jet city amplification?

[GRB]

 

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 So back to the Boogie and Bugera I go! theDogger

 

 

Hey dogger sorry to hear of your frustrations with the JCA 20H I saw your pics of mods you made to it on jca mods forum. did you like the bit mo mod? what about the depth mod? did you take any pictures of the depth mod. your pics had great detail! I suck at reading a schematic! thanks for any help

[6 string sting]

I'm just wondering if everything is still going forward with Jet City. The holiday season is over and I still see that a lot of models are not available. Even Musicians Friend seems to be listing several models as "Discontinued". I've also noticed that there aren't many updates online and nobody is really discussing them in the forums. Musicians Friend doesn't seem to have gotten any new reviews on the models they care for quite a while either.

Even though my earlier posts detailed a bad experience with my first Jet City purchase, I still have hopes that they will stick around because I really would like to see what they come up with in the future. I never did get my jca50h but I did buy their 2x12 cab and it is quite good. I even popped the back off to see if it was as well built as they claimed and it really is. It is actually the best sounding cab I have which is saying a lot because I have a Marshall 1960b, a vintage Laney 4x12 cab as well as an old Carvin 4x12.

Has anybody else out there seen any encouraging signs that Jet City is in it for the long haul?

[atrox]

They are alive and well. They just had a strong showing at NAMM too and introduced a few products.

[sbrett]

I'm just wondering if everything is still going forward with Jet City. The holiday season is over and I still see that a lot of models are not available. Even Musicians Friend seems to be listing several models as "Discontinued". I've also noticed that there aren't many updates online and nobody is really discussing them in the forums. Musicians Friend doesn't seem to have gotten any new reviews on the models they care for quite a while either. Even though my earlier posts detailed a bad experience with my first Jet City purchase, I still have hopes that they will stick around because I really would like to see what they come up with in the future. I never did get my jca50h but I did buy their 2x12 cab and it is quite good. I even popped the back off to see if it was as well built as they claimed and it really is. It is actually the best sounding cab I have which is saying a lot because I have a Marshall 1960b, a vintage Laney 4x12 cab as well as an old Carvin 4x12. Has anybody else out there seen any encouraging signs that Jet City is in it for the long haul?

 

 

They were at NAMM with a new amp, so yeah, I don't think they're going anywhere.

[EastNashRocker]

It sounds great. The crunch channel cleans up plenty for me and the drive channel is well.. the reason why people buy this amp. The depth control is great b/c it allows me to keep the bass knob at a reasonably tight level (set on about 4) while the depth knob maintains as much low-end harmonics as you could hope for. When the master volume is over 5 the depth knob is less important since the transformers really get moving but I never turn the depth down to zero. I love this amp for its versatility and clarity! Plus it has an amazing low-end grind! I play indie rock and alt rock so this amp lets me get a lot of modern sounds

This amp takes pedals just fine, for overdrive I'm using my OCD, rat, and timmy with great success. Since it is 100watts I've been using my hot plate which has been perfect for getting great tone down to a band volume. I have a closed back Matchless 2x12 cab that have two EV12L's. Sure the cab is heavy but nothing else sounds this good. I get all the power tube distortion I want and none of the mud from the speakers, this lets me have more headroom for gain while maintaining clarity.

[EastNashRocker]

I posted all that about my new amp and I forgot to ask my question... what are some good tubes suggestions? I have everything stock right now. I'd be curious to know what pre/power amp tubes you use and what tone you achieve with that? In the past I've liked Tung Sol preamp tubes but every amp is different. This is my first 6L6 amp so I know nothing about what 6L6's brands are more percussive, compressed, have more headroom, etc.

 

Thanks for any suggestions!

[atrox]

 

I posted all that about my new amp and I forgot to ask my question... what are some good tubes suggestions? I have everything stock right now. I'd be curious to know what pre/power amp tubes you use and what tone you achieve with that? In the past I've liked Tung Sol preamp tubes but every amp is different. This is my first 6L6 amp so I know nothing about what 6L6's brands are more percussive, compressed, have more headroom, etc. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

 

I like the Tung Sols in V1/V2 and the Sovtek 6L6WXT+' sin teh power section. Really brought the amp alive IMO

[60bass]

Hello to all. Not a noob to gear but a noob to this forum.

Well I just got my 20 watt combo today, so here go my first impressions.

The Good

UPS got it here without trashing it. Box had a small bash on the front but no damage to the amp. Build quality is real nice, looks and feels solid. No rattles or visual issues. Paid $270.00 with discount from MF.

The Bad

The reverb is just so so. I honestly wasn't expecting anything great considering the pricepoint for this model but there's not much range on it.

The Ugly

Mine is noisy, there's just no other way to put it.

Maybe I just got a bad amp but I'm getting 60 cycle hum mixed with high pitch buzzing out of the amp. At any setting higher than 5 on the gain and master, there's enough noise to make it very noticeable and that's with the tones all set at 12:00. Trying to add any highs or presence is out of the question as the amp is almost unplayable due to the noise. Doesn't matter if I have the guitar plugged in to the amp or not.

I checked every page of this thread and the Jca20H mod thread and only saw a couple of posts regarding hum and noise with the 20 watters so I'm guessing that what I have is an isolated problem and not normal noise level for these amps.

The tubes are all seated properly but I'm going to do some preamp tube swapping tomorrow to see if I have a bad tube causing the high pitched buzzing. Not sure about the 60 cycle hum though?

Anyone care to chime in about the hum and noise levels on your 20 watters? I'd appreciate some feedback from other owners on that. I'm fairly sure that this one will have to go back to MF but I'd really like to know about the noise level before sending it back. I'd hate to have a replacement shipped out and find out that it has the same problem.

TIA

[xraylemur]

I just got my jca20H today. I love it. Mine has a little noise 60bass, but nothing crazy for a high gain el84 amp.

 

It actually isn't as loud as I was expecting which is okay I guess but if I ever play high gain stuff live again It'll need to be miced. Although it's the first time i've used my 2x12 wired in series, does it make that big of a volume difference? It also does not like the overdrive side of my fulltone gt-500 as a boost. Are there any cheap overdrives that work well with this thing? The thing is gonna be great for recording though. Out of the jj ecc83s, sovteks, and tung sols I had sitting around I actually like the jj's in v1 and v2 and the stock tube in v3. I like this amp dark I guess, and I hate having to put presence at like 3 it just looks better at 7 ya know? I'm running it through a WGS vet 30 and Reaper and it's awesome. Which is good because I haven't had an amp that didn't sound silly through those speakers for awhile.

[Kev369]

 

It sounds great. The crunch channel cleans up plenty for me and the drive channel is well.. the reason why people buy this amp. The depth control is great b/c it allows me to keep the bass knob at a reasonably tight level (set on about 4) while the depth knob maintains as much low-end harmonics as you could hope for. When the master volume is over 5 the depth knob is less important since the transformers really get moving but I never turn the depth down to zero. I love this amp for its versatility and clarity! Plus it has an amazing low-end grind! I play indie rock and alt rock so this amp lets me get a lot of modern sounds This amp takes pedals just fine, for overdrive I'm using my OCD, rat, and timmy with great success. Since it is 100watts I've been using my hot plate which has been perfect for getting great tone down to a band volume. I have a closed back Matchless 2x12 cab that have two EV12L's. Sure the cab is heavy but nothing else sounds this good. I get all the power tube distortion I want and none of the mud from the speakers, this lets me have more headroom for gain while maintaining clarity.

 

 

Pictures?

 

Someone convince me to get a HDM over the JCA22H.

[FastRedPonyCar]

 

Pictures? Someone convince me to get a HDM over the JCA22H.

 

 

These are two TOTALLY different amps. HDM is loud. Really loud... and it needs to be loud to sound its best. The 22H will sound good at a much lower volume but subsequently will obviously not be near as loud.

 

 

also, the 22H is still only a prototype so you've got a while before it goes into production.

[grunge782]

Just ordered a JCA20H. Couldn't pass it up for the price

 

I will be comparing it to my Tweaker.

[detailman]

 

I just got my jca20H today...It also does not like the overdrive side of my fulltone gt-500 as a boost. Are there any cheap overdrives that work well with this thing?

 

 

DOD YJM308 works great with my JCA 20H. Gain and volume boost, doesn't color the amps tone. $29.99 from American Musical Supply and free shipping.

[Dr.Picklebottom]

Just ordered a JCA20H. Couldn't pass it up for the price I will be comparing it to my Tweaker.

ha! ive got both as well. very, very different beasts, both great.

[Kev369]

These are two TOTALLY different amps. HDM is loud. Really loud... and it needs to be loud to sound its best.

This is mainly what I'm worried about. I sometimes play in a band situation but mostly by myself, typically as loud as is possible in a moderate sized room without hearing protection. I'm sold on the sound of the amp from videos/clips (such as yours) but unfortunately there is no way to try before buying too make sure. There is the option of a hot plate but I've heard conflicting reports on their effectiveness.

Oh and also cheers for the advice and videos

[FastRedPonyCar]

HDM + ernie ball volume pedal in the loop. Problem solved.

 

although it will affect your effects pedals if you use pedals. If you have rack fx gear that you can raise the output, you're fine but it will reduce the volume/output of pedal effects.

[guitarbilly74]

This is mainly what I'm worried about. I sometimes play in a band situation but mostly by myself, typically as loud as is possible in a moderate sized room without hearing protection. I'm sold on the sound of the amp from videos/clips (such as yours) but unfortunately there is no way to try before buying too make sure. There is the option of a hot plate but I've heard conflicting reports on their effectiveness. Oh and also cheers for the advice and videos

 

While it's true that the JCA 100 will sound BEST with the volume past 5, it sounds really good at any volume. I used mine at home all the time with no issues, I just have to EQ it differently than I do with the band, with less Treble and Presence.

[pioneerprogress]

As much as I really WANT the 22H, I have a 100 watt model on the way. Hoping it will arrive today or tomorrow.

I wanted to just use the 20H I had and use the volume knob to go clean/dirty.

I didn't end up being able to get quite as wide a range as I wanted that way, so I grudgingly set it for clean and used pedals for dirt.

It worked ok, but even though I enjoy some drive in my "clean" tones, there was just TOO much with the 20 watt set clean. I just had to rely on picking dynamics too much for cleans, even with volume cranked and preamp knob just bumped up enough to get some volume. This is the only reason I didn't wait it out for the 22H. I love EL84's, and enjoy the extra breakup I get out of a 20 watt or so amp, but this amp just lends itself too much for dirty tones.

So, with the 100 watt amp, I'll get the extra flexibility of the 2nd channel, plus I should be able to get my clean tones I need under control.

I haven't had any issues with noise. I've only heard a couple of reports of this, but it is not a problem for me.

[Kev369]

Well I pulled the plug tonight and now I've got a HDM en route

[Kev369]

So what speakers is everyone using with these amps? I've never owned any cabs without V30's in them and I'm quite happy to keep them but I'm in need of a second cab and I wouldn't mind trying something different just for the hell of it, I was thinking maybe Greenbacks? Whats the Celestion equivalent of the Eminence speakers in the JCA cabs?

[pioneerprogress]

 

So what speakers is everyone using with these amps? I've never owned any cabs without V30's in them and I'm quite happy to keep them but I'm in need of a second cab and I wouldn't mind trying something different just for the hell of it, I was thinking maybe Greenbacks? Whats the Celestion equivalent of the Eminence speakers in the JCA cabs?

 

 

Ive got an open back 112 with a g12k100. I would say it is similar to my jca24s, but take into account the jet city is closed back. I would say the eminence is still close to the k100, somewhere between it and a v30.

[xraylemur]

 

So what speakers is everyone using with these amps? I've never owned any cabs without V30's in them and I'm quite happy to keep them but I'm in need of a second cab and I wouldn't mind trying something different just for the hell of it, I was thinking maybe Greenbacks? Whats the Celestion equivalent of the Eminence speakers in the JCA cabs?

 

 

I'm using a WGS vet 30 (sounds like a worn in v30) and a WGS Reaper (sounds like a g12h30 a greenback that breaks up a little slower ) It's pretty grand. I prefer greenbacks over v30's for sure. V30's especially new ones sound kinda harsh and crackly to me especially on lower gain stuff.

[atrox]

G12T-75 and ET-65 X pattern here. My 2 cabs with the G12T-75/G12-65 speakers sound a bit better (using them with my 2203), but the ET-65's are great on a budget.

[Kev369]

FWIW I was looking at this, pretty interesting

 

 

[pioneerprogress]

I just got my jca20H today. I love it. Mine has a little noise 60bass, but nothing crazy for a high gain el84 amp. It actually isn't as loud as I was expecting which is okay I guess but if I ever play high gain stuff live again It'll need to be miced. Although it's the first time i've used my 2x12 wired in series, does it make that big of a volume difference? It also does not like the overdrive side of my fulltone gt-500 as a boost. Are there any cheap overdrives that work well with this thing? The thing is gonna be great for recording though. Out of the jj ecc83s, sovteks, and tung sols I had sitting around I actually like the jj's in v1 and v2 and the stock tube in v3. I like this amp dark I guess, and I hate having to put presence at like 3 it just looks better at 7 ya know? I'm running it through a WGS vet 30 and Reaper and it's awesome. Which is good because I haven't had an amp that didn't sound silly through those speakers for awhile.

 

I wonder if you're the guy that bought my 20 watt head