polytone: an opinion poll

Brian Davis · Post by **Brian Davis** » 16 Oct 2003 1:57 pm

Hi guys,
Wondering if anyone out there has some insight into the polytone line of amplifiers. I know a lot of jazz guitar players like these amps. I was thinking a lightweight amp with high ouput might be a nice thrifty pickup for PSG. Your 2 cents?

Brian

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 16 Oct 2003 2:47 pm

I haven't tried any of their newer amps, but I have an older Polytone Mini S15L. It has a pretty good Jazz guitar sound but I haven't tried it on steel. The reverb is tinny sounding and it is only rated at about 120 watts at 2 ohms, so with the 4 ohm speaker, I'm probably not getting over 80 watts which is probably not enough for most steel applications. I really think they are overrated. I had to have mine repaired a few months ago and it was very expensive. I still don't think you can beat Peaveys for price, sound, or support.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 16 Oct 2003 3:36 pm

I bought one in the '70's as I needed a lightweight amp to schlep around Berklee College of Music. It was a lame sounding guitar amp and worse for steel. I never got a sound I liked with it, for any style of music. It was stolen from the back of a friend's truck

, and the next amp i got was a '69 Fender Deluxe Reverb when you could still get one for $200...not a great C6 amp but great for E9.

There's a good reason so many steelers like the Peaveys- there are models voiced for steel. You can still find the Session 500, and the models in production now are great- I have a Nashville 1000, and while it's "not a tube amp", it sounds great. It IS lighter than a Twin, but it has a 15" so it is not light like a Deluxe.

But as Bobbe Seymour said, you spend 20 seconds carrying it and four hours playing it, so it's worth looking at the weight to tone ratio for what it is![This message was edited by John McGann on 16 October 2003 at 04:38 PM.][This message was edited by John McGann on 16 October 2003 at 04:43 PM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 16 Oct 2003 3:39 pm

I have a minibrute model. Some days I like it; some days I hate it. Very inconsistent, IMHO. By contrast, EVERY day I love my Walker Stereo Steel, so I know it's not me.

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 16 Oct 2003 6:08 pm

I have a friend who has a Polytone MiniBrute. It was defective when delivered by the dealer.
It took several months to get it repaired.
Polytone wouldn't replace it nor take it back to the factory and the dealer didn't want to pay to send it to an authorized repair facility.
After much argument,and delay, Polytone finally paid for it to be shipped to New Jersey for repair.
The dealer didn't pack it well and there was shipping damage and another merry-go-round
before it finally got back to my friend.
So I would rate their customer service as poor on nonexistant. I was "in" on some of the discussions and Polytone acted like they would really rather not talk with their customers or dealers.

He likes the amp, it replaced a Fender Twin,
he plays lead guitar. Mostly big band and jazz.
We tried my steel in it...ho hum...I'll stick with my Peaveys

Blake

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 16 Oct 2003 6:15 pm

Good deal here!
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum3/HTML/018626.html

Rich Gibson · Post by **Rich Gibson** » 17 Oct 2003 3:14 am

Watch out for the older models.I have a 10 yr old mini brute that needed repair and my local tech said the necessary parts were no longer being made.He added that polytone customer service is poor.

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 17 Oct 2003 5:08 am

Has anyone tried the new Nashville 112 as a jazz type ampllifier. When I took the first Nashville 1000 amps to the St.Louis Convention, guitarist(great player)Bobby Caldwell told me that we should market the 1000 as a jazz amp. I'd like to hear your thoughts about the 1000 and 112 amps as jazz amps.

Brian Davis · Post by **Brian Davis** » 17 Oct 2003 7:29 am

Thanks for the great responses...pretty much confirming my initial research. Wish there was a dealer who stocked Peavey Nashville's in Chicago. I think the closest one was in Urbana? I know there's a guy who gigs down the street on Sundays with an LDG and 400...I have a Pro-I, so maybe I can persuade him to let me take a spin between sets

Brian

David Spangler · Post by **David Spangler** » 19 Oct 2003 9:29 pm

I had a Mini-Brute II 75W with 1-12" speaker. It worked ok as a practice amp for guitar or bass. The reverb is poor, thin and ringy. I never could get a decent tone on a Tele but it sounded ok with my archtops. I never used it for steel because it seemed so rediculous. Probably would blow it up.

I sold it to a friend who loaned it out to a bass player. He blew the speaker right away.

The newer models with more power and better speakers might be better, but that experience put the chill on me.

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David Spangler

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 21 Oct 2003 3:18 pm

I have a mini brute II, prob. 15 years old. 100watt, 12" speaker. Never had it break. Reverb is cr@p, distortion circuit is cr@p. BUT it's not a bad amp for jazz guitar, fiddle or bass at low vol. - our acoustic bass player uses it sometimes for gigs. Not good for steel. IMHO. But I like the nice black fuzzy covering

chris

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 23 Oct 2003 5:23 am

Brian, the only "steel guitar" player/dealer that I am aware of in your vicinity is Dyke Corson at Corson Music. Great player, great person and great dealer. He is located in Champaign, Illinois and his number is (217)352-1477.

Hope that this helps.

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 23 Oct 2003 5:46 am

I have a polytone dealership, they make a polytone Elite 140 watts weights 29lbs 15" speaker, they work good with a steel, but I must admitt, polytone co. is very indepentent an or hard to work with, but I still sell some of there amps, because people like them. Jerry

Rex Thomas · Post by **Rex Thomas** » 23 Oct 2003 6:19 am

FWIW, I'd been around enough "L-5/Polytone" guys & tried the Polytones on recommendation over the years; definitely ok for jazz gtr. but never pursued a purchase. Then I got back into steel & as I was checking out my Nshvl 1000 I bought used with gtr. just to make sure it was working properly, I was blown away by how incredible of a jazz gtr. amp this thing is. Though as a rule I don't do those gigs, if I ever did, needless to say I'm SET. As far as the "front pickup/treble down" thing, my 1000 delievers that sound hand over fist. Warm & rich tone, but NOT muddy.
Mike Brown is dead on RIGHT, & I 100% agree with Bobby C.; Peavey SHOULD market the 1000 as a "traditional" jazz gtr. amp & the 112 as the lighter alternative.[This message was edited by Rex Thomas on 23 October 2003 at 12:49 PM.]