Phil Jones Bass Suitcase

Nice amp, I bought it on some advice from some folks on the Vintage Bass forum after asking for advice on a small-ish bass amp. It was roundly recommended and I was not disappointed. It is about 14"Hx14"Wx18"D. Two channels, not switchable but very useful as I can quickly switch basses without having to adjust volume or eq. Each channel has an active/passive switch and a 5 band eq. A useful limiter (bypassable) is also on the control panel.

On the back, we've got an fx loop (haven't used it), an XLR direct out, a tuner out, and ext cab out. The only awkward thing is that the power switch is at the bottom rear of the cabinet.

4 5" aluminum cones and a tweeter, as well as a bass port on the bottom front.

I use for rock, country and acoustic music. Does all just fine.

I use a Dearmond Starfire reissue with Dark Star pickups, a Dearmond Jetstar reissue and an Ibanez Ergodyne 600. Each requires adjustments (see my first comment regarding the dual-channel setup above).

This amp is not noisy at all and it is hard believe how good it can sound when considering its size. The limiter is not detectable when used sparingly.

I cannot get distortion from this amp.

I bought it used, so I doubt that any warranty would apply, but I haven't had a problem with it in two years.

I've been a guitarist for 20 years and a bassist for about 5. I like it's compactness, its sound and its reliability. Again, it is hard to believe that something this small can sound so huge!

I own an old Ampeg SVT, just not practical for using at home or lugging around. The only thing I miss about it is the stage volume for rock shows. Also has failed about 5% of important times I used it.

The Suitcase has all the professional features you need and even though it looks basic at first glance, everything you need and will use is there. Until this weekend, I have used it on fairly low key (low volume) jazz gigs or out with my acoustic bass guitar in a blues duo format. This weekend I used it outdoors on three different gigs and with Phil's 4B extension cabinet, the amp had enough power with lots to spare.

I have used it with a couple of different fretless basses (Rob Allen, Veilette, Rick Turner), with Tacoma and Breedlove acoustic bass guiars, and with some high end electric basses including a Dingwall Prima 5 and it sounds great with all of them. The amp is super quiet. It just does what an amp is supposed to do, make your instrument louder! It doesn't add or subtract anything from the sound of your instrument.

i have only had this amp for a few months, but have had no trouble with it. I own a several other Phil Jones products and have never had any problems with any of them

Phil and Freda are very helpful, friendly, and accessible. I would not expect any problems getting help from them if a problem did arise.

I think like a lot of guys who've been playing for a long time, I've owned just about everything out there and I'm finding that the Phil Jones gear I own is the certainly among the best, if not the best I've tried. I would for sure buy another one if this one was lost. Yes, it's not as inexpensive as some other things, and not as many big name guys are using it (yet), but who cares. I own and play some pretty expensive instruments. Why would I want to plug them into something less than the best amps.

This is my second Phil Jones amp. I also own a Briefcase. The Suitcase is far and away the best amp I have ever owned in 30+ years of playing bass. Having two channels each with full EQ, Active / Passive switching, and Compression is phenominal as I normally play out w/ a BSX electric upright and normally a 67 p-bass or an Alembic fretless. The pre / post selectable out is also really a nice feature. There is plenty of power (300 RMS into 4 ohms) to drive a second cabinet. I have already contacted Phil about the soon to be released 4B that utilizes (4) 5" drivers in a cabinet made to stack with the Suitcase. The Suitcase also uses (4) of the 5" drivers and produces an unbelievable low end from such a small configuration.

This is by far the best sounding amp I have ever owned. I currently have (4) Ampegs and an Alembic / McIntosh rig using various speaker combinations. I am just tired of lugging around big cabinets. I seriously looked @ an Ampeg Portabass but after buying a Briefcase and then the Suitcase I have all the sound I need. The amp is dead quiet and only reproduces what goes into it. My upright sounds particularly good, especially in the midrange. The transient response of the small drivers precludes the use of a horn and gets rid of the hiss normally associated with them. In short it is a great piece.

I have no idea at this point. After looking at the build quality it should be fine.

The only contact I have had is through 2 personal emails from Phil thanking me for the purchase. This would lead me to believe that the support will be there if needed.

This is a great amp. Loud, deep thundering bass from a tiny box, clean transparant mids and highs. After I get the matching 4B extension cabinet I will no longer be taking out big gear. These are not cheap but they are well worth the money. This particular rating is kind of weird in that while giving it a 10 "Fantastic Value" does not come to mind. There are a lot of less expensive amps that are close but not quite to the level of the Suitcase w/ the extension cabinet. With the cabinet it runs $1799 which will buy you a lot of Hartke, Ampeg, etc. The size and distinct tonal characteristics would make me definately buy another one if something happened to this setup.