Ray Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 What would you say is the best guitar amp for clean sound and jazz music?
t0aj15 Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Having trouble posting today, keep getting internal error messages.
Gitfiddler Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Fender Twin & Roland JC120 are my two favorites.
Jazzpunk Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Fender Twin, Deluxe or Princeton (depending on your volume needs).
Kuz Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Yep it depends on volume so the amp has to have a lot of headroom before it distorts. Solid state is very good. I like my vintage '67 Vibrolux.
SouthpawGuy Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Best amp I ever had for a really squeaky clean jazz tone was a Fender Ultimate Chorus, solid state stereo 2 x 60 watts with two 12" speakers. It was actually very difficult to get it to distort even when pushed.
Gitfiddler Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Best amp I ever had for a really squeaky clean jazz tone was a Fender Ultimate Chorus, solid state stereo 2 x 60 watts with two 12" speakers. It was actually very difficult to get it to distort even when pushed. That IS a good amp for clean jazz. I owned one of their first runs (Ultra Chorus) and it was like Fender's version of the JC120, only MUCH lighter to schlep around. In my search for tube sweetness, I sold it to a great jazz git player who slung an ES175 Mahogany. Zero feedback problems through the Ultra Chorus.
ingeneri Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Twin Reverb is a classic jazz amp, but can often be too loud for today's venues and sparse crowds. I use a Deluxe Reverb, which has a similar tone but single speaker. This is the amp I used on my demo http://www.myspace.com/ingeneri Rudy Van Gelder reportedly had a Deluxe in his studio for all those classic Blue Note recordings. According to the GuitarsnJazz website, Wes used a Princeton modded with a 15" speaker. On the solid state side, Polytones are probably the historic king. I've never liked them much myself. The durability is notoriously spotty, with some built like tanks and others falling apart. But they're really inexpensive, especially used on Ebay. There's lots of new stuff that is really great at combining lots of head room and light weight for jazzers. I use the Jazzkat and Twinkat amps. The Henricksen 10 and convertable are also really popular these days.
DC Ron Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 +1 for polytones. I have a 1981 mini brute iv: closed back with 15" speaker and spring reverb. Really nails the jazz tone. Haven't had it long enough to comment on reliability, but some of the 30 year old op amps used are pretty hard to find, if you ever need one. Somewhere on the site there's the story of a polytone that was purchased but damaged in a fall down some stairs before it could be shipped. Think if mine fell down some stairs I'd be repairing the stairs. This thing is much more solidly built than my 1965 Princeton Reverb. Almost forgot, have a 2nd polytone to be delivered tomorrow...report to follow! Oh...and Evans amps are supposed to be good but I've not actually played one yet.
yoslate Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Oh...and Evans amps are supposed to be good but I've not actually played one yet. Guy I play with a lot, great player, very well respected among the musicians in town, has a couple of Evans amps. He loves the small one (weird spec, something like 60W, through an 8" speaker) because it's tiny, smaller than a Princeton, but he gets a remarkable sound out of it with an old 175. He's a wizard at that sort of sonic voodoo! He has a larger one he gigs with his horn band.
tsp17 Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Second on the Twin Reverb, '65 reissue or vintage blackface. Silverface also terrific. Polytone and Roland a close second.
number1armadillo Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Had a Traynor YCV40 Nice tube sound but reverb stunk. sold it and will be buying a Deluxe Reverb to sit next to my Twin Reverb, then I pick according to venue.
morg21279 Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 A lot of Jazz guys use the Acoustic Image Clarus. Mine is 200 watts into 8 ohms (more into 2 or 4) and weighs less than 5 pounds. I use it with a Port City cabinet with an Eminence neo-12 (about 20 pounds), and it can go loud or soft, and is a breeze for this geezer to carry.
morg21279 Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 A lot of Jazz guys use the Acoustic Image Clarus. Mine is 200 watts into 8 ohms (more into 2 or 4) and weighs less than 5 pounds. I use it with a Port City cabinet with an Eminence neo-12 (about 20 pounds), and it can go loud or soft, and is a breeze for this geezer to carry. Also sounds more tube-like than any solid state amp I've heard.
Ray Posted January 27, 2010 Author Posted January 27, 2010 Thank you everyone for your excellent comments. I greatly value your contribution. This is all fairly new to me and so any suggestions will be gladly received. I currently have a Blues Junior amp and a Frontman 15G with no reverb, but I am now looking to add to my collection (in the very near future) in my quest to find a great sounding amp that 'speaks' with great clarity and conviction...hence, my question. Ingeneri, I enjoyed your recordings at myspace.com, thank you.
Herigrosh Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Headstrong Lil' King Junior. Jim Soloway sells them on his website. I think that particular model might be exclusive. http://www.jimsoloway.com/HeadStrongAmps.html Speaking of jazz... and guitars in general. Soloway builds some absolutely BEAUTIFUL sounding guitars that are very well suited for jazz. Check 'em out.
iim7v7im7 Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Hi, These solid state amps are all highly regarded by Jazz guitarists: acoustic image evans amps henriksen amps jazzkat amps These cabinet companies are popular as well: raezer's edge redstone audio This is driven by there small size, light weight, high headroom and tone. As others have stated, a Twin Reverb is a great jazz amp, but is generally too large and heavy for many carrying their own gear and playing at smaller clubs. Other solid state amps to consider are made by Roland, Fender and Polytone (A Henriksen is a more reliable Polytone). Personally, I like Acoustic Image amps and Raezer's Edge Cabinets. Good Luck, Bob
EdPero Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 A nice Tony Bruno Tweedie Pie 18, a Cow Tipper 22 or an Underground 30, which are amps that were inspired by Fender Tweed and Vox AC 30... but much better and handmade. You can play jazz on them but do a lot more... Please click on my links to hear the samples of these amps. Tweedie Pie 18 samples : Clean Bluesy crunch Dirty Lemon Song Cow Tipper 22 samples : Clean Slap Clean Dirty Telecaster Crunch Underground 30 Clean + reverb Clean strat Dirty + reverb Telecaster crunch The prices are high (between 2000 and 3000 USD) but also is the quality... Visit the Bruno Amps Website
rjsanders Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Hi,... This is driven by there small size, light weight, high headroom and tone. As others have stated, a Twin Reverb is a great jazz amp, but is generally too large and heavy for many carrying their own gear and playing at smaller clubs. Other solid state amps to consider are made by Roland, Fender and Polytone (A Henriksen is a more reliable Polytone). Personally, I like Acoustic Image amps and Raezer's Edge Cabinets. Good Luck, Bob which reminds me, tonegurus stopped by last weekend with his Phil Jones Super Cub, the amp which allegedly ends his odyssey for a great jazz amp. after lugging 100-150w Holland and Two Rock rigs to gigs around Santa Cruz for the last umpteen years. i gotta say, if i was into a solidstate amp for jazzery, this'd be it... and for bass players (double bass, included) Walter Woods (no website)
BMG Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 I too use an AI Clarus 2R head with a Razer's Edge 1x10 with and extended range tweeter. this is the closest thing I've listened to that sounds like my guitar just louder. Very little coloration and to me, it is what a jazz guitar should sound like. and the three pound amp in the padded gig bag is nice too! I also appreciate they are made in NC and Raezer's Edge is made by Jeff Hale (J hale music) in WI. He is a Heritage dealer as well. Good Luck!
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