msb Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 I’ve been looking at Monique for some years now , and after hearing people review them , have been watching TB classifieds like a hawk for ages. There’s nothing around locally , I missed one in Ontario last year , and many sellers say continental US only. Sometimes the timings simply been off and they’ve been beyond my budget. I thought last year was going to be the year I’d take the plunge … nothing. And last week I found one in the US. UPS tell me it will arrive Monday. I’m all ajar with anticipation! (image from the internet) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Nice one, i like those too, I’ll look forward to hearing how you get on, congrats 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassmanPaul Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 I have to admit I'd love to get a copy of the unit's schematic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 I’ve been looking at the Simone with GAS 🥹 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 14, 2023 Author Share Posted January 14, 2023 I mentioned I had one on the way in a TB thread ,and received a couple of messages from Jule himself! He’s quite hilarious. I simply hope to find the joy so many Monique owners describe. Eventually I may pick up a Demeter Minnie , or something dedicated to Monique , but for the time being I’ll be trying various amps. I’m looking forward to spinning the knobs and noodling away! Easily one of my favourite pastimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 14, 2023 Author Share Posted January 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Bunion said: I’ve been looking at the Simone with GAS 🥹 Simone and an amp will fit in a backpack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 Can you just plug the Monique into any amp or does it have to be a specific type Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 15, 2023 Author Share Posted January 15, 2023 You can use your effect loop to bypass the amp’s tone stack , or simply center things and plug into the input. Monique can be used with any amp , or as a DI without a cab. Straight into the board. I’ll be trying her out on gigs , and home practice , she’s just an exotic tube preamp and DI. A front end. But many users swear there’s a little magic with Monique, and she can deliver that warm sweet spot tube amps have. Without carrying around a massive rig. Jule makes amps without a tone stack to mate with Monique that range from 500 watts to 2500 watts , or something like the Demeter Minnie which was designed with Monique in mind. I’m going to play around with what I have , and if I fall for Monique in a big way , I’ll eventually pick up a dedicated amp for her. She should be delivered tomorrow! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 The anticipation is wonderful and I hope that the Monique arrives with you perfectly safely. I have messed around with loads of pres and have tended to prefer solid state, the Warwick Hellborg being my favourite of all. The Monique was quite a surprise - very fast and articulate indeed - I sort of wasn't expecting that. The sensitivity knob seems to be where it all happens with the Monique - the combination of gain and sensitivity can produce some massively impressive results. I tend to use the Monique and Hellborg fairly equally now, both through the back-end of an Agi DB750. I look forward to hearing what you think of the Monique - it took me around 2 minutes to discover it's pretty special. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 16, 2023 Author Share Posted January 16, 2023 Monique arrived and I’ve been trying various amps and cabs. Usually drag Bergie cabs and Forte out to gigs , and using the effect loop it’s simple to bypass the Berg tone stack. So I immediately spent some time spinning knobs. Monique is very subtle , and yet very present. And I really love her so far. It will be interesting to see how my listening changes as I get more acquainted. The Jr has slightly mellowed rounds , the Hi Flier has chrome flats. This may be Blue Monday , but I’ve been in nerd heaven. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 I prefer the 60s original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 A basket or birdcage makes sense when there’s tubes , unless you’re outside in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Well well well, the bass gods were kind! Our very own @Platypussaw my post above and kindly reached out to me with an offer to buy his Simone. A few noodles tonight and a full day of PBass/la Bella heaven tomorrow. So far it’s delicious, like honey and with the Effectrode compressor it’s just Honey and cream 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshy Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 14 hours ago, Bunion said: Well well well, the bass gods were kind! Our very own @Platypussaw my post above and kindly reached out to me with an offer to buy his Simone. A few noodles tonight and a full day of PBass/la Bella heaven tomorrow. So far it’s delicious, like honey and with the Effectrode compressor it’s just Honey and cream Really fancy one of those, or I’ll probably just buy another Noble 🤦♂️ interesting to hear how you get on with it mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 17/01/2023 at 16:54, Chienmortbb said: I prefer the 60s original. I had one of those - a surprisingly capable head, given that it looks like something home-assembled by an avid reader of Practical Electronics ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 On 22/01/2023 at 10:34, Happy Jack said: I had one of those - a surprisingly capable head, given that it looks like something home-assembled by an avid reader of Practical Electronics ... Yes, there were not well loved but in one band, the lead guitarist had one, together with a cab made from an old wardrobe. He used a stray copy and got a wonderful sound from that setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 You've got to watch those stray copies ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 5 hours ago, Happy Jack said: You've got to watch those stray copies ... Dammed smell check. Of course, it was a Smelleycaster copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 @msb how are you getting on with the Monique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msb Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) At home , with various amps at low volume I found Monique subtle but very present , and found the sensitivity knob was magic. On the weekend I was playing in one of my favourite dives downtown. I paired Monique with a Bergantino Forte with just a single 112 Bergantino cab , the Forte is a very simple transparent modern hifi head without bells or whistles. And going in through the effects loop I completely bypassed the Forte’s front end and tone stack. It sounded like a 700 watt B15. Warm , fat and buttery. Now the four band tone stack on the Forte has almost surgical precision , and the three tone controls on Monique are much broader and simpler , so it’s much easier to dial in. There was a tubey bloom to the notes , but the response was quick. I had that warm tube sound , but it had some serious slam behind it. I was well behaved on the bandstand and settled into a nice stage mix , only vocals were in the PA. Just a mid sized local neighbourhood room. My favourite Dive. The band immediately had grins , gave me the big thumbs up , and loved Monique. I’ll have Monique out to a couple of rehearsals later this week and out for gigs on the weekend. She was expensive , but I plan to use her. She’s to be kept. So I found Monique delivered exactly what I was hoping for from what I had read. At low volume at home it was subtle but that changed dramatically at stage volume. How’s Simone? What are you using for a back end? Edited January 24, 2023 by msb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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