General Music Chat

yeah, I'm looking to buy myself a new toy so I was figuring good amp for Jazz playing. I know there are alot of great combo Jazz amps out there, but since I'm a rocker and I mostly have amp heads and 4 x 12 cabs, I dont think a little jazz amp would fit in with my collection

so what's your fav amp heads for a clean sound?
I always play with a ton of distortion (METAL RULES!) so this clean sound thing is foreign to me

cheers!

John

I know Evans amps sound great and are popular with some jazz guys as well as pedal steel players. I have only heard their combo with a 15" speaker, but they do offer a head as well.

Of the 'out of production' models ..
I have a Groove Tubes Soul-O 45 combo that has a wonderfully "dimensional" clean sound, that is my favorite. They made a Soul-O 45 in a head version also.

Occasionally I have seen old solid state Standel amp heads selling on ebay, renowned for their great tone with a clean sound. Standel also made some of the first very clean tube amps. Their vintage tube amps are pretty pricey, but you can find some good deals on the solid state ones.

My Carvin Nomad has the highest level of note articulation I have ever heard in any amp in the clean mode.
Exceptionally sharp and bright.

http://www.carvinchannel.com/play.php?vid=332

Save the stack for rock gigs.

The right jazz amp depends on what era of jazz you are covering. Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, or Pat Methany might call for different choices. For a good all around performer that is very popular with jazz cats, consider a nice Roland Cube 60 or JC 120 and you are solid. They are out of favor right now so they can be had cheap used. Both will cut a jazz gig nicely. Mesa will also do a nice clean tone if you want it for more $$.

I would be considered a heavy guitarist, but I have my Mesa Triple first channel set up clean and it will do the Jazz thing.

I agree with Johnny, a Roland Jazz Chorus amp is the best clean amp Ive ever played on. They made a 120 version, a 90, both in combos, but a few monthes ago on Craigs List I saw a head version. Personally I think an open back combo sounds better than a 4x12.

If you are into heavy music, look at some old Metallica videos, they used the Roland Jazz Chorus, the 2x12 version, had them stacked up with thier Mesa's.

Of course in tube amps a Fender Twin can clean up pretty good.

so what's your fav amp heads for a clean sound?


John

For a clean sound I go with a Sarno Pre-amp


Not too many controls because all it does is clean
Made in the USA
http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/ctp.html

Ya might be a redneck if you put your sh*t on green milk crates!

Love the pedal board Jedi!

Ya might be a redneck if you put your sh*t on green milk crates!

Love the pedal board Jedi!

Yeah man ---- I am looking into building something to put my cabs on .... like Pete here did ..... give me credit - at least the crates are all one color !
The board is a Q tron / a Octave box / 2 blues Drivers / and a tuner
I want to redo it a bit ... new power source ; new cables ..... put a tuner in my rack ......
yeah man !

Sans, I've always been a fan of Carvin so I think I will hunt one down just to try it out.

Johnny7...nooooo the cube! I remember those from my highschool days. I'm sure it sounds great for Jazz but that amp is just associated with all my old music teachers so I will pass

JW and Johnny7...Mesa is awesome for clean, I agree.

I know those fender combo amps are great a well, but I am dead set on getting an amp / cab set up. Anyone have any experience with all tube fender heads?

cheers!

John

Sans, I've always been a fan of Carvin so I think I will hunt one down just to try it out.

Johnny7...nooooo the cube! I remember those from my highschool days. I'm sure it sounds great for Jazz but that amp is just associated with all my old music teachers so I will pass

JW and Johnny7...Mesa is awesome for clean, I agree.

I know those fender combo amps are great a well, but I am dead set on getting an amp / cab set up. Anyone have any experience with all tube fender heads?

cheers!



John

JMZ, you might check out the Carvin X100B read the reviews a lot of Jazzers use this amp because the clean channel is so good! I have the V3M and the X100B and that X100B with the graphic EQ assigned to the clean channel IS Jazzer Bliss!

Darn you Jeff Haley . . . I have enough amps !

You're not going to get that clean Jazz sound from a Fender tube amp, but you can approximate it with the clean channel, keep the volume and Drive down, and a good chorus pedal.

^Some other amps I used in my "clean" search^
The Twin is 76 ultra linear ( ? ) and freaking loud - best spring reverb I have heard
Tubes .... I prefer a solid state power section though as they will not break up like a tube will ...
I never got to liking the Music Man head and the reverb blows
Like Mike said not sure these Fender style amps would be ideal for jazz

I know we are talking amps here.

But I wish I had a few hunnert to blow just for experimentation sake . . .

This intrigues me
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifie ... ator-pedal

On the homerecording forums some guy is posting about his Zoom (can't remember if it is a 3 or a 5) and all of a sudden it is buzzing like crazy, bad input is what it sounds like.

I bought a 1st-generation Zoom multi-FX pedal last year off ebay for $23. The sounds were terrible, I resold it for $28.