ampeg good for jazz sound?

[Buzter]

Is possible to get a good "jazz" sound from an ampeg. I have had little experience with these amps except a few tries here and there. Not quite looking for "jaco" sound but similar.

[cybersnyder]

Define "jazz sound" and which Ampeg in particular?

[woolysock]

Jazz is improvised music. You can improvise with anything -- a piano, an accordion, a bassoon (no kidding, I've seen it done). Ampeg makes good amplifiers that will amplify your electric bass, whether its a P-bass, J-bass or whatever. I'm not trying to be mean or difficult here... If you're looking for the Jaco sound you use a Jazz bass with the bridge pup on full and the neck pup rolled back. The actual amplifier is the least of your concerns. I play in the house band for a regular Monday night jazz jam. The house provides an Ampeg B100r. I set it flat. Works just fine.

[Buzter]

Cool!

Originally Posted by woolysock

Jazz is improvised music. You can improvise with anything -- a piano, an accordion, a bassoon (no kidding, I've seen it done). Ampeg makes good amplifiers that will amplify your electric bass, whether its a P-bass, J-bass or whatever. I'm not trying to be mean or difficult here... If you're looking for the Jaco sound you use a Jazz bass with the bridge pup on full and the neck pup rolled back. The actual amplifier is the least of your concerns. I play in the house band for a regular Monday night jazz jam. The house provides an Ampeg B100r. I set it flat. Works just fine.

[tekdiver500ft]

Yes, you can get a good "jazz" sound from an Ampeg, whether "jazz" means a fat, warm DB-type sound, or a snorty, nasally (Jaco/Geddy Lee) sound, or somewhere in between. Your sound comes more from you, your string choice, and your bass than from the amp, as you can EQ the amp to get whatever sound you want.

[fretlessguy]

One of the best tones I ever heard was from a quartet on a cruise liner. The bassist used a Music Man Stingray with flats run through an Ampeg BA115 Combo. No joke.

[Shakin-Slim]

"close enough for jazz" is a common expression at the music school here in Wellington.

[JimmyM]

I've used Ampegs on many a jazz gig and they work great. Doing a jazz gig later today on upright with an Ampeg. You will often hear people talk about amps and they'll say things like "Ampeg is only good for hard rock," or "SWR is only good for slapping," or whatever. When you hear people say stuff like that about any amp, you should disregard anything else they have to say about gear. You should be able to get a good sound that works for whatever genre you want to play out of any amp you plug into. It may not always be your ideal, but you should at least be able to find a solid workable sound out of anything in working condition. If it doesn't sound good and it isn't broken, I'm not blaming the amp, if you know what I mean.

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I've used Ampegs on many a jazz gig and they work great. Doing a jazz gig later today on upright with an Ampeg. You will often hear people talk about amps and they'll say things like "Ampeg is only good for hard rock," or "SWR is only good for slapping," or whatever. When you hear people say stuff like that about any amp, you should disregard anything else they have to say about gear. You should be able to get a good sound that works for whatever genre you want to play out of any amp you plug into. It may not always be your ideal, but you should at least be able to find a solid workable sound out of anything in working condition. If it doesn't sound good and it isn't broken, I'm not blaming the amp, if you know what I mean.

Agreed on all of the above...


- georgestrings

[Mike Louttit]

The Thing played in my city - the bassist used an SVT and 410 with upright, and sounded fantastic.