JazzKat AcoustiKat, Mambo or AER Copact 60/3 ?

[van]

I use my AI Coda/RS10 as my basic gig amp, but for a rehearsal amp, I've been using my 1980s orange Cube.
The Cube wouldn't turn on Mon. night at a rehearsal, and I had to play acoustically for a few tunes until I started playing with the power cord and got the light to go back on, but the amp sounded kind of weak.

Even with a lightweight speaker, my Cube still weighs in at 27lbs., and bothers my back when I carry it without a cart.

I want a grab and go amp that can hold its own with a group with a drummer.
Out of the four amps listed above, which are under 20lbs, can anyone recommend one over the others?
TIA

[Paul]

It's not on your list but check out the Schertler David (9 kg so
approx 20 lbs). I have used one as a rehearsal amp for several years.
Super versatile - acoustic, jazz electric (not rock or fusion though)
and vocal. I a/b'd it with the AER when I bought it and preferred the
Schertler. Sometimes use it in performance at small venues by
pairing it with a Schertler powered speaker.

On Wed, 12 Nov 2014 09:04:48 -0800 (PST), van <sg...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

[Docbop]

Henriksen has new small amp (6" speaker) coming called Bud. Last I heard they made their last cabinet change and hope to have it out before end of the this year. They have a few youtubes of tests with the amp including one with an upright bass player using it. Here's a recent video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9D84rudh_A

[ott...@hotmail.com]

How about this Lunchbox??
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGDE9hP8gug&list=UUfZZi0eguvtQbpCls7jbtFw&index=10>

Bg

[ott...@hotmail.com]

I've been using an early JazzKat as my main gigging amp for years.
Bg

[Jim Soloway]

If you want to consider something a bit outside the norm, the Gallien Krueger MB110 is 21 lbs. It's actually a bass amp but I tried one yesterday and thought it sounded pretty good. The larger MB112-II sounded VERY good but it was also 29 lbs the cab is very large.

[David J. Littleboy]

The lack of reverb makes bass amps problematic. My pianist has a tiny bass
amp that sounds fine, but I had to buy a reverb pedal and leave it at her
place.

Or, one could go back into the extreme normal and try the new Roland Cubes.
My (by now quite old) Cube 30 holds up amazingly well in a 12-person big
band: it cuts through fine, even with all 8 of the horns blasting. I haven't
taken my new Cube 20GX (17 lbs.) out yet, but I can't imagine the Cube 40GX
(21 lbs.) not being loud enough for a trio. These things are nice in that
they're cheap as all get out. My Cube 20GX sits next to a Henriksen 110
(with a Ragin Cajun speaker). The Cube 20GX gets used. The "plate" reverb on
the 20GX sounds really good; way better than the 110's reverb.

Did I remember to say cheap? If you can afford a JazzAmp 110ER, you can get
both a 20GX and a 40GX and still have over US$500 in your pocket.

OK, truth in advertising: I'm minorly pissed at Roland. The Cube 30 had a
10" speaker, and IMHO, 8" speakers don't cut it. The 20GX (if anything,
slightly bigger and heavier than the 30) has an 8" speaker, and you have to
go to the 40GX to get a 10" speaker. But the 20GX sounds ridiculously good
at low to medium volumes. The Cube 30 sounded a bit thin/sterile at low to
medium volumes, but sounds real nice when cranked.

--
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

[Mr. Maj6th]

I agree, I have been lately playing regularly in a big band using a
Roland cube 40; I use the Roland sound (the other programable side
only confuses me) only with a little reverb. It is as loud as I need
to be, and sounds great.

Maj6th

[David J. Littleboy]

"Mr. Maj6th" wrote:
>
>I agree, I have been lately playing regularly in a big band using a
>Roland cube 40; I use the Roland sound (the other programable side
>only confuses me) only with a little reverb. It is as loud as I need
>to be, and sounds great.

To the best I can tell, (except for the acoustic sim sound, which isn't bad
at all) the digital amp simulation game is about distorted sounds.

Speaking of distorted sounds, a friend who just got married over here plays
in a Stones cover band. They did a gig at a tiny funky bar. I showed up
there just as the first set was getting under way, and got a stool at the
far end of the bar from the band. It was plenty loud. At intermission, his
wife gets up and twists arms to get me a seat next to the band. I knew I was
in trouble when I looked up and noticed he was wearing earplugs. They were
quite good, actually. The keyboard player wasn't there, so they played
mostly Mick Taylor period stuff and it was a blast. But it was loud.

[van]

On Thursday, November 13, 2014 8:54:11 AM UTC-5, ott...@hotmail.com wrote:
> I've been using an early JazzKat as my main gigging amp for years.
> Bg

Bg- How many watts is your JazzKat? The AcoustiKat is 150 watts RMS.

[rpjazzguitar]

Short answer is that I have no experience with those amps.

Longer answer: Although Reg Schwager and others apparently like the Lunchbox and sound great with it, I have one and I can't get a sound I like, even with a Boss ME80 for tweaking the signal. I'd suggest getting a return privilege if you buy that amp.

I usually gig with a Roland JC55. I think it weighs 12kg (maybe 26 lbs).
It has two 8 inch speakers. They sound fine to me. And, the amp can go as loud as I ever want to play. If you need to be louder, there really ought to be a PA.

[paul s]

Has anyone here tried out the DV Mark "jazz" or "little jazz" amps? Both under 20 lbs, looks like they are in the "lunchbox" market niche.


Paul S

[van]

On Sunday, November 16, 2014 9:10:37 PM UTC-5, paul s wrote:
> Has anyone here tried out the DV Mark "jazz" or "little jazz" amps? Both under 20 lbs, looks like they are in the "lunchbox" market niche.
>
>
> Paul S

Never heard of them, but I just won a dogfight for the AcoustiKat amp on ebay for $403. It only weighs 17.75 lbs. has 150 watts RMS with a 8 inch woofer and a 1 inch dome tweeter.
My freakin' Cube 60 weighed 27 lbs and just died on me after 30 years of noble service. RIP Orange One...
Actually my tech should be able to bring it back to life, but it will be a zombie cube....

[rpjazzguitar]

The Lunchbox weighs about 10 lbs. My impression is that there are other choices starting around 16 or 17 lbs, but few with the advertised power of the LB at that weight. The Fender Jazzmaster amplifier (lightweight Class D head and lightweight cabinet) comes to mind (at the 16+ level) I'm sure there are many others.

So, maybe the LB is really in its own weight class ... except:

In fact, I don't think the LB actually produces much more usable volume than my 12 watt Crate practice amp (which weighs 15lbs). The LB has to be on the floor to have any bass at all. On a stand, it sounds really shrill. In contrast, I can use the Crate well off the floor and it sounds good. I guess if I could put the LB on the apron of the stage, facing front, maybe it would be loud enough. But, it's a closed back cabinet. How would I hear it? I have played some pretty large rooms with just the Crate, by getting it at head height.

[ott...@hotmail.com]

Sorry I'm late, but mine is one of the original with 8" speaker 90 or 100 watts,
and no speaker out jack on the back.

I've done outdoor pool party gigs with it and no probs, it handles it.
It seems they don't make 8" models any more.

I was using a Polytone head with RE Cab, and it was too much trouble when I was in a hurry , and the Jazzkat sounded great so that's what I use.

Bg

[Docbop]

Those old JazzKat amp's seemed to be so popular especially for practice and small gigs I wonder why they never brought it back out again?

[van]

Sounds good, thanks.

[van]

On their website, they feature a new version of an 8" Model.

[van]

Reg sounds great on those recordings, but the drummer is using brushes and playing very quietly, even when he picks up the sticks for a minute or so.
The LB would be good for a quiet hotel gig like that, but if there was a louder drummer, electric bass, more background noise, etc... I don't think the LB would cut it.

[Docbop]

The LB works with drums and such because it's all mid-range sound that cuts through. With that one little speaker I would imagine it's pretty beamy and not spread too well.

[rpjazzguitar]

Also, unless it's the room or a lot of resonance in the guitar, it sounds like he's got reverb. The LB doesn't have reverb, so, apparently, he's got something else in the signal chain.

[ott...@hotmail.com]

On Tuesday, November 18, 2014 6:20:26 PM UTC-5, rpjazzguitar wrote:
> Also, unless it's the room or a lot of resonance in the guitar, it sounds like he's got reverb. The LB doesn't have reverb, so, apparently, he's got something else in the signal chain.

That hotel he's playing in is pretty live, you can hear in peoples' voices in the background, at least in my headphones, which is how I listen to all these Vids.
It sounds almost like an auditorium at times.

Bg

[van]

Just got my AcoustiKat. I like the sound I'm getting out of it more than my AI, PV, Twin and Cube. I like the reverb, it's got power to spare, and I don't feel the bones in my back shifting around when I lift it, like I do with all my other amps.
I compared it to my other amps, and it's definitely lighter than all of them, including my RS-10, but I put it on my digital scale and it said it was 21 lbs. instead of the 18 lbs. advertised. Maybe my scale is inaccurate, but it's just what I was looking for, a grab and go amp that I can use for any gig other than Death Metal. ; - )

[ott...@hotmail.com]

> I compared it to my other amps, and it's definitely lighter than all of them, including my RS-10, but I put it on my digital scale and it said it was 21 lbs. instead of the 18 lbs. advertised. Maybe my scale is inaccurate, but it's just what I was looking for, a grab and go amp that I can use for any gig other than Death Metal. ; - )

I just weighed my Old 8" spkr Jazzkat, and it's 23 lbs, so that seems in line.

Bg

[van]

On the Fed Express box it says 9kg, which equals 19.82 lbs.

[van]

On Wednesday, November 12, 2014 12:04:50 PM UTC-5, van wrote:

Just got back from my first jazz gig with my new AcoustiKat, and it was a real doozy.
Subbed for a pianist in a jazz big band that in its 18 year history never had a guitarist. I broke the piano/guitar barrier!
Every player in the band is a complete mother, and they model themselves after the Vanguard Band, playing tons of Thad charts.
The AcoustiKat has clean power to spare, a great jazz sound, and is light and small enough to carry easily in one hand.
In other words, I've found my amp!

[Bill Godwin]

Awesome! Congrats!!

Which guitar did you use?

Bill

[ott...@hotmail.com]

>
> Just got back from my first jazz gig with my new AcoustiKat, and it was a real doozy.
> Subbed for a pianist in a jazz big band that in its 18 year history never had a guitarist. I broke the piano/guitar barrier!
> Every player in the band is a complete mother, and they model themselves after the Vanguard Band, playing tons of Thad charts.
> The AcoustiKat has clean power to spare, a great jazz sound, and is light and small enough to carry easily in one hand.
> In other words, I've found my amp!

Hey,
Welcome to the Kat Gang :-)
Bg

[van]

Yeah, BG you were right about the JazzKat. I used my Borys B-120, Bill,

[bigdog]

Sold my Lunchbox. Couldn't get a sound I liked. I have both the older 8 inch jazzkat and the Fender jazzmaster ultralight. Prefer the jazzkat, but am sellig both in favour of an Acoustic Image with Redstone 10 inch.

[van]

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 8:58:01 AM UTC-5, bigdog wrote:
> Sold my Lunchbox. Couldn't get a sound I liked. I have both the older 8 inch jazzkat and the Fender jazzmaster ultralight. Prefer the jazzkat, but am sellig both in favour of an Acoustic Image with Redstone 10 inch.

My other rig is an AI with a Redstone 10, but I'm only going to use that for gigs at larger venues.
With an AI and a RS10 you can be heard everywhere in a medium sized space.
I don't know if the AcoustiKat can do the same thing. I'll have to test it out.

[Gerry]

That's a review that can be appreciated.
--
Sunday is my new usenet day. All the others are for fun.