5 Best Jazz Guitar Amps + Direct Sound Comparison

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Black Friday Chord Melody Jazz Standards TABS sale still active! guitarversum.com

[@AldoFucinari]

I'm in southern California and worked at QSC/Quilter amps, mixers and speakers as they were being developed by Pat Quilter who in my opinion is one of the most knowledgeable electrical engineers specializing in guitar amps. You have nailed these tonal comparisons perfectly. Especially the difference between the tube amps timbre and the solid-state sound. These are subtle differences. I have subscribed to your channel because you are taking much of the folklore out of realm of guitar sound with very accurate information. I have a Quilter Slantmaster 50 which were the first prototypes given to the employees. The Slantmaster is a very early development version of the Quilter Aviator series. I have a Robert Conti Entrada arch top that play into it, but it's very funny how you came up with almost exactly the same tone settings as I use every day giving it a deeper more vocal sound in the midrange. You were correct to say these Quilters were not really focused on being jazz amps, but the early Aviators with 8" speakers sound AMAZING for Jazz guitar. Lots of thumbs up from me on your videos!! Keep them coming.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks so much for your kind words and valuable knowledge. It's an honor to have you onboard! And bzt the Conti Entrada seems to be a great guitar. Havent had a chance to review it yet (shipping and custom fees add much to the price here), but all the reviews I've heard were extremely positive.

[@trep53]

The Quilter amps are impressive.

[@larryflanagan8799]

I have a Quilter Micro Pro Mach 2 with the 10-inch speaker. Weight is 23 pounds which is easy to carry. Gets me the sound i want.

[@brianp8384]

With you playing through them, they all sound beautiful. As I said in the live chat, I am very happy with my Jazz Club solid state amp from ZT Labs in California. Thanks for the demo, I always enjoy them. 👍

[@davidpierson6686]

Thank you for sharing this information. To my wax filled ears, the Fender Blues Jr had the warmest, roundest & most "Jazz sound" that appeals to me.

[@marccarter1350]

Man, these things sound great, but are full of issues. I have burnt 2 out. Never again!

[@ronj9448]

@@marccarter1350 How did they burn out on you? I've been using one for about 15 years and 3 hours a week. Maybe I lucked out.

[@marccarter1350]

@@ronj9448 Started smoking. Chips overheated. Twice! So I switched to a Roland JC-40

[@ronj9448]

@@marccarter1350 Never had an amp smoke out on me. That is disappointing. I loke the JC-40 and keep playing with the idea of getting one. They're never on sale.

[@marccarter1350]

@@ronj9448 I played my Blues Jr's in Sterio. I really did push them as well. Had to replace tubes loads. Roland JC-40 with a Electro-Harmonix Switch Bland lets me run a lush Sterio sound from the same amp. Its really warm as well in Sterio. In mono iots still great. The chorus is to die for!

[@koolhausgames9352]

Great job! I wish all instrument reviews were as organized as this one. This is the best review process on KZbin I've seen in 10 years. To my ear, all of them are good but the one that stands out to me is the Blues Jr.. The openness, musicality, clear but warm upper mids, tight lower mids and what is still missing with solid state amps, those luscious harmonics! Tubes still rule while solid state is getting closer. I can still remember in the 60's when Yamaha came to my home town in Hamilton, Ont. Canada to show off their new and one of the first transistor amps at the time. The sales person loudly declared at the beginning that "this is the end of tubes!" Then their guitar player plugged in and 2 min later I left because my ears hurt as the digital square wave edge and crunch felt like they were going to rip my ear drums out and destroy my hearing as a teenager! I knew then that his statement wouldn't hold water. It's only taken 60 years for solid state modelling to get close but tubes still rule. Until someone comes up with a way to model harmonics, tubes will still rule. Thank you for this awesome review Sandra!

[@prodigaljess]

I have the Bud Six...it's a fantastic amp. I had low expectations when I bought it as I've played tube amps for years. After I got it, my tweed Champ clone that I'd played exclusively for years got so neglected that I finally sold it. I can play jazz, blues and country on the Bud...could probably do ambient and worship too, if I ever decide to do that again. Very versatile. The input gain is the secret weapon of this amp (along with the spectacular EQ). It gives you just enough touch-responsiveness and compression that you don't miss tubes anymore. Far from sterile sounding, it's a very musical and expressive amp. Extremely versatile. Takes pedals well too. Plus it has a built in speaker out, line out and wi-fi capability for jamming along with backing tracks. Weighs just 13 lbs. Hard to compete with the Bud.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Well said! Henriksen has a new tube amp. Maybe woth checking out. But you're right, the Bud already is such a great amp.

[@e21steverino]

I chose the DV Mark Little Jazz because it was small, pretty and living room friendly 😊 Fills my little house/rooms very nicely and really easy controls with very smooth sounds. Love your videos, Sandra!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Great choice. It's a miracle how light it is.

[@JackChessa]

I have one of those and thought it would replace my deluxe reverb, but I found the sounded boxy even in smaller venues.

[@ronj9448]

It is hard to find reviews on the DV Mark products.

[@SimonWojcik1]

Hi. Thanks for the comparison. I like the Henriksen amps a lot. I just recently heard someone play a Godin Kingpin P90 through a ZT Lunchbox Reverb. Tiny little amp, but it sounded amazing in a trio with a drum kit and double bass.

[@GByePorkPieHat]

Perfect timing, Sandra! I purchased my Bud 10, just a few weeks ago. I think I’m REALLY in love with it. Tons of headroom. Super clean. LOVE the input gain knob on each channel. Surprised, pleasantly, at how it takes pedals, when I need that.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Glad to hear that ut alos takes pedals well, bc I haven't tested that yet. I purchased the amp right after I did the video 😊.

[@noecuesta7888]

Excellent video. Another jazz amps : Evans RE300, Acoustic Image Clarus (bass, but also guitar), Roland Jc, Rivera Suprema Jazz, Fender Jazzking and Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight (Discontinued), Polytone, Fender twin reverb ( heavy weight), Vox Ac 30 ( J. Scofield), Acoustic 134, Yamaha g100.

[@paulmcmagic]

I also have owed an aer 60 for over 20 years. I also have had no problems..... except like you the foam came off the front 😂😂 Iwas going to replace it but it was £50. So it just put it back on with a little contact spray adhesive. (On the foam, not spray on the amp) Love your videos, you are so knowledgeable and talented 👍

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Oh I never thought of gluing it back on. It became a tad brighter without the foam.

[@andrewg1016]

Great review Sandra. I have a Princeton 65 reverb, and strymon timeline with different delay and chorus settings and eq, which delivers an incredible jazz tone.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

The Princeton 65 seems to be really popular. Are you from the US? I see it uded there more than in the EU.

[@rdpatterson2682]

Mesa Boogie Lone Star 12”- (heavy amp but great versatile warm tones for studio) Acoustic Image Clarus head w/ Raezers Edge Stealth 12” w/tweeter - (Really good versatile combo)

[@christianmani1730]

Excellent content and playing Sandra! I use both an AER Compact 60 and a Fender Princeton Reverb ii. But due to your comparison I might be in the market for the DV . Great dark classic jazz guitar sound very much like a Polytone.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Maybe tje sound doesn't come across so well over compressed KZbin. The DV Mark sounds great for it's price, but I really wouldn't compare it to a Polytone. It's definitely brighter than the Polytone.

[@conxita99]

Amazing. I wanted it buy the AER in black Friday I couldn't find it anywhere. I had no idea they sound so great. I'm a jazz singer. I can't wait to use it now with a band.

[@lawrenrich6419]

Great review ! To be honest I think your tone sounded most open on the quilter and the blues jr. With the fender sounding a bit more compressed… tubes will do that .. The DV was nice too but darker. I use either my fishman loudbox .. similar to the aer .. or for small coffee gigs or art openings I’ll just use my table top Yamaha thr30. So quite a bit smaller. But I’m also playing a tele mostly. Sometimes an electro-acoustic. Generally cheaper gear than what you’re showing .. but it works …

[@ronleccese8678]

Good video, but the best thing in it is your playing. Mighty fine ❤😎

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

That's sweet! Thank you ♥

[@ivanimhof6550]

Thank you for the great reviews! For me the Henriksen was the cleanest and most defined character, however, I like the Fender tone the best.

[@jacksonrussellband]

Nice content! The Fender Blues Jr. (actually the IV edition) is my favorite of the Fender Hot Rod Series. I think it's a great bang for the buck. I also agree on the '68 Pro Reverb. I've not had much experience with SS guitar amps but I thought the DV Mark and Quilter were impressive especially for the cost. Thanks for sharing!

[@FidalgoSwing]

Not only are you Sandra a great guitar player you also know your gear, having Quilter in your line up proves it. My first Quilter was in 1972 two 12’s and so heavy mini200 great little amp. My first Quilter when I lived in San Diego I got in 1972 it had two12’s and was so heavy then many years later Quilter came back now I play a Quilter mini 200 and so does my band mate he play through the Aviator head with a cabinet he built with a 10” my little mini 200 does great for club gigs in small venues and for big gigs we all go through the PA system. Thank you for putting Quilter in your lineup they’re great amps and people need to learn about them

[@maineguitarists]

Very nicely done Sandra. I have the Quilter 101 Reverb going into a 12 inch speaker and it has an amazing reverb and warm sound. I can't believe how it sounds like a tube amp. tom

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, they know what they're doing.

[@pat-enz]

I have a small Polytone combo. It is noisy on lower volumes, but it has so much power that I could even use it for open air gigs.

[@L4sleeko]

I've said it for years that acoustic amps make wonderfully warm Jazz amps. I play through a Fender Acoustasonic Junior and a JazzKatt. Both solid state and both on the heavy side weight wise. My favorite is the Junior as it's stereo and has some fantastic built in effects. If you set everything to zero on the JazzKat, you get a warm feeling sound. Great review and thank you! ;)

[@localpm]

Absolutely love the Bud 10.Thanks so much for your great reviews.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

My pleasure!

[@robertb1610]

Beautiful playing! You have a wonderful tone with every amp. I think it’s coming from your fingers! 😊

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thank you kindly!

[@lonesomelenny7606]

Thank you for the review. I have a DV Mark little Jazz with the 6 inch speaker and it's ok, Quilter Aviator head and Mach III combo. Nice for other styles of music. Keep going back to my 40 year old Polytone Mini Brute I with arch tops.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Oh, don't sell the Minibrute ever!

[@luishiguera3995]

Thank you so much for all your hard work, dear Sandra. I hope you are feeling a lot better. Best of blessings to you and your loved ones.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thabks, Luis! Yes we're both much better already! I keep you in my thoughts, I know you're griefing ❤️.

[@luishiguera3995]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman I really appreciate it and I’m very happy to hear that both of you are feeling better. 🌹

[@michaelpurcell3558]

One of the best gear reviews I’ve seen. Great playing and analysis. I have a Quilter Aviator Cub and a DV Mark Little Jazz. I had a DV Mark Jazz 12” but sold it to my friend who was looking for a lightweight keyboard amp. They are so practical for gigging musicians. The Bud 10 and the Blues Jr sounded best to my ears on the demo.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks for your feedback and watching. The solid state acoustic amls are so multi functiinal. As you said, they can also be used for keyboards. Thats because they usually have a full range speaker. Just another aspect that adds to their value.

[@whimpypatrol5503]

I really like the AER when I pre-amp it. To do that I use a line 6 Helix. It's really hard to get a friendly tone amongst all the Helix amp and effect choices, but possible. My favorite is an SLO (for Soldono?) clean. I don't use reverb or delay, but a bit of megaphone boost pedal in front of the SLO to brighten everything up. Although such a tone is brighter than, say, a dark Jim Hall tone, with it the different types of picks and picking techniques I use really come alive thru set PAF style pickups. It gives me a wide range of jazzy tones thru how I vary my thumb and finger picking and palm muting. I'd say 50% of playing is picking skills. The AER really brings that alive.

[@Jimi_7-7-7]

Funny… I found the same thing working for me 😄🤝… AER + Helix 💪 Awesome tone

[@erlingjohansson80]

Has AER 60 compact mobile. Also has the classic for jazz, Polytone minibrute II and a Polytone Babybrute

[@SirAndyDee]

Where do you find Polytones?

[@erlingjohansson80]

Ebay!👋@@SirAndyDee

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Wow, don't ever sell the Pioytones 😊

[@erlingjohansson80]

No,No.@@GuitarversumSandraSherman

[@tedgrier6249]

Hard to believe but…. I am gravitating to a Pod Go (with IRs and effects) versus any single stage amp now. Ultimate flexibility on all the amp varieties. Love the simple AER sound but it is not enough.😊

[@jeremyroper3800]

Try Mambo Amps in the UK. Owner mine for around 8 years. Very warm sounding and after a few thousand hours of use it's never gone wrong. A very simple amp to use. 200 watts 10 inch speaker.

[@waynechurchill7212]

I love fender deluxe black face cheers

[@africanguitarandworldmusic]

Great demo. I would add the PRS Sonzera 20 Combo. It has a wonderfully warm and articulate clean channel, nice subtle tube driven reverb and a presence control.

[@nickburmanmusic]

HOW would you choose an amp from this collection?! I think the Quilter sounds the best. To me. Maybe! I got a Blackstar HT20 head because I play a variety of styles and needed something versatile, but it was a Tom Quayle demo where he's playing jazz that sold me on it. For me, it's great value and sounds great. Thanks for a super-helpful review, and some beautiful playing.

[@brianbatie6650]

Hi. Performing musician for more than 50 years, producer and audio tech for 40+. I spent years working with and at jazz clubs as tech, also doing sound at concerts and jazz festivals around the world. By far (I would estimate perhaps 85%) the amp I see most on the equipment riders for jazz guitar players is the Fender Twin, even the sometimes problematic newer models still get the call much more often than any other.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yeah the Twin is great... if you don't have to carry it yourself, lol.

[@brianbatie6650]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman When I play bass, I lug the old Ampeg SVT with 2 4x10 cabs, (1 for smaller gigs) My keyboard rig is a Rhodes 88, my Hohner D6 clav, and a Prophet 5. My guitar rig is a Twin. There is something about moving air that even the best amp sims cannot give, but I guess that because the young generation never experienced the feel of real juice interacting with the instrument, so they don't miss it,. For me, it may sound close, but the feel is not even in the same universe.

[@billcleland6896]

I just bought a Fender Twin Reverb ToneMaster, and I love the jazz tones it produces. It is a lightweight solid state amp, but it sounds exactly like the Twin Reverb tube amp. I recommend checking out the many KZbin reviews of Fender ToneMaster amps.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, the ToneMAster is also a great amp, like most Fenders :-) Congrats on your purchase!

[@michaelanderson3844]

I purchased a DVMark Jazz 40 a year ago, and I really like it a lot! A 12" speaker is what I'm used to, it kicks out more. I've found this amp is a good all-rounder, too. And it only weighs 18.5 ilbs! The only weak point on it for me is the imitation digital spring reverb (all DVMark amps have this)....gives notes an irritating warble. Picked up a Rowin Ocean Verb for $30, and it does the trick for a nice clean ambient room verb.

[@jamesdavis6829]

Wonderful, love the gear reviews. I would like to recommend the Boss Singer acoustic amp. The sound is very similar to the AER 60 (Clear, warm, and round tones) and cost far less. The boss also has a seporate channel for microphone and it has reverb, chorus, harmoney, and looper. I have the 60watt model and it is loud enough for smaller venues but I would recommend the 120watt model. The bad about Boss is their pedals are required for remote operation and they are somewhat expensive. I also have a Fender Blues Jr. great too and can be pushed a little for a warm slightly driven sound.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thank you fir that recommendation.

[@biffcorbot8839]

That Henrikson sounds great. The Fender Blues Jr is my second choice. There is a way to make the Fender Blues Jr. sound less "boxy" though.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, modding it makes it less boxy. That's exactly what I did and I even mentioned the mid name and tubes etc in the text overlay in the video.

[@RobertGrayLLC]

I have a Henriksen Bud 6 that I got from my teacher used, and it is a very good sounding amp. BTW, I needed some service on it and, for $89 standard fee to ship it to them for inspection, they replaced the speaker (blown), the light and foam surround for the name plate, and the power supply. Pretty amazing customer service. I also play a 1976 Fender Princeton Reverb that I had modded by Pete Cage of Cage Audio, maker of boutique amps. It has had its speaker upgraded to a 12”Jensen neo (for weight), and had extra capacitance added for a few additional watts (from 15 to about 18). Nothing really sounds quite as good as that. I play either an Eastman T49/v, which is essentially an ES 175, or a Comins GCS-1ES-both amazing jazz guitars. My teacher is now playing a Bud 10 and that is, as Sandra says, a great jazz amp.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

The Bud 6 is great. Cuts through the mix very well, is very focused. For solo jazz gigs the Bud 10 is better, bc it has more low end and sounds more natural.

[@bobgray7418]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman I agree with you. I have heard the difference in my teacher’s Bud 10. But having the Bud 6 and the modded ‘76 Princeton Reverb cover my bases (no pun intended). String recommendations?

[@joschumi1]

@@bobgray7418 for me there are no better strings than thomastik swing or george benson

[@TAM-gz5tc]

Hi from Australia. I use a number of jazz amps. DV Mark jazz 12, fender deluxe 112 plus, roland cube 85,and 30, all sound good with different guitars. In your demo which was very good I liked the DV Mark.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Wow, you have quite a collection.

[@ronniealiperti7706]

I’ve owned Fender Jazz ultralight, and a quilter mach 3. When I was finally able to afford it I bought a Vintage Sound Jazz 20 basically a fender Princeton with a tone mode voiced perfectly for Jazz guitar. I have a 2005 Eastman 810ce in mho the perfect match up

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Sounds like a great combination

[@lambertogypsy]

I have many amp ...but my favorite is a cheap Harley Benton tube 15 used at 1watt at home 😊

[@JohnAlexander3]

First and foremost, great review! You make them all of these amps sound great! That having been said, I just wanted to take a moment to give a little love to the Roland Cube amplifier series. Although they have been replaced by the new Katana series, I remain a loyal fan. I play solo instrumental guitar music in a variety of settings and the Cubes have never failed me. I have used the Cube 30's and 40's (in mono in smaller rooms and stereo in larger ones) and the Cube 60's with extension speakers in larger outdoor venues, all with excellent results. They are reasonably light, practically indestructible and they sound great! (to my ears anyway...) I know that a lot of people have written them off as "bedroom / practice" amps, but I play out weekly with them and have never had any problems or complaints from the audience. Thanks again for your excellent channel!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

I just recently bought several used Roland Micro Cubes, because they're not being produced anymore and I really dig em for workshoos etc. The Black Panem setting has a surprisingly good jazz sound.

[@JohnAlexander3]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman I own 2 Micro Cubes and I couldn't agree more! Thanks for your response! (and for teaching me how to play Sunny!)

[@williamacuna3996]

Such a nicely done comparison! Lots of wonderful choices in clean amps. Thanks!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Glad you liked it!

[@lucianoponzano]

Sandra, you're the best! Great video!! Super useful to have the amps compared at the end of the video one next to the other!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Glad it was helpful! ❤️😊

[@mikewoolie5153]

Wanted to say I've been to Austria 3 X. One of my favorite countries because of the mountains. 1st was Vienna, 2nd was Saltzberg. Played Jazz bass for 10 years before going back to 6 string.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Salzburg is really lovely, but so crowded with tourusts, lol.

[@williamstanford7994]

Great post. I learned something important about my Quilter, so thanks.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@neiles335]

Great selection and review Sandra. I wonder if you considered a real benchmark tube amp, the Fender Princeton, especially the "65 re-issue with the 12" Cannabic Rex speaker. I have this one, and it's outstanding for jazz or almost anything else. A real standard in recording studios too.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Like I said, most Fender amps are grear for jazz. Personally most of them are too loud and heavy for me. The Princeton 65 is a staple in many studios, great amp!

[@cvgbbc]

Great Review and great playinsg, as always, thank you! There are no big differences between them but listening carefully, for jazz I would choose the AER 60 (very warm sound and very balanced EQ), if I wanted something more versatile, without a doubt the Fender Blues JR. I am very happy with my Acoustic Image Clarus 2R head and the Raezer's Edge Twin 8 Light Weight speaker.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thise Reazors Edge are excellent!

[@charleyrich]

Great video. Thanks! At first, I thought I needed to buy a new amp for traveling. But, after watching, I tried using a Fishman Loudbox 100 that I had with my Andersen archtop. With a bit of fiddling I was able to come up with a fairly nice tone. The reverb trail on the amp was a bit too short, so I tried a Boss RV-6 that I had using the spring reverb setting. I was happy with the sound for traveling or group practices. For gigs I have been using a Laney VC30-210 which has a wonderful clean sound; however, it is 48 lbs (ouch)... Thanks again for your video. Keep 'em coming.

[@quimcastilla]

I use to play guitar and sing, and I have an AER for my classical and jazz guitars : it's great.

[@john.advrider3536]

Sandra - what is that red thing you had the amps sitting on? A table or a speaker cabinet :)

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Really digging the Bud 6, alone, and with dual 1x12 cabs in series. The bluetooth module is noisy, albeit also perfect for piping play-alongs in during practice. Nice reviews!

[@revelationsoundstudio]

These amps sound very nice with a wonderful intimate sound. I saw George Benson and Lee Ritenour in concert. Both were using the Fender Twin 65 Reissue. I ended up with this amp, not because of them but because I liked the sound. I added wheels so it would be a lot easier to get around. The Fender Deluxe is a smaller version which is good if the Twin is too heavy to move around.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Great choices for gigging. They're both a little too loud for my apartment, though.

[@alans3845]

For me it’s the Quilter MicroPro Mach II! Love it!

[@That52TeleGuy]

The DV Mark Jazz 8 is my practice amp and love it, especially putting a compressor in front of it. I plan to add a Jazz 12 and run them stereo for gigs at some point. Cheers from Detroit

[@johnnyturco8895]

I used to play thru Roland JC -12 it has 2 12s I believe it cut thru the band and also versatile for other styles. Well all amps sounded nice but I think I like the smooth tone of the Henriksen ..

[@williambennett6866]

That Heritage sounds incredible

[@jumpnblues]

The Fender Tone Master series of amps are superb jazz guitar amps. My go to amp for pretty much everything.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, they're surprisingly good. But like all Blonde Fender amps it's hard to tame the high end.

[@prodigaljess]

Oh, forgot to mention in my earlier comment...great video demo! Very informative! I appreciate your channel so much. I've learned several standards because of your video lessons. So grateful to you, Sandra. God bless you and yours this Christmas and always.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks so much! Glad my tutorials help you. Happy holidays, my friend.

[@carlteresa5935]

No matter what you play you sound terrific. I’m considering the DV. Should I hold off and get something higher end? I’m playing through a Fender 65 reissue now and it sounds great but it’s a bear to carry.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

The DV Mark is really good and so light weight. Was the lightest of them all. You'll like it, although that Fender of yours is another level.

[@daegabmusic59]

Nice review and I liked, in particular, the AER! Personally, the best Jazz sound I've ever got was with my Yamaha/Soldano T100C tube amp, but it was extremely heavy to carry around!! So, years ago I replaced it with a Polytone Megabrute (8" speaker) which sounds beautiful, too (my favourite, at the moment!). Unfortunately they don't make them any more and they're not so easy to find (in good conditions). So, I've added, as a backup, a DV Mark Little Jazz which I find definitely very jazz-tone-friendly, focused and surprisingly warm for its size. So with those two I'm happy.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Wow, so cool you have a Mega Brute 😍

[@gaillipfert9606]

This was very helpful, thanks!

[@davemeshamsr6000]

A lot to think about in the amps you reviewed….thnx for sharing great info

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks for watching!

[@FrankMiddendorp]

Henriksen is an excellent amp. I bought one a few months ago on your recommendation as I was searching for an amp similar to a Polytone. This one surpasses it. However, I've decided to sell it since I'm no longer performing live and don't require the volume or portability.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

But those amps are perfect for living room playing. Maybe get the But 6. Super tiny.

[@desireelewis1100]

Have you sold it already?

[@andisgalaxysvieractive]

Great review!

[@Tonyjazzy5]

In my opinion Fender to play Jazz is the best!!...however Henriksen Amp sounds quite good. Regarding prices I don't know how are in Europe, but here in Mexico Fender is expensive. Yesterday I tried a BOSS KTn50 and it's really good and cheap compared with Fender. Saludos Maestra!!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

It's ridiculous that Fender is expensive in Mexico. They produce it a few miles from the border. But then again AKG, an Austrian brand is more exoe3in Austria than in the US. Fantasy prices. Greetings to beautiful 🇲🇽

[@BuckBarker]

You’re a very knowledgeable person and excellent musician. I’m sure you omitted by mistake the jazz amp that the most pop and jazz music was recorded on for about a 30 year span, of course was the Roland JC 120 Jazz! Also, the Jazz Cube , as well as all of the Cubes. Cheers!!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

The Roland Cubes are great. I bought several Micro Cube, since they aren't produced anymore. As for the Jazz Chorus, it's not a Jazz amp at all. It sounds very thin and was mostly used for those glassy 80s pop sounds.

[@christopherbennett252]

Similar to what you did with your Blues Jr., I modded a Hot Rod Deluxe by putting a 12AY7 in the first valve slot, and installed a 100 Watt speaker, Jensen Tornado. It really calms the Hot Rod down by doing this and you can get some good jazz tones from an relatively inexpensive amp.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Cool!

[@hvanraalten1211]

Hello Sandra. Correct me if I'm wrong but is a acoustic amp usable for an electric guitar?( in my case the Höfner E2 from 1964) And does a acoustic amp not have any buzz like an transistor/ tube amp? ( electrical interference) I liked the Aer amp, especially for jazz/bossa nova music.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, you can use kt with electric guutars6too. And they atent6nousy, unless it has a fan (most don't).

[@timelwell7002]

Great revue - thanks Sandra. I wonder what happened that the Polytone Mini-Brute was discontinued? Currently I use a Boss Katana II amp - which sounds very good, is reasonably lightweight and is very affordable. The downside is that it is not robust, and if it breaks amp technicians struggle to repair them. The more expensive (and heavier) stablemate to the Boss is the Roland Jazz Chorus JC40 - which has the same great clean sounds as the Boss, but I am under the impression that it is more robust and that if repairs are needed, the amp tech guys are OK with that. But if I'm honest I'd prefer to have a separate head and cab. There is a Boss Katana II head and separate cab, and this would probably be my preference.

[@devangmetha]

Dear Ms Sherman, I liked the smoky sound of the DV Mark 12. How would it compare to a Roland JC40. Why did you not include the JC 40 in your review. Thank you.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

I don't consider the Jazz Chorus series Jazz amps. Those amps were used for the glassy thin pop sounds in the 80s.

[@devangmetha]

Thank you

[@michaelpurkerson4414]

I really like my little Roland AC33, an acoustic amp. For gigging one would need to connect with something bigger though

[@dondreibelbies9213]

Really, really enjoyed this video. Frankly I have been a bit frustrated puttering around with modeling style amps trying to get an enjoyable sound. Perhaps one of these could be the answer...

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@10sassafras]

The blues junior sounds great here. Check out a 50w Boss Katana. Cheap as chips, lightweight and lovely.

[@larrylorenzen2449]

Amen! My amp is a Fender Acoustasonic Pro made for acoustic guitars.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Good choice!

[@Arcade1959]

Have you tried the Mark Little Jazz DV ? I prefer it to the DV Mark Jazz 12

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

I have. It has a useless fan, that's noisy. But other than that it's a great little amp. Why do you prefer it over the 12?

[@Arcade1959]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman Mine has no fan issues. DV Mark has corrected and removed the noise. The Little takes up less space. I know professional musicians who use it

[@TheMusicalEvents]

Very interesting review. Thanks! What I was missing was a mention of how noisy or quiet these amps are, especially the Fender tube amp. Could you please comment on that?

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

That depends 9n the rubes you're using. Since I have a very low noise, low microphonic tube in stage 1 the amp is very low nouse. Imean you heard the amo. Did you hear a lit if noise? I don't use any nose gate btw.

[@mauromandrioli6441]

Thanks a lot for this great video. I have a DV Mark Jazz 12 and I think it's pretty good but non as your AER Compact or the Henriksen. I love to use my Brunetti Singleman (tube amp) for jazz. I't' like to have a really good transistor amp, but with the "sparkle" of the tubes. I had so many, tube and transistor amps, but the Signleman just grab my heart. Thanks again. Cheers

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks for the recommendation. Is that an US made amp or EU?

[@RobTeeJr]

I own a Henriksen Forte (head version) that I use to drive a ported 12" cab. The Forte has the best of both worlds. A 12AX7 tube preamp at full plate voltage which is then mated to Henriksen digital preamp and an analog main Amp. It sounds very warm and clear and can be used with od pedals to get that overdriven tube tone. A wonderful amp that for some reason Forte no longer produces. I suspect it was a combination of the cost plus this Amp was introduced shortly before the pandemic which caused Henriksen to shrink their business.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

That sounds awesome. They have something like that in the making again I heard.

[@Gk2003m]

I’ve arrived at the conclusion that any amp that can provide solid clean tones at a volume that works with unamplified acoustic drums is a “jazz guitar amp”. You don’t need to spend thousands on an amp. I say that as owner of a Princeton Reverb II, which is a spectacular jazz guitar amp… and also as owner of a Drive G35, which despite its awfulness as a rock amp does a quite credible job with an archtop in a jazz setting. If I were seeking a jazz amp today I would, if budget and transport allowed, go for one of the Rivera jazz amps. They have the same shimmer across all frequencies as does my PRII. But if you have a budget under a hundred bucks, there are so many used amps that will get the job done. And if your budget is under $500, the DV Mark 12 is a great choice.

[@golds04]

Have never heard a closed back amp not sound nasal. Selling my polytone- mini. had high hopes. My JC 60 still is my go to. To each their own ears. Ty- nice comparison.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

That's why I go between the little jazz amps and the Blues Jr, that has an open back. Sometimes Iprefee the Blues Jr, sometumes the Henriksen or AER.

[@golds04]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman i have the blues jr. for when I played blues. Just sounds a bit scooped for me and prefer an even sound. I have a 53 Fender Pro- same issue. Which speaker did you use in the Jr?

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

The stock one

[@pedrotavares8691]

Nice n fair review, Sandra. In addition I would recommend you to find out about FUCHS OD30 or OD 50. Andy Fuchs is a reputable boutique "dumble"/ "fender" amp/ combo designer- builder in my home State of NJ-US. I guarantee you....that you'll no be disappointed. Thank you for the review.

[@edwardebel1847]

Was wondering if the AER was going to be represented. Been using an AER Alpha for probably 20 years. Nothing compares, tube or solid state. Playing a 2009 L-4 CES…very smooth! And even lighter than the compact 60.

[@daniellowry660]

Ive been messing around with amp plugins as of late and have had some success with Neural DSP's Plini archetype. It has a pretty cool acoustic IR preset which i run with Waves PRS V9 emulation. The nice thing about it is that it acts almost like Piezo pickup so im able to emmulate the sound of a big jazz box with my Solid body PRS tremonti which is perfect for me since i come from a rock and metal background. The biggest issues ive run into is that its intense on memory so it can cause issues for my rig and it still doesnt quite capture the low end acoustic sound of a good archtop but it has gotten me closer to the Benedetto sound ive been chasing ever since my guitar teacher let me borrow his bravo for an audition years ago.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

I use the S-Gear 2 plugin for all my YT tutoruals (except this one of course).

[@daniellowry660]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman nice I'll have to check it out. I'm still experimenting with my tone. I love the big acoustic tone of my instructors Benedetto but I also love using a EHX POG to remove my pick attack and create an almost flute like timbre (ala Kurt Rosenwinkel). But I'm always looking for good amp Sims. They're just so much easier to work with especially when I'm working film music and creating big mockups

[@anfiorsceal]

Because you have "your" sound, you will make each one come close to that. So, they sound fairly similar because of that. I,also , am using a compact 60 and it's great, really. However, it doesn't quite have the unique tonal characteristics of my Polytone mini brute II ( I'd use the mini brute all the time but its weight is heavier than the AER and my back is complaining. ) The polytone sound has a strong bass end but it's tight, not flabby. The treble... as you go up the strings doesn't get thin but stays "milky" and smooth. Also when you hit the strings hard, there's a little edge of overdrive kinda like a tube amp. They're hard to get now -but worth trying out if you come across them. My hero , the late Louis Stewart, always used polytones until the last years of his life when he switched to AER -probably for weight reasons. Thanks, Sandra, for an enlightening review.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Wish I had a Polytone. I'd buy a used one, but it's hard to get spare parts for them.

[@mychaelpierce8049]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing!

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Thanks for watching!

[@scottmacdonald1826]

I picked up a Roland JC-120 for pretty cheap a little while back. Hard to beat for clean tones.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yeah, I don't like the Jazz Chorus fkr Jazz at all. It is suoer thin. Is used a lot in those glassy 80s pop songs. But the good rhing is, there's something for everyone 😊.

[@rdpatterson2682]

@@GuitarversumSandraShermanPat Martino used the 120 on gigs a lot.

[@torstenscholz8656]

Some time time ago I sold the AER Tramp (60W, after him the 60 came to birth). At higher volumes its sound seemed a bit boxy for me. Since then I played the Schertler Unico (185W), my best ever because he offers everything. I loved some more amps, but they had to go due to size and/or weight issues. Mini Brute, Fender, Peavey Classic. However, the sound comes from the fingers anyway. Many thanks for your great comparison

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Schertler makesbgreat amps. I wanted to have the Charlie in this review, but they're rare, so nobody sent me one.

[@Tumbadoraable]

Here two excellent jazz amps you might consider The Reazer'Edge Luna 200R combo and the Evans RE300 Combo

[@jefbougy]

Hi Sandra, nice review ! Any say about the Roland Blues cube Artist ? Have you tried it ? Would you recommend it ?

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Haven't tried that one. But I like the Roland Cube series. I own 4 of them. The Black Oanem preset there is great.

[@donmundt3573]

To me the blues jr. had "the sound"! Its all about the tubes! Honestly they all sound pretty good .

[@jazzgtrs1243]

I have a Tomkat made by Jazzkat Amplifiers. The sound is very much like a Henriksen, I did a one on one comparison of the two and I liked the clarity of the Tomkat. Unfortunately, Jazzkat is no longer in business.

[@gunterkaufmann3250]

Hi Sandra, Danke für den tollen Überblick!! Zwei fragen dazu: 1. Am besten gefällt mir der Klang des Fender Junior.Welche Modifikationen wurden da vorgenommen, um den Klang hinzukriegen? 2. der Henriksen Amp verträgt auch Pedale? Insbesondere Distortion-Pedale? (Spiele ein Fulltone GT-500 ) Vielen Dank für Deine Videos. Und fröhliche Weihnachten

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Der Mod steht eh im Video. BillM Ausserdem eine schwächere, weniger mikrophonische Röhre in V1 (Bezeichnung steht auch im Video. Weiss ich nicht auswendig).

[@gunterkaufmann3250]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman Danke für's betreute Lesen. Sorry, hatte ich überlesen.

[@sjazzp]

For ages, I’ve looking a video like this, excellent work! Locally, I can find the AER, the DV Mark and of course the Fenders but I went for something not mentioned here: Roland JC-22. This is the smallest member of the JC family that performs as the bigger ones. At the end of the day, the biggest difference is your amazing playing, something I’m light years behind 😉

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Than you for your kind words. As for the Roland, I had a JC and it's not a jazz amp in my eyes. They have that famous glassy, thin sound.

[@sjazzp]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman That’s interesting and somewhat it may be the reason why I can’t make my Ibanez sound close to that beautiful tone you get. Once I tried one of those Fender$ GB amp and it was amazing indeed. I guess I need to keep searching now that you put me in the right path 😉

[@jamesmargulis332]

Damn, I missed the live chat 😪. I play the DV Mark Little Jazz myself and it's a nice little amp. I can carry it everywhere and it's simple to handle.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

Yes, unfortunately the live premiere only last as long as the video. Next time, Jim 😊

[@davidAslin-to4ku]

Hi Sandra, just got an Evans RE300 amp which is amazing when i play my Heritage Golden Eagle through it.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

I'm not sure I've ever heard of Evans amps 🙃.

[@davidAslin-to4ku]

@@GuitarversumSandraSherman Made in Carolina USA. Great amp for archtops. A lot of Jazz Guitar players are using them. My mentor and guitar teacher turned me on to them.

[@billbettencourt7053]

Great review of these amps, thank you! I have the DV Mark Little Jazz, I think it is more like $399 (I think you mentioned $199 US dollars). You make each amp sound great. The guitar, is it the Heritage 575…it is beautiful and sounds amazing…love the flame in that natural finish? How is your shoulder, I recently saw you video when you needed a hollow guitar but a shallow depth.

[@GuitarversumSandraSherman]

It's funny how prices change. When I edited the video it was 199$ on most shop pages. U was almost furious how they were able to sell it that cheap. When the video went online I saw that the pruce went up to 399. So odd.