Amp suggestions for hard rock/metal in pubs

digitalscream

chrishill901 said:

My reservation for the JCA22H is that it is pretty 80s sounding; Im more after that low end dark thump rather than the brighter 80s sizzle. I know there is a depth mod for the JCA though, but i'm not sure how confident I'd be doing it. Snipping a cap or 2 yes, any more, definitely not!

The JCA22H is darker than the JCA50H (as evidenced by the lack of bright cap on the normal/crunch channel), and believe me...even the 50H and 100H don't just sound 80s. The low end on these things is ridiculous, especially when paired with one of their 2x12" cabs. I've been gigging mine for years, and I've had plenty of people comment on the tone...none of which have ever said "Bit 80s sounding, isn't it?".

Unlike their Soldano equivalents, for some reason these amps really don't need a depth control.

chrishill901

digitalscream said:

The low end on these things is ridiculous, especially when paired with one of their 2x12" cabs. 

Are the speakers in their cabs any good?

digitalscream

chrishill901 said:

digitalscream said:

The low end on these things is ridiculous, especially when paired with one of their 2x12" cabs. 

Are the speakers in their cabs any good?

Honestly? They're not amazing, but they're voiced very well for the Jet City amps (quite modern-sounding). I've tried all manner of Celestions with my 50H, and I still prefer the Jet City speakers for that amp. They sound pretty good with my Soldano too, but not as good as V30s or V-Types in that case.

I'd say you're welcome to try mine, but it'd probably cost you more in petrol than it would to just buy one and try it

gubble

I'd like to support the comments made by @digitalscream

He's the guy who pointed me towards Jet City and i've not looked back since having first the JCA22H and now the JCA50H.

I'd previously been using a Line 6 Duoverb, a Peavey 6505+ and then a Marshall MA50 - none of which suited my live requirements.

I use my JCA50H through a 2x12. I run the normal channel clean (the reason for getting the 50 was because it will do a clean tone) with a soul food for some gain if needed, then use the Overdrive channel as a drive sound.

I find the amp covers everything we play really well. This can range from clean funk tones to rock n roll to GnR to Katy Perry. Ok it's forte is a driven tone but to be honest I've found it more versatile than any other amps under £500.

 

@chrishill901 - where are you based? If you're local to me youo're more than welcome to try mine out and see if it fits the bill.

 

chrishill901

Thanks to both for the offer of a try out but im in the North East so it would be cheaper to buy one!

Thanks for your input, I had pretty much settled on the Laney until you both came along... arrgh!! I still *think* i prefer the tone of the Laney on demos....

Has anyone tried the Jet City 1x12? Is it lacking in oomph? Does the amp need a 2x12?

digitalscream

chrishill901 said:

Has anyone tried the Jet City 1x12? Is it lacking in oomph? Does the amp need a 2x12?

Yep - tried the JCA12S+ and the JCA12XS. Both are great at low volumes and for recording, but neither have the low-end grunt you want for a live set.

ThePrettyDamned

Note to jet city - make a jca30h with 2 el34s or 6l6, a clean-slightly gritty clean channel and a soldanoey crunch/lead channel.

Then, sell them. By the bucket load. The jca22h doesn't quite do the clean for me

digitalscream

ThePrettyDamned said:

Note to jet city - make a jca30h with 2 el34s or 6l6, a clean-slightly gritty clean channel and a soldanoey crunch/lead channel.

Then, sell them. By the bucket load. The jca22h doesn't quite do the clean for me

The lack of clean on the JCA22H is really a function of the preamp rather than the power amp - I don't think it needs a bigger power section.

If they ever manage to get the JCA20H FLEX to market, that'll be the one. It has all three channels - the Lucky 13 clean, and the usual crunch and overdrive channels - and has MIDI control of all parameters (so effectively no shared EQ). It's been two or three years since they announced it, though, and I'm starting to lose hope.

newi123

ThePrettyDamned said:

Note to jet city - make a jca30h with 2 el34s or 6l6, a clean-slightly gritty clean channel and a soldanoey crunch/lead channel.

Then, sell them. By the bucket load. The jca22h doesn't quite do the clean for me

The 50w 2x12 combo they made did exactly this - `clean` clean channel and the drive channel. No idea why they didn`t also make it into a head..............  

digitalscream

newi123 said:

The 50w 2x12 combo they made did exactly this - `clean` clean channel and the drive channel. No idea why they didn`t also make it into a head..............  

Close - that's the JCA5212RC. It was basically a clone of the Lucky 13, so it had a clean and the crunch channel (not the drive channel). It didn't sell very well, so they didn't take it further.

p90fool

ICBM said:

C21 (overdrive channel) and C28 (crunch channel) - not C27 unless you want the overdrive channel *really* dark. Be careful because C27 looks like it should be for the crunch channel.

Don't take them out entirely, just carefully cut one leg and pull the cap up enough to leave a gap, that way it will be easy to re-solder if you ever want to put it back.

I'm tempted to do this mod, but put them on a toggle switch...

ThePrettyDamned

digitalscream;695094" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Note to jet city - make a jca30h with 2 el34s or 6l6, a clean-slightly gritty clean channel and a soldanoey crunch/lead channel.



Then, sell them. By the bucket load. The jca22h doesn't quite do the clean for me





The lack of clean on the JCA22H is really a function of the preamp rather than the power amp - I don't think it needs a bigger power section.

If they ever manage to get the JCA20H FLEX to market, that'll be the one. It has all three channels - the Lucky 13 clean, and the usual crunch and overdrive channels - and has MIDI control of all parameters (so effectively no shared EQ). It's been two or three years since they announced it, though, and I'm starting to lose hope.

Oh yeah absolutely, but I tend to prefer the sound of bigger valve power sections even at small volume. I guess there are some exceptions but I tend to like the sound of big valves more - maybe just the circuits I have tried though.

But yes, that would do it.

Dave_Mc

chrishill901 said:

digitalscream said:

The low end on these things is ridiculous, especially when paired with one of their 2x12" cabs. 

Are the speakers in their cabs any good?

I didn't much like them, but admittedly I didn't give them much of a fair shot (because I already had replacement speakers and I was chomping at the bit to get them fitted).

For all the extra the Harley Benton g212vintage cab is on Thomann (assuming that's where you're shopping for the head, and assuming you don't already have a cab) I'd get it instead.

mudslide73

I finally got around to doing this (C21 and 28 clip) and it sounds incredible - so much more controllable with the presence and treble controls now. The crunch channel is very usable and the lead channel just blew me away. Thanks again @ICBM. ;

ThePrettyDamned

mudslide73;699699" said:

I finally got around to doing this (C21 and 28 clip) and it sounds incredible - so much more controllable with the presence and treble controls now. The crunch channel is very usable and the lead channel just blew me away. Thanks again @ICBM. 

My god I want one even more than I did.

@icbm is there a way of reducing the gain a bit on the crunch channel without affecting the lead *too*much?

Gassage

Hiwatt DR405.

Even if they don't like it they'll be deaf afterwards.

digitalscream

ThePrettyDamned said:

My god I want one even more than I did.

@icbm is there a way of reducing the gain a bit on the crunch channel without affecting the lead *too*much?

...turn the gain down?

Seriously, though, exactly what's the problem? The gain range is very usable all the way up, from ultra-clean (around 1.5 - 2) all the way to rock-crunch at the max.

ThePrettyDamned

digitalscream;699735" said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

My god I want one even more than I did.



@icbm is there a way of reducing the gain a bit on the crunch channel without affecting the lead *too*much?





...turn the gain down?

Seriously, though, exactly what's the problem? The gain range is very usable all the way up, from ultra-clean (around 1.5 - 2) all the way to rock-crunch at the max.

The one I tried was definitely not ultra clean with the gain at 1 at volume - it was still a bit gritty, sounded great but I'd rather it not be...

I'm being ultra picky - if a simple mod sorted that, allowing me a louder, cleaner clean (I tried the 50 watt head mind, maybe the 100 is cleaner?) I'd do it, but it wouldn't stop me buying the amp.

Dave_Mc

^ Use less hot pickups Or turn the volume down on your guitar.

Gassage

Reading the whole thread....

Why oh why oh why does @icbm always take such a circuitous route to make his points?