MichYank Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Jazzers, in your opinion what is the best amp for the classic (i.e. Joe pass, Jim Hall, Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel etc.) sound if I'm playing a 575? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I had the same question for solid state amps and here is the link. http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/index.php?/topic/12083-hey-jazz-guys-advice-on-soild-state-amps/ Lately I have really decided my '67 Vibrolux is where it's at!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111518 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Jazzers, in your opinion what is the best amp for the classic (i.e. Joe pass, Jim Hall, Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel etc.) sound if I'm playing a 575? I think many of the classic recordings of these guys were made with small tube amps, but when they traveled they relied on amps rented by the promoters or on what was easy to move around. (Pass for example endorsed and used Polytone amps, they sounded good, and were light.) Reminds me of a story I read that Jim Hall tells to illustrate Wes Montgomery's humor: showed up at a club where Hall (with Rollins) was sharing a bill with Wes to check out the place. They both saw the rented amp, which was a Twin, and Montgomery's comment was "...man, that's a big amp. I wasn't planning on playing all that much guitar tonight." Seems like I remember Ingeneri posting about a recent Jazz Guitar piece on amps that focused on the Carr Rambler and the Headstrong Lil King (Princeton clone with 12). Both great, rich sounding amps that don't need distortion to sound good --I think that's mostly what it's about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguitar71 Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I have used my Carr slant 6v on the 22 watt setting for jazz gig for the last 11 years and love the tone. I have a 2x12 but suggest a 1x12 for the weight and size difference. The 22 watt setting is pattered after a black face Fender. I think any of the amps out there with that type of wiring and 6v6's would sound great. 6L6's would be a good choice too, a little cleaner and glassier than the 6v6 amps. I personally like the creamer tone of the 6v6 amps though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 I had the same question for solid state amps and here is the link. http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/index.php?/topic/12083-hey-jazz-guys-advice-on-soild-state-amps/ Lately I have really decided my '67 Vibrolux is where it's at!!! '67 Vibrolux Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genericmusic Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 '67 Vibrolux Classic +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluzman54 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Polytone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Seacup Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Have you considered these: Engl Fireball Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectumfrier Peavey XXX Randall Warhead Diezel Herbert Fryette Pitbull UL Framus Cobra Splawn Nitro I think "tone" is primarily in the fingers (although lately I might want to add that phrasing greatly affects perceived tone). I've heard some great jazz sounds come out of some highly improbable rigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 It all depends really. I gotta say I adore my Roland Cube 80x for jazz and early rock. It weights about 35lbs, 80w and beautiful tone for about $350 or so. Polytones sound pretty awesome. So do Henriksen amps, Carr amps, Fenders... man the options are pretty sick. I had JUST missed out on a Polytone MiniBrute IV when I got this Cube from Marty Grass on here. Before that, I had a Hot Rod DeVille which sounded pretty great in its own right and I got that after I had JUST missed out on a Vibrolux. ...and if memory serves the Polytone guitar amps were developed in some part with Joe Pass involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ron Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 +1 for Polytone. My 1980s MiniBrute IV with 15" speaker and spring reverb is IT. That being said, my Heritage Lobo 20 and 1965 Princeton Reverb (both 12") aren't so shabby. If you're into multi-purpose amps, the Polytone is a GREAT bass amp if you turn the reverb down to 0. In fact the Polytone III bass amp is the same amp without a reverb circuit. On the other hand, the Heritage and Princetons are great rock and blues amps. All three are easy carries. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ron Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 +1 for Polytone. My 1980s MiniBrute IV with 15" speaker and spring reverb is IT. That being said, my Heritage Lobo 20 and 1965 Princeton Reverb (both 12") aren't so shabby. If you're into multi-purpose amps, the Polytone is a GREAT bass amp if you turn the reverb down to 0. In fact the Polytone III bass amp is the same amp without a reverb circuit. On the other hand, the Heritage and Princetons are great rock and blues amps. All three are easy carries. Good luck! Geez, almost forgot my 1969 Ampeg Reverberocket II. Lushest reverb on the planet and original 12" CTS speaker. Great R&R amp, too. Bit of a load to carry though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichYank Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 Thank you all - great advice. I've not looked at amps in many years so I have much more research/playing to do. Again, Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 One I didn't see mentioned and if it was I apologize, is one of the cleanest amps ever built, very reliable: Roland Jazz Chorus Twin 2-12. Absolutely, one of the best Jazz amps ever. This is one that simply won't do dirty worth a darn, but clean like it was meant to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140536020943&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 One I didn't see mentioned and if it was I apologize, is one of the cleanest amps ever built, very reliable: Roland Jazz Chorus Twin 2-12. Absolutely, one of the best Jazz amps ever. This is one that simply won't do dirty worth a darn, but clean like it was meant to be. Precisely why I went to try the Roland Cube. I was wanting a JC but didn't want the weight. Found it in the Cube. ...and, yeah, the JC distortion is every bit as bad as everyone says it is. haha. For that, I just flip the Cube from JC to BlackFace and I am off to the races. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Gries 35 is the best jazz amp I have owned and i've owned most all of them from polytone to evans to AI to mesa boogie to vintage fender and marshall to roland etc., etc. The gries sounds like a '60s, smokey jazz amp without the reliability problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Gries 35 is the best jazz amp I have owned and i've owned most all of them from polytone to evans to AI to mesa boogie to vintage fender and marshall to roland etc., etc. The gries sounds like a '60s, smokey jazz amp without the reliability problems. I am genuinely interested in this amp, but I am confused. You said emphaticly that a Carr Rambler at 30watts didn't have enough clean headroom. You said that 40 watts wasn't enough clean headroom, and that the only way to go was a solid state amp. Are you saying that 5 watts more (from Rambler 30 to a Gries 35) is SO much extra wattage for ultimate jazz clean headroom??? Please explain, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheetsofsound Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I am genuinely interested in this amp, but I am confused. You said emphaticly that a Carr Rambler at 30watts didn't have enough clean headroom. You said that 40 watts wasn't enough clean headroom, and that the only way to go was a solid state amp. Are you saying that 5 watts more (from Rambler 30 to a Gries 35) is SO much extra wattage for ultimate jazz clean headroom??? Please explain, thanks. First of all, you have to realize that the power ratings are just estimates. The gries has way more headroom than the rambler. However, even the gries won't be loud enough for the loudest gigs. When I'm playing a loud gig in a big club, i bring the SS amps. The Gries will handle up to a quartet but adding electric piano, organ or mic'd horn section pushes it to its limits. For ultimate headroom, the evans is the way to go but the gries' tone is more classic IMO. I've heard that gries is considering a 100 watt version... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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