Which Polytone do people use for bass? A buddy of mine is looking to unload one that (I think) has a 15" speaker but I'm not sure if it'll handle bass (he's a guitar player). I tried calling Polytone several times but all I got was a machine and they never call back. Thanks.
Marc, It'll handle bass just fine. The classic Polytone combo for DB is the Mini Brute III. It had the 15" speaker. Guitarists usually like the model w/ spring reverb added (the Mini Brute IV, I think). These work fine for bass if you leave the reverb off, ofcourse. The model w/ the 12" (MB II?) speaker can be OK for bass at lower volumes, but the 15" is warmer and louder.
I own two diff. Polytones both w/ 15" speakers. One Mini-Brutte III that I purchased new in '83 and the Sonic Bass I
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that I bought new in '04 (for alot less than listed here). This model replaced the Mini-Brute III and has added power and a tweeter (curiously not mentioned in the description) plus the alternate Sonic Circuit w/ a diff. pre and eqing controls.
Many people knock them for not being "hi-fi" enough compared to more modern amps of more recent technology.
Well, I've owned and used many diff amps and I have to say they're really pretty good. They're very convenient, portable and at low to medium volumes they are really pretty warm sounding boxes. They do what you need them to do. Hey, they were good enough for RAY BROWN for the last 25 years or so of his career.
IMHO the secrets to good sound with a Polytone are 3 fold;
1) Keep the amp flat on the floor (even on carpet). Something about the floor or stage coupling that makes them sound MUCH warmer than up on a chair or tilting them back.
2) They can get med. loud, but don't push them too hard. As w/ most amps the louder you get the more difficult it is to get a great sound. They'll start to sound blatty and could fart and clip at loud vols.
3) Don't play BG thru them unless it's at very low practice volumes. Sounds fine for BG, but my experience w/ my old Mini-Brute is that the speaker just gets chewed up faster w/ BG. I learned this the hard way and have repalced the speaker in it 2 or 3 times over twenty-ish years. They only take 4 ohm speakers and seem to work best w/ the speakers that Polytone puts in them rather than another brand.
What changed w/ my two diff models 21 years apart? Not much really.
Similar shape and size (small box for a 15"), but the Sonic Bass I has more wattage (so a tad heavier) and a switchable tweeter. Sound is similar too, but the SC I has bass, mid and treble controls (not just B and T) and a Normal, Bright and Dark switch , but also gives the choice of engaging the Sonic Circuit which has
Gain, Contour, and Bass Drive controls and sounds a bit smoother in character than the regular channel. But I'm more comfortable w/ the controls of the reg channel.
Both are certainly no replacement for my AI Focus 2R III w/ EA Wizzy M-line 12, but perfect for rushed set-up/break down, plug and play situations and can sound downright outstanding in certain rooms. Also rugged and reliable. Just can't kill my old one. And I've tried.
If you can pick up an old one cheap that's in working order, I'd say why not. Great for rehearsal studios, gigs where you don't want to worry 'bout your expensive gear and for small to med sized Jazz clubs. Good luck,
BG
that he's crazy enough to fly with 
I've heard.
