Phil Jones Bass Cub BG-100

Among my selection criteria, beyond the quality of course, was able to use it with:
- Active low
- Low passive
- Electric guitar
- Input from an MP3 player or a microphone
- Sound quality across the spectrum of a song (MP3)

And the contract is completed without error!

Comes with a bag of good quality, equipped with a nice pouch to put some cables.

UTILIZATION

Everything is simple and the manual, although brief, is complete and sufficient.

The sound is neutral, which is important to me, so as not to alter the sound of instruments or MP3 playback.

SOUNDS

For the "soft" is in my opinion the ideal amp.

But for those looking for sounds very marked, very saturated, etc.. this is perhaps not the best choice.

OVERALL OPINION

Lightweight for such a quality I had ever seen!

The advertised power 100W seems a bit overrated by the manufacturer.
But it is sufficient to repeat at home with little or musicians.
Provided that the drummer is not an unbridled!

Probably one of the best power / weight market, in a volume not exceeding that of a ... shoebox. The (old bassists who live in a broken back third floor enjoy.

Key Features:
• transistor combo amp
• Power: 100 W
• Dimensions: 30 x 27 x 20 cm
• Weight: 6 kg
• Two separate inputs (including one double: jack + XLR) switches with passive-active micro-
• Volume and three-band equalizer (± 18dB) for each input
• An auxiliary input (iPhone or otherwise) with separate volume
• Limiter common
• Master volume
• Headphone, tuner, line and DI.

Only the useful, without any gadget.

For details, see the vendor's website (U.S.):
http://www.philjonespuresound.com/products/?id=120

UTILIZATION

In all scenarios (stage, studio, rehearsal), not any problem to get his very own, separate, neutral, linear and well respecting the original grain of the instrument connected: most often a low electro-acoustic fretless Fender BG-29 (30'' short scale, strings spun metal circle).

The EQ controls are well calibrated and more than enough to handle some situations due to the acoustic resonances of certain places, if necessary also playing on the position of the amp (ground or elevated) or equalization Fishman preamp of Fender. But mostly, the Phil Jones Bass Cub BG-100 is doing well with a linear equalizer (all controls to zero).

Occasional use with low fretted active Leduc custom. Equally good results.

SOUNDS

A great little bass amp, tested at several concerts in guitar trio setting (an electro-acoustic bass with no effect and two Godin electro-acoustic nylon on AER amps) in a jazz repertoire, and bossa nova song, and without another sound system. All in places of small gauge (up to 100 people) but also in larger rooms with several other guest musicians: drums (not woodcutter flugelhorn, vocals, Steinway grand piano, percussion, sax, etc..

The DI output quality is good, the limiter is effective and the second input, handy, can connect a Shure SM-58 microphone for announcements or a second low if needed (with completely independent settings of the first entry).

OVERALL OPINION

Used for a year (concerts in clubs and small theaters, radio and television recordings, studio recordings via DI and / or microphone, scenes with large sound systems, rehearsals, etc..) To replace a Hartke combo KickBack 12, a tad too heavy and bulky, which itself replaced a Roland Cube Bass in the early 1980s.

Some examples of her here:
https://www.alzy.info
Listen to mp3 samples of French songbook (including all themes sung) or short video of Autumn leaves, with Phil Jones Bass amp Cub BG-100 online without a sound meter and 150 with up to nine musicians on Plateau:
https://www.alzy.info/index.php/les-feuilles-mortes.html

Few points of detail to improve:
• The level (gain) of the microphone might be a tad more important.
• The manufacturing quality of the bag comes with the amp is a bit light (including ground protection).
• And the little collapsible is not used much, especially since it does not lock open. Better a metal thread in the amp itself that would install it high on a microphone stand (but in this case with extreme bass amplified less than if it were placed on the floor).

In this range amp (power of 100 W, small dimensions and weight below 15 kg), there are also some other models (not tested in real conditions) with very different characteristics from each other (to suit to other uses) and prices ranging between 250 and € 1 600. Among them:
• Acoustic Image Coda RSIII (model high-end bass generally appreciated)
• Galen Kruger MB150E
• Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0-8T
• Ibanez P5110 Promothean
• Line 6 LowDown Studio 110
• Mark Acoustic AC 101 and AC 601 (the MarkBass MicroMark deliver only 50 W)
• David Schertler Unico Classic.

Finally, identical choice whether to change now. In short, an excellent performance for such a small amp.