Confessions of a Tube Snob (or) In Praise of Yamaha (SS) Amps
Chip L
get my motor going. Part of the attraction is the connection with my
youth - I've alway played these amps and so did my heros. The other
attraction is the sound. To me, they are the sound of Rock & Roll, blues,
and R&B.
Over the past year, I've realized that my beloved '67 Deluxe Reverb (and his
little brother Princeton Reverb) have some serious drawbacks in performance
situations, particularly jazz/archtop gigs. These amps add alot of their
own color to the sounds which vary greatly depending on volume. I may be
able to get a nice clean tone in a practice situation but my sound may
totally change in a larger venue. Plus, I have become increasingly hesitant
in gigging these amps - they are dead mint and valuable.
So, I've been looking for alternatives. I've always considered solid state
(SS) amps to be cheaply built and lifeless tone. Much of my perceptions was
admittedly based on others views.
Based on some good reviews of RMMGJers, I picked up an older '70's Yamaha
G50-112. A little smaller than a DR but about the same weight. Around $100.
Bingo! A lovely, articulate, transparent tone with my ES-165 which remains
constant at all volumes. Plenty of volume for the restaruant/social gig.
Inside, its built like a tank - nothing chincy here.
My only complaint is that this amps loves to feedback at my Herb Ellis's low
E which is a real drag during solos. In looking for a more EQ control (and
a few more modern features like line out, fx send/rec) , I picked up a newer
80's/90's Yamaha G100-112 III. Again around $100. Same excellent tonal
transparency as its older, smaller sibling. A Parametric EQ allows one to
emphasize or deemphasize (think "feedback") any frequency. This ones a
keeper (although a heavy one).
Being pleased with the jazz box performance, I wondered how this amp would
sound with the Tele for the Wedding/Party/R&B/dance gig. I expected a
sterile, cheesy SS sound that I wouldn't settle for. Boy, was I wrong! I
could have closed my eyes and thought I was playing a GREAT tube amp. The
gain channel is very smooth and useable. After a week w/ this amp, I still
can't believe it. Very impressive.
If you're looking for an inexpensive, versatile amp for jazz and variety,
consider
the Yamaha G series. There are three generations of these: the G, GII, and
GIII. Many configurations - 50 or 100 watt, 1-10, 2-10, 1-12, 2-12. The
model # tells you what you need to know - G100-112 III = 3rd generation, 100
watt w/ 1-12" speaker.
Chip L
David C. Stephens
"Chip L" <longcDE...@infoave.net> wrote in message
news:bdhkj8$t8m53$1...@ID-77822.news.dfncis.de...
Christophe Pinson
i had read good reviews here, and the more i use it, the more i love
it. Many reviewers say the " drive " channel sucks; i disagree on that
point. On low settings, it gives a sort of " tubish " compression that
fattens the sound. Of course, you can't reach a good overdrive level (
need a pdl for that ) , but with a humbucker and on the low gain
imput, the sound gets more lively. What's more, you get a real good
sound with a single coil with the bright push-pull on and some low
mids added on the eq.Have you tried yours on a 4x12 cab?
>
Pt
Your biggest tube amp is 22 watts.
Why don't you consider a 50 watt or higher tube amp?
Their drawbacks are that they can be heavy and you will have to change
the power tubes every few years.
A 50 watt SS amp is equal to a 25 watt tube amp in clean headroom.
SS amps do not have good distortion.
But...to each their own.
Pt
Jack A. Zucker
I've been singing the priases of the Yamaha G100 for years. (The G50 is it's
little brother). I used to think the G100 was the best SS jazz guitar amp I
had ever heard but I think the Peavey Transtube Bandit has displaced the
G100 for me.
Jaz
"Chip L" <longcDE...@infoave.net> wrote in message
news:bdhkj8$t8m53$1...@ID-77822.news.dfncis.de...
Jack A. Zucker
Deluxe smokes every SS amp I've ever heard in terms of tone. The problem
with most tube amps is:
1) Weight
2) Reliability of the tubes
3) Sound / Response changes as volume increases
4) Did I say WEIGHT?
I recently purchased a 50 watt tube combo amp. I plan to use it in stereo
with my Bandit for loud gigs and by itself for quieter gigs.
Jaz
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:QV1La.6450$Hw.51...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Steve Carter
amp. The differences are too much for me to go into here, but you can
read about them in the Gig Journals on my site:
http://www.frogstoryrecords.com
Steve
On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 20:37:04 GMT, "Jack A. Zucker"
<j...@jackzucker.com> wrote:
>Hey Chip,
>
>I've been singing the priases of the Yamaha G100 for years. (The G50 is it's
>little brother). I used to think the G100 was the best SS jazz guitar amp I
>had ever heard but I think the Peavey Transtube Bandit has displaced the
>G100 for me.
>
Steve Carter
www.frogstoryrecords.com
Chip L
The problem
> with most tube amps is:
>
> 1) Weight
> 2) Reliability of the tubes
> 3) Sound / Response changes as volume increases
> 4) Did I say WEIGHT?
>
And in the case of many older tube amps....
4) Sweet gain at the amps chosen volume, not yours.
5) Lack of modern outputs line outs, fx send/rec
6) Maintenance - caps decline from their first use and after 10 years they
are no good. I've had 4 Princetons Reverbs and 3 Deluxe Reverbs and every
amp sounded different.
Jack, some of your old posts were included in my buying decision on the
Yamahas.
Chip L
Jack A. Zucker
pages and didn't find the info! :-)
--
web: www.jackzucker.com
"Steve Carter" <swca...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:gqnpfv8fccfgbpk85...@4ax.com...
Peter Grey
Both of you (you and Jack) prompted my decision to buy one. If I don't like
it, I'm sending it to you guys and you can pay me back. ;)
Peter
"Chip L" <longc...@infoave.net> wrote in message
news:bditv0$5djo$1...@news3.infoave.net...
Margaret Wilson
don't be a tease, too. ;-)
Regards,
Margaret
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:TC7La.19649$Jw6.7...@news1.news.adelphia.net...
Christophe Pinson
<j...@jackzucker.com> écrit:
>Hey Chip,
>
>I've been singing the priases of the Yamaha G100 for years. (The G50 is it's
>little brother). I used to think the G100 was the best SS jazz guitar amp I
>had ever heard but I think the Peavey Transtube Bandit has displaced the
>G100 for me.
I sometimes use a peavey transtube bandit for gigging, and noticed
it's got more hiss than the g100, which is as quiet as an amp can be.
maybe there's sthg wrong with the one I used ?
Steve Carter
>pages and didn't find the info! :-)
See the gig journals from nov 17, nov 24 and jun 21. Not a lot of
detail, I'm afraid, but at least it gives the sense of the difference
between the tube and solid state amps. Of course, the B-15 is bigger,
and has a heavy-duty 15-inch bass speaker, whereas the Peavy has a
12-inch. But the tubes give a richer sound in those situations where I
have to push it a little, while with the Peavy, the louder I play, the
tinnier the sound gets.
Also, see the link "Guitar and amp."
Steve
Steve Carter
www.frogstoryrecords.com
Chip L
Pt
cabinet with 30 watt Celestions.
I will say that it was very loud, very noisy and very shrill but it
did cut through the mix.
Pt
Jack A. Zucker
"Peter Grey" <pg...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:7Z7La.16009$C83.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Jonathan Giblin
feels like AA). I've got a G-100 III and a HRD and use them both a lot, but
in different situations.
When I need to be loud and clean and can't tap into a decent PA, the G-100
is hard to beat. I use it a lot for this big band I play with. When I don't
need to play loud or I have access to a good PA system, the HRD is just the
ticket. I suppose you could use a Twin or Vibrolux or something, but somehow
it ain't the same thing... and there is that weight thing (how come no one
else brought that up).
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:OY1La.6452$Hw.51...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Peter Grey
I'll keep that in mind. I suspect it'll be fine. I'm getting it so I don't
have to set up MiniBrain/RE at home and then break it down for gigs. Also,
I like the Poly sound more than the Clarus but it is limited in power so I'm
gonna try the G100 on louder gigs and see how it works.
Peter
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:YYmLa.6987$Hw.53...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Chip L
tonal shaping options and outputs than the 70's model.
Be aware that the III's are heavy. My 112 weighs over 50 lbs and the 212
must be a tank. Only negative I've run into.
Chip
"Peter Grey" <pg...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:dIoLa.16917$C83.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Jack A. Zucker
that the particle board on the III series makes it brighter...
"Chip L" <longc...@infoave.net> wrote in message
news:bdlibh$6q4g$1...@news3.infoave.net...
Peter Grey
mainly what I was looking for. Does that make it a II?
Peter
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:YGsLa.7150$Hw.54...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Jack A. Zucker
> I bought either a G100 or a G100 II. It has the parametric EQ which is
> mainly what I was looking for. Does that make it a II?
The Parametric is only on the II and III. The original G100 was bright and
thin sounding.
The III has a presence control and mult-colored "caps" on the knobs. It's
also slightly wider.
I forget who designed the II - It might have been rivera. It was originally
designed to be the first SS amp that sounded like a tube amp. At the time,
it's distortion was revolutionary for a SS amp. They also made a single rack
space preamp version...
Peter Grey
Peter
"Jack A. Zucker" <j...@jackzucker.com> wrote in message
news:W2tLa.7163$Hw.54...@news2.news.adelphia.net...
Jim Kroger
Jim
Harry Avant
Chip L
the degree to which you want to emphasize or deemphasize the frequency
chosen. And another select how broad or narrow you want affect other
freuencies near you chosen frequency (think bell curve.)
The III is the one w/ the diffenent colored knobs.
Here's a manual for the G and GII series
Chip L
"Harry Avant" <hav...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3eff2597...@news.earthlink.net...
Jim Kroger
sounded like a lifeless Fender, and far too bright. But my jazz guitar
teacher's sounded great, very warm, which means he had the later one.
Jim
Jim Kroger
hav...@earthlink.net (Harry Avant) wrote:
Thanks Harry....was Jamie's a later model?
Jim
Jack A. Zucker
thought the exact same thing.
They really made a huge improvement with the II series.
"Jim Kroger" <jimkkR...@umich.edu> wrote in message
news:jimkkREMOVEME-6C5...@visonmassif.rs.itd.umich.edu...
Christophe Pinson
>
>The III is the one w/ the diffenent colored knobs.
>
>Here's a manual for the G and GII series
>
Where's this manual ? I'm interested !
Chip L
www.scottmcknight.com/yamahaG100.zip
"Jim Kroger" <jimkkR...@umich.edu> wrote in message
news:jimkkREMOVEME-7E7...@visonmassif.rs.itd.umich.edu...
Greger Hoel
<longcDE...@infoave.net> wrote:
>So, I've been looking for alternatives.
Before i settled on my last Marshall amp, which I bought solely
because of the discount, I A/B/C'd a Crate Vintage something, a Fender
Hotrod Deluxe and a Laney VH50. The Crate had no jarring highs, some
inherent sweetness to the tone that simply refused to go away and more
complex tone overall. I didn't buy it cos I couldn't afford it and it
was about as heavy as a small car. The tone, however, urinated on
every other amp I've tried before or after.
--
Greger
______________________________________________
What's up Chuck?
To email me, replace everything after @ with softhome.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Kleinhaut
Greger Hoel <gre...@spamblock.net> wrote:
(snip) The tone, however, urinated on
>every other amp I've tried before or after.
>--
>Greger
What colorful prose:) You do, however, leave no doubt that you feel the crate
was/is top dog. But the real question; have you compared it to a Clarus/RE
rig?
Info and soundclips about:
"Chasing Tales":
http://www.invisiblemusicrecords.com/Resources/Chasing%20Tales.html
"Amphora":
http://www.invisiblemusicrecords.com/Resources/Amphora.html
"Secrets of Three": http://www.invisiblemusicrecords.com/Resources/SO3.html
Greger Hoel
<markkl...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>What colorful prose:) You do, however, leave no doubt that you feel the crate
>was/is top dog. But the real question; have you compared it to a Clarus/RE
>rig?
No. I've never even seen anything by Clarus or RA for sale over here.
TBH though, the only tranny amp I've really liked liked was a JC 120,
but that was so long ago, I can't really remember what it sounded like
anymore. The Crate I played was very tubey. It compressed fairly early
on and retained that nice 'even harmonics' clarity thru all stages of
breakup. The compression was very musical and sweet, however, and it
somehow still felt like it had sufficient dynamics for some seriously
funky playing. I dunno, maybe it was a headroom thing.
For an archtop player a Crate tube amp might not be ideal as you guys
generate more of the tone in the guitar, whereas solidbody players
like me rely more on tone coloration from the amp. For anybody who's
into tube tone, however, I recommend trying out some Crates.
Chip L
www.scottmcknight.com/yamahaG100.zip
"Christophe Pinson" <christoph...@freesbee.fr> wrote in message
news:3effedea...@news.free.fr...
Jack A. Zucker
> The Crate had no jarring highs, some
> inherent sweetness to the tone that simply refused to go away and more
> complex tone overall. I didn't buy it cos I couldn't afford it and it
> was about as heavy as a small car. The tone, however, urinated on
> every other amp I've tried before or after.
I tried the new crate tube amp with the vintage looking front. It doesn't
even say crate on the front of the amp, lest they scare potential buyers
away. It was very UNtubey and bright and shrill. The treble control seemed
to be more of a high-mid control and the amp didn't sound musical to me. I
think it got some of that urine on itself...
Greger Hoel
<j...@jackzucker.com> wrote:
>I tried the new crate tube amp with the vintage looking front. It doesn't
>even say crate on the front of the amp, lest they scare potential buyers
>away. It was very UNtubey and bright and shrill. The treble control seemed
>to be more of a high-mid control and the amp didn't sound musical to me. I
>think it got some of that urine on itself...
That's too bad :(
I can't recall atm what the name was of the model I played, but it was
a vintage voiced version of the Blue Voodoo. It wasn't really bright
at all.
Jack A. Zucker
--
web: www.jackzucker.com
"Greger Hoel" <gre...@spamblock.net> wrote in message
news:enk1gvcmr4gioqtmc...@4ax.com...
Pt
A friend has 3 of them.
They are all Vintage Club series.
Each one is totally different than the other.
The small one is Class A 15 watts.
This is a great little amp that works well for practice but also
screams when pushed.
He has gigged with it and it has more than enough volume.
But this is a rock amp when played loud.
He also has a 30 watter that has 3X10 speakers.
Two 6L6's and sounds much like a Fender tube amp.
Last but not least he has a 50 watt model that can be excellent for
jazz or any other kind of music.
If I were to buy a combo amp I would put serious thought in to a
Vintage Club.
Actually I like the 15 watter best.
I already have two Marshall tube heads so I don't need to get that
Marshall sound.
Pt
Greger Hoel
>Talking about Crate tube amps.....
>A friend has 3 of them.
>They are all Vintage Club series.
>
>Each one is totally different than the other.
>
>The small one is Class A 15 watts.
>This is a great little amp that works well for practice but also
>screams when pushed.
>He has gigged with it and it has more than enough volume.
>But this is a rock amp when played loud.
>
>He also has a 30 watter that has 3X10 speakers.
>Two 6L6's and sounds much like a Fender tube amp.
>
>Last but not least he has a 50 watt model that can be excellent for
>jazz or any other kind of music.
>
>If I were to buy a combo amp I would put serious thought in to a
>Vintage Club.
>Actually I like the 15 watter best.
Do the 50w have a blonde colour, with top mounted panel, only rhythm
and treble pots on the clean channel, 2x12 and a stereo jack for fx
in/out? If so, the 50W was prolly the one I tested.
Pt
<gre...@spamblock.net> wrote:
>Do the 50w have a blonde colour, with top mounted panel, only rhythm
>and treble pots on the clean channel, 2x12 and a stereo jack for fx
>in/out? If so, the 50W was prolly the one I tested.
I believe that is the one.
Pt
Jack A. Zucker
> Do the 50w have a blonde colour, with top mounted panel, only rhythm
> and treble pots on the clean channel, 2x12 and a stereo jack for fx
> in/out? If so, the 50W was prolly the one I tested.
Thanks for clarifying. That's a different amp than the one I tried. Did you
see the pic of the one I tried? It's black with chrome logo...
Greger Hoel
<j...@jackzucker.com> wrote:
>Thanks for clarifying. That's a different amp than the one I tried. Did you
>see the pic of the one I tried? It's black with chrome logo...
ActualIy, I checked it out while writing my first Crate post. I prolly
should've asid it earlier, but I tried this amp back in 97, IIRC.
Before Crate pooled their resources into digital multiFX amps.