newbold; The 6-pack was my first choice but it is a bit heavier than I want to deal with. Still ...
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Phil Jones Combo Amps: Worth it?
- Thread starter 49sfine
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Well, you're not going to get a gold ring for the price of a brass ring, but I guess its just in his blood. I heard somewhere that he built a 150,000 dollar stereo system...I wonder how loud that was? Lol. You could also argue how Fodera charges up to 10 grand for a bass, are they really worth it? No way, but people will pay it.
I really love the way Phil's amps/cabs sound and have had a lot of experience with them. I find that the PJB stuff is very gig specific. There isn't IMHO a better sounding combo than the Suitcase BUT for the weight to wattage/sound ratio it is a bit much considering the new uber light stuff out there. However, the tone of the thing walks all over MarkBass and Genz, again, IMO.
The SuperFlightcase might be a way to go as it is still relatively light compared to the other PJB amps and is louder.
My fave combinations are either the Suitcase w/ 4B loud enough for most any gig except if you're not using PA for a 500+ seat show. Also the M300 head with either the 6B Neo or 8B Neo cabs.
yes the Genz and MarkBass stuff is lighter and more affordable... to a degree, but the sound you get from Phil's stuff is very uniquely PJB and uncoloured. The multiple mini drivers do have a mojo all their own.
(the Hartke KickBack 12 is also a highly unsung hero
) 
The SuperFlightcase might be a way to go as it is still relatively light compared to the other PJB amps and is louder.
My fave combinations are either the Suitcase w/ 4B loud enough for most any gig except if you're not using PA for a 500+ seat show. Also the M300 head with either the 6B Neo or 8B Neo cabs.
yes the Genz and MarkBass stuff is lighter and more affordable... to a degree, but the sound you get from Phil's stuff is very uniquely PJB and uncoloured. The multiple mini drivers do have a mojo all their own.
(the Hartke KickBack 12 is also a highly unsung hero
) 
+1 on the markbass amps. i have back issues as well. markbass amps are light and powerful. and i love the sound with the VLE (vintage loudspeaker emulator) filter, as i play a lot of blues. i have the jeff berlin 115 combo at home and the 4 x 10 in my band's practice room and shuttle the head back and forth between the two units. see my thread regarding the head ... http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=538387&highlight=markbass+jeff+berlin
it wasn't a system but rather a pair of speakers for home audio and that wasn't so much about the volume but rather when you put on a CD and closed your eyes the musicians were in the room with you... very audiophile and much much physics and design into them.
I own a PJB M300 along with a PJB 8B and 6B neo cabinet. The cabinets are very easy to transport as they incorporate telescoping handles and rollers for a tilt back design. They fit easily in the backseat of my car and all band mates have nothing but great things to say about the tone and look of the equipment as do audience members. The M300 sits right on top of either cabinet and is made to fit on and look like the cabinets. The sound is clean, punchy and clear…not muddy in the least. It really looks killer and sounds fantastic when I stack the 6B on top of the 8B with the M300 sitting on top. It allows the sound to be right in your face as the 6B speakers are just at chest level. These are the best sounding heads and cabs that I have used and I've been playing for a long time. I don't play for a living but I was on a mission to get the right tone and for me I finally found it. I sold a Markbass LMII to purchase the M300 head. The power and volume are more then enough and even though the LMII may have slightly more wattage at 4 ohms the M300 through the PJB cabs sound much louder to me. Those 5" drivers really kick out the sound. The LMII sounded ok but IMO I found it to be cheaply constructed, lots of plastic and thin metal that bends easily…especially for $600. Yes the LMII was easy to get around but it’s so light that I accidently pulled it off my cabinet one night with the instrument chord plugged in. Want to see if an amp is made well? Just it drop it on a non carpeted floor and see what happens. The PJB head is built like a tank and oozes quality. Knobs are made of metal as are all input jacks. It's 33 lbs but I found a great way to transport it. I went to Wal-Mart and purchased a small piece of overnight Samsonite luggage with a telescoping handle and rollers. It fits the exact dimensions of the M300. It's also got several pockets to store cables, sheet music, etc. I simply roll the M300 head into a gig and out to my car. It couldn't be easier. My lifting days are over. Obviously we all have varied tastes which are very subjective and there are many companies out there that make gear that will fit each of our different needs. Mine just happen to be filled with PJB gear. A lot of pros like Bob Babbitt, Pino Palladino and others seem to agree. Here's what my rig looks like minus the 6B. I am not the author of the article but found it in my search for PJB equipment.
http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/oct08/articles/pjbm300.htm
I also own a set AAD (PJB) home audio speaker columns with an AAD sub unit. Unreal sound quality...they make my old Bose system sound like crap. I sold the Bose immediately.
http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/oct08/articles/pjbm300.htm
I also own a set AAD (PJB) home audio speaker columns with an AAD sub unit. Unreal sound quality...they make my old Bose system sound like crap. I sold the Bose immediately.
Interesting. I felt my LMII spanked the living bejeebers in every way out of my M500, much less the 300 (which I have not heard... maybe its a better head than the M500, which is just awful IMO regarding tone/volume/weight/price ratio). I guess we all hear things differently
I agree with you though, the build quality of the PJ heads, even though I find the performance unimpressive, is quite amazing (which I guess is why my M500 weighed a TON!). It was beautifully made though... knobs, case, everything.
I have not played that neo6 or 8 yet, and those look pretty cool. The non-neo cabs are quite unimpressive IMO unless you get about 200 pounds of them
yep, MarkBass and PJB are very much different. Completely different design goals as far as tone goes.
Interesting. I felt my LMII spanked the living bejeebers in every way out of my M500, much less the 300 (which I have not heard... maybe its a better head than the M500, which is just awful IMO regarding tone/volume/weight/price ratio). I guess we all hear things differently
I agree with you though, the build quality of the PJ heads, even though I find the performance unimpressive, is quite amazing (which I guess is why my M500 weighed a TON!). It was beautifully made though... knobs, case, everything.
++ to what Ken said, I owned the M500, Its nice, sounds great. Volume wise the Markbass was without a doubt louder at a 4 or 8ohm load.
I owned the suitcase, then bought the matched extension, then tried to extension cabs with more power, then scrapped them for an Epi 210 and LM2 that crushed 'em for volume. The tone low down is very clear with PJB cabs and the highs not harsh at all. I loved the tone, but it weighed double and cost me 50% more and still wasn't as loud as the Epi cab, even with the same LM2 head. Further, the 2 extensions weren't loud enough for our medium volume classic rock band. Later on I picked up a used 9B (from TBer Kotzman). The LM2 couldn't get it to sound good, but when I fed it 800 very clean watts with a Carvin BX1200 it bloomed. It provided beautiful tone with that head as well as my Orange. BUT it weighed about 70 lbs and was as loud as my 45ish pound Epi cabs. If I played with no drummer, or one who used brushes....maybe....or if I had roadies and a wall of those little cones.....for sure....but not when I'm hauling my own cabs. The head part of the suitcase lost out to my other heads in every category except physical build quality. The PJB stuff is built like a tank and oozes quality construction. For me, however, it's simply not practical.
I own an M500, a 6T, and a 9B.
The 6T is an easy lift for me, even with one hand, and the 9B is heavy, but it's actually quite small, smaller than any 15 I've seen, and as such is not akward to lift. (I have a small car, so size is more important than weight to me).
The head, is DAMN heavy. It weighs more than twice as much as my other head, and has the same volume output. However, I can crank the volume and master to 10 on this thing and it still sounds good, which I've never experienced with any other head. And the EQ is simply fantastic.
The 6T is an easy lift for me, even with one hand, and the 9B is heavy, but it's actually quite small, smaller than any 15 I've seen, and as such is not akward to lift. (I have a small car, so size is more important than weight to me).
The head, is DAMN heavy. It weighs more than twice as much as my other head, and has the same volume output. However, I can crank the volume and master to 10 on this thing and it still sounds good, which I've never experienced with any other head. And the EQ is simply fantastic.
phil jones stuff is top notch. like.. i dont understand why people say its underpowered.. the briefcase is pretty much the best practice amp you'll ever buy. ive gigged AND practiced in a metal band with the superflightcase.. practice was of me with a super flightcase, 2 guitarists (huges and kettner triode through a diezel 412 AND peavy 5150 through a rivera cab) and a drummer with a massively loud kit.
as for over priced. have you ever done the research and seen what was actually IN the amplifier, you would KNOW why the amp costs more. its cause if it was made in america you would prolly have to tag on an extra 0 to every price tag. if people actually gave two ***** about quality and sound then they would know to buy his stuff.
and to the comment about not wanting to hear someone tell you how other amps artificially add highs to a bass... when have you ever heard a bass go "BLANG" when you pluck the string acoustically? you havent. cause it doesnt. its not supposed to. if you wanna buy a crappy amp to make your to make your most likely expensive ass bass sound like something its not then go for it. but dont say i didnt warn you.
as for over priced. have you ever done the research and seen what was actually IN the amplifier, you would KNOW why the amp costs more. its cause if it was made in america you would prolly have to tag on an extra 0 to every price tag. if people actually gave two ***** about quality and sound then they would know to buy his stuff.
and to the comment about not wanting to hear someone tell you how other amps artificially add highs to a bass... when have you ever heard a bass go "BLANG" when you pluck the string acoustically? you havent. cause it doesnt. its not supposed to. if you wanna buy a crappy amp to make your to make your most likely expensive ass bass sound like something its not then go for it. but dont say i didnt warn you.
That's what so great about this forum...different strokes for different folks. Tone is a very subjective thing and something that I believe we are all in search of...kinda like the Holy Grail. IMO tone and clarity of sound do not come from a volume knob but when you crank the volume on some amps tone and clarity disappear and all your hear is mud...loud mud. I have not found that to be the case with the PJB equipment that I use.
Interesting. I felt my LMII spanked the living bejeebers in every way out of my M500, much less the 300 (which I have not heard... maybe its a better head than the M500, which is just awful IMO regarding tone/volume/weight/price ratio). I guess we all hear things differently
I agree with you though, the build quality of the PJ heads, even though I find the performance unimpressive, is quite amazing (which I guess is why my M500 weighed a TON!). It was beautifully made though... knobs, case, everything.
I have not played that neo6 or 8 yet, and those look pretty cool. The non-neo cabs are quite unimpressive IMO unless you get about 200 pounds of them
You know the m-500 through a stack CAN cause house damage right? how is that unimpressive. you can destroy things with the sheer power of his amps and you say its unimpressive....if its good enough for pino paladino its good enough for me
Good enough for anyone,.....who likes it. Not everyone does. I've only ever tried one piece of PJ gear, think it was a breifcase(?) Had 4 spkrs, 2 of them facing up. Anyway, I agree, quality build all the way, but tonally, not what I'm looking for, (though I'm no longer looking). So, just enjoy it if it's what you like, but don't get your feathers all ruffled if someone else doesn't. It's a big world, and there's plenty of gear to go around, something to make everyone happy, just calm down, it's ok.
Finally! Some Phil Jones owners ... Thank you. Processing, processing ...
Another question - how quiet are some of these described amps just sitting there running? I own a used Hartke 350 head and 410 cab that is really noisy just sitting there cooling itself. It bugs me when it's just me in the room trying to quietly practice. It's to the point where I go into the other room and plug my headphones into my little Rumble 60 amp just to get away from it. Any feedback on this?
Another question - how quiet are some of these described amps just sitting there running? I own a used Hartke 350 head and 410 cab that is really noisy just sitting there cooling itself. It bugs me when it's just me in the room trying to quietly practice. It's to the point where I go into the other room and plug my headphones into my little Rumble 60 amp just to get away from it. Any feedback on this?
PJB combos are dead quiet fan and otherwise as well. (the M300 too, if I remember correctly, the M500 is pretty silent as well)
as to the 3500... yep, I love mine, it's got it's own mojo but yes... I do believe a 737 @ take off is more quiet
.... then again, when the band is crankin' away, it's not an issue
as to the 3500... yep, I love mine, it's got it's own mojo but yes... I do believe a 737 @ take off is more quiet
.... then again, when the band is crankin' away, it's not an issue
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. Don't know what I would do without it!PJB combos are dead quiet fan and otherwise as well. (the M300 too, if I remember correctly, the M500 is pretty silent as well)
as to the 3500... yep, I love mine, it's got it's own mojo but yes... I do believe a 737 @ take off is more quiet
No worries!
also, though, whilst taking a trip to the Salt Lick or perhaps on the way back from Waterloo Records, stop by the Bass Emporium, it looks like they might have some PJB in stock, and if not they'll know a heap about it!
also, though, whilst taking a trip to the Salt Lick or perhaps on the way back from Waterloo Records, stop by the Bass Emporium, it looks like they might have some PJB in stock, and if not they'll know a heap about it!
I don't believe Pino is actually gigging with the PJ stuff, but could be wrong. I saw him somewhat recently, and he was using an Ashdown rig.
Yes, the M500 through a very large and very heavy stack of PJ speakers cab get quite loud...at 200 pounds+, it can IMO and IME, almost match the performance of my LMII with AE410 at about 65 pounds.
Again, as I said, the big, large heavy cabs sound very good, just not 'good enough' IMO to justify the massive weight. The M500, at I think a whopping 45+ pounds, does not IMO and IME match the output of most small 5 pound, 500 watt micro heads. I have not heard that amp running at 2ohms, and I would assume that would be a bit better.
Again, I don't think anyone is saying those huge, heavy PJ stacks sound bad in any way, just not any better than a much smaller, much lighter, much less expensive 'normal stack'.
IMO and IME.
