backingtracks or practice. I've been using it for awhile and even Sean (your previous student here in Orlando) is using it. It sells for $499 retail but can be found for $350 or even less used. The company that makes it is an Italian company that makes mostly bass amps.
Good to hear from you Arnold! Yeah, a lot of people have been telling me about the DV Mark Jazz 12. They are very hard to find here in the US. Where did you get it? (not that I need another amp, but to let others know). Let's hook up next time I'm in Orlando. Send me an email with your contact info when you get a chance.
I have an Acoustic Image Clarus (not the SL-R)that I bought used for a bass amp. It lost it's power supply after a few years so I called the factory to see what to do. The president of the company took the call, asked me a few questions, diagnosed the problem, told me how to send it in for repair. A few weeks later, it was back, with a new carry bag and, they paid the postage! That's standing behind your product. Still working fine more than five years later.
Very nice, no frills clip - thank you very much. I am very surprised that the Polytone Mini Brute did not make it into your Top5 amps, and just got a very brief mention. I will most deff take a Mini Brute over a Blues Jr . . . but that is just me.
I have a Roland JC-50 from 1982, it's lighter than the 120 but has plenty of power for my needs. It does not do stereo chorus unless you add an external speaker.
I concur with the previous entry from Paul Gibby about the AER Compact 60. I've used it for over 10 years as my main gigging amp for all types of music; Classical, Standards, Folk, Jazz, Rocknroll. It sounds good with a Gibson 335 or a Taylor Grand Auditorium model. It is light (less than 15 lbs) and you can get a carrying case. I can make it from the car to the venue in one trip without a cart. Its not cheap, but it's worth the price. The first time I ever played through it I thought I was truly hearing myself for the first time. It is super clean, transparent and articulate but you can push it with a 335 to get some bite. It works in small rooms, noisy clubs and large auditoriums though in the big room you could use a line out to the house speakers as an aid. I've never had one issue with it.
Hello Richie, I am very satisfied with the german AER amps. Many jazz guitarists in Europe use them. They have a very nice sound, also with acoustic-electric instruments.
Thank you for including non-tube amps. I've played some amazing sounding tube amps but there are plenty of very fine solid state amps now and the tubes are such a pain.
I agree...I no longer use tube amps, except when I need to do a fusion or bluesier type of gig where I want some overdrive. Nothing beats a good tube amp to give it that edge!
Related: what if you want an amp that cleans up but has some tube breakup, takes pedals well, is the size of a Blues Jr. but with more bass (I also sometimes play a mini synth through my pedalboard rig)? Does such an amp exist?
I have and use the Quilter mach2 head and the mach2 combo and, I have one of Quilter's TB200, a head with 200 watts of power. I have not found better amps, so far. I also have a polytone sitting right next to my desk and use it very often. Great amplifiers.
I love and still use my Polytone Megabrute! ...and my favourite, at the moment, is my new DV Mark "Little Jazz" amp. Both are solid state. The best (to my taste) jazz guitar sound I ever got was with my (tube) Yamaha T 100 C amp but it's definitely too heavy for me (that's why I'm finally selling it!). And, by the way, the best cheap amp I've found for a good jazz tone is the (solid state) Fender Champion 40 (which also has a second channel with effects etc.) ...check it out!
I have a Yamaha G100 2-12 ll, the parametric EQ is very useful, nice clean amp, a little barky with humbuckers, the EQ helps to brighten and thin it up very well.
For the last 16 years, I’ve used a Tech 21 Trademark 60 with 1/12: It weighs in at 35 pounds. The tone is phenomenal. The only drawback is that you must plug in the foot switch to get clean power, even if you don’t use it. Mine has has an Eminence- red,white and blues Patriot speaker for forever. I’m not looking for another amp.
I use a princeton reverb 65 re issue for all jazz gigs it has the perfect jazz tone and is really huge in its sound ;2.5 on the volume and it has filled most rooms. I uprated the speaker to eminence 10 inch for even more volume and tone and it responds to your playing perfectly -it is not cheap but it beats most boutique amps hands down.
Great review thanks, I’m going to put a plug-in for the fender blues deluxe. I have one with an Alnico speaker. I’m surprised more of you jazz guys didn’t check it out. It has 6l6 tubes. The blues Junior has EL 84s. That is a different concept. Great reading all the reviews.
I switched to a Hendriksen 112 ER a few years ago..a few years older than yours but I think about the same..great amp!! I like the sound of old Polytones, but I understand they are hard to repair because old germanium transistors are hard to come by..do not quote me. I had a Fender Vibro King for a while..sounded great especially with my Super 400..but 73 pounds!! an old 65-67 Blackface Pro Reverb with two 12"s sounds great..but have to patch two channels together to cut out some of the boomy low end I still have a 61 Concert amp..maybe my favorite sound yet..also an old early brown face Pro amp or a Super sound fantastic with an archtop
Walter Woods Hand made amps by Walter in Southern Cal. The warm, clean sound through Bose speakers is the best I've heard. Jazz bass players also love them. I still have my boosted Fender Twin with JBL's in the garage (from my rock band days) and still use my Polytone Mini-Brute II (2 of 'em; got an early fuzzy one (softer sound) and a "newer" diamond vinyl one (a bit punchier sound)) for smaller gigs and jams. But the Walter Woods/Bose setup is supreme - distinctly the best. I will often set up "Wally & Poly" for stereo chorus - so much better, more spacious sounding, when separated wide apart, compared to say the Roland Jazz Chorus 120 - also a good sounding amp and decent chorus, but can't compete with Wally & Poly. Edit 3 years later: I meant to also mention that ALL of those amps are great - very good list! I wouldn't drop any of them from the list. But I might add the Walter Woods, the Polytone Mini-Brute and a DV Mark model.
I didn't know anyone used Bose speakers in a guitar amp. Bose are the best. I custom ordered full range Electro-Voice speakers for my Marshall set-up, and that allowed me a full range of tones. My favorite Fender amp from back then was the Quad Reverb, very rare.
i have a small roland micro cube amp, and was amazed at the volume and projection. as a practice amp i give a thumbs up. but never played it in a gig, it does have reverb and effects. a cute little amp with some punch and weighs nothing . very easy on the back and storage.
Thanks for review - very informative. You might want to check Evans amps. I own two at the moment. 150W, reverb, very precise EQ (5 controls), XLR and 1/4 out, headphones out, external speaker. Very clean and loud. Originally made for pedal steel player and voiced somewhat bright - I remember that when I moved from Polytone Brute to Evans I had to adjust my picking because everything could be heard. But if you pick right and roll off Treble to 1-2 you get nice rounded tone. I have a combo and a head (with tube preamp) that I use as practice, recording amp (with cab emulator). They are pricey if you buy them new (~$1200) but used one can be found for much less - I bought combo one for $600 w/ external cab. And head for $500 with two external cabs. Workmanship is excellent - never had a single issue with either one (bought combo 12 years aho or so). I also use Blues Jr - mostly for jazz jams - most people do not know how to properly dial Evans and BJr is just familiar amp that most people like - so as a friendly gesture to other jammers I haul in BJr. SLR is a very interesting idea - it used to be golden standard on all the jazz forums. Need to check this one out. From a completely different area - have you tried Positive Grid's BIAS MINI - 300W modeling head?
Thanks for the info about the Fender Jazz Ultralight! I saw one for sale at a good price and was interested. But your testimony explains why they stopped making it, and why I'm not buying it now.
Very informative review, thanks. I am not a jazzbo, more of an acoustic roots vocals /guitar generalist (blues, Cajun, Irish bluegrass, etc, etc) I have owned a Polytone Mini Brute II for decades. If ever I delve into jazz, I'll be firing that up. I have a Vox Pathfinder with reverb and vibrato, great sounds for low volume , speaker out, headphone out, very light and only about $120.
About 12 or 15 years ago I got a Rivera Sedona Lite. 55 watts of pure tube tone and only 45 lbs compared to the 65 lb standard Sedona or a Fender Twin. It has great tone and great EQ, but now that I"m well past 70 yrs old, it stays in my house. I know a couple younger players who also have these and have made the same decision. Henriksen is what everybody I know is switching to. Right now, I'm using my grandson's Boss Katana. It's not the Rivera, but when it is dialed in well most people in the audience can't tell or don't care. The really good part for me is that Henriksen is in Arvada, Colorado, only about 300 miles away. I can go right to his shop to pick one up when I've got the bread.
I have the Quilter Aviator. Kills for my archtops as well as my solid body guitars. Love the clean tones and versatility. Can play backing tracks through it and they sound full and clear, while I use other channel for sweet guitar tone.
I took a Fender Frontman 25R fiddled a bit with the circuitry, stuck an old Carvin 10 inch 400 watt bass speaker. Fantastic tone, people always ask what tubes does it have, they are flashed when they hear the tone.
If you play styles other than jazz, get a Quilter Micropro 200. This is my second one. The Mach 2 model. I used my first Micropro for 2 years before the cabinet was split up in an auto accident. I had the cabinet GLUED back together and used it for another 2 years before it started developing problems. I have the 8 inch speaker which is perfect for most gigs. 200 watts and 19 pounds. Full featured. Totally adjustable Tremolo and Reverb. 2 channels (switchable]. The gain channel has every filter you would ever need. I use mine clean for 90% of my weekly gig. Oh yeah, get the footswitch with it. It is another $100 but worth it!
Jazz guitar channel guitarist - Around thanksgiving ‘20 I bought a Boss Nextone 40 watt. Has a rich, warm, bassy sound available when tweeked. The treble and the Presence can be tweaked also for more sizzle, but we don’t use that too much in your type of jazz genre. It has a tremolo on it. And in my mind, it sounds like a Fender Princeton. I have a Roland Microcube 3watt, which I get a lot of compliments on the sound of. To me, it has that beautiful Microcube sound. It’s a Roland. 29 pounds, just getting into the limits of carrying ability, but still just maneuverable. And transistor, so I don’t have to worry. I just plug in and play. Got it used ( mint condition)at Guitar center for $349. Jazz guitar guitarist- You are very personable here on your channel. The way you talk to and share Jazz information on your channel. I wish you lived on my block so I could sit around the living room and jam with you a couple times a month. I like your Joe Zwanuil beanie. Very cool. I like Hendrix and Gary Moore and Van Halen......but then there are times when I get a feeling for some Kenny Burrell orJimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff. Fellas, go and take a Roland Boss Nextone for a test drive. From a “ Jazz Forum with Dick Buckley on WBEZ in Chicago. 91.5 FM “ in the’80’s As he used to sign off: “.............Happiness ! ...”
thanks Rich; great info. i have two fender blues juniors , i use one for the small venues and slave two for weddings ,& outside stuff in summer . their is a slight hum associated with the two together. nobody hears it but me.. Frank.
Fender came out with the Princeton amp that now has a 12' speaker in it. Sounds great and is a tube amp. Of course, tubes don't sound dead like some of the none-tubes amps.
I hafta add some older man comments. The New York musicians union decided to custom order amps for studios and stations to create the "New York sound". I saw my first ones in 1970, and they were left-overs from those days. That was more about a depth of tone with cleaner bass. They got Ampeg to build them. These were cubes where the top had a lid. You undid the lid and turned it upside-down to set it up. Here in Ontario, I've only seen the bass amps with 15" speakers, session players with Elvin Jones and Herbie Mann using them with electric basses, and they fooled me, sounding exactly like uprights. They had small tubes, no New York solid state of mind.
Yeah, my old garage rock band bass player had one of those Ampeg's with the flip over amp top, held by latches on the side. Sounded great. Surely expensive vintage now.
I agree when it comes to purchasing a ready built amp the Polytone brute is my choice BUT Through listening any good Jazz amp can also be used to Play mono HiFi Which come down to my choice The Leak TL50 tube amp (only available used) Was designed for high quality HiFi couple this with a Goodmans Audio 61 X 12" speaker and arguably you have the finest sounding jazz amp available Cons You have to make a Housing Cabinet but not much larger than the Polytone Brute Tony Arnold @ Helios Electronics Ltd
I have several different amps and use different ones in different situations, but the one I’ve been using the most with my acoustic archtops is a Carvin AG300. The guys I gig with seem to like it better than the Polytone, Fender’s, etc. I decided to try it after remembering Joe Pass playing straight through a PA and it is basically a small PA system. It has a horn loaded 12” woofer, a 6.5” midrange, a titanium tweeter, a dual effects, 250W, 3 channels with 1/4”, XLR, and 1/8” for MP3 players, a USB charging port, weighs about 30lbs, and I think was only $400, at the time I bought it. It will accommodate acoustic/electric bass and mics. All 7 inputs can be used simultaneously, which I’ve never done, but there are only 3 channels, so balance of volumes could be tricky. It’s a nice for small room solo, solo with tracks, duo, trios. Not the best sounding, but acceptable. Carvin is no longer producing amps. There were some problems with the effects on some of the earlier builds.
The story regarding the Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster is one of the most exciting anecdotes I have heard - I was transfixed and the ending was a genuine surprise. PS If a small red LED is flashing while reading the above, your sarcasm-detector is in good working order.
Thanks Richie for good and easily understandable lessons and advice. On my side, going from blues to jazz, my amp is an Ibanez TSA 15, with a Celestion G12H25 that I fitted as a replacement to original Celestion 70-80 for a clearer sounding. EQ very efficient to find your tone. Really cheap tube amp too.
I had a Fender Tweed Deluxe clone made from a kit and love it. Like the one used in the Rudi van Gelder studio in the early 60's. Although It has a Cannabis Rex speaker with a hemp cone it. Very efficient with a surprising amount of headroom and a thick creamy jazz tone with a humbuckered archtop.. The EQ is very limited though. Even less than on the old Polytones. However I admit I do miss the instant good tone of the Mini Brute IV that I foolishly sold some years ago.
The stories of certain amps dying on the bandstand had me shivering. Anecdotally, the Jazz Chorus 120 I own that I've had since around 1985 has needed absolutely no maintenance at all except one fuse about 3 years ago - otherwise it just keeps on going. Worth a try since they produced a smaller (hence lighter) JC-77 and JC-55 models.
i have a Roland 120 as well & it's a M-O-N-S-T-E-R (both in weight & in output). personally, i think the tone is nonpareil but i'm not gonna' dispute that the weight might make it a deal breaker for gigging musicians (i myself am not such a feller). mine stays pretty much put (i did build a little custom wooden platform for it that has casters for mobility - if i wish to scoot it around the room a bit - and i like it "up" off the floor a smidge too) but it's probably my favorite amp among 2 Fender's (tube), 1 Vox (modeling), an 80's model Peavey & another 80's solid state icon, the Randall RG 80-112SC that has the orig. Celestion speaker that i had professionally re-coned. i'm a fan of the tube warmth no doubt but that Roland Jazz Chorus is as creamy as meringue on lemon pie. like yours, it's never required a lick of maintenance or repairs either.
That's why I was thinking the JC-77 or JC-55 might be a better fit for people with issues carrying heavy amplifiers. The JC-120 weight is mitigated somewhat by having it on permanently mounted casters so I can roll it around like luggage if necessary.
Thanks for the very fine review. Another story: I´ve had 2 Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster amps since 2007. Still working after many concerts all the years. For me the best sounding and light weight. 2 channels. Ultra clean up to max /and gain channel going from clean to smooth and clear blues. I´ve tried the most, but keep getting back to JMUL. Oh and it can be loud as a MESA boogie
You're lucky with those Ultralights...wish I could get mine fixed and working for more than a couple of weeks. Believe me, I've taken it in twice to be repaired and it has died on me in mid gig after a few weeks. Great sounding amp when it works! Too bad it was discontinued.
I certainly believe your story, and it seems that Fender didn´t take their time to solve the problem . Or, maybe your JMUL was kind of 1. edition ? I live in Europe , so mine could be a 2. edition. I think I bought it in 2007. Just a foolish thought, I know.
For years I used a Peavey Custom Artist-great sound, but a heavy SOB! 4x6L6GC's, two preamps which can be run in series or parallel and a 12" speaker. Then when it died I switched to Voxes-first a DA5, then AD50VT and finally 2xAD15VT's with an AB/Y pedal, a fun way to play. Unfortunately the 15's both developed problems, and I wanted something a little more versatile than my '51 Fender 5A3 Deluxe, which, needless to say, is a superb amp, but for my gigging purposes a bit of a one trick pony unless you haul a box full of pedals. Finally, after a lot of research, I am currently using a Fender Mustang iii modeling amp, which contrary to some reports is a good all round jazz amp if you're playing a lot of different jazz styles. It's definitely not "plug and play", but if you're willing to spend some tweaking time, you can get some really good sounds out of it. One thing I like about it, apart from the weight (36 lbs, as opposed to my AD50 at 46 lbs), is that with 100 tweakable preset possibilities I can set up my different guitars for a consistent sound across the board, as well as create custom sounds for each guitar. You can mix and match different amp models and cabinets, and there are some very usable effects as well. I switch backwards and forwards between a '76 Ibanez Custom Agent (Les Paul clone), an Ibanez SA220EX (Two-humbucker Superstrat style), a '62 Guild T100D with Franz P90's, a Douglas WNO 630 (kind of a Gretsch archtop clone but with regular humbuckers) and a Gianninni Craviola with a Fishman NEO-D soundhole humbucker. The amp is not made any more, but can be readily found on Reverb or Craigslist for very reasonable prices (I got mine for $150 …) Check it out!
A great jazz amp (don't know if still available) is the Mesa Boogie blue angel tube powered, switchable rectifier EL84's and 6V6. Also the Ampeg roc-jet, 1-12' speaker, tube powered EL84 tubes. Ultra-light non tube, check out the Phil Jones combo!!
Hi Richie have tried the Mambo Jazz Amp mad in the UK Standard features on all Mambo Amps 200 + 200 W rms continuous power rating whisper-quiet electronics pure clean tone or with added harmonics (switcheable, your choice) balanced XLR direct output (DI) effects loop 24 bit digital reverb, with depth and delay-time controls hand-made Scandinavian birch ply cabinet two guitar input jacks line level input (mini jack) for MP3 / CD headphone output (mini jack) European or US mains voltage (specify when ordering)
i have and would also recommend as many do, the late 80's black knob fender princeton stereo chorus but it does weigh 38 pounds but sound allot like a twin
Vox AC30 - if its good enough for Sco'....class A circuit 'stands up' with punch like a fast SS circuit, yet blooms beautifully from the tube saturation. Extremely versatile!
That was fun. I've been fortunate with the purchase of a used Roland Acoustic Chorus 100, which, once carried up three flights of stairs into my bedroom, hasn't moved one inch in over 20 years. That's a lot of service for the $400. that I paid for it. Has a notch filter, along with it's reverb and Chorus. What I really like about this amp is that you don't hear a size with it. With smaller amps you hear a size. It sounds nice and fat with an archtop. I thought there was a little AR amp that jazz pros used. Went for about $1100.
I love this man. Its like the jurasic park owner giving you the tour when the baby dinosaur is born. Awsome guy
😂😂😂👏👏
Hahaha
I'm a metal head and those Roland jazz chorus are legit amps for clean sounds.
Everybody talks about a the JC-120, but my buddy had a JC-50 and that thing sounded amazing.
Yes they are so clean they are boderline surgically sterile.
As a brand new Jazz guitar student, this video was very helpful! So, last week I looked online for a Roland Cube 40, couldn't find one anywhere close to my area, then a few days ago located a Cube 60, but the seller never responded. However, today I found a mint condition Roland Cube 80GX, and plan to buy it in a few minutes. Thanks again...
Roland makes the JC-40 and JC-22, both stereo chorus amps and they won't break your back.
Love my JC 40
The old Roland Jazz Chorus 120 combo is clean and full sounding.
Wow-what an amazing find! I’m just getting into jazz guitar and it’s like he’s reading my mind. Thank you, Richie!
Thanks for the reviews. They were a lot of fun to watch. I have a Roland Jazz Chorus 40 which is still freaking loud in the house! It's pretty nice. For jazz (and my archtops) I think my ASG-150 (Godin) amp is pretty gorgeous. It's got a lot of headroom and 4 inputs all with equalization, reverb etc, so it's like having a mini mixing board as well as amp.
I own a Roland Cube 30, and I love it much. It will certainly stay with me on my soon-to-begin journey with a jazz-tweaked 7-string solid body guitar. Love this amp.
Ritchie, you are such a friendly and professional friend to all jazz guitarists. 'Thank You sooo much' I am a gigging professional and I always heed and reccomend your great advice. What a public spirited soul you are. Bless you.
Thanks Stevie for your uplifting feedback...this TH-cam thing can be cold and lonely most of the time...you made my day! 😀
The best video review I've seen, I agree 100 % with your comments. You have a new fan.
Love my DV Matk Little Jazz...as a newbie for home practice!
Great video! I have a Fender Bassbreaker 15 and the low gain structure has a wonderfully warm jazz sound with lots of headroom. I preferred it over the Blues Jr.
I have a Boss Kitana amp that I'm pretty pleased with. One 12-inch speaker, up to 50 watts, delay and amp modeling. I got it from a local music store some years back, and remember paying about $250 for it. Highly recommended as a jazz amp. All my guitars sound good through it.
Snap! For me, the Boss Katana is excellent. My one misgiving about it is that on one occasion I dropped it, and the amp repair specialist had considerable difficulty in repairing it. His comment was that it is built to a budget and is therefore rather more delicate and vulnerable than many other amps.
My suspicion is that the (now discontinued) Roland Cube 40 and the Roland Jazz Chorus JC 40 are more robust amps.
Great video! I chuckled about the Twin and Jazz Chorus reviews about their weights. Never seen the Quilter or Clarus amps although they sound like they'd be cool. I've seen a Henrikson Jazz amp but didn't have the time that afternoon to try it. Thanks for sharing!
The Clarus SLR can be had as a combo. You need to order it that way from a dealer. Raezers Edge makes a speaker cab designed to accommodate a Clarus head.
Great reviews. I used to have a Polytone 100W, I bought it from Ron Eschete. For me this is the best amp for jazz, there is no feedback for hollowbody guitar and it has a parametic EQ which is excellent. Thanks.
That's a classic and wonderful amp. When I saw/heard Joe Pass in the late '70's that's what he was playing. I remember they were expensive. I ended up getting a Mini-Brute II, and was (still am) happy with it. But the full size sounded even better. Too bad you no longer have it!
Wow i have a new found respect for Richie after listening to him playing...Really great stuff.Bravo.Maybe some day i will be half as good.
I really appreciate your insight and experience with being truthful and accurate with your amp descriptions. Very helpful to me... especially as I am a 58 yo bassist playing some rudimentary licks on jazz guitarr. BTW, I thought I had to learn a lot with those bass charts during studio sessions over the last 35 years! ....Then I discovered YOUR OF THE STORY. Santa Claus didn't grant my wish...A fifth finger to make those chords! God bless you and those your love, and a happy new year to you, my friend! Also, I purchased a AI Clarus and a Raezers Edge cab last year based on your advice. I am totaly happy with my choice. Also, the AI can double as my upright amp. Again, thanks!
I agree the Fender Blues Junior is a good amp for jazz. I own one and it is my favorite amp
I have one but Im struggling. What guitar and amp settings please?
@@davidosbiston9699 Gibson Les Paul standard humbuckers. Treble 5 Bass 3 Middle 9 reverb 4
@@jshackelford31 and the guitar tone pot
A superb video! I have been a big fan of jazz ever since I heard Wes Montgomery as a kid in the ´60s. He was my first inspiration for wanting to play guitar. I saw him twice in concert while attending high school. His amp back then was a Fender Super Reverb. I once owned a Super Reverb myself . Unfortunately, it was stolen many years ago. I now use a ´65 Twin Reverb Reissue along with a Marshall JVM410. I play both amps together clean, in stereo, and somehow the sound is phenomenal. For what it´s worth, I´ve heard that DV Mark amps are excellent for jazz. Frank Gambale swears by them.
DV Mark amps are lifeless and sterile.. I bought one and sent it back after 5 minutes. Gambale is also a sterile player so you can't listen to anything he says.
Great vid, Richie! I'm another owner of the DV Mark Little Jazz and I'm superhappy with it, great clean tone, packed with useful features for the price tag, and ideal for bedroom practicing even though it also can be incredibly loud for its small size.
Nice roundup of jazz guitar amps! The Fender Deluxe Reverb is my go-to jazz amp for smaller venues - brings out the tonal nuances of my Gibson "Tal Farlow" guitar!
Deep Water I’m a fan of the Blackface Deluxe reissue as well. I find the transistor “Jazz amps” to be boomy and sterile.
Same here. I’ve used it with JBL D120F, which is clear and clean. A Cannabis Rex adds some warmth at the expense of clean volume.
@@hackerguitar Hah. I've got a pair of JBL D120F's in my '68 Fender Twin - as if it wasn't heavy enough with the standard Jensens. I like the D120's better than the later K120's (sweeter vs. punchier).
I have a fender twin reverb that I absolutely love m but it’s size and weight indeed has meant that it stays in storage amback where I grew up as it’s to expenseice
To ship and I haven’t had the ooopetunity to do a cross country road trip with it yet….but someday!
Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Blues Jr
Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster
Roland Jazz Chorus 120
Roland Cube
Micro Pro Match 2
Herniksen Jazz Amp 310
Misho Gigov, You for got the Polytone amps.
I pined for a JC-120 for decades. I finally bought a JC-40 earlier this year; it's much more practical for me. I love it. Great video. Just subscribed!
How do you like the JC-40? I’ve been considering getting one myself.
@@michaelmcclain3399 I know you didn't ask me but I've had the jc-40 for a few years now and I think it's great. The built in distortion isn't anything to write home about but the clean tones are wonderful. I will say that it's still decently heavy at almost 35lbs, but for a practice amp that occasionally makes it to the session, I love it.
I have a JC-80. It’s the middle of the road, but I don’t think they make it anymore. I really love it.
Some years ago I gigged with a jazz guitarist who used an Ampeg Gemini II. It hasn't been made for years, but produced a great jazz tone through its single 15" speaker. Every now and then you can run across a used one.
The Henricksen is a great amp. Price is around $1000 for the 310. Sounds great. I did some servicing on one a couple of years ago. Great build quality.
Well, I never would have thought it, but after playing many many amps, my favorite clean jazz tone comes out of an old Marshall Lead 12.
Jim Mullen uses a Gallen Cruger bass amp, roundwound strings and a thumb and he sounds great.
Thank you Richie very helpful and succinct. In the UK a second hand possibility could be the Laney VC15 - tube amp (10 inch speaker), similar to the Fender Blues Junior.
i use an old 80s fane minicub 60..bought it on ebay for 50 dollars..it really does an amazing jazz job..warm and deep..i use a vintage stimer pup..
your vids are very enjoyable..many thanks indeed
I have a Fender Mustang 20w,nice clean sound, effects and everything.Even used it in a small gig once,it did the job.Cheapest good sounding amp.
I have several of the old (late 1960's) Kustom rolled-&-pleated Naugahyde amps. Various wattage's ... various speaker configurations. They are extremely versatile (rock guitar, keyboards, bass ... even P.A. Some models work very well at producing astounding jazz-guitar tones. Plus -- the "cool factor" (visually) is off-the-charts.
Good video. I still have a polytone but I use my Quilter Mach2 combo. I have the Quilter Mach2 head, too. I built my own cabinets.
My high school has some Roland cubes in our music class, I LOVE the reverb of it, can get some Smiths or Cure sounds outta there. The Roland JC-120 is one I def have my eyes on, but that weight does sound scary. Last spring-summer (when there was no covid in my small town) me and my friend would jam, and carry our gear across town and even just my small ~15 pound Behinger amp was a pain to carry around!
(great video btw!)
I have a fender twin reverb, and I love it, yes it is heavy, but the sound is incredible.
Do you find the lack of a ‘middle’ control causes issues for a jazz sound?
@@thelowmein9143 the twin has a middle control
jbguitar ahh! I must be thinking of the deluxe reverb
80# is not very heavy. I have never gigged, I play at home for myself. But I carry bundles of shingles around at work all day, weighing in at 80lbs. Unless you are packing that thing a 1/4 mile it seems like a twin in one hand, and guitar in other is no that big of a deal, up a flight of stairs, or two. If it is, mabey get a hand truck. SFTR run $800 in the used market. And are hand wired. They also sound beautifull. I use a blond Bandmaster, a SF Vibrochamp,and one of my absolute favorite sounding clean amps, a 1974 Peavey Classic. S.S. pre, 6L6 output, and $200 all day long. Not hand wired, but pots,and input jacks are not board mounted. The early ones like mine have shit speakers, later mdels are better. My opinion
80 pounds wasn't heavy when I was gigging with my Twin Reverb in my late teens and early twenties. Now that I'm 50? Too heavy.
Enjoy your youth, good sir. ;-)
I recently purchased The Roland Jazz Chorus 40. Roland produced it in 2015 and is a 40th Anniversary, scaled-down from a JC120, it has great effects, 2x10's, and only weighs 35 lbs. I highly recommend it for jazz. Great video!
I was thinking the same thing. There's been a whole line of Roland Jazz Chorus amps, and if weight and price are issues, the JC120 nearly tops out the line in both categories. But if you can find one, a JC77 is a great option, too. Think of a JC40, but with twice the power!
Cool. I actually have a JC77 I recently purchased used as a practice amp for the house. It is a great amp!
When I was using a Marshall stack, playing full time, hanging out in music
stores in Toronto, I was told to try a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 the first year
they came out. That was the first transistor amp that sounded warm, and that was the clean sound, not having any usable distortion.
I borrowed one and took it back to my hometown music store,
and they ended up getting the franchise.
I have a JC-40 and found the stock speakers a bit too thin sounding for jazz. I replaced with Eminence Rajin Cajun's which gave it more bottom end punch, but also lost some volume (8 vs. 4 ohms?). I am using it for jazz but find it tops out in volume at about 6 and tends to get buried when everyone else gets loud. The JC-40 also has a little of the hiss, but not as bad as the JC-120.
Gary Hudson got one
I just found you channel and love it!! Thank you!
I watched this video when it came out and, based on Richie's advice, I bought the Quilter 101 mini head. I also found a used cabinet and put an Eminence V128 12 inch speaker in it. Wow! This mini head has a killer jazz tone! I also play blues and classic rock with it. It has a very sweet tube-like overdrive, It takes pedals very well. Thank you Richie for sharing your experience with us.
Thanks for sharing Ghislain...glad you're enjoying the Quilter!
Richie, another great jazz amp which comes as a combo and weights less than 18 lbs is the "DV Mark Jazz 12". This is a superb amp for jazz with a Neodymium speaker, 45 Watts, XLR out, a headphones output, and even a AUX input for your Ipod to play along backingtracks or practice. I've been using it for awhile and even Sean (your previous student here in Orlando) is using it. It sells for $499 retail but can be found for $350 or even less used. The company that makes it is an Italian company that makes mostly bass amps.
Good to hear from you Arnold! Yeah, a lot of people have been telling me about the DV Mark Jazz 12. They are very hard to find here in the US. Where did you get it? (not that I need another amp, but to let others know). Let's hook up next time I'm in Orlando. Send me an email with your contact info when you get a chance.
Sent to your info@richiezellon.com email
Sorry, didn't get it...please try again.
Just sent it again Rich, might want to check your spam folder.
Guitar Center Online actually sells DV Mark Jazz amps.
I have an Acoustic Image Clarus (not the SL-R)that I bought used for a bass amp. It lost it's power supply after a few years so I called the factory to see what to do. The president of the company took the call, asked me a few questions, diagnosed the problem, told me how to send it in for repair. A few weeks later, it was back, with a new carry bag and, they paid the postage! That's standing behind your product. Still working fine more than five years later.
Very nice, no frills clip - thank you very much.
I am very surprised that the Polytone Mini Brute did not make it into your Top5 amps, and just got a very brief mention.
I will most deff take a Mini Brute over a Blues Jr . . . but that is just me.
I have a Roland JC-50 from 1982, it's lighter than the 120 but has plenty of power for my needs. It does not do stereo chorus unless you add an external speaker.
Great information. Great presentation. Thanks.
Great ol'boy thank you so much
Thank you .//. I am learning about all this and thank you
I concur with the previous entry from Paul Gibby about the AER Compact 60. I've used it for over 10 years as my main gigging amp for all types of music; Classical, Standards, Folk, Jazz, Rocknroll. It sounds good with a Gibson 335 or a Taylor Grand Auditorium model. It is light (less than 15 lbs) and you can get a carrying case. I can make it from the car to the venue in one trip without a cart. Its not cheap, but it's worth the price. The first time I ever played through it I thought I was truly hearing myself for the first time. It is super clean, transparent and articulate but you can push it with a 335 to get some bite. It works in small rooms, noisy clubs and large auditoriums though in the big room you could use a line out to the house speakers as an aid. I've never had one issue with it.
I have a Fender Blues Jr. Great amp! And very versatile.
Hello Richie, I am very satisfied with the german AER amps. Many jazz guitarists in Europe use them. They have a very nice sound, also with acoustic-electric instruments.
Thank you very much for your invaluable insight!!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for including non-tube amps. I've played some amazing sounding tube amps but there are plenty of very fine solid state amps now and the tubes are such a pain.
I agree...I no longer use tube amps, except when I need to do a fusion or bluesier type of gig where I want some overdrive. Nothing beats a good tube amp to give it that edge!
Related: what if you want an amp that cleans up but has some tube breakup, takes pedals well, is the size of a Blues Jr. but with more bass (I also sometimes play a mini synth through my pedalboard rig)? Does such an amp exist?
I have and use the Quilter mach2 head and the mach2 combo and, I have one of Quilter's TB200, a head with 200 watts of power. I have not found better amps, so far. I also have a polytone sitting right next to my desk and use it very often. Great amplifiers.
Great review, you were spot on about all the amps you mentioned! That said, I prefer tube amps! 😊
hi ,i used a twin with 12L evS.till my back could no longer take it .i now use roland cube 80 x2 plus roland 12 cabs x 2 in stero .sounds great.
I love and still use my Polytone Megabrute! ...and my favourite, at the moment, is my new DV Mark "Little Jazz" amp. Both are solid state. The best (to my taste) jazz guitar sound I ever got was with my (tube) Yamaha T 100 C amp but it's definitely too heavy for me (that's why I'm finally selling it!). And, by the way, the best cheap amp I've found for a good jazz tone is the (solid state) Fender Champion 40 (which also has a second channel with effects etc.) ...check it out!
I have a Yamaha G100 2-12 ll, the parametric EQ is very useful, nice clean amp, a little barky with humbuckers, the EQ helps to brighten and thin it up very well.
I have one too, also a 1x12 and a 2x10. Very reliable and great for jazz.
For the last 16 years, I’ve used a Tech 21 Trademark 60 with 1/12: It weighs in at 35 pounds. The tone is phenomenal. The only drawback is that you must plug in the foot switch to get clean power, even if you don’t use it. Mine has has an Eminence- red,white and blues Patriot speaker for forever. I’m not looking for another amp.
I had one, great amp, mine was stolen. I used the smaller version in an orchestra setting for several years going direct into FOH.
I use a princeton reverb 65 re issue for all jazz gigs it has the perfect jazz tone and is really huge in its sound ;2.5 on the volume and it has filled most rooms. I uprated the speaker to eminence 10 inch for even more volume and tone and it responds to your playing perfectly -it is not cheap but it beats most boutique amps hands down.
Great review thanks, I’m going to put a plug-in for the fender blues deluxe. I have one with an Alnico speaker. I’m surprised more of you jazz guys didn’t check it out. It has 6l6 tubes. The blues Junior has EL 84s. That is a different concept. Great reading all the reviews.
Thank you Richie. Very informative, helpful video.
I switched to a Hendriksen 112 ER a few years ago..a few years older than yours but I think about the same..great amp!!
I like the sound of old Polytones, but I understand they are hard to repair because old germanium transistors are hard to come by..do not quote me.
I had a Fender Vibro King for a while..sounded great especially with my Super 400..but 73 pounds!!
an old 65-67 Blackface Pro Reverb with two 12"s sounds great..but have to patch two channels together to cut out some of the boomy low end
I still have a 61 Concert amp..maybe my favorite sound yet..also an old early brown face Pro amp or a
Super sound fantastic with an archtop
Yeah, all those Fender amps are good...but boy are they heavy!
Hey! Are you in the south Florida Area? id love to take lessons from you.
2 years later and we now have the Quilter Aviator Cub to consider. And the Henriksen 312 ER is great too at a few hundred dollars more.
Walter Woods
Hand made amps by Walter in Southern Cal. The warm, clean sound through Bose speakers is the best I've heard. Jazz bass players also love them.
I still have my boosted Fender Twin with JBL's in the garage (from my rock band days) and still use my Polytone Mini-Brute II (2 of 'em; got an early fuzzy one (softer sound) and a "newer" diamond vinyl one (a bit punchier sound)) for smaller gigs and jams. But the Walter Woods/Bose setup is supreme - distinctly the best. I will often set up "Wally & Poly" for stereo chorus - so much better, more spacious sounding, when separated wide apart, compared to say the Roland Jazz Chorus 120 - also a good sounding amp and decent chorus, but can't compete with Wally & Poly.
Edit 3 years later: I meant to also mention that ALL of those amps are great - very good list! I wouldn't drop any of them from the list. But I might add the Walter Woods, the Polytone Mini-Brute and a DV Mark model.
yes, Steve Swallow uses a WW for his bass.
I didn't know anyone used Bose speakers in a guitar amp. Bose are the best.
I custom ordered full range Electro-Voice speakers for my Marshall set-up,
and that allowed me a full range of tones.
My favorite Fender amp from back then was the Quad Reverb, very rare.
Great video!
Hi from Texas- sure do appreciate your content!
i have a small roland micro cube amp, and was amazed at the volume and projection. as a practice amp i give a thumbs up. but never played it in a gig, it does have reverb and effects. a cute little amp with some punch and weighs nothing . very easy on the back and storage.
I have 2 hybrid Evans amps-one with a 10" and one with a 12" speaker. they each have 2 tubes. I like them
Thanks for review - very informative. You might want to check Evans amps. I own two at the moment. 150W, reverb, very precise EQ (5 controls), XLR and 1/4 out, headphones out, external speaker. Very clean and loud. Originally made for pedal steel player and voiced somewhat bright - I remember that when I moved from Polytone Brute to Evans I had to adjust my picking because everything could be heard. But if you pick right and roll off Treble to 1-2 you get nice rounded tone. I have a combo and a head (with tube preamp) that I use as practice, recording amp (with cab emulator). They are pricey if you buy them new (~$1200) but used one can be found for much less - I bought combo one for $600 w/ external cab. And head for $500 with two external cabs. Workmanship is excellent - never had a single issue with either one (bought combo 12 years aho or so).
I also use Blues Jr - mostly for jazz jams - most people do not know how to properly dial Evans and BJr is just familiar amp that most people like - so as a friendly gesture to other jammers I haul in BJr.
SLR is a very interesting idea - it used to be golden standard on all the jazz forums. Need to check this one out.
From a completely different area - have you tried Positive Grid's BIAS MINI - 300W modeling head?
Thanks for the info about the Fender Jazz Ultralight! I saw one for sale at a good price and was interested. But your testimony explains why they stopped making it, and why I'm not buying it now.
I´ve had 2 from 2007. Still using them. Would NEVER sell..
Very informative review, thanks. I am not a jazzbo, more of an acoustic roots vocals /guitar generalist (blues, Cajun, Irish bluegrass, etc, etc) I have owned a Polytone Mini Brute II for decades. If ever I delve into jazz, I'll be firing that up. I have a Vox Pathfinder with reverb and vibrato, great sounds for low volume , speaker out, headphone out, very light and only about $120.
About 12 or 15 years ago I got a Rivera Sedona Lite. 55 watts of pure tube tone and only 45 lbs compared to the 65 lb standard Sedona or a Fender Twin. It has great tone and great EQ, but now that I"m well past 70 yrs old, it stays in my house. I know a couple younger players who also have these and have made the same decision. Henriksen is what everybody I know is switching to. Right now, I'm using my grandson's Boss Katana. It's not the Rivera, but when it is dialed in well most people in the audience can't tell or don't care. The really good part for me is that Henriksen is in Arvada, Colorado, only about 300 miles away. I can go right to his shop to pick one up when I've got the bread.
I have the Quilter Aviator. Kills for my archtops as well as my solid body guitars.
Love the clean tones and versatility. Can play backing tracks through it and they sound full and clear, while I use other channel for sweet guitar tone.
I took a Fender Frontman 25R fiddled a bit with the circuitry, stuck an old Carvin 10 inch 400 watt bass speaker. Fantastic tone, people always ask what tubes does it have, they are flashed when they hear the tone.
Just picked up a Roland JC-55 today. 2-8 inch speakers I believe. So far so good…it’s really light, very compact and a decent volume for home use.
I have a pair of Roland Cube 80GX I purchased new shortly after they were released. Versatile, portable rig.
Thanks very much for this list of amps! I'm currently looking to purchase another amp and will definitely check out at least your top 3.
If you play styles other than jazz, get a Quilter Micropro 200. This is my second one. The Mach 2 model. I used my first Micropro for 2 years before the cabinet was split up in an auto accident. I had the cabinet GLUED back together and used it for another 2 years before it started developing problems. I have the 8 inch speaker which is perfect for most gigs. 200 watts and 19 pounds. Full featured. Totally adjustable Tremolo and Reverb. 2 channels (switchable]. The gain channel has every filter you would ever need. I use mine clean for 90% of my weekly gig. Oh yeah, get the footswitch with it. It is another $100 but worth it!
Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely look into it.
I have a cube 80 and it's really nice with a 12" speaker. Like you said Roland discontinued that series. I like it.
Jazz guitar channel guitarist -
Around thanksgiving ‘20 I bought a Boss Nextone 40 watt. Has a rich, warm, bassy sound available when tweeked. The treble and the Presence can be tweaked also for more sizzle, but we don’t use that too much in your type of jazz genre.
It has a tremolo on it. And in my mind, it sounds like a Fender Princeton.
I have a Roland Microcube 3watt, which I get a lot of compliments on the sound of. To me, it has that beautiful Microcube sound.
It’s a Roland.
29 pounds, just getting into the limits of carrying ability, but still just maneuverable.
And transistor, so I don’t have to worry. I just plug in and play.
Got it used ( mint condition)at Guitar center for $349.
Jazz guitar guitarist-
You are very personable here on your channel. The way you talk to and share Jazz information on your channel. I wish you lived on my block so I could sit around the living room and jam with you a couple times a month.
I like your Joe Zwanuil beanie. Very cool.
I like Hendrix and Gary Moore and Van Halen......but then there are times when I get a feeling for some Kenny Burrell orJimmy Smith or Jimmy McGriff.
Fellas, go and take a Roland Boss Nextone for a test drive.
From a “ Jazz Forum with Dick Buckley on WBEZ in Chicago. 91.5 FM “ in the’80’s
As he used to sign off: “.............Happiness ! ...”
Using a Peavey classic 20 head, affordable and nice tone plus a good bite to it for a little overdrive.
thanks Rich; great info. i have two fender blues juniors , i use one for the small venues and slave two for weddings ,& outside stuff in summer . their is a slight hum associated with the two together. nobody hears it but me.. Frank.
Awesome.
Fender came out with the Princeton amp that now has a 12' speaker in it. Sounds great and is a tube amp. Of course, tubes don't sound dead like some of the none-tubes amps.
I hafta add some older man comments. The New York musicians union decided to
custom order amps for studios and stations to create the "New York sound".
I saw my first ones in 1970, and they were left-overs from those days.
That was more about a depth of tone with cleaner bass. They got Ampeg to build them.
These were cubes where the top had a lid. You undid the lid and turned it upside-down
to set it up. Here in Ontario, I've only seen the bass amps with 15" speakers,
session players with Elvin Jones and Herbie Mann using them with electric basses,
and they fooled me, sounding exactly like uprights.
They had small tubes, no New York solid state of mind.
Yeah, my old garage rock band bass player had one of those Ampeg's with the flip over amp top, held by latches on the side. Sounded great. Surely expensive vintage now.
I agree when it comes to purchasing a ready built amp the Polytone brute is my choice
BUT
Through listening any good Jazz amp can also be used to Play mono HiFi
Which come down to my choice
The Leak TL50 tube amp (only available used)
Was designed for high quality HiFi couple this with a Goodmans Audio 61 X 12" speaker and arguably you have the finest sounding jazz amp available
Cons
You have to make a Housing Cabinet but not much larger than the Polytone Brute
Tony Arnold @
Helios Electronics Ltd
I have 2 jc 120 amps and have had them a loooong time. I use them for everything, and they are reliable, and sound rich and full. But heavy.
I have several different amps and use different ones in different situations, but the one I’ve been using the most with my acoustic archtops is a Carvin AG300. The guys I gig with seem to like it better than the Polytone, Fender’s, etc. I decided to try it after remembering Joe Pass playing straight through a PA and it is basically a small PA system. It has a horn loaded 12” woofer, a 6.5” midrange, a titanium tweeter, a dual effects, 250W, 3 channels with 1/4”, XLR, and 1/8” for MP3 players, a USB charging port, weighs about 30lbs, and I think was only $400, at the time I bought it. It will accommodate acoustic/electric bass and mics. All 7 inputs can be used simultaneously, which I’ve never done, but there are only 3 channels, so balance of volumes could be tricky. It’s a nice for small room solo, solo with tracks, duo, trios. Not the best sounding, but acceptable. Carvin is no longer producing amps. There were some problems with the effects on some of the earlier builds.
The story regarding the Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster is one of the most exciting anecdotes I have heard - I was transfixed and the ending was a genuine surprise.
PS If a small red LED is flashing while reading the above, your sarcasm-detector is in good working order.
Great Video!
Thanks Richie for good and easily understandable lessons and advice. On my side, going from blues to jazz, my amp is an Ibanez TSA 15, with a Celestion G12H25 that I fitted as a replacement to original Celestion 70-80 for a clearer sounding. EQ very efficient to find your tone. Really cheap tube amp too.
Thanks Gilles for sharing!
Before I got my Henriksen Blu I used a Blackstar 6l6 studio ten which sounded so full and clean
I had a Fender Tweed Deluxe clone made from a kit and love it. Like the one used in the Rudi van Gelder studio in the early 60's. Although It has a Cannabis Rex speaker with a hemp cone it. Very efficient with a surprising amount of headroom and a thick creamy jazz tone with a humbuckered archtop.. The EQ is very limited though. Even less than on the old Polytones. However I admit I do miss the instant good tone of the Mini Brute IV that I foolishly sold some years ago.
The stories of certain amps dying on the bandstand had me shivering. Anecdotally, the Jazz Chorus 120 I own that I've had since around 1985 has needed absolutely no maintenance at all except one fuse about 3 years ago - otherwise it just keeps on going. Worth a try since they produced a smaller (hence lighter) JC-77 and JC-55 models.
i have a Roland 120 as well & it's a M-O-N-S-T-E-R (both in weight & in output). personally, i think the tone is nonpareil but i'm not gonna' dispute that the weight might make it a deal breaker for gigging musicians (i myself am not such a feller). mine stays pretty much put (i did build a little custom wooden platform for it that has casters for mobility - if i wish to scoot it around the room a bit - and i like it "up" off the floor a smidge too) but it's probably my favorite amp among 2 Fender's (tube), 1 Vox (modeling), an 80's model Peavey & another 80's solid state icon, the Randall RG 80-112SC that has the orig. Celestion speaker that i had professionally re-coned. i'm a fan of the tube warmth no doubt but that Roland Jazz Chorus is as creamy as meringue on lemon pie. like yours, it's never required a lick of maintenance or repairs either.
That's why I was thinking the JC-77 or JC-55 might be a better fit for people with issues carrying heavy amplifiers. The JC-120 weight is mitigated somewhat by having it on permanently mounted casters so I can roll it around like luggage if necessary.
as do i (the casters thing that is)! lol
@@aliensporebomb i have a 1978 Roland Jc 120 from the day. Wish it had a effects loop but other than that..Still a great clean amp.
Thanks!
Thanks for the very fine review.
Another story: I´ve had 2 Fender Ultralight Jazzmaster amps since 2007. Still working after many concerts all the years. For me the best sounding and light weight. 2 channels. Ultra clean up to max /and gain channel going from clean to smooth and clear blues. I´ve tried the most, but keep getting back to JMUL. Oh and it can be loud as a MESA boogie
You're lucky with those Ultralights...wish I could get mine fixed and working for more than a couple of weeks. Believe me, I've taken it in twice to be repaired and it has died on me in mid gig after a few weeks. Great sounding amp when it works! Too bad it was discontinued.
I certainly believe your story, and it seems that Fender didn´t take their time to solve the problem .
Or, maybe your JMUL was kind of 1. edition ?
I live in Europe , so mine could be a 2. edition. I think I bought it in 2007. Just a foolish thought, I know.
For years I used a Peavey Custom Artist-great sound, but a heavy SOB! 4x6L6GC's, two preamps which can be run in series or parallel and a 12" speaker.
Then when it died I switched to Voxes-first a DA5, then AD50VT and finally 2xAD15VT's with an AB/Y pedal, a fun way to play.
Unfortunately the 15's both developed problems, and I wanted something a little more versatile than my '51 Fender 5A3 Deluxe, which, needless to say, is a superb amp, but for my gigging purposes a bit of a one trick pony unless you haul a box full of pedals.
Finally, after a lot of research, I am currently using a Fender Mustang iii modeling amp, which contrary to some reports is a good all round jazz amp if you're playing a lot of different jazz styles. It's definitely not "plug and play", but if you're willing to spend some tweaking time, you can get some really good sounds out of it.
One thing I like about it, apart from the weight (36 lbs, as opposed to my AD50 at 46 lbs), is that with 100 tweakable preset possibilities I can set up my different guitars for a consistent sound across the board, as well as create custom sounds for each guitar. You can mix and match different amp models and cabinets, and there are some very usable effects as well.
I switch backwards and forwards between a '76 Ibanez Custom Agent (Les Paul clone), an Ibanez SA220EX (Two-humbucker Superstrat style), a '62 Guild T100D with Franz P90's, a Douglas WNO 630 (kind of a Gretsch archtop clone but with regular humbuckers) and a Gianninni Craviola with a Fishman NEO-D soundhole humbucker.
The amp is not made any more, but can be readily found on Reverb or Craigslist for very reasonable prices (I got mine for $150 …)
Check it out!
Love the blues jr, i use a blues deluxe, only gripe about it is that its 50 pounds vs the blues jr is 1/3 that.
@Wojtek Turski Buy a used one! There was one for around $200 he mentioned.
A great jazz amp (don't know if still available) is the Mesa Boogie blue angel tube powered, switchable rectifier EL84's and 6V6. Also the Ampeg roc-jet, 1-12' speaker, tube powered
EL84 tubes. Ultra-light non tube, check out the Phil Jones combo!!
Fender Champion 25 is surprisingly good.I want to try the 40 watt 12" speaker model.
Hi Richie have tried the Mambo Jazz Amp mad in the UK Standard features on all Mambo Amps
200 + 200 W rms continuous power rating
whisper-quiet electronics
pure clean tone or with added harmonics (switcheable, your choice)
balanced XLR direct output (DI)
effects loop
24 bit digital reverb, with depth and delay-time controls
hand-made Scandinavian birch ply cabinet
two guitar input jacks
line level input (mini jack) for MP3 / CD
headphone output (mini jack)
European or US mains voltage (specify when ordering)
i have and would also recommend as many do, the late 80's black knob fender princeton stereo chorus but it does weigh 38 pounds but sound allot like a twin
Vox AC30 - if its good enough for Sco'....class A circuit 'stands up' with punch like a fast SS circuit, yet blooms beautifully from the tube saturation. Extremely versatile!
Good choice of amps/
That was fun. I've been fortunate with the purchase of a used Roland Acoustic Chorus 100, which, once carried up three flights of stairs into my bedroom, hasn't moved one inch in over 20 years. That's a lot of service for the $400. that I paid for it. Has a notch filter, along with it's reverb and Chorus. What I really like about this amp is that you don't hear a size with it. With smaller amps you hear a size. It sounds nice and fat with an archtop. I thought there was a little AR amp that jazz pros used. Went for about $1100.
I wasn't familiar with that one. Another back breaker eh...