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Hi,
I have only one amp. It's an SR Technology Jam 150 Plus.
I love it with my acoustic guitar and the fact that I can plug two mics and everything (size, weight). I don't want to buy another amp. But I'm not entirely happy with the sound I get from my archtop guitars. It's a bit too clean, too plasticky. No warmth. What can I do to achieve a more jazzy sound? I've been looking at pedals and micro preamps like Quilter MicroBlock 45 or even a Mooer Micro Power Amp from their new series, or a Joyo American Sound or Atomic Ampli-Firebox or even a Vox MV50. With the latter can I use my SR Jam 150 as a cabinet? I'm not a specialist. My amp has an effects loops which I never used.
What I want is a small pedal that I can take to gigs without my amp so I can give an XLR out to the PA where possible. But also where there is no PA and I have to carry with my amp, something that sweetens/warms up my jazz tones. I'm only using cleans.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
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08-30-2017 04:03 PM
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There are a lot of options, I will restrict myself to the two I have used.
First is a Zoom MS-100bt. It is a multi-effect pedal in a standard stompbox which includes amp models, EQ, recerbs, delays, distortions, speaker/cab models, etc. You can chain different effects together inside the box. Output is high enough to run straight into a PA with a 1/4" input. There is a tremendous amount of flexibility in this little stomp. It seems like the direct descendant of the Yamaha MagicStomp. Yo can also add new amps, effects, etc, via iOS and maybe Android devices and an app, even trialing the effect live for 15 minutes. I have not bought another effect box since getting this. Battery life is short (2 AA cells, IIRC) but a standard Boss type power adapter works fine; I have a One Spot.
The second is a Tech 21 SansAmp Para Driver DI. It does not do amp modelling per se and has no other effects built in. It is intended as a DI to a PA or studio desk. Fiddling with the level and drive knobs will give you a lot of flexibility in terms of tone. It has treble-mid-bass with a sweepable mid (170 Hz - 3 kHz) and a blend knob to mix unprocessed with processed signal (0-100% processed). Line or instrument level output through an XLR jack or 1/4" jack.
I have run both of these options directly into a powered speaker and into a PA, for one reason or another, with good results. It's not the same as my tweed Deluxe (my primary amp) or my Clarus 2r/RE 12" but the sounds are fine and very usable. I've gotten complements on my sound with them from local seasoned pros (note they didn't complement my playing, just my tone. There is no guitar, stomp box, DI or amp that can fix my playing).
There are some floor model devices lie the Boss GT100 (IIRC); our own Joe DeNisco (Max405) has a bunch of videos made with plugging it straight into the computer for the audio track, and he gets excellent sonds with minimal fuss. I know one rock guy who uses one of those straight to the PA and doesn't have an actual amp onstage. He's got an empty amp cab behind him on stage for looks. Not unlike the rock acts with the wall of amps, which are scenery, and one little miked tweed Deluxe behind them providing the actual sound.
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Believe those SR amps were Schertler until Eastman bought them? I still gig with a 185w 4 channel Unico and although not the ideal amp for archtops, the Unico acutally has a "warm" button that does help. I will say the amp has been very dependable, believe they are made in Italy.
I have used a Baggs Para EQ with good results and had positive comments about the tone. However, at the end of the day the best sounding set up for me is my Evans JE-200 lined out into the Unico. I don't mind toting the extra amp for the improvement in sound.
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Yes, SierraTango. It's the same as Schertler. Evans JE-200 is an amp. I don't want another amp. Or not for now. The Baggs is again an acoustic preamp and EQ. The Jam 150 has a complete EQ section.
Cunamara. Thanks for your suggestions. The zoom doesn't appeal to me. I don't even have a BT smartphone. The Tech21 is indeed a good suggestion. That's why I included the cheap version i.e. the Joyo American Sound in my list.
Not sure what to go with - solid state in the style Quilter Microblock 45 or valve in the style of Kingsley pedals. Things like the Quilter and Vox MV-50 are preamps too from what I understand. They only need a cabinet. In that case can I plug into my effects loop?
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There are tube preamps (most use a single 12 AX7) that can "warm" up a solid state amp amazingly well.
ART Tube MP Studio Preamplifier
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I have a Schertler David. If I want to warm it up, I sometimes use my Joyo American Sound. At such a low price point it's at least worth checking out.
In my opinion there are things at least three unique things that playing a tube amp brings you:
1) Added compression
2) Some (even if slight) overdrive/saturation
3) Reduced frequency response range (especially on the treble side)
I'm sure there are more factors, but these are the things people usually mean when they say tube amps sound warmer. A pedal that nails these three can get you sounding closer to what you're hearing in your head, I think.
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Originally Posted by murian
DO NOT plug either the Quilter or Vox into your Jam - they are both full amps (preamp + power amp). They are not the solution you are looking for.
The advice to use a Joyo American is good - but an alternative is to use a tube preamp such as a Presonus TubePre: TubePre V2 | PreSonus. It is unity gain, so will not blow up your Jam !
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Amongst the tube preamps the Effectrone's Blackbird SR-71 gets quite a few positive reviews as a blackface Twin Reveb sound-alike. Not cheap, but much less than a Twin.......
Quite a few videos on youtube, but never tried one myself since I have a blackface already
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I´ll second the suggestions for a tube preamp. You might even like to use it with your acoustic guitar too. I have an old Aphex preamp which I like to use with my ac. guitars. Besides warming the signal it takes away a lot of the nasty highs you often get from piezo pu´s. (well, maybe you don´t have a piezo in your guitar :-))
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+1. I have good experiences with this pedal. It's VERY flexible. A small turn of a knob means a big change in tone. It's can give everythig from clean to heavy metal distorsion but it may take a little while to learn to tame it. It's an anolog device so the tone is more directly "in your face" than with digital preamp pedals. I may add that it can be Phantom powered via the XLR cable. If one uses an XLR cable, the pedal can be placed very far from the amp/PA (for example on a music stand) without picking up noise. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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As a long-time Pearce user, I've been lusting for one of these for while now. Pearce in a pedal. But it's probably overkill for your purpose.
SUNCOAST ANALOG
Last edited by Woody Sound; 09-01-2017 at 03:40 PM.
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Does this unit work well? only $49! It's got me curious . . . Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Out of my own experience I can tell you the Joyo American Sound works very well for what you want. I use it for the exact same purpose: getting a more natural and organic guitar sound when I use my AER Alpha with my ES-125. It lasts forever with one 9v battery too.... For $32.68 (Amazon) it's hard to beat.....
Last edited by Little Jay; 09-02-2017 at 02:12 AM.
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I sometimes play with a bass player who uses this unit and he swears by it. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
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The best thing is to try it out. Buy it from a seller with a good return policy. Some of these small preamps do not drive the tube hot enough to get the benefits of the tube, but to my knowledge - which is not trying it, but reading about it - the Art should not be that bad. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
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+ 1 on the Joyo American Sound (especially via FX loop) and putting 'Polytone in a Pedal' into the mix.
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Thanks guys for your input. Highly appreciated.
Woody Sound - that Suncoast box looks good, but its' too much right now for me. But worth keeping an eye on.
After all your suggestion, it boils down to either a preamp like Presonus or ART tube or a Tech21 style pedal. I have decided to go with the latter and take it from there. I've just ordered a Harley Benton American TrueTone. It's the same as the Joyo American Sound and I hear that it's pretty much the same as the Tech21.
I will be back in a few months with my opinion of it.
My research revealed a few other names for this purpose. Maybe other people want to explore other products. So I've come across pedals like those from Ethos, the Kingsley series, a boost pedal from Coopersonic (the clean valve boost), the Earth booster from Sarno, the Blackbird from Effectrone (thanks Ray175) and the Suncoast.
But if anyone comes across a high quality box that is a bit like the Joyo, but more - namely, maybe a tube preamp, a good reverb and a better cabinet simulation to go directly into the PA, I'm ready to pay the price.
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Some months ago there was a thread about getting "the Kenny Burrell tone" using a TC electronics Mojomojo pedal.
I went that route, it's a cheap pedal with good results, but I wouldn't call the sound "tubey".
I may pick up a Joyo American Sound too just for kicks. FWIW, my Fulltone Fulldrive 3 gives a similar result to the Mojomojo -- maybe better sounding actually, but more complicated to dial in as there are more knobs to keep track of.
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+1 for the Joyo. I use one in front of my Marshall AD 50 for the exact same purpose - to liven up my Tele while running through an acoustic amp. It's the only pedal I've tried that gives a good overdriven sound through an acoustic amp, too.
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I'll be v interested to hear the OPs opinion on the Harley Benton pedal. Considering getting one to use with a tele through an acoustic amp.
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It's coming in two weeks
. Then I will take a couple of months to see how it behaves live. Then I'll chime in.
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Check this!
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Actually, my pedal IS a Harley Benton. It is a 100% clone of the Joyo. My chain is G&L Tele - American TrueTone - Marshall AD 50. Works great for me. I usually turn the "Voice" all the way down, set the Drive to 11 o'clock, and get a great clean sound with just a tiny bit of overdrive. Originally Posted by bananafist
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Does the Schertler JAM400 require a separate monitor power amp? Or does the 400 have a powered monitor signal?
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I have used a H&K Tubefactor to warm up my Genz Benz Shenandoah acoustic amp and an Avid 11 Rack. I stopped using it in front of my SS amps when I got my Kemper. I still use it in front of my SS Pro Reverb. I never use channel#2, just #1 and vary the gain depending on the sound I desire. The H&K unlike many of the tube pedals discussed drives the tube at high voltage. It has its quirks but it definitely warms up the SS.
Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor | Reverb
Amazon.com: Hughes & Kettner Tube Factor Classic All Tube BoosterOverdrive Effects Pedal True Bypass: Musical Instruments
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