Gypsy Jazz Amplification/Pickup System Overview

BluesBop Harry

If you play both rhythm and lead you really need to have two different sounds and volume levels.
I've been using a Boss GE-7 seven band EQ pedal with great results.
I use a Bigtone through and AER compact60, I set the amp for a good rhythm sound and then I can set the pedal for a good lead tone with more volume. Works like a charm!! Also works the other way around (using the pedal for rhythm)
The EQ pedal sort of compresses the sound a bit a gets rid of a lot of that annoying piezo quack and having the pedal close by allows me to make adjustments during the gig.
Only drawbacks are an extra cable and having to change the battery.

gitpicker

I second what Enrique said. The GE-7 is super handy. Ned Boynton showed me that a long time ago.

I set my amp for the good lead tone I want so during solos the pedal is not used.

During rhythm I turn on the pedal, leaving the pedal EQ settings basically flat (or maybe just lower the mids) but cut the overall signal a bit so it's a little quieter.

As Enrique said it works the other away around too. Super handy and one battery lasts for many months this way.

pinkgary

I just play louder in my solos, quieter in rhythm parts. That's what the whole campfire jamming thing teaches you. And what i always thought the ultimate aim of gypsy picking is; to solo real loud without lots of effort.

BluesBop Harry

pinkgary wrote:

I just play louder in my solos, quieter in rhythm parts.

Yeah I used to do just that... But now that's exactly what i'm trying to avoid.
I like to be able to play rhythm hard and not overcrowd the soloist and play lead softly and have a lot of dynamics available to me. With the one volume setup you're forced to play hard for solos and soft for rhythm.

Campfire jamming is cool but a lot of times it doesn't turn out very musical especially those ten guitar orgies... the best times for me it's when it's only two guitars or maybe three with a violin and everyone is very attentive and respectful and dynamics and subtleties come back into the music.

frater

I've recently bought one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31ozbzphMMM

Not bad at all and rather cheap considering they're entirely made in Italy.
They also produce a 400 watt model and a Bob Brozman signature model, with EQ curves devised by the master himself....

http://www.bobbrozman.com/ra400.html

Worth to take a look....

galloc

Michael, your reviews are excellent!
Can you please do reviews of:
L.R. baggs core 1,
Henriksen JazzAmp

Thanks!

MichaelHorowitz

Quickly, I'd say the Core 1 is best if you're using a piezo and want a lot of dispersion. It's particularly good if you are playing unaccompanied as it's outstanding feature is it's ability to project sound in every direction. It didn't sound as good to me with magnetic pickups though. But it's very warm with a piezo. Kind of big and bit heavy so not the most portable amp.

The Henriksen is like polytone but better. It's best with magnetic pickups (it has no tweeter) and is really warm and fat. Very classic jazz sound...if you have a Stimer it's great for that. Also, it's pretty light weight which is nice.

'm

Stringswinger

Michael,

I have compared the Polytone to the the Henriksen Jazzamp in a side by side test. While similar, I found the Polytone to have much better definition in the tone, earning it my vote for a "jazz" amp. I have heard horror stories about Polytone's customer service and have found them to be less than the most reliable solid state amps over the years (I had one break down on a gig once, I had to finish the gig plugged into a cheap PA system). I have heard that Henriksen's customer service is top notch. Still in the end, for me its about tone, so I keep a Polytone in the arsenal (Overall, the Acoustic Image/Raezer's Edge combo eats both the Polytone and the Henriksen for lunch...but costs way more as well).

I wouldn't use either a Polytone or a Jazzamp with piezo pickups or microphones, they are voiced for the warm sound of a magnetic pickup.

Cheers,

Marc
www.hotclubpacific.com

Bones

I've also used the GE-7 in that mode but mine is a bit noisy. I guess at that price what do I expect and maybe when playing in a club at higher volume it isn't too much of an issue but I do notice it in quieter settings.

A better solution would be an on-the-guitar volume knob. I'd like to figure out a way to do that with a Schertler pickup since I like the natural sound of it.

pinkgary

Yeah I used to do just that... But now that's exactly what i'm trying to avoid.
I like to be able to play rhythm hard and not overcrowd the soloist and play lead softly and have a lot of dynamics available to me. With the one volume setup you're forced to play hard for solos and soft for rhythm.

A couple of gigs further down the line & now i'm all for this idea BB. My Dupont sounds so much sweeter if i'm not pushing it the whole time. So i went n got one of these:

http://www.ehx.com/products/signal-pad

Bones,........ it maybe what you're after. It's essentially a passive volume knob in a stomp box. No battery required, have it on for rhythm, take it off for solos.