jazz guitar amps

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camus

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Anybody have any idea which amps those jazz guitarists of the 50s/60s used (Wes, Jim Hall, Barney Kessell etc.)? I'm thinking of getting a nice semi-hollow Epiphone and am looking for an amp to go with it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
 
I know Joe Pass endorsed Polytone for a while, an amp made by an accordian player.
 
Joe Pass played a polytone brute.Many other modern jazzers use the Roland Jazz Chorus series (I had a JC77 my brother now uses on keyboards).
But your question relates not to modern transister amps but rather the small open-back combo tube amps used back when.Contrary to the modern idea of a "backline",old photos show how the combo amp was placed in front of the musician and monitored through the open back (oohhh...that's why they did that...).Fender bassman,concert etc. were the first sealed cabinets with seperate heads circa late 50s.
No brand was the favorite,but the TYPE used was all tube,30-50 watts max open-backed combo style.
If you are looking for a vintage amp for playing jazz,let me offer a suggestion.Anything from the 50s and 60s by Fender is WAY overpriced on the vintage market.Unless you have beaucoup bucks and HAVE to get that tweed Deluxe,look to other brands of the same era.
Gibson in particular made equivalent models to most Fender amps in their GA series.I have a '59 GA6 that is their version of a Deluxe.I paid $40 for it in the early 80s (just wanted to make some of you drool).But even today's prices on Gibson amps (or ANY tube amp of the era other than Fender)are still reasonable.Good luck playing diminished runs on the V7 chord!I am working on a Django Reinhardt page and will post that URL soon.
Tom
 
What they said, plus ...

An Ampeg Reverborocket from the 60's would do the job nicely, and a Canadian company called 'Traynor' made great amps (for about 1/3 the price of a similar Fender).

foo
 
Yea foo,
I'll bet alot of the "old masters" did gigs and sessions with whatever they could get their hands on, including traynors. There was no glamour or money in being a Barney Kessel or Wes Montgomery. They did it because they loved it.
 
Thanks for all the replies, people! Indeed, alot of jazz guitarists had to resort to playing on rock 'n' roll dates in the late 50s, 60s, to make money. For instance, that's Howard Roberts playing G-C-D, G-C-D, ad infinitum (till his fingers bled!)on the Ronettes' "Be My Baby"! I also know Barney Kessell played on quite a few other Phil Spector dates, as well as on The Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds'.
 
also

With a big archtop it is gonna be hard to find a amp that does NOT sound jazzy. As long as you stay away from all the super high gain amps. The guitar player for Diane Krall played through a Fender Twin and sounded great. I would stay with tubes anyway.
 
I own eight amplifiers. Evans, Kendrick, Fender,Silvertone, and Peavey. I am primarily a pedal steel player, but also play virtually all styles of six string. My Evans amps are excellent jazz amps. They are extremely clean sounding. I own four of these and really like them.
 
First one that came to my mind was also the Polytone amps. I know a couple of guys in LA who still use those and sound great. I'd also have to say that you don't HAVE to go tube for a great jazz sound. The Polytone amps are desired cuz there's not a shred of overdrive in them. People use them 'cuz they're really clean and on the darker tone side (in other words, not cold and thin).

I used to be Kenny Burrell's teaching assistant when I was at UCLA and I think he used Polytone too, but he usually just brought his guitar and plugged into any amp and sounded great. Maybe it was a Roland JC-120? CRAP! I don't remember! Well, he RARELY brought his own amp. He just used the student's or school's equipment. I must've seen him play through 10 different amps! That verifies Stan's point that most any amp will sound jazzy if you're playing the right kind of guitar. Of course a semi-hollow body (like es-335's) don't sound exactly like full size archtops, but they can sound pretty close. You might wanna look into an Ibanez AF-120. They're not too common but you can find them for less than $800 new. It's a full hollow body and plays and sounds great.

Anyway Camus, I'd definitely put on a set of flat wounds when you get the Epiphone. You don't have to use them to get a great jazz sound, but many people do use them and you may find that they are the key to getting the sound you want (from an amp you already own). They may not be for you but you'll never know until you try them. And besides, it's a MUCH less expensive way to alter your sound as opposed to new guitars and amps.

Good Luck!

Saxman72
 
I've been getting a pretty good sound out of a Roland Blues Cube BC60. It's an open back w/one 12". No tubes, but gets a pretty warm sound anyway. I use an Ibanez AS200 and find that even at louder volumes I can get a tone like HR used to on his old bossa nova records. The amp's pretty cheap, too - probably under $350.

Happy New Year
http://leemuller.iuma.com
 
The Ampeg Reverberocket reissues are good bang for the buck.I found a used one in great condition for $300.All tube,with Groove Tubes 6L6's,one 12 inch speaker,and the reverb KILLS,if you're into that.
 
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