Any Jazz Chorus Fans Here?

[Amp360]

I have a bunch of tube amps, but I've been working on some pop records lately. There are some nice plug-ins for this thing, but I felt something was lacking. I picked up the early 1980s (I believe it's a 1983) JC-120 for $350 at Guitar Center, and this is one mighty fine amplifier for what it does.

I had been looking for a reasonable price on a Twin Reverb, probably an SFMV, but the JC popped up, and I decided I couldn't go wrong for the price.

As a kid, I took lessons from a guy with a tobacco burst LPC and a JC-120. I loved the chorus but didn't know much about amplifiers then. This wouldn't be my number one choice if I could only have one amp, but I can't imagine anything better for what it does.

Are any fans here?

 

[J T]

There's one in the studio. I don't recall anyone ever using it in a session. All I ever did was move it around in there. Strong gravitational pull.

I assume its strength is on the clean side.

 

[Wally]

I had always wondered what the rave was on a Roland JC-120….until I took one on in as a partial trade for a
Vintage Fender tube amp. The JC-120 worked properly. I sold it the next week for $125 to a fiddle player who likes it. I did not want it taking up space. There is nothing there for me. Sit one of them next to a Lab Series L5/7/9/11 amp with someone who knows how to run the Lab. Those Labs are the only solid state guitar amp I have heard through which I want to play a guitar. Ommv…..but if I ever get another Roland amp it will be removed from my sight just as quickly.

 

[Amp360]

There are solid-state amps I love. I had a Polytone for years and it was great the old Kustom K-200 is a great-sounding amp for bass or guitar. The JC-120 is an iconic sound. if you're into breakup it's not for you, but the clean on it is very different from, for example, a Twin Reverb (which I also like).

If you want something really powerful, really clean, and with that great stereo chorus/vibrato there's nothing else that does this as well. Plus even without chorus it's such an iconic sound. Again, if someone is into blues or rock it's not the right amp (probably) but for pop (especially with today's retro-80s sounds), jazz. and r&b this box certainly is as iconic as anything else out there.

I'm digging the JC-120 for what it does best!

 

[Minibucker]

For a while it was the only solid state amp that I felt I could gig with. Found them a lot as part of a club's backline along with a Fender Twin Reverb, and whichever guitar player got there later was stuck with the Roland. It was doable.

 

[ajtonly1]

One name

Albert King

 

[renderit]

I remember my first amp.

A solid state Standel with 6-10" speakers.

I liked it, but needed pedals to make it "rounder".

You don't see many of those around anymore so I guess they didn't last.

I think the Roland would be interesting.

The only SS amp I still have is a small Dean Markley.

 

[Wally]

I remember my first amp.

A solid state Standel with 6-10" speakers.

I liked it, but needed pedals to make it "rounder".

You don't see many of those around anymore so I guess they didn't last.

I think the Roland would be interesting.

The only SS amp I still have is a small Dean Markley.

Back in then mid-60s….I was 14 or so…there were some older guys who produced dances in our small town.
They brought bands in from Lubbock, Tx and from regional touring bands. There was one band who had played
a couple of gigs, and I liked their music. One time they showed with all new amps…Standel solid states.
Their sound was changed drastically, and I did not care for the change. Everything was th8n and harsh as opposed to how they had sounded with their tube amps. That was the last time they played there…for whatever reason.

 

[J T]

There are solid-state amps I love. I had a Polytone for years and it was great the old Kustom K-200 is a great-sounding amp for bass or guitar. The JC-120 is an iconic sound. if you're into breakup it's not for you, but the clean on it is very different from, for example, a Twin Reverb (which I also like).

If you want something really powerful, really clean, and with that great stereo chorus/vibrato there's nothing else that does this as well. Plus even without chorus it's such an iconic sound. Again, if someone is into blues or rock it's not the right amp (probably) but for pop (especially with today's retro-80s sounds), jazz. and r&b this box certainly is as iconic as anything else out there.

I'm digging the JC-120 for what it does best!

Yup there's one. Yeah wheels are a necessity. (And an Assistant Engineer to move it too )

But the one I am familiar with does not have that front cloth. Its more transparent and shows the silver speaker cone centers. Yours looks like Vox cloth.

 

[J T]

If you look at the bottom of my pic you will see the Roland peeking out

 

[Minibucker]

 

[Amp360]

Cool video! I did some work for Metallica last year and they were using modeling amps. I can tell you the four cabinets by the drums are Randall, but they're not plugged in. I posted some photos last summer on here somewhere.

So far I really like the JC-120 for what I'm using it for. Not what I would want for my only amp, but for modern/retro r&b/pop it's fantastic. I can tell you that I'm mainly using it with Stratocasters (91 Plus and 90 Ultra). The distortion knob does almost nothing unless I'm using the bridge of the Ultra. With a Gibson, it has distortion like in the video. Not a big deal because this isn't something I would want/use distortion on. I'm also using the low input, so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[LeonC]

Never dug them enough to buy one...but there was no beating that stereo chorus...just the coolest sound one could imagine...at least back in the mid-70s.

The overdrive sounds weren't for me. Gibson LAB series were the first solid state amps I remember thinking..."Gee...that's not so bad" of an overdrive sound. Then there were Gallien-Kruger and maybe a few others. But back in the day, I could never get SS amps to work for me. Now...I'd be interested in trying a JC-120 again; I play clean 90% of the time in my r&b band and it could be that it'd actually work for me in this musical environment.

 

[Minibucker]

Cool video! I did some work for Metallica last year and they were using modeling amps. I can tell you the four cabinets by the drums are Randall, but they're not plugged in. I posted some photos last summer on here somewhere.

So far I really like the JC-120 for what I'm using it for. Not what I would want for my only amp, but for modern/retro r&b/pop it's fantastic. I can tell you that I'm mainly using it with Stratocasters (91 Plus and 90 Ultra). The distortion knob does almost nothing unless I'm using the bridge of the Ultra. With a Gibson, it has distortion like in the video. Not a big deal because this isn't something I would want/use distortion on. I'm also using the low input, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Yesh, it did a very specific thing and if you could use that then great. But as a pedal platform or a rock amp....no not really. As mentioned earlier, Albert King used one but he had one sound.

 

[jrgtr42]

Cool video! I did some work for Metallica last year and they were using modeling amps. I can tell you the four cabinets by the drums are Randall, but they're not plugged in. I posted some photos last summer on here somewhere.

So far I really like the JC-120 for what I'm using it for. Not what I would want for my only amp, but for modern/retro r&b/pop it's fantastic. I can tell you that I'm mainly using it with Stratocasters (91 Plus and 90 Ultra). The distortion knob does almost nothing unless I'm using the bridge of the Ultra. With a Gibson, it has distortion like in the video. Not a big deal because this isn't something I would want/use distortion on. I'm also using the low input, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Metallica's been using modeling amps for a while now live - once dialed in and tweaked, then through the PA and outboard stuff, no one can really tell the differnce. |They claim that the cabs are live for stage feel and feedback. |I've never been onstage so |I can't say from personal experience, though.
Studio is a different story though.
I remember reading that at least through the load / reload sessions that most of the clean tones recorded were the JC120 (at least James', and at that point he was doing almost all the guitars other than the solos) Even on the DVD that came with the St Anger cd, there was a 120 in the amp rig behind James, along with Marshall, Boogie, Diezel etc. Again, no way to tell what was active and not at any given time.

 

[Minibucker]

Wow, so they play through simulators....I can see how that's probably easier to control through the mix with all that heavy/distorted low end and such.

 

[Amp360]

Yup, no amps for Metallica. I think I can dig out some pics if you all want to see.

 

[Amp360]

Wow, so they play through simulators....I can see how that's probably easier to control through the mix with all that heavy/distorted low end and such.

Well, to be fair to them the show I did was a one-off where they flew back to the USA from oversees. Maybe they use real amps when they're doing live dates and have their trucks/crew. For this one it was all modelers. I want to say Axe FX but it could have been Kemper.

 

[jrgtr42]

Well, to be fair to them the show I did was a one-off where they flew back to the USA from oversees. Maybe they use real amps when they're doing live dates and have their trucks/crew. For this one it was all modelers. I want to say Axe FX but it could have been Kemper.

No, the past couple tours anyway - from Death Magnetic on, they've been using modelers live. Far easier to dial in a million different sounds for each song then carrying a pile of amps and racks. A few things are still outboard, at least from the rig rundown I saw, but most sounds and effects are from the box.
TBH if |I was playing out regularly I'd probably invest in one also - again easier to carry, plug into the PA and good to go.
As much as I prefer the real amps at home, with the right programming the modelers these days sound almost as good, and no one in the audience can tell the difference anyway.

 

[Minibucker]

Well, to be fair to them the show I did was a one-off where they flew back to the USA from oversees. Maybe they use real amps when they're doing live dates and have their trucks/crew. For this one it was all modelers. I want to say Axe FX but it could have been Kemper.

Yeah in a lot of ways I'm not surprised, especially with that heavy high gain thing and how things have progressed in PA capabilities. Things are evolving.