The Mambo 8

A review by Adrian Ingram

If you are looking for a great sounding portable amp, look no further - the MAMBO is
unbeatable. The only smaller ‘combo’ amp presently around: the ZT Lunchbox, is not as loud or as
full sounding. The AER has a harder, glassy and more clinical sound better suited to acoustic guitars,
while the Polytone, Evans and Henriksen are all very mid range and considerably larger!

I have been using the Mambo 8 for over 6 months, in venues ranging from tiny pubs to large
halls, like the Grand in Clitheroe, and large open-air festivals in France. The Mambo performed
brilliantly in all of these varied situations, surprising many onlookers and musicians with its
unbelievable volume to size ratio!

There seems little point in providing a lot of detailed specs., as the MAMBO people are able to
tailor their small amps to individual requirements. However, their standard range, which has won so
many fans in a relatively short time, includes the: -

MAMBO 8 : 1 Channel, 180 watts rms; 8” Ferrite/Al speaker

MAMBO 10 : 1 channel, 180 watts rms; 10” Ferrite/Al speaker

MAMBO 10: 2 channels (gtr & vocal similar arrangement to AER)

180 watts rms; 10” Ferrite/Al speaker

The amp under review is the MAMBO 8 which at 25cm high, 25cm wide and 20cm deep, and
weighing in at 6.9kg, enables me to take it on the bus or train (handy if you fancy a drink!). It’s no
exaggeration to say I’ve played heavier Les Pauls!

The control panel couldn’t be simpler, with the master volume and reverb tucked nicely away
on the back panel, leaving just four essential controls (gain, treble, middle and bass) in a very user
friendly layout. Furthermore, there are three setting choices (accessed by a small robust toggle
switch to the rear); 1- Pure, 2- Clean, 3- Harmonic enhanced. These all work to provide full, rich,
quality sounds but with a subtly different character whilst retaining the trademark MAMBO fullness
and richness of tone. A more technical explanation can be found on the MAMBO website;
www.mambo-amp.co.uk. There is a further 3 way toggle, providing deep, normal and bright options,
similar in concept to the early Polytones. Completing the rear panel we have a direct out, balanced
line XLR and effects loop return. Personally, non of these mean a lot to me, as I just wanted a small
and precociously loud amp with a great clean sound; deep, full and with plenty of headroom. I must
admit that when I first saw it I was a little sceptical, but from the moment I started to play it, I was
completely bowled over. The guitars used during the course of this review were: -
1966 Fender Telecaster, Gibson ES-335 and L5-CES and Benedetto Custom Fratello.

My good friend, band-mate and fellow guitarist Ian Wroe was curious about how the MAMBO
would sound with an electric classical. With this in mind he took the amplifier away for a few days to
try with his Buscarino Starlight. As a coda to my review here are his findings.

“The Buscarino employs a twin pickup system, under-saddle and built into the top,
which are then blended with a single control. So, I started with the amp settings as flat as
 possible i.e. all tone controls centred and toggle switches on their cleanest ‘default’ settings.
This produced an instantly useable and pleasant sound. The guitar’s volume control was
crucial to this as too much gain, this is an active pickup system, and the clarity and separation
was lost. This also means that there is plenty of headroom to adjust for differing room
acoustics. Noticeable also by its absence was the “zing” which many, particularly under- saddle
equipped, electro acoustics produce and which, I have to say, I find particularly disagreeable.

It is a real pleasure to find an amp that does what it set out to do, and effortlessly!”

So far, the MAMBO has been a bit of a well guarded secret in the jazz guitar fraternity but the
word is spreading. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

Adrian Ingram