Backup Amp

Panama_Jack666

Now then,

I'm thinking of getting a backup amp for gigs. I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the tube life in my hot rod deluxe. Not for any particular reason but it'll be good to have a backup just incase since I'm gigging quite frequently (Weekly-ish) at the minute and the tubes that are in there have been in there for quite some time!

I've been thinking of getting a Jet City JCA20H or a 22H. If my tubes die, I can just plug the speaker cable into the head. I'll eventually get a 1 x 12 cab to go with it I expect. Do any of you have any experience with these? Do you have any suggestions for a good backup amp for under £200 (preferably - I could stretch the budget, but probably not my girlfriends patience since I've just bought an R7 Les Paul).

Opinions appreciated!

IanSavage

Personally I'd go for a decent solid-state head as a spare; quite apart from anything else, a valve head needs to warm up so that embarrassing silence is extended by another ten or twenty second while your valves bloom into life!

Panama_Jack666

IanSavage said:

Personally I'd go for a decent solid-state head as a spare; quite apart from anything else, a valve head needs to warm up so that embarrassing silence is extended by another ten or twenty second while your valves bloom into life!

Yeah, I had considered that... however, I s'pose I'm sort of seeing this as an opportunity to feed the GAS beast and I like tubes... that doesn't really make sense since I'm look for reliability though!

ICBM

Do you use the Fender for anything more than a clean sound? If not, an old solid-state PA head in the 50-150W range can be had for peanuts, particularly if it's an 80s or earlier one with no XLR mic sockets. They have reverb too normally. Well under £100 will get you something good enough - Peavey, Laney, Carlsbro etc.

Also make sure the cable in the Fender is long enough to reach the backup amp, or get a longer one made. The stock one has a cable tie on it to fold it up, but even when removed the cable is not long enough to easily stretch to another amp - although it might, just, if the Fender is standing on top of the PA head rather than the other way round. Or get a proper speaker extension cable made - with a Neutrik locking line socket *only*, no cheap line sockets are good enough for a speaker connection.

digitalscream

IanSavage said:

Personally I'd go for a decent solid-state head as a spare; quite apart from anything else, a valve head needs to warm up so that embarrassing silence is extended by another ten or twenty second while your valves bloom into life!

Well, at last Friday's gig a guitarist in one of the other bands had his Bogner die on him mid-song - all the guitarists in the place rallied round and we had him set up with an Orange OR100 before the song finished

As for the Jet City amps...I've had all of them (except the 100W variants). If you need a clean amp or an effects loop, the JCA20H is a no-no; in fact, the JCA22H is a better bet all-round.

There's one slight gotcha in that the default on all the Jet City amps is for the overdrive channel to be active without a footswitch plugged in (and the footswitch works backwards to most - the drive channel is active and the LED on when the switch is open). The JCA22H can, however, do a decent clean with the gain set below 3 on the crunch channel...although you're not going to get Fender cleans out of it.

You might want to consider the JCA20HV if you don't need the extra channel. It's less gain-y and aimed at more of a vintage tone, but it does have the effects loop. Slightly more expensive and a bit harder to come by. Thomann are expecting a shipment on 16th December.

Panama_Jack666

Nice, never seen the JCA20HV, I will look at them now, that sounds more like what I would want... although I'm not bothered about the effects loop to be honest.

I would need something fairly versatile but I'm happy to consider anything (regardless of my previous solid state comment). It's a pub gigging band but we have quite a wide repetoire of songs. I would have much more fun with a tube head as I could use it at home and it would become more than a backup amp I s'pose. My TV stand is a Marshall 4 x 12 so I could use that for living room jams (When the Mrs isn't watching The Great British Come Dance With Me Mastercher Apprentice Only Way is Essex).

Bellycaster

I agree solid state would make more sense.

There's always a Roland Cube!

Seriously, they're cheap and reliable, have the FX on and it's footswitchable. Quick easy replacement in no time, just have your gig "Back up settings" rehearsed and ready just in case and you're away.

:-)

dilbert

Used Peavey Classic 30. Probably a tad more than £200,but they are reliable, take pedals well and have a very decent tone.

longi

Should be able to get a good sound out of most amps....At least a valve amp that is....

meltedbuzzbox

pod or something into the PA. 

noisepolluter

I'd have a cube 80 as a no-worry backup for a HRD

not_the_dj

Nah ignore all the sensible advice. Get the Jet City head. Much more fun to have another amp...then you get a second cab and end up with a stereo rig!

There are a bargain though aren't they. I've spent more than the JCA20h on a drive pedal in the past which is ridiculous!

Panama_Jack666

not_the_dj said:

There are a bargain though aren't they. I've spent more than the JCA20h on a drive pedal in the past which is ridiculous!

Yeah... I think my Full Drive 3 was about £150 ish.

meltedbuzzbox said:

pod or something into the PA. 

I'd cosidered that but not quite as fun as another amp and I reckon I would get more use out of a head. They can be quite cheap though
.

not_the_dj said:

Nah ignore all the sensible advice. Get the Jet City head. Much more fun to have another amp...then you get a second cab and end up with a stereo rig!

Great idea!

p90fool

not_the_dj said:

Nah ignore all the sensible advice. Get the Jet City head.

That's what I did. It's pretty small, weighs very little and I take it to every gig.

I can't imagine finding any kind of emulator which sounds as good as the JCA20H for the £169 it costs.

Panama_Jack666

p90fool said:

not_the_dj said:

Nah ignore all the sensible advice. Get the Jet City head.

That's what I did. It's pretty small, weighs very little and I take it to every gig.

I can't imagine finding any kind of emulator which sounds as good as the JCA20H for the £169 it costs.

I'm sold. Jet City it is!

not_the_dj

Nice one. Full report when you get it please. When my finances improve in the new year I'm very tempted to do the same. I currently use an Orange Micro Terror as a back-up, but it's obvious the Jet City will sound a lot better.

I'm a head cab guy myself so having a second smallish head is ideal. We also don't generally mic up the amps for the pub gigs we play so using a pod or something similar into the PA wouldn't really work well for me hearing myself. I want the sound to be coming out of my cab (I actually use two 2x12s so that way I've effectively got two separate rigs).

Panama_Jack666

not_the_dj said:

Nice one. Full report when you get it please. When my finances improve in the new year I'm very tempted to do the same. I currently use an Orange Micro Terror as a back-up, but it's obvious the Jet City will sound a lot better.

I'm a head cab guy myself so having a second smallish head is ideal. We also don't generally mic up the amps for the pub gigs we play so using a pod or something similar into the PA wouldn't really work well for me hearing myself. I want the sound to be coming out of my cab (I actually use two 2x12s so that way I've effectively got two separate rigs).

Yeah, I was considering the micro terror but I think the Jet City will be a better investment.

I will do a video of it when I get it. I shall compare it to the micro terror of that's of use (as I can get my hands on one of them too from a friend) I'm hoping it'll be this weekend... The only think that might change that is if I look at the JCA20HV like @digitalscream suggested. I do like the idea of the V.

not_the_dj

Yeah it's the HV that looks best suited for me.

hotpickups

A lot for a backup amp but if you can afford it the new Roland Blues Cube launching in January would be perfect for this. I'm pretty certain at this stage that I'll be purchasing one

My current alternative for this situation is my Joyo American which can go into the PA as it has a speaker emulation in it. Not ideal but can get you through the gig at a very cheap option.

samldr1984

You need to try the ID30 I just got mate, you might change your mind!

hotpickups

Yeah I've seen those. Not really my thing. I'd never use those gain settings. I use a tweed deluxe clone so wouldn't want to stray too far from what I've got as a backup amp. I feel the blues cube has a character about it too.

samldr1984;449380" said:

You need to try the ID30 I just got mate, you might change your mind!