With this amph I get screaming solos

[marnold]

I've been a bad boy.


Very bad boy.


Very bad boy indeed.


I left home today with the SC-2 distortion pedal to return, I came back home with a Jet City JCA20H amph and JCA12S 1x12" enclosure. The local GC had them hidden behind a couple of Fender combos so you couldn't even see it. I think I've damaged my hearing already. I had enough $$ to get the head but not enough for the cab, so I had to ask permission.

Initial impression: this thing has a ton of gain on tap, way more than I expected. It does the Marshally thing rather nicely. You almost have to kill the gain entirely to get true cleans with my DK2M. But if you're getting a Soldano-designed amph for cleans, well, you're missing the point. It can't do teh br00talz all on its own, but it can do the 80s metal thing very nicely.

More updates to follow.

[mainestratman]

Sounds pretty friggin' good.

mdI7GuVOXCU

[FrankenFretter]

Nice! Way to go, Matt! Man, I have got ta gets me one of those!

[Radioboy950]

Nice...very nice.
This amph (perhaps the combo) is definitely on my list...along with the new Blackstar HT-20...or a used Budda SD18.
But I'm thinkin the JC is the best bang for the buck.

[M29]

Rev!!! Awesome :happy

[Blaze]

You Bad Boy ! :AOK

Clip time .....

[Tig]

marnold, that's the good kind of being bad! :agree

My local mom and pop shop just got one in, and the normally hard to impress employees were simply blown away with this amph.
Congratulations on your new ear-busting, grin-inducing amph! :happy

[marnold]

You Bad Boy ! :AOK

Clip time .....
I hear you, but that might be awhile since I have no practical way to record it. There is no line out. I'll try to figure something out.

[mainestratman]

I hear you, but that might be awhile since I have no practical way to record it. There is no line out. I'll try to figure something out.

PC microphone --> Computer --> Sound recorder. Works for me. :-)

[duhvoodooman]

Very bad, indeed. You'll probably burn in Hell for this. But you'll be ROCKIN' HARD down there!! :flamemad: :flamemad: :rockon: :flamemad: :flamemad:

[Blaze]

Very bad, indeed. You'll probably burn in Hell for this. But you'll be ROCKIN' HARD down there!! :flamemad: :flamemad: :rockon: :flamemad: :flamemad:


http://www.gif-anime.org/im/gif/monstre/monstres-de-feu/monstres-de-feu6.gif

[Ch0jin]

WOW!

If I lived nearby I'd so be knocking on your door with a 6 pack, my Maton and a pleading look on my face :)

In that demo at about 2:58 I think it is, I decided I want one. I thought the clean sounded a little dark (and my 4x12 is dark as it is) but that high gain sound is ecstasy!

I'm off to pore over the details on their website....

[marnold]

If I lived nearby I'd so be knocking on your door with a 6 pack, my Maton and a pleading look on my face :)
C'mon over, although I've a feeling you probably wouldn't like Wisconsin weather right about now.


In that demo at about 2:58 I think it is, I decided I want one. I thought the clean sounded a little dark (and my 4x12 is dark as it is) but that high gain sound is ecstasy
In my limited experience, I wouldn't worry about darkness. Someone described the presence knob as sounding like a bright switch and I probably agree with that. It could get REALLY bright, chillingly so, IMO. Of course, I don't think in the video he was using the 1x12 cab.

I've just been surprised by the amount of gain with my DK2M's JB. Methinks I'm going to have to get a treble bleed on my volume pot. It cleans up well when I cut back on the guitar's volume but gets too muddy too quickly. I can tell by going light on my attack that there is some chimeyness to be found in there.

I used my Chorus Factory and DVM OD2 with it for a bit and both worked well. I think I understand better now why so many people like hitting an already overdriven amph with an overdrive pedal.

A member of my congregation has a full stack so I may have to hear what this thing sounds like through two 4x12"s. :) I was kind of surprised at how big the cab is. It's not boomy in the least though.

I do know this: I'm going to have to lay low with any gear purchases for a LONG time.

[Katastrophe]

Congrats, Rev.!

You have one heck of a setup now. Can you get those Lynch "Mr. Scary" type tones with it?

[sunvalleylaw]

In my limited experience, I wouldn't worry about darkness. Someone described the presence knob as sounding like a bright switch and I probably agree with that. It could get REALLY bright, chillingly so, IMO. Of course, I don't think in the video he was using the 1x12 cab.

I've just been surprised by the amount of gain with my DK2M's JB. Methinks I'm going to have to get a treble bleed on my volume pot. It cleans up well when I cut back on the guitar's volume but gets too muddy too quickly. I can tell by going light on my attack that there is some chimeyness to be found in there.

I used my Chorus Factory and DVM OD2 with it for a bit and both worked well. I think I understand better now why so many people like hitting an already overdriven amph with an overdrive pedal.

A member of my congregation has a full stack so I may have to hear what this thing sounds like through two 4x12"s. :) I was kind of surprised at how big the cab is. It's not boomy in the least though.

I do know this: I'm going to have to lay low with any gear purchases for a LONG time.

Congrats Rev! I am glad for you! Re: the presence knob being like a bright switch, that is the way it is with old blonde and brown fenders with presence knobs, they are like the bright switch on later fenders, but with adjustment available. Cool feature! Again, I am happy for you. Those look really cool!

[marnold]

Congrats, Rev.!

You have one heck of a setup now. Can you get those Lynch "Mr. Scary" type tones with it?
It'll take a bit more tweaking, but not much. I could do a decent imitation almost immediately. The bad thing is that it sounds better the more I turn it up. This thing can get LOUD!

[marnold]

While I may not be able to answer the "clips or it didn't happen" crowd immediately, I can address the "pics for it didn't happen" crowd. Here it tis with my DK2M:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_OT7l0dXu4To/S3oCzpLGofI/AAAAAAAAAno/A_iDzR2rugU/s800/img_6380.jpg

[Spudman]

I've been a bad boy.


Very bad boy.


Very bad boy indeed.


You're only half bad. Another 333 and then you're in big trouble.
http://www.nwpl.ca/database/rte/image/666%20the%20number%20of%20the%20beast.jpg

Nice colors on the amph but I'm not big on the logo. It seems a bit much.

[marnold]

You're only half bad. Another 333 and then you're in big trouble.
Well, there's a 333 on the amph and the cab . . .

Would 333 be the children of the Bea (Arthur)?


Nice colors on the amph but I'm not big on the logo. It seems a bit much.
You aren't the first to comment about that. FWIW, it's only held on by two screws.

[Tig]

You aren't the first to comment about that. FWIW, it's only held on by two screws.

Also, they mis-spelled "Amplification"... Should be "Amphliphication".

[bcdon]

Well, there's a 333 on the amph and the cab . . .


Do you have any idea just what the 333 means? Is Jet City only half-evil, dare I say, quasi-evil? :dude

Nice pick up on the amph, I got mine for Christmas and just love it.

don

[Spudman]

Well, there's a 333 on the amph and the cab . . .

Would 333 be the children of the Bea (Arthur)?


You aren't the first to comment about that. FWIW, it's only held on by two screws.

2 screws? Well then that would certainly allow you to remove it and replace it with that Bea Arthur logo eh? (if I had photoshop I'd do it for you)

[marnold]

Do you have any idea just what the 333 means? Is Jet City only half-evil, dare I say, quasi-evil? :dude
I've seen people trying to guess on Jet City's Facebook page, but I've not heard anything definitive. I suppose I'm going to have to learn to play "Jet City Woman," even though it's not exactly my favorite Queensryche song.

[bcdon]

I suppose I'm going to have to learn to play "Jet City Woman," even though it's not exactly my favorite Queensryche song.
How about Silent Lucidity in its stead.

_V92cqMgMAM

[marnold]

How about Silent Lucidity in its stead.
"Queen of the Reich" would be more my speed :)

[oldguy]

:happy Congrats, Matt, glad you got one of those little tone monsters.
I agree w/ you about the pres. knob, it can get brutally bright.
And while the clips everyone posts may sound good, there's no substitute for the real thing in the room, up close and personal, and cranked up.:dude

[Bloozcat]

OK Matt, there's no need for absolution here...

An amp is an inanimate object. It neither posseses the capacity for good or evil. It just exists as a mass of wires, tubes and circuitry. And, as an inanimate object it has no free will, therefore it cannot possibly choose to be evil.

So, only you can determine if this inanimate object is to be used for good or for evil. And as we here all know, you will only use it for good....:applause

I happen to believe that making a joyful noise unto the Lord, includes rock n' roll. What say the congregation? Can I get an AMEN, brothers and sisters?

Have fun with it, I know I would...:AOK

[mainestratman]

Ahhh.. but what if that "mass of wires, tubes and circuitry" opens a gate to the 9th level of hell? LOL


(And here's an "amen" for ya... It always cheers my heart to see a fellow guitarist get another step closer to completing the quest for their tone.)

[Spudman]

OK Matt, there's no need for absolution here...

An amp is an inanimate object. It neither posseses the capacity for good or evil. It just exists as a mass of wires, tubes and circuitry. And, as an inanimate object it has no free will, therefore it cannot possibly choose to be evil.

So, only you can determine if this inanimate object is to be used for good or for evil. And as we here all know, you will only use it for good....:applause

I happen to believe that making a joyful noise unto the Lord, includes rock n' roll. What say the congregation? Can I get an AMEN, brothers and sisters?

Have fun with it, I know I would...:AOK

Awww, you're such a party pooper. I think he WANTS to be bad. Lets give him a little slack so he can have some fun :dude
H3IbNTLy9WM

[mainestratman]

Yeah.. total guilty pleasure song there.. lol

[Bloozcat]

Awww, you're such a party pooper. I think he WANTS to be bad. Lets give him a little slack so he can have some fun :dude


Well, that was a little tongue in cheek...:o

Eddie and the Cruisers is a great movie. An under appreciated cult classic if you ask me...:AOK

[mainestratman]

I've driven past the junkyard from the movie.. lol

[marnold]

The Tone King's full review of this amph does a pretty good job of showing the possibilities.
XwebyR8TDck

He gives you a taste in there of how the presence really brightens up the amph. Mind you, that's with a Super Distortion which is reasonably powerful and not exactly known for being bright.

[Robert]

Congrats! I bet any gain pedal will now sound much better than through the Vox AD30VT. Those modeling amps just don't treat good pedals the way a good tube amp does.

I might have one of these babies come my way too... if I can figure out how to order one to Canada. I talked to a Jet City representative, and he said they are crazy busy since sales are going well. Hopefully I can get one ordered soon. Not that I NEED one, but I just need to keep feeding the habit, ya know?

[Eric]

Nice. Congratulations on living the dream.

Some simple riffing clips would be nice...

[marnold]

Congrats! I bet any gain pedal will now sound much better than through the Vox AD30VT. Those modeling amps just don't treat good pedals the way a good tube amp does.
Well, just so that you know, this is largely your fault :) I took your comments seriously in my SC-2 thread. I figured I could keep throwing pedals in front of my AD30VT and hoping something stuck or begin looking elsewhere. Mind you, I really like my AD30VT for cleans and moderate dirt. I could just never find a highish gain tone that I liked.

A tube amph does seem to be a different beast. My AD30VT would clean up when the volume was rolled down. This almost becomes a different amph. Having the JCA on a clean setting and then punching it in the face with my OD2's boost set to 3:00 is quite the experience. Hitting my AD30VT's UK70s model with the overdrive side of that pedal was cool, this is different.

I'm not sure how much can also be ascribed to the cab. The cab is huge compared to my AD30VT and has a 12" speaker. I can feel the sound as well as hear it. I think the speaker will benefit from some break-in. I find myself cutting back on the highs when I crank it up at gain. I say this even though I tend to be Captain High End when it comes to distorted tones. Of course, I might also be rattling something in my office that I never rattled before :)

I commented earlier that the amph doesn't have much for clean headroom and that is true. But because it is a 20 watter, I can still get cleans plenty loud for me. I'm really enjoying the clean tones, although I will readily admit that I am much, much easier to please when it comes to cleans than I am with grit.

While I always thought that having a small tube amph would be cool, I thought it was pointless to get one only to have to put a pedal in front of it to get a good 80s metal tone. The Blackstar was cool, but relied on op-amps and such. Not necessarily bad, but it's no different from using a pedal. With this one the gain is from the tubage and nothing else. Frankly, they had me at "Soldano." I'm not going to say that having this amph is the same thing as having a bona fide Soldano, much less a SLO100, it does a pretty sweet imitation at a price point that won't get me divorced.


I might have one of these babies come my way too... if I can figure out how to order one to Canada. I talked to a Jet City representative, and he said they are crazy busy since sales are going well. Hopefully I can get one ordered soon. Not that I NEED one, but I just need to keep feeding the habit, ya know?
They're pretty inexpensive right now. Who knows if they will follow the Blackstar model and suddenly ratchet up the prices? I hope not, but it's now officially irrelevant for me.

[marnold]

Nice. Congratulations on living the dream.

Some simple riffing clips would be nice...
I'll see what I can do. With this being Ash Wednesday week and a couple of folks in the hospital, my playing time is curtailed. Plus I have to figure out a way to jerry rig a recording.

[Robert]

Blame me, that's okay. :) At least you are a happier 80s metal guy now, right? ;)

[marnold]

I thought I was getting some weird metallic (not in a good way) overtones when cranking this baby up. I discovered that it was in fact the percussive/concussive force of the amph causing the duct work to rattle :)

[Ch0jin]

HAHAHAHA I love it!

That's a sure sign you've got it up loud enough :)

I remember seeing a youtube video ages ago of a guy with a plexi and 4x12 in his lounge. He had everything on the plexi dimed and was in fact standing in his driveway using wireless. Half way through the demo you could see a bunch of papers on a nearby piano just lift off!

[Katastrophe]

I thought I was getting some weird metallic (not in a good way) overtones when cranking this baby up. I discovered that it was in fact the percussive/concussive force of the amph causing the duct work to rattle :)

Heh. heh. heh. Wait until you get a chance to open 'er up in a big area, with a bunch of natural reverb. It will be a life changing event, causing you to say, "Pedals? What are those?"

Your Jackson will absolutely sound monstrously huge.