I’m a high school jazz band guitarist looking for a tube amp. How much power/watts do I need?
Posted by on 19th March 2008 in Jazz
Michael K asked:
Guitar: American Vintage ’52 Reissue
Current Amp: Fender Princeton ’65 Made in Mexico
Guitar: American Vintage ’52 Reissue
Current Amp: Fender Princeton ’65 Made in Mexico
Looking for a tube amp with fat jazzy sound that can pierce through a high school band. Budget around $600~800.
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March 21st, 2008 at 11:46 am
Don’t listen to Rad’s answer, turning up the gain and volume and flicking on an overdrive switch on a GUITAR amp will make you sound like Metallica, not fatten up your sound like it does for bass. Tube amps aren’t necessarily a great choice for jazz because at higher volumes the tubes start to saturate with power and distort. They do have a nice warm sound to them and offer a “springy” dynamic feel, but to get one suitable to play a CLEAN sound at high volumes you’re going to need a high wattge tube amp…lik around 100 watts or up. And those are typically very expensive for a good quality amp. Solid state amps are very suitable for jazz because they give you loads of clean headroom (don’t distort) at high volumes and are also a cheaper alternative to the ever so coveted 100 watt tube amp. Try the Roland JC-120 it’s made for jazz nad is solid state. If you really want a tube amp buy a Mesa Boogie or Hughes & Kettner.
March 22nd, 2008 at 5:29 am
Aaron F is right! A tube amp is more expensive, heavier, and more difficult to maintain. It is MUCH better than solid-state for overdriven sounds, but not really noticeably different for clean tones. The Roland JC-120 is considered the gold standard for jazz, but really, any high-wattage solid state amp with good speaker(s) should be fine.
A new JC-120 is $900, though. The Fender Jazz King is $700, and looks real good.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Definitely look at the Roland JC-120. That will give you the sound and volume you’re looking for. Tube amps are heavy, fragile, and replacement tubes aren’t cheap. You should be able to find a Roland in the $800-900 range if you search. A little more money spent up front now will save you in the long run. The Roland will last you indefinitely and you don’t have to buy tubes for it!