Jet City - A Soldano for the rest of us?

[marnold]

I saw on their Facebook page that they are coming up with replacement panels for the amphs so if you don't like the blue you can get something else. I like the blue, but they've got a metal one like the grill in the back which looks very cool. Plus then you can see the tubes in their glowing glory! I think they're supposed to go for ~$10.

 

[FrankenFretter]

I saw on their Facebook page that they are coming up with replacement panels for the amphs so if you don't like the blue you can get something else. I like the blue, but they've got a metal one like the grill in the back which looks very cool. Plus then you can see the tubes in their glowing glory! I think they're supposed to go for ~$10.

That's cool. I don't mind blue, but it isn't among my first choices for an amph color. I'll have to see if they have candy apple beige...

 

[bcdon]

A Tone King teaser for a FX-loop mod for the JCA20H. This would be very sweet if it's a do-able modification.

 

[bcdon]

Here is a longer demo of the JCA20H modified with a boost and effects loop. Regarding the boost, I couldn't tell the difference when the gain was dimed. The effects loop would be pretty cool to have.

 

[marnold]

The boost seems rather pointless unless you wouldn't already have an OD/boost pedal. The effects loop would be of greater interest to me, but I dread to think how much someone would charge for that. I would have liked to hear the difference between running those effects in the loop and running them in front of the amph. I also wondered why his distorted tone sounded somewhat harsh, then I noticed where he had the presence. Oh well.

 

[Robsilver]

I got a JCA20H a few days ago, this is a collection of video clips from my first gig with it.
It sounds AMAZING!

 

[bcdon]

I got a JCA20H a few days ago, this is a collection of video clips from my first gig with it.
It sounds AMAZING!

Very nice! And welcome to The Fret, Rob! Head on over to the intro section and introduce yourself. :dude

 

[marnold]

Sounds great, Rob! I saw your videos earlier via the Jet City Facebook page. Yours sounds a lot better than mine, but that has more than a little something to do with the guy at the guitar end

 

[guitarmadman85]

I have been reading up on the Jet City discussion. I have a JCA20H, and everyone is hammering the clean on the amp. It might not have a lot of clean headroom, but the quality of the clean is great! I couldn't be happier. With a SD 59 jazz neck pickup in an ESP LTD Eclipse the clean is full, punchy, and compressed in all the right places. I might not be quite fender clean, but it is perfect for me. I couldn't be happier. It sounds great recorded too. Check it out all mic'd up.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Zach-Rawlings/122476461118374?ref=ts

 

[marnold]

I have been reading up on the Jet City discussion. I have a JCA20H, and everyone is hammering the clean on the amp. It might not have a lot of clean headroom, but the quality of the clean is great! I couldn't be happier. With a SD 59 jazz neck pickup in an ESP LTD Eclipse the clean is full, punchy, and compressed in all the right places. I might not be quite fender clean, but it is perfect for me. I couldn't be happier. It sounds great recorded too. Check it out all mic'd up.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Zach-Rawlings/122476461118374?ref=ts

Hi GMM85/Zach--welcome to The Fret!

I agree with your comments on the cleans. What I can get from it I really like, but I have read online some people thinking that it will be a Fender Blackface or something which it most assuredly isn't. I take that to be a Good Thing because while I like Blackface cleans, a Blackface can't give me the crunch I'm looking for either.

That clip sounded great--were all the guitar parts recorded with the Jet City?

 

[guitarmadman85]

Thanks! I agree whole heartedly with your comments about the clean. Everything was recorded with the JCA20H, either plugged straight in, or the solo with a crybaby wah in front. I used a 2x12 cab I built with an Eminence Governor and Private Jack speakers. I just ordered a full re-tube set of JJ's from eurotubes. They should be here Friday and I'm really excited to try them out. I expect them to make a great amp sound even better.

 

[marnold]

Thanks! I agree whole heartedly with your comments about the clean. Everything was recorded with the JCA20H, either plugged straight in, or the solo with a crybaby wah in front. I used a 2x12 cab I built with an Eminence Governor and Private Jack speakers. I just ordered a full re-tube set of JJ's from eurotubes. They should be here Friday and I'm really excited to try them out. I expect them to make a great amp sound even better.

Ironically, I just emailed Eurotubes about a retube kit. I assume you went with three ECC83S (one balanced for V3) and a matched pair of EL84s? They suggested a ECC81 for V1 for more clean headroom. Not sure I really want the extra headroom that badly. If I order, though, I'll have them throw one in for kicks. Otherwise shipping kills you.

I'd be interested in some before and after clips if you'd get a chance. Also, have you tried running it at high gain with a delay pedal in front of it?

 

[guitarmadman85]

Yep. I went with three ECC83s, one balanced, and matched pair of EL84s. I asked if they recommended putting in a lower gain tube in the preamp, but they didn't have much to say about it. I wouldn't go for it either. I can throw some before and after clips up. He said they would be here by Friday. I will mic my cabinet, do the before clips, change the tubes, and us the same settings. I did end up having a fairly lengthy discussion with them about biasing these. Jet City tells you pretty much not to worry about biasing them, but he suggested otherwise. You can get a bias probe for $45 dollars from them. After watching all their videos on biasing I will probably buy one in the next couple weeks and bias it to the tubes he is sending me. I am excited to hear it with the JJ's, and after it's biased I am sure it will just sing.

 

[marnold]

I did end up having a fairly lengthy discussion with them about biasing these. Jet City tells you pretty much not to worry about biasing them, but he suggested otherwise. You can get a bias probe for $45 dollars from them. After watching all their videos on biasing I will probably buy one in the next couple weeks and bias it to the tubes he is sending me. I am excited to hear it with the JJ's, and after it's biased I am sure it will just sing.

Yeah, I wondered about that too. There's supposedly some kind of biasing knob or something in there, but I'd also heard that these little EL84 amphs didn't need much along the lines of biasing. It's a classic case of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Any of you Fret amph gurus care to chime in on the subject?

 

[guitarmadman85]

By the way, I definitely recommend calling. He spent a good ten minutes with me on the phone and answered all my questions.

 

[guitarmadman85]

So...I know I told you I would do some before and after clips of the JCA20H with and without the JJ tubes, but I didn't end up having a lot of time this afternoon, and when I saw the box on the porch I just couldn't wait. I guess my opinion will have to do. It is by far the best $50 bucks I have spent in a long time. If I have to sum it up into one sentence, if would be that the sound is more clear and defined no matter what clean or gain setting you use. I loved the way it sounded before, but this is much improved version. The low end is a lot more defined, and I didn't think it was muddy sounding before, but I have to say less muddy in the low end. It really smoothed out the high notes, and they sound less harsh. The gain is more focused, and overdriven chords come out with a lot more clarity than before. The thing I love most is how much more focused the gain is, It really is awesome. The amp does seem more punchy too. If this amp sounded this good on the showroom floor, everyone would buy one, we would all do it on impulse...or maybe addiction.... It really feels like magic. I thought the amp was a steal before, but now it seems too good to be true. Also, when you pick softly with gain at around 6.5, you loose less treble, the sound stays more true to the guitar. It will be interesting to see how much it will help to bias the amp to the new power tubes, whenever I can get the balls and the probe to do that. The JJ tubes from eurotubes are a must have!

 

[Tig]

So...I know I told you I would do some before and after clips of the JCA20H with and without the JJ tubes, but I didn't end up having a lot of time this afternoon, and when I saw the box on the porch I just couldn't wait. I guess my opinion will have to do. It is by far the best $50 bucks I have spent in a long time. If I have to sum it up into one sentence, if would be that the sound is more clear and defined no matter what clean or gain setting you use. I loved the way it sounded before, but this is much improved version. The low end is a lot more defined, and I didn't think it was muddy sounding before, but I have to say less muddy in the low end. It really smoothed out the high notes, and they sound less harsh. The gain is more focused, and overdriven chords come out with a lot more clarity than before. The thing I love most is how much more focused the gain is, It really is awesome. The amp does seem more punchy too. If this amp sounded this good on the showroom floor, everyone would buy one, we would all do it on impulse...or maybe addiction.... It really feels like magic. I thought the amp was a steal before, but now it seems too good to be true. Also, when you pick softly with gain at around 6.5, you loose less treble, the sound stays more true to the guitar. It will be interesting to see how much it will help to bias the amp to the new power tubes, whenever I can get the balls and the probe to do that. The JJ tubes from eurotubes are a must have!

Oh great, that makes me want a JCA20H even more now! :thwap

 

[marnold]

Well, if you could find the time to swap the tubes back (like you'll want to do that from your description) and do some clips, I'd appreciate it. Failing that, if you could do an "after" clip, that'd be cool. From your description, though, it sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Looks like I should start putting a few bucks aside.

 

[guitarmadman85]

Well, if you could find the time to swap the tubes back (like you'll want to do that from your description) and do some clips, I'd appreciate it. Failing that, if you could do an "after" clip, that'd be cool. From your description, though, it sounds like just what the doctor ordered. Looks like I should start putting a few bucks aside.

I'm sorry man. I know I told you I would do some before and after clips. I have her all put back together so I won't be putting the old ones back in... but I will definitely put some after clips up... and I have some before clips already recorded that might work.... I'll have to see what I can come up with. I hope you can forgive me!

 

[marnold]

I'm sorry man. I know I told you I would do some before and after clips. I have her all put back together so I won't be putting the old ones back in... but I will definitely put some after clips up... and I have some before clips already recorded that might work.... I'll have to see what I can come up with. I hope you can forgive me!

I think I could probably see my way clear to doing that

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you get the head apart to get at the tubes?

 

[guitarmadman85]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you get the head apart to get at the tubes?

I just unscrewed the back panel, the one that has the see through metal grate. There were about six screws, and from there you can get to all the tubes pretty easily. The only one that was a little difficult was the preamp tube in V1. It's the preamp tube you can't see from the back because it sits right it front of the transformer(right above the input jack). I couldn't really see that one too great, but I knew which way the tube was supposed to go, so I very gentle put that one in. They only fit one way. It will be interesting, because the only way to get the front baffle off is to take the back panel off and unscrew it from the inside. Just a thought for all of us looking forward to the new baffles.

 

[guitarmadman85]

Hey! Here are some quick sound clips after installing the JJ tubes. I didn't really focus on my playing, but more on trying to simply show the responsiveness of the amp, so forgive to simple licks.

 

[Radioboy950]

Hey! Here are some quick sound clips after installing the JJ tubes. I didn't really focus on my playing, but more on trying to simply show the responsiveness of the amp, so forgive to simple licks.

The gain & tone sound great, especially on the Metallica riff.
I love JJ tubes too.
Man, I can't find any negatives about the stuff Jet City is putting out.

 

[marnold]

Hey! Here are some quick sound clips after installing the JJ tubes. I didn't really focus on my playing, but more on trying to simply show the responsiveness of the amp, so forgive to simple licks.

No need to apologize for the playing. Still sounds like a Jet City, but maybe a bit smoother. I can't get the gain up to 9 on mine and still have it hold together like that. It loses a lot of clarity. What guitar/pickups were you using?

 

[guitarmadman85]

I'm glad that the clips were beneficial for yah, and that you could hear the difference in the sound. I played an ESP LTD EC-400VF. I would say it's comparable to an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, but better(in my opinion). The guitar has a Seymour Duncan 59 Jazz in the neck and a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge. I used a custom guitar cab I built, that has Eminence Private Jack and Governor speakers. The Private Jack is voiced like a Greenback, and the Governor is voiced like a Vintage 30, but both are made it America. I mic'd the Governor for the tracks. I took pictures of the control settings I used for the tracks, but the file size was too big for the forum and I didn't want to go through the trouble of resizing them.

 

[marnold]

A couple of British gentlemen review the amph (combo version) with a HSS Mexicaster. You get a good idea of the tones from the amph, but this is what happens when people forget to take their prescription medication . . . or take too much of it.

 

[FrankenFretter]

A couple of British gentlemen review the amph (combo version) with a HSS Mexicaster. You get a good idea of the tones from the amph, but this is what happens when people forget to take their prescription medication . . . or take too much of it.

That's Rob Chappers, a.k.a. The Monkey Lord. I actually enjoy most of his reviews, and find him far less annoying than The Tone King to listen to. Normally he's a bit less of a nutter when he does his reviews, though.

 

[marnold]

That's Rob Chappers, a.k.a. The Monkey Lord. I actually enjoy most of his reviews, and find him far less annoying than The Tone King to listen to. Normally he's a bit less of a nutter when he does his reviews, though.

Well, since I'm a fan of British weirdness, I found it to be entertaining. I would think that there are many people who would find it annoying.

 

[Tig]

Ni!

Well, since I'm a fan of British weirdness, I found it to be entertaining.

Found you a coffee cup, Rev. :thumbsup

 

[marnold]

Found you a coffee cup, Rev. :thumbsup

That is too awesome. Too bad it's in the UK. (update: I stand corrected.)

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Jet City conversation, already in progress.