NA(h)D!

[Eric]

Today I picked up a piece of equipment from a craigslist deal I had in the works for a couple of days: a Jet City JCA2112RC.

This is the combo version of the ever-popular 20W Jet City head/cab, which I managed to bring home for $175. I wasn't exactly looking for a new amph, but I recently sold my Crate V50 tube amp and had been interested in a smaller tube amp, mainly to provide a decent live Marshall-y sound I've been looking for but unwilling to pay for. I like channel 2 on my TM60, but it doesn't cut quite as well as I'd like.

So we'll see how this goes. Initially, my impression is that this amp is nice, though it seems just a tad dark. That's with everything at 12:00 though, so it's not a problem. Nice crunch out of it, and even with the gain dimed it seems to hold together pretty well. Reverb is OK, but not something that's all that essential, as it seems to get buried fairly quickly and isn't all that necessary on an amp like this anyway.

The presence seems to be either on or off (even though it's a knob), but it's fine without much contribution from that, and I don't even really know what presence is supposed to do anyway. If memory serves, it's kind of like an EQ that comes in later in the circuit, like right before the power section, right?

There's only a few minor scratches on the left side, and all in all it's in nice shape. I'm looking forward to putting this through its paces at my weekly jam night/practice tomorrow. So far I really like having a simple, single-channel amp that doesn't try to have every last bell and whistle.

So yeah, don't let my measured objectivity fool you; I'm very fired up about this amp. Time to rock!

[Tig]

Wow, excellent buy, Eric! I'm glad you went for it. It won't take much messing around with the pots to get some great rawkin' tones from it.
A little presence goes a long way on that amp.

Congratulations!

[FrankenFretter]

HNAD Eric! And let me be the first to say it: Pics, or it didn't happen.

Happy New Theoretical Amph Day anyway!

[Eric]

Aight, here you are:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_Y7wRWf2Q3MI/TY_TnRkbBcI/AAAAAAAAAaI/rK3yf0naCIM/s640/P1040559.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_Y7wRWf2Q3MI/TY_Tn8I0dhI/AAAAAAAAAaM/mLrFCQKCZc8/s640/P1040560.JPG

[FrankenFretter]

Very nice. Does that one go to 11?

[stingx]

Congrats on your new amp!

[Eric]

Very nice. Does that one go to 11?
Actually, it only goes to 9. Strange...

[FrankenFretter]

Actually, it only goes to 9. Strange...

Uh oh...was it a B Stock? ;)

[bcdon]

Awesome, Eric! I knew you would end up with a Jet City -- at the right price, of course. ;-)

[oldguy]

Nice deal on that one, Eric!

[kidsmoke]

Happy New Amph Day Eric! I'm finding that getting to know a new tube amp is definitely a time consuming process. have fun with it!

[marnold]

So we'll see how this goes. Initially, my impression is that this amp is nice, though it seems just a tad dark. That's with everything at 12:00 though, so it's not a problem. Nice crunch out of it, and even with the gain dimed it seems to hold together pretty well. Reverb is OK, but not something that's all that essential, as it seems to get buried fairly quickly and isn't all that necessary on an amp like this anyway.

The presence seems to be either on or off (even though it's a knob), but it's fine without much contribution from that, and I don't even really know what presence is supposed to do anyway. If memory serves, it's kind of like an EQ that comes in later in the circuit, like right before the power section, right?

First of all, welcome to the unofficial Jet City club! I'm surprised that you are saying that yours is a tad dark. My JCA20H is quite bright, even with the bass and middle at 6 and the treble and presence at 3. Maybe it's a difference in pickups, though, since the JB on my Dinky can be relatively bright.

I'm not sure how the presence knob works electronically. I originally described the one on my Jet City as a bright switch on a knob. Mine has a good sweep to it. Turning it up makes the amph eardrum-splittingly (yes, I just used that as an adverb) bright.

[oldguy]

I keep the treble and presence dialed down on mine as well. Maybe the combo is voiced differently?

[Eric]

I keep the treble and presence dialed down on mine as well. Maybe the combo is voiced differently?
I think it's probably more due to me not being very familiar with the amp yet and (probably) not so great at describing it, but I'll let you know after I've spent some more time with it.

[Duffy]

When I ordered a new amp last weekend I considered getting the Jet City 100 watt head. It had some nice features but looked like a great amp.

I finally decided to give the Peavey 6505+ sixty watt combo a try. I played it and like the sounds.

Problem is, around here no one carries the Jet City brand. I will have to check them out the next time I visit a GC. That 100 watt head was tempting buy I would like to have a chance to try it out. Another head I looked at had 100 watts but had a pentode/triode switch and a power divider switch, offering an assortment of sounds.

I'm sure you will have fun with that tube amp. Too bad you didn't like the Crate fifty. I really liked mine and wished it hadn't blown up. The Crate Palomino V32 two twelve Celestion Seventy80s sounds great and very loud. I liked the overdrive channel on the Crate fifty though - too bad it didn't work out better for me.

Good luck with your new amp. I hope the reliability turns out to be more than outstanding. Sounds like, from what I've read, a very decent amp.

I can't believe the great deals you guys in these larger metro areas get on real decent equipment. Around this very rural area they want list price or higher and you never see anything interesting being offered, unless it is as expensive or more than what you could get a new one from MF for. Lots of old junk and parts, but no real nice instruments or working amps, or anything relatively new. Most often a bunch of schiester wanna be's.

[Eric]

Well, here's a quick demo:

http://www.box.net/shared/hh9dc9i5x7

Please pardon the boring song and me sucking. This ends up sounding pretty much like everything else I do, so maybe it's not the amph. Hmm...

So anyway, is this dark? Seems like it to me, but I'm coming to the conclusion that's just what I like. For this, every knob but the master (at 9:00) was at 12:00. I used my Agile and had tone at 10, in the middle position, with both volume knobs at 5.

[oldguy]

Well, here's a quick demo:

http://www.box.net/shared/hh9dc9i5x7

Please pardon the boring song and me sucking. This ends up sounding pretty much like everything else I do, so maybe it's not the amph. Hmm...

So anyway, is this dark? Seems like it to me, but I'm coming to the conclusion that's just what I like. For this, every knob but the master (at 9:00) was at 12:00. I used my Agile and had tone at 10, in the middle position, with both volume knobs at 5.

It's not boring and you're not sucking. But, as far as "dark" sounding, listening to it on computer speakers (and not knowing how you recorded it), it sounds pretty damn good.
You might try loading up a backing track and playing along with it while standing 20 feet of so in front of the amph. This should give you a fair indication of how it will sound out front.
Tweaking the settings you should be able to get plenty of bite and not sound dark.
I liked the clip, btw. :)

[NWBasser]

Well, here's a quick demo:

http://www.box.net/shared/hh9dc9i5x7

Please pardon the boring song and me sucking. This ends up sounding pretty much like everything else I do, so maybe it's not the amph. Hmm...

So anyway, is this dark? Seems like it to me, but I'm coming to the conclusion that's just what I like. For this, every knob but the master (at 9:00) was at 12:00. I used my Agile and had tone at 10, in the middle position, with both volume knobs at 5.

I think your amph demo clip sounded much better than the one I did for my H&K!

Seems like a pretty good sounding little amph to me.

[Duffy]

I can see where you might think it sounds dark and mid rangey without a lot of treble sparkle. This could be because you just got it and will grow into it as you bond with it and learn about the amp, where it's hot spots are and how to draw it out to your satisfaction. Also, it could be that it needs to be cranked up more to bloom, rather than be held back by a turned down volume or gain knob. It sounds like it would be really good for power chords without any further following of the learning curve and the Agile definitely sounds great. I also like your rythym.

With some time you might get this amp to sound way better. I hope my new Peavey 6505+ sounds as good when it comes in tomorrow. I need to learn how to post clips.

[marnold]

I liked the clip!

Having the volumes down on both pups will roll off some highs. I agree with oldguy. My Jet City 1x12 sounds WAY different sitting to the side of it than standing in front of it. It's WAY brighter in front of it. I also agree with Duffy (man, I'm in an agreeable mood today!). My JCA20H really likes to be played with the master at 4 or higher. I usually practice at about 2 because 4 is very loud in my little office. Sounds glorious though.

Regardless, the main thing is that you like it. Isn't that the whole point? I know I love mine.

[Katastrophe]

I pronounce this clip 100% suck free, with the Katastrophe seal of approval!

The amph does sound a little dark, but not too dark... I like the tone!

[duhvoodooman]

Cool! I'm not the only one who made a good amp deal in the last day or two! Nice.... :applause

[Eric]

Thanks for all of the nice feedback, guys.

One note -- when I said this:


This ends up sounding pretty much like everything else I do, so maybe it's not the amph. Hmm...
It wasn't meant as a negative. I'm just coming to the realization that I probably always set up amps in a similar manner -- the whole I-always-sound-like-me thing. I like the tones I usually get, so it's not a bad thing. Just an observation.

I'll see if I can't do some sort of backing track with it to see how it sounds that way.

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Eric, I had been looking at the Jet City amps, and had I not gotten my Windsor Studio, I would have gotten the combo like yours. I like reverb! The head version does not have it, and I don't have a reverb pedal (a few delay pedals). At any rate, congrats on the aquisiton, killer price at about 1/2 retail.

Scott