jet city amplification?

[Seattle Doug]

Just ordered a JCA50H Wednesday, should be here today. Doug, if there's one thing I'd like to request it's that you guys keep your customer service at the level it's at now. I know the faster and bigger things grow that gets tougher to do, but it really is what sets you apart from other companies that have amps in this price range. As of right now I'm extremely impressed that you guys are so easy to reach and available on this and other forums (and willing to participate). I sent an email to your support address the other day and got a response within 30 minutes! That's pretty remarkable and one of the main reasons I placed the order. I can't wait to give it a go when it arrives.

Well, thanks but I wish this were true - you can see a few posts above where I totally @#$% blew it by missing an email. We/I need to get better, not "keep it up".

[Seattle Doug]

I appreciate the reply. I have tried not to be impatient. I guess I am just getting anxious to get my amp. I understand delays but it was a little frustrating when I had waited over a month and a half and then found out that I have to wait another 2 weeks and possibly even longer to get a replacement for an amp I already paid for. I think it makes it even more frustrating to know that Musicians Friend has them because I have already paid for mine from a local store. I realize that I could get my money back from my local dealer but I hate to do that to the local guys because they have been extremely kind to me over the years. I will try to be more patient and hopefully the amps will show up by the next projected date of 11/25/10.

Man, I feel bad. I did just reply, though.
Like most of you, I get really sick of hearing people say, "in these difficult times" and "things are tough these days, so..." And maybe the reason I am sick of hearing it is because it's TRUE.
A few years ago, I think we would have had much greater mainstream dealer support - and hopefully we will again in the future. But right now, it is TOUGH out there for small dealers, and taking a chance on a new company like JCA when they already HAVE other stuff in stock... I don't know what I would do in the same situation.
So, when some retailer comes to us, and says "that's a hot product, how many you got, I want them ALL". What are we going to do? See above reference to "small business, self financed, container loads cost money".

[atrox]

Haven dealt with Doug personally about a shipping debacle (not at all JCA's issue BTW), I can say that I'm more than impressed with Jet City's service. As small as they are and as busy as they are, they still managed to research and get the info i needed almost right away. I could see other companies that small and in their situation scrambling around and putting off my relatively minor requests to deal with more important issues, and that simply was not the case. These guys know that the customer is the reason why they are doing so well, and they make sure the customer is taken care of.

 

Plus their products are amazing in my eyes. I have held on to my 1981 2203 for 10 years now and never thought I'd find something else that I love as much. Well, my JCA100H is the amp sitting on top of my cabinets right now and the 2203 is taking a well deserved break.

[cscbo1]

I'm going through the same thing with my order of a JCA50H about 5-6 weeks ago, they originally said end of Oct, so I called them Nov 3 to see if they had got it yet, they then told me to try back in a few days, so I called them back today. No good news....They said it may be a few more weeks, like someone said earlier in this thread. I could have got it through MF or AMS, but I like to support our small business owners. I will still wait, and be faithful to our local economy, as much as it hurts at the moment, as I'm really gasing for my head, cab and pedals....

....and Doug, if you check the JCA Facebook page, just ignore my comment, it was before I learned of the overwhelming demand for your products, I'm happy for you guys! I just want my stuff....its killing me!

[Kev369]

Hey guys first post, I'm keen on getting a JCA100H/DM - still not sure which although I'm leaning towards the HDM. Super keen on the LED idea although can anyone explain "a daisy-chain of several LEDs" (from the JCA site)? A row of red and blue LED's would be awesome. Sound wise the JCA100 is quite bright and decent at cutting through yeah? Seems like the JCA guys are onto something good- their site just needs more Jet City girls

I'd also like to add that, regardless of everyone else's ideas, I think the 333 in the logo looks sick

[Kev369]

Well I was just about to pull the plug on the HDM but apparently it won't take normal pedals, yet I've heard of some people using them fine, whats the deal?

[THRAKD]

Has anyone had issues with their effects loop?? I am happy with the overdrive channel with my JCA50H. But I bought a Digitech Hardwire Metal Distortion(which is amazing) and a mxr 10 band eq. I plan on getting a Isp decimator for noise control. Anyway, I was running my two pedals through the main input on the front. This was fine. When I hooked it up through the loop, it is extremely noisy. I believe that I have it hooked up right. Cable out from "effects" on head to "input" of my chain. Then the "output" at end of chain to the "return" of head. Guitar is in front "input".. I believe this is correct. It is out of control noisy. I turn off the eq with diminished it somewhat. Kind of defeats the purpose. Any advise would be welcomed. Thanks.

[atrox]

Not sure. i run a decimator in my loop with no issues. Doesn't seem noisier with it off.

[THRAKD]

Thanks for the response. I actually don't have the Isp decimator yet. It is on the wish list. Maybe Santa will bring me one.

[Sikor]

Has anyone had issues with their effects loop?? I am happy with the overdrive channel with my JCA50H. But I bought a Digitech Hardwire Metal Distortion(which is amazing) and a mxr 10 band eq. I plan on getting a Isp decimator for noise control. Anyway, I was running my two pedals through the main input on the front. This was fine. When I hooked it up through the loop, it is extremely noisy. I believe that I have it hooked up right. Cable out from "effects" on head to "input" of my chain. Then the "output" at end of chain to the "return" of head. Guitar is in front "input".. I believe this is correct. It is out of control noisy. I turn off the eq with diminished it somewhat. Kind of defeats the purpose. Any advise would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

 

1. Try to put just a patch cable into the fx loop. If no noise, then it's not problem of the loop.

2. Did You put the distortion into fx loop? If yes, it is generally very bad idea.

3. Did You had some effect(s) in front of the amp and other(s) in fx loop?

If Yes, how were they powered? If with the same power supply, which doesn't have isolated output => problems.

[THRAKD]

1. Try to put just a patch cable into the fx loop. If no noise, then it's not problem of the loop. 2. Did You put the distortion into fx loop? If yes, it is generally very bad idea. 3. Did You had some effect(s) in front of the amp and other(s) in fx loop? If Yes, how were they powered? If with the same power supply, which doesn't have isolated output => problems.

 

 

Thanks for your input. I did some research also. It confirmed what you said in regards to distortion pedals in a the loop. Bad idea. I will run it in front. I am planning on getting a new wah and pedals. Chorus,flanger,phase,delay,etc. which I will run through the loop. I have a Boss gt-10 which is too much for me to handle. And I am leaning towards more analog modulations. You need to be a sound engineer to use the gt-10. Boss manual is not the greatest in illustrating tweeking parameter. Anyway, I will be adding pedals in the new year. As I am selling my GT-10. Thanks again for your input. Rock on!

[pioneerprogress]

I GET MINE TOMORROW!!!1!!ONE!

[DoubleBarrel]

JCA50H out for shipment.

 

Wish I could have tried one in the store, but nobody seems to have them in stock. That either means your selling a ton of 'em or need more dealers.

 

Review will come shortly after the amp arrives. I think the only thing missing from this amp is a foot switchable solo boost.

[cscbo1]

Nice! Good to see a few more people getting the 50 watt heads this week. I, too am having a little trouble getting some of patch settings through my modeling processor. when I run that into the FX loop, it has a bit more distortion, or higher frequencies than normal, say for instance, I had a clean tone with a phaser, now it's more of a dirty tone with phase, and I am using the clean channel. I know it's got to be user error, I just need to figure out what I'm doing wrong....

[Yarbicus]

Nice! Good to see a few more people getting the 50 watt heads this week. I, too am having a little trouble getting some of patch settings through my modeling processor. when I run that into the FX loop, it has a bit more distortion, or higher frequencies than normal, say for instance, I had a clean tone with a phaser, now it's more of a dirty tone with phase, and I am using the clean channel. I know it's got to be user error, I just need to figure out what I'm doing wrong....

 

How were you using the modeller before? Usually, since you are now using an actual amp, you will want to turn off all actual amp models and just keep the effects.

[cscbo1]

I had/still have a Crate Flexwave 120 watt head with a 4x12 cab. It only had one single output for a effects loop, I used a Y splitter to make it work right. It would basically bypass all of the built in FX and would be at full volume, so I controlled the volume from the master on the pedal. I would have to turn it down to about 3-4 out of a maximum 100 just to use it at a bedroom level. Everything was just fine. Now with the new amp, I'm still getting used to a Master, and preamp controls, plus a real FX loop

Some patches still work great, but some are full out screech! Now that I'm home for the rest of the day, I'll cut off those amp models...makes sense!

[Yarbicus]

I had/still have a Crate Flexwave 120 watt head with a 4x12 cab. It only had one single output for a effects loop, I used a Y splitter to make it work right. It would basically bypass all of the built in FX and would be at full volume, so I controlled the volume from the master on the pedal. I would have to turn it down to about 3-4 out of a maximum 100 just to use it at a bedroom level. Everything was just fine. Now with the new amp, I'm still getting used to a Master, and preamp controls, plus a real FX loop Some patches still work great, but some are full out screech! Now that I'm home for the rest of the day, I'll cut off those amp models...makes sense!

[Sikor]

Thanks for your input. I did some research also. It confirmed what you said in regards to distortion pedals in a the loop. Bad idea. I will run it in front. I am planning on getting a new wah and pedals. Chorus,flanger,phase,delay,etc. which I will run through the loop. I have a Boss gt-10 which is too much for me to handle. And I am leaning towards more analog modulations. You need to be a sound engineer to use the gt-10. Boss manual is not the greatest in illustrating tweeking parameter. Anyway, I will be adding pedals in the new year. As I am selling my GT-10. Thanks again for your input. Rock on!

I'm glad I could help

[6 string sting]

I posted previously about my JCA50H being on backorder. Well, I never got it. The promised delivery date came and went with no delivery in sight. Doug had responded to my earlier post and yes, he did respond to my initial email and said he would try to get to the bottom of it. Well, that was the last I heard from Doug too. The manager at my local store called his supplier and was told there were no JCA50h's available. I noticed that even Musicians Friend no longer had them in stock.

I ended up telling my local store to just cancel my order. For now, I will stick to my Marshall and vintage Laney's and focus on making the best of what I have. I'm not saying that I will not buy a Jet City in the future because they do sound awesome. I do feel that their claim that they take care of the customer is a load of BS. They may be busy but they need to be honest. Don't keep promising delivery dates that never happen. Don't email an unhappy customer with promises of help, only to never contact them again.

Great product... bad customer service... dishonest marketing.

[atrox]

Sorry to hear that. Odd though, because Doug was very adamant about helping me and he did. I believe you, it's just weird

[sbrett]

I posted previously about my JCA50H being on backorder. Well, I never got it. The promised delivery date came and went with no delivery in sight. Doug had responded to my earlier post and yes, he did respond to my initial email and said he would try to get to the bottom of it. Well, that was the last I heard from Doug too. The manager at my local store called his supplier and was told there were no JCA50h's available. I noticed that even Musicians Friend no longer had them in stock. I ended up telling my local store to just cancel my order. For now, I will stick to my Marshall and vintage Laney's and focus on making the best of what I have. I'm not saying that I will not buy a Jet City in the future because they do sound awesome. I do feel that their claim that they take care of the customer is a load of BS. They may be busy but they need to be honest. Don't keep promising delivery dates that never happen. Don't email an unhappy customer with promises of help, only to never contact them again. Great product... bad customer service... dishonest marketing.

 

 

Even companies with the best customer service piss off a customer or two along the way. I've had nothing but great experience with Jet City so far. I've emailed a couple of times and generally receive a response within half an hour. I purchased my 50H from Musicians Friend when they became available and received it in two days. About a month later our singer decided he wanted one also, placed an order and also received his immediately.

 

It's nice to support the local shops when you can, but next time a new product comes out that is popular and you just have to have it right away, you'll have a better chance of scoring one by going through the major retailers.

[theDogger]

I start w/ a JCA50H that was bad, returned it. Was one of the first shipped to a local mom & pop music store. Waited a little and decided that I would get a JCA20H with the thought in mind and that I was lead to believe that the Jet Pack Mods would be end-users installable. I liked the JCA20H so I bought another. So now I am waiting for JCA to release the Jet pack Mods. I call them once a week and they keep telling me to please wait they are coming never once saying that they would be selling it as a package. They always talked about the end-user.

 

They came alright at price mark-up and no Jet Packs Just their JCA20H that has been modded at a premium price. This really disappoint me. I was so juiced when JCA first came out.....now what a let down....I have sold both my JCA20H I had such hi hopes. I really think that they had great intentions starting out but then feel victim to the market and the pressure of $$$$$$$$$

 

So I guess for me at least this holds true

 

Great product... bad customer service... dishonest marketing.

 

 

So back to the Boogie and Bugera I go!

 

theDogger

[6 string sting]

I agree that I would have been better off to have just purchased it from Musicians Friend to begin with and had I known then what I know now, I probably would have. I guess my problem was that nobody from Jet City seemed to be honest with me or the store where I purchased mine. They kept giving new availability dates even though I think they knew there was no product. I emailed Doug because he seemed like a genuine guy and I really thought he would help and I didn't want to dog Jet City on a public forum. When I didn't get a reply, I posted on this forum. Then Doug responded and again, I believed he would help. I replied to Doug's response but never heard anything else despite the fact he told me he would try to get to the bottom of things.

Musician's Friend/Guitar Center may be the biggest music dealer in the world but they are not the only music store in the world. I was a paying customer and I should be as important as any other customer. I do understand delays but Jet City should have been honest about the whole situation. Do a press release and let the customer know that they won't be receiving the product anytime soon and explain why. Don't leave me waiting for 3 months for a product that may never be delivered. I am not dogging their product and I am still very disappointed that I didn't get one. I just wish they would have been more honest about not caring about the little music stores so I could have made a decision on whether or not I wanted to cancel my order and go through Musicians friend. Now, I don't even have that option because Musicians Friend doesn't have them either.

[grunge782]

3 months?

 

No way would I have waited that long...

[JetCityMatt]

I start w/ a JCA50H that was bad... decided that I would get a JCA20H with the thought in mind and that I was lead to believe that the Jet Pack Mods would be end-users installable. I liked the JCA20H so I bought another. So now I am waiting for JCA to release the Jet pack Mods... They came alright at price mark-up and no Jet Packs Just their JCA20H that has been modded at a premium price. This really disappoint me. I was so juiced when JCA first came out.....now what a let down....I have sold both my JCA20H I had such hi hopes. I really think that they had great intentions starting out but then feel victim to the market and the pressure of $$$$$$$$$ So back to the Boogie and Bugera I go! theDogger

 

 

You liked the JCA20H so you bought another, yet you sold them both? I don't understand.

 

I don't know anything about JCA (other than being Soldano designed), but what were these Jet Pack mods supposed to do?

 

I am posting to remind everyone that Mike Soldano amplifier designs are also available in (wait for it) SOLDANO AMPLIFIERS! Yeah, seriously. And you get Mercury Magnetics transformers! Yeah. Like the current BMW radio ad says: Why buy the imposter when you can have the real thing?

 

The astroverb kicks ass as long as you run it through a 2x12 (don't expect anything good from the 1x12 combo cabinet).

 

http://instruments.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=soldano+astroverb&_sacat=38072&_odkw=soldano&_osacat=38072&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313