What combo for BIG, LOUD, jazzy cleans?

[nosajwp]

I'm looking for a combo amp (probably single channel) that will do big, loud, 3D sounding clean sounds for my jazz/big band. I will be playing my PRS CU24 through it with various pedals. Here's what I need:

1. LOTS of clean headroom, but not sterile sounding either
2. 2x12 preferred if a guitar combo
3. fairly lightweight if possible

I'm open to both tube and solidstate units (as long as the SS sounds good). I'm also open to other options, like acoustic combos with lots of volume (SWR California Blonde), and smallish 2x10, 2x12, or 1x15 bass combos too.

I get all my OD sounds from pedals, so I just need something I can use for a killer clean base tone.

[re-animator]

roland jc-120
polytone brute (1x12 and 1x15 formats with 150 watts of clean and gorgeous tone)
fender twin (not light)
fender dual showman with cab of your choice

[Loni Specter]

old Musicman HD-130 (also not light)
Fender Steel King

[charley]

1. Acoustic Image Clarus
2. Boogie Mk 1 or IV
3. Fender Twin Reverb

[tele_jas]

Vetta II 2x12 combo??

Dr. Z Stangray, may be a bit bright though for Jazz.

Fender Twin

Mesa Boogie Lonestar Classic

[Teh RedWizard]

Reeves Custom 50...he might build you a 2x12,but even the 1x12 has got a sound so huge it defies logic! :dude

[FFTT]

Define Big Loud in a jazz band.

+or- 20 watts?

For live or recording or both?

Budget?


Divided By 13

FTR 37

RSA 23

65 Amps Royal Albert

[JimH]

2. 2x12 preferred if a guitar combo
3. fairly lightweight if possible

SS then. To me anything over 1x12" is head and cab, they just get so cumbersome, especially for the gigging musician.

[Pa'ani]

Check out the Talos Basics.

[deluxeman]

Twin

[nosajwp]

Define Big Loud in a jazz band.

+or- 20 watts?

For live or recording or both?

Budget?


Divided By 13

FTR 37

RSA 23

65 Amps Royal Albert

I'm looking for 100 watts or so, and I'm looking to spend around $1000 or less.
Also, I play mostly outdoor gigs with a 20-25 piece big band, with NO PA system.

[coreybox]

Reeves Custom 50...he might build you a 2x12,but even the 1x12 has got a sound so huge it defies logic! :dude

+1

Reeves is where it is at for all things clean

[GCDEF]

It may be hard to find now, but a Gibson GA-30RVS is what you're looking for.

[shredward]

I recently bought a Port City 112 combo amp called a Dual 50, two 6L6's of big pure tone.
I also play mainly jazz type music and my clean tone is the most important thing in an amp to me. The Dual 50 has a great complex tone and is so simple to dial in. The EQ is great because you can get a springy bright sound with a strat, or a telly, but you can also get a great modern jazz tone thats clean and darker but not muted. The combo is also light and easy to cary around and takes pedals great.

Good Luck

[FFTT]

I'm with the other on Reeves or Hiwatt if you need something well built
to handle those volumes, but your budget is a problem.

I'd also look at the Fender Vibro King or the wand wired tweed Twin or new Super Reverb RI

Also talk to the guys at VVT amps and see what they might be able to put together for you.

Other than that, talk to Nik at Ceriatone and see what he can do for
a head, then put that together with an appropriate cabinet.

[nosajwp]

What about a VHT Pittbull 45?

[FFTT]

You're going to have to find a well stocked dealer that lets you try a few
better amps at close to performance volumes. That's not easy.

If there is a well stocked rental hall somewhere near you, that's
another way to try out a bunch of amps.

Pretty much anything really good is going to be double your stated budget+, so take your time, save up and get something built to handle the road.

VHT and Bogner are well made, but I'd still put my money into
a hand wired amp.

[PSaulino]

I'm looking for a combo amp (probably single channel) that will do big, loud, 3D sounding clean sounds for my jazz/big band. I will be playing my PRS CU24 through it with various pedals. Here's what I need:

1. LOTS of clean headroom, but not sterile sounding either
2. 2x12 preferred if a guitar combo
3. fairly lightweight if possible

I'm open to both tube and solidstate units (as long as the SS sounds good). I'm also open to other options, like acoustic combos with lots of volume (SWR California Blonde), and smallish 2x10, 2x12, or 1x15 bass combos too.

I get all my OD sounds from pedals, so I just need something I can use for a killer clean base tone.






Bruno Cowtipper 45. Accept no substitute.
Paul

[riffmeister]

Twin Reverb fits the bill (except is is on the heavy).

[wire 247]

Holland Lil Jimi. Very warm sounding, 35 or 50 watts great reverb, 2 6l6s, 45 lbs......

[pattste]

I'm looking for 100 watts or so, and I'm looking to spend around $1000 or less.
Also, I play mostly outdoor gigs with a 20-25 piece big band, with NO PA system.

Fender Jazzmaster UltraLight and matching enclosure. It's getting pretty good reviews overall. Powerful, light and sounds good.

[yZe]

Never count the Roland Cube 60 out for loud cleans !!

Not sure about the 2-12 criteria, though

I owned a silver face twin NMV FOR YEARS with the blackface mod, jumped channels, etc . . and it always sounded flat.

The transformers on those things SUCK !!

If you are in a big band, the 60W amps people mentioned will not cut it

Also, they listed amps that you can't get for under 1G per your criteria

Also, if you want real clean, your pickups shold be no hotter than Alnico 2

If you have Alnico 4 & above, you are demanding too much if you expect loud, non-sterile cleans

[freaksho]

i agree 50W tubes probably won't cut it for outdoor clean unmic'd.

so i think it's gotta be the Roland JC-120 or the Fender Twin.

i don't think there exist any light 2x12 combos, especially in this power range. so you may as well just give up on the weight requirement.

[Bikedude]

Grant Green uses one of these, and I think he's pretty "jazzy". www.superseventeen.com

[nosajwp]

What about an Acoustic Image head and a good 2x12 cab?

[thedave]

I'll second the Acoustic Image head with a Raezer's Edge cab. Really powerful, clean and lot's of tone-shaping capability.

If you insist on a combo, get an Evans amp. Don't be fooled by the smaller size. The 10" model cuts through a 12-piece jazz band (sometime I add the Raezer 12 for wider disperion, not necessarily more volume). The 12" will handle anything.

Lately I've been using one of those Bose L1 Model II columns with the tonematch engine. Am getting very good jazz tones (with 7-string guitar) that have superb dispersion. Everyone else in the band hears me easily, without overpowering any particular person.

But, if I wanted just one combo to carry for jazz, it would be the Evans.

[trap]

rivera r-55. it's 112, but a nice clean, lots of headroom, 45 lbs., want more?, get a small 112 cab. you need that tube warmth with a solidbody. the acoustic image is really designed for an archtop. and the cali blond won't sound good with a mag pup. the r55 can be had for well under a grand used.

[papa taco]

I'm looking for 100 watts or so, and I'm looking to spend around $1000 or less.
Also, I play mostly outdoor gigs with a 20-25 piece big band, with NO PA system.

I'm guessing some people didn't read this. So I'll quote it and hopefully the next recommendation will take this into account. Or, I could continue this rediculous trend and recommend a Dr Z Carmen Ghia! :munch

[bigboy]

Traynor YCV40 w/extension cab. Dont forget to change the tubes and speaker.

[Lintybits]

I used to play with an 18pc Big Band that played indoor & outdoor gigs. My main guitar is a PRS McCarty Hollowbody, stock pickups.

I used a JC 120 for the outdoor gigs, no, mic or pa. I'd recommend it, it's def. got the clean sound down and takes pedals really well for a SS amp. Only problem is it's about 85 lbs.

For indoor gigs I used a 30w Roland Blues Cube. It held up well, but got muddy at higher volumes.

[Scafeets]

Roland jc-120
Polytone Brute
Roland Keyboard amp or Fender Princeton 65 (not the DSP ones) if you're on a budget.

[utterhack]

- loud cleans
- 2x12
- fairly lightweight
- 100 watts or so
- $1000 or less


hmm... what could possibly fit that description...?




http://www.roland.com/products/com/JC-120/images/top_L.jpg

[i51423]

If you can find the 2x12 combo(not too common) or decide a head and cab is OK... Carvin X100B. You can find them for $350ish all day long. VERY loud, flexible EQ, and a great reverb. The 6L6 version has the better clean channel, from what I understand. It's clean up until you hit 7. Let's just say that I rarely turn it up past 3, even with a full band. My Carvin on 3 was as loud as my friend's late '60s BF Twin on 9. :dude

If you find one, give it a go. You might be surprised. It's not too heavy and you'll easily be able to pick up an Avatar cab with the money left over.:D

[Mike]

Fender Dual Professional with neo speakers for the weight issue.

Mike

[nosajwp]

Maybe a Tremoverb? How are the cleans on those?

[MrDoty]

fender twin reverb and a protein shake.

[drbob1]

I agree with the JC120. Other amps that you might be able to score for less than $1k:
Alessandro Bloodhound-6550s, very light and loud head, no reverb or effects loops but for straight ahead clean it kills. Have to get lucky on a used one.
Ampeg V4/V2-the head and combo versions of this 120w workhorse. Killer sound, clean all day, nice reverb, cheap in today's market. The downside is 90+ pounds...
Randall RM100 head with a twin module or the RM50 combo if you need reverb. Can sound great, also very heavy...

There is a trend, most amps with big enough iron to do clean at 120w will be pigs (Alessandro is the only exception I know). Another thing you can do to drop the weight is go with much more efficient speakers. A 112, 50w amp with an old JBL D120 should put out as much sound as a 120w amp with 2 Jensens. In fact, the best solution might be a brown Vibrasonic or Pro-15" JBL (105 dB if I recall) and 40w-it'll definitely cut thru a 15 piece band...

[bluesaxe]

Twin

+1

or an old Showman with a JBL or EVM cab

None of which qualifies as light weight. If it's just for jazz, a JC120 works nice, too.

[guitarist58]

Here's something else to check out: The 12" "bass" model is 160watts, and also for good for guitar (according to the manf. They also make a head... All very lightweight :)

http://www.jazzamp.com/

[DC1]

I also really want to recommend a Hiwatt/Reeves for clean jazz. They work really nicely for sweet tones on Jazz and have tons of clean headroom. Too few people have tried them for this, but they work really well.

http://www.reevesamps.com/amp_custom_50.htm

I wonder if he would do a 100 watt combo?

DC

[Gear91]

Not sure how loud you need it but I would definitely put my early seventies Traynor YGM-3 in that category (1x12).

[Gear91]

and for super loud, a Hiwatt SA112 CAN'T be beat. I have been thinking about selling mine but everytime I come close I just can't do it! Its like having a full stack in a 1x12 package. But its a heavy 1x12 due to the Fane and the massive transformers.

[nosajwp]

Anyone else?

[freaksho]

Anyone else?

there probably aren't going to be many more options for a combo in the 100W range. not for tube, especially.

is it possible to test a good loud clean 50W combo in the band setting? if it turns out that's enough power it would open up a ton more options for ya (like many of the 50W suggestions given above). maybe you can get one from GC for a 30-day trial? their return policy is nice.

and of course, if you open up to the idea of head & 2x12 cabinet then there are a million 100 watters available. i personally find it easier make two trips with lighter head & cab than carry one beastly combo.

good luck.

[slopeshoulder]

Bruno Cowtipper 45. Accept no substitute.
Paul

+1,000,000,000,000!!!!!!!!
the Cowtipper is the KING of this.

[musicman1]

A used Peavey Stereo Chorus 400 combo or you can sometimes find just a head version and buy a stereo 2x12 cabinet to eaze up on the total combo weight which is around 75-80 lbs. Its still lighter than a JC120, has more versatility as it has 2 full blown pre-amps with built in stereo chorusing, vibrato and reverb and twice the power (2-120 watt power amps) and sells used for well under $400.00.

[monkmiles]

Not a combo, but very small and portable is the Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight head. Great cleans and solid built-in effects.

[googoobaby]

A good SS steel guitar amp. I'm halfway tempted to pick up a Peavey Nashville 112 as a backup myself. The Jazzmaster Ultralight is great as well, but a little pricey.

[MrChet]

Traynor YGL MK III. It's basically a Canadian Twin Reverb and Dual Showman with beefier transformers. The MK III comes as a 2 X 12 Combo and a head w/ choice of cab. They can be had for around $400 on eBay. I'd suggest using 6L6s in place of the EL 34s. Might need a tech to change the bias scale resistor to do that. Change the speakers to your liking.

If you're interested in cabs, look into detuned 1 X 12. Big full tone. Same w/ detuned 2 X 10.

The disadvantages to what I've mentioned are weight and size and tweaking. The tone is there, in spades.

[PFCG]

Gotta be the Two Rock Custom Reverb 1x12 combo. its huge!