What makes a good jazz amp?

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Little Pigbacon

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So I've asked about guitars, pickups, and fedoras. One more key element left, and that's the amp.

Of course the stereotypical amp is the Roland Jazz Chorus 120. I've heard Peavey Bandit a lot. I used to get what I thought were good jazz tones out of a TSL100 and a stock 1960A.

What do people use for jazz amps? If you could, please specify what kind of jazz tones you get with said amp -- vintage, modern, warm, lush, hifi, phlegmy, etc.
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

I would say, the cleaner the better.

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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

I can come up with a bone-stock Hot Rod Deluxe.
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

#1 QSC amp
#2 Quilter
Either through JBL speakers
The more transparent for the amp tone the better for amp and speakers.
If you find you want to shape the tone, which you probably will, there are experts on this board that know far more about that than I do.
 
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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

I would say that its depends on the jazz. If you're going for some kind of fusion sound, then some dirt can be a good thing. If you want something more classic jazz or crystal clean guitar tone, then honestly you may want to look at a solid state amp. A Roland JC-120 is a really good jazz amp, IMO.
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

Not trying to come across as an expert or trying to impress anyone, heck,I'm really learning about this stuff still, but I do know lots of Jazz players do prefer the hi-fi, almost sterile tone of a clean Solid State amp amp like the 'Polytone Brute'.

That said, there seems to be no hard fast rules, so carve your own niche. Heres an article on the great Kenny Burrel. He actually usede a gritty old Fender Tweed, at least here;

"His tone is gorgeous ( "Introduction album), sounding rhythmically assured on the up-tempo numbers and double time lines (How About You, This Time The Dream’s On Me) and resonant on the ballad treatment of Weaver of Dreams. I also really love the almost glacially slow take on Moten Swing. Given that this record predates or at least coincides with the release of Gibson’s PAF hum bucking pickup, I think we can be sure that Kenny’s guitar was sporting a P-90 or Charlie Christian style single coil on this date. Add his trusty 5E3 Tweed Deluxe and you have recipe for a gorgeous jazz guitar tone with just the right hint of break up and compression."
"
 
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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

Jazz has been around longer than rock. Asking "what makes a good rock amp" is a pretty hard question to answer.
Personally though, i don't like jazz chorus amps at all (used to own one) and the polytone sounds like polystyrene (a friend loves his).
I like all of (but not limited to) the princeton reverb, the deluxe reverb, the tweed deluxe, the tweed bassman and the twin reverb.
I've used other amps at gigs too including some modern fenders including the hot rod and the blues junior.
Hmm...just realized that all the amps i like for jazz are fender tube amps.
Maybe that says something. I dunno.
 
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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

MetalManiac said:
Not trying to come across as an expert or trying to impress anyone, heck,I'm really learning about this stuff still, but I do know lots of Jazz players do prefer the hi-fi, almost sterile tone of a clean Solid State amp amp like the 'Polytone Brute'.

That said, there seems to be no hard fast rules, so carve your own niche. Heres an article on the great Kenny Burrel. He actually usede a gritty old Fender Tweed, at least here;

"His tone is gorgeous ( "Introduction album), sounding rhythmically assured on the up-tempo numbers and double time lines (How About You, This Time The Dream’s On Me) and resonant on the ballad treatment of Weaver of Dreams. I also really love the almost glacially slow take on Moten Swing. Given that this record predates or at least coincides with the release of Gibson’s PAF hum bucking pickup, I think we can be sure that Kenny’s guitar was sporting a P-90 or Charlie Christian style single coil on this date. Add his trusty 5E3 Tweed Deluxe and you have recipe for a gorgeous jazz guitar tone with just the right hint of break up and compression."
"
Click to expand...

I am very happy using a 5e3 as well :)

Rudy Van Gelder used a 5e3 in the studio which made it the de facto blue note tone.

But yes, tons of headroom is usually preferred.

Frankly, just like in the case of a guitar, you can play jazz with any amp. You just need to know how to EQ it.

This should help http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazz_guitar_amps.html


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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

No doubt there are players who can pull it off.
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

A small tube amp that can get *just a hint* of compression when you dig in is my choice. Most things marketed as 'jazz amps' are either too clean (like a big Twin) or sound like mud (Polytone, which might have the worst tone of any amp for anything, ever).
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

I agree with gibson175 in that jazz isn't one thing. You could have Grant Green on one end and Wayne Krantz on the other. Even limiting the scope to jazz fusion doesn't yield a singular end. Al Di Meola's 70s sound (which, to me, is not that far from classic rock) isn't much like, say, a modern liquid sound like Brett Garsed's.

The requirements, then, would range from "warm and clean" to "high gain and liquid leads".

I'd say, though, that the common denominator, regardless of gain level, would be clarity. If you play "jazz chords", you want definition to convey their complexity.
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

EAProwlerB said:
#1 QSC amp
#2 Quilter
Either through JBL speakers
The more transparent for the amp tone the better for amp and speakers.
If you find you want to shape the tone, which you probably will, there are experts on this board that know far more about that than I do.
Click to expand...

EAProwlerB said:
What is Jazz?
Click to expand...

What you play with a QSC amp or Quilter? :)


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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

stratguy23 said:
ds".

I'd say, though, that the common denominator, regardless of gain level, would be clarity. If you play "jazz chords", you want definition to convey their complexity.
Click to expand...

Not really, you gt a lot of old Jazz guy playing dark muddy tones as their expression of the art form( ala the polytone , with a neck humbucker.).just listened to one such today-Jim Hall's "Concierto". So I think you were right on the "Jazz isn't one thing"
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

I gig with a Mesa amp all the time, so whatever jazz I play goes through a Mesa.

But if I had to pick ONE and say, "That's my jazz amp!", it would be one of my Mark III Simul-Class combo amps. The RHYTHM channel is warm and fat. The R2 can be set for just a trace of dirt, and the LEAD channel has that singing Boogie lead tone. The Mark V has more versatility in some ways, but the Mark III is smaller and simpler.

I don't own a Mark II-B, but if I were looking for a mainly clean amp, I wouldn't walk past one in a store without a good tryout. Some of these can be found cheap, too.

And then there is the Mark I Reissue. Welcome to a cascading preamp and a crushing 100 watts of 6L6 power. These usually go for more than a II-B or a III, but they are basically a Twin Reverb in a Princeton Reverb cabinet. Powerful...like a .45 LC derringer.

Nothing wrong with the many SS amps on the market like the Peaveys, Polytones and the like. But if you love tube tones there are a lot of Mesas that can get you there.

Bill
 
Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

What makes a good jazz amp ?

Several Watts makes a better jazz amp.

Charlie Watts doesn't make any amps.
 
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Re: What makes a good jazz amp?

Boogie Bill said:
I gig with a Mesa amp all the time, so whatever jazz I play goes through a Mesa.

But if I had to pick ONE and say, "That's my jazz amp!", it would be one of my Mark III Simul-Class combo amps. The RHYTHM channel is warm and fat. The R2 can be set for just a trace of dirt, and the LEAD channel has that singing Boogie lead tone. The Mark V has more versatility in some ways, but the Mark III is smaller and simpler.

I don't own a Mark II-B, but if I were looking for a mainly clean amp, I wouldn't walk past one in a store without a good tryout. Some of these can be found cheap, too.

And then there is the Mark I Reissue. Welcome to a cascading preamp and a crushing 100 watts of 6L6 power. These usually go for more than a II-B or a III, but they are basically a Twin Reverb in a Princeton Reverb cabinet. Powerful...like a .45 LC derringer.

Nothing wrong with the many SS amps on the market like the Peaveys, Polytones and the like. But if you love tube tones there are a lot of Mesas that can get you there.

Bill
Click to expand...

The Blue Angel is a great amp for jazz, too.
 
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