The Roland JC-120 Amp Will Let You Hear Things In Your Guitar - And Your Effects - You Never Knew We
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- The Roland JC-120 amp is a solid state piece of work that's been around since 1975. It will let you hear things in your guitar - and your effects - you never knew were there. That's what Drew says, anyway. In this Amp Lab, Mr. Krag takes some of your suggestions and spends some more time just playing with the different options on this model. From jazz to AfroPop, it's all here in the Gearwire video.
You look like you're going to a sublime show in '96
Peter lmao
@@elvissorna8861 fucking lol
Hahahahahahaha sublime is for dorks
@@Psyfonify idk why your comment made me laugh so much but it did...
Just goes to show how little has changed in this world since then.
He Calls it cheesy. He's wearing a fucking fedora
+Curtis SERIOUSLY. Fucking guy.
+Curtis
Sheeeeeeet.
Nice.
aceflibble whatever
Curtis
Cheesy: yeah. Looks like he got it at Goodwill.
Instead of adding character, it back fired
But, he’s a young guy here. And he’s trying to have a sense to humor.
Also, should have played some Kenny Burrell or Joe pass SONGS on his 120 instead of talking and twisting knobs.
But that takes time and effort, unless of course, you already KNOW some Kenny Burrell , Joe Pass.
Says sounds “cheesy” multiple times, yet wears a fedora through the whole review
Trilby
@@sgtitters my apologies.... said sounds "cheesy" multiple times yet wears a "trilby" through the whole review
Colin Lanser 😂
M’lady
it was 2010 still i dont own a single fedora...
Worst/best intro ever. Holy shit.
You mean Best Worst intro ever.
The worst intro
😂😂😂😂
The tapping was obviously a joke. He's a much better jazz player.. Good demo!
"Cheesy" "Bad at distortion" "I would never want to carry this around" ... "One of my favorite amps"
I love how he changes the depth and speed knobs and then says the chorus sounds better than it did before. The depth and speed knobs do not alter the chorus whatsoever, those knobs are for the vibrato.
i cringed hard at that part and then asked myself what am i doing watching some idiot talk about an amp they know nothing about on youtube
And yet, somehow, even Roland documentation refers to those knobs as "Vibrato Speed" and "Vibrato Depth"...
Dont know if your still active, but I just bought an old one and was wondering if i had some re-wiring to do. So, is the chorus just what it is? I noticed speed and depth work on tremelo, but no change on chorus.
They should affect it. Chorus needs depth and speed control too, especially on a $1000 amp made for it. Lol
@@slarbiter The chorus in Jazz Chorus was the very first chorus effect (as we know it) ever made, and it had no adjustments. It was eventually made standalone by Roland as the Boss CE-1 pedal, which added a single knob to adjust "intensity", which was a combined speed and depth adjustment.
The modern chorus pedals as we know them today with more adjustments all came later.
I've used this amp for years coupled w/ a plethora of vintage stomp boxes, everyone is impressed by my tone. This amp projects like no other. My stomp box distortion is specific for me and makes this amp a new animal, my friends have $700 combos that the JC 120 eats for breakfast. Chorus is lush if set correctly, you can't just roll knobs.
+frettenstein Hey I hear the chorus is fixed.. The depth doesnt have any effect to the chorus?
You said it was one of your favorite amps, we agree but throwing a distortion box on that will show it's true capability in a Rock environment. People seem to do what their told, it says Jazz amp so they play Jazz, I light that sucker up and it shines and projects like no other.
@@chrisd6193 false
loooooooooooool at the beginning
but sadly a bit of truth in there though!
Yeah, that was definitely wanking 😆.
They always say it's built like a tank. But if you kick it really really hard it will give in. If you shoot it with a gun it will break easily. You can't do that with a real tank.
I tried plugging into a real tank one time...these guys in green outfits got really mad, pulled out their rifles and chased me away : (
😐
"I think this amp sounds like crap like I said before but yeah let's move on... ...Personally, I think that sounds cheesy but let's crank up the depth!" This amp is iconic. They really should have gotten someone with the capacity to appreciate it to demonstrate what it does
Its great with keys
The Roland Jarlsberg Cheese 120 amp with twin cheesy channels. 🧀🧀
for me i like jc120 tone
I think he is "cheesey". The JC120 executes what it's designed to do perfectly i.e. Clean Jazz with STEREO chorus that Mr. Cheese recorded mono.
LOL !!!!
Adam
I think what you said cuts deeper than any 2 edged sword.
Wow.
I agree
Chorus is a matter of when to use and mainly, how much you dial in. People think "I ll crank the depth" and then complain about it being cheesy. The problem is not chorus itself, its who is turning the knobs. It's not a bloody Metal Zone that you just dial it 10.
+Pedro Forastieri I think the chorus is fixed. you cant change it..
Incorrect
whoever told you you can dial a metal zone at 10 needs to go to prison... lol
That intro made me cringe...
mee too man, big big cringe
KingOfShadows1500 yeah seriously wtf
This is like me walking into a restaurant and complaining about the lousy service, and then getting: ''Who cares; the food is good!'' as a response. A complete non-argument. Besides, from what we've seen in this video, he really isn't much of a player...
Lol, why are you so salty?
Neither do I. What the hell are you even talking about? When did I ever say a word about his looks? Do you even read, bro?
If you want a violin-like distortion then you'll need to use a stomp-box/rack unit. But if you want a raw, dirty tone like something Marc Ribot might use on a Tom Waits album, then give it a chance. But my main use of the distortion is as a boost. Click it on and leave it set at the minimum, then use the footswitch to turn it off and on. It adds very little color, but boosts the volume quite a bit.
That was a dope 180 jump he did in the beginning
In an interesting interview on UA-cam , Rudy sarzo ( bass) said that Randy Rhodes used to practice backstage with him using a 40 watt Cube ( orange tolex)with a MXR distortion pedal and “ get a sound pretty close to what he got on stage “.
One of the greatest sound about the JC120 was the Chorus/ Vibrato section.
That “cheesy” chorus is a huge reason why that solid state amp from the 80’s still goes for $700-$1000. Maybe do some research on your equipment before spouting off. What next, gonna rip a JCM 800 for having a “cheesy” distortion?
I believe he is comparing types of cheese to different amps. The JC120 is soft so id say its closer to something like a brie. Jcm800 is harder so its more like a parmesean.
I Agree with you Will Mendoza , I Love that Chorus Sound .
One of the best amps ever made. Im an old school tube snob. But this is the one I could use daily and never complain about it. The distortion should be used as a light OD to emulate break up. Its not meant to be distortion over the top. Just put a touch in it. Old trick we used to use is put our tube amp on top of it, and run them together. Wet dry…
All professional musicians use this amp. It sounds great.
every single one of them
That's a classic. They're the second best next to a fender twin reverb. Peavey 212 classics are #3.
Marcus Brown
There is no best amp, and it sure as fuck wouldn't be a twin lmao
@@marcusbrown6506 i wouldnt call anything best but i would consider fender reverbs and jcs standards for sure
If you read the manual that comes with the amp, the Speed and Depth knob are for the Vibrato. They don't do anything to the Chorus effect. The versions that come with a Chorus/Vibrato Switch are better than those with the knob feature.
I've had the same JC-120 since 1989. It's great as long as you have a separate distortion pedal. I'm still happy with it.
Mine doesn't have an effects loop and the switches on the front are different too.
You can buy distortion pedals all day long, but you can't buy a "clean" pedal. The JC is the king of clean. The reverb and chorus are great.
You'd be surprised but this amp takes the Boss DS-1 in the low gain channel EXTREMELY well. I got near Dual Rec sounds out of it with the gain about half way, the tone about 10 o'clock, and the level about 2 o'clock. Bright mode off. Bass about noon, mids about 9 o'clock, and treble about 1 o'clock.
Things get even more interesting when you jump the two channels
The best amp on the planet.. I use a jc120 from the 80`s, I bought it in the 80`s and still going strong. Of course I replaced the stock speakers with some EV`s ,now the thing weighs about 100 lbs. It's big and heavy to haul around , but the jc120 never sounds small. Built to last, and 100% solid state
very good amp, I own 2, and totally fall in love with them
I love the JC120. The new Chinese ones aren't as good as the old ones. Keep an eye out for the ones that have a switch for Chorus/Trem rather than a knob. They are built WAY better internally, sound a good bit better. For now, they don't carry a premium but once people figure out how much better they are than the new ones, they will.
Hated this review BTW. "Cheesy" JC120 chorus? LOL. Yeah, you're the right guy to be reviewing this amp...
I love the tone he gets from his guitar on clean. Warm like trad jazz but with a little more bite. I agree with him about the cheesy effects. He never says you have to use them.
Distortion sounds great but you need to crank it a lot higher than you would think. If you want a muddy fully distorted sound crank the treble middle and bass to 10 and keep the volume at 1 or 2
I literally fell out of my chair laughing with that intro
That effect at 3:57 !! I'd buy the amp just for that
Tomas Ferreira get the walrus audio Julia instead
I dont hear many people say that the chorus on a jc120 is "cheesy", and then say it's one of the greatest clean amps, lol.
the dude who review sound like matt damon ...
+rangga aditya He does.
I don´t like the chorus, I don't like the vibrato, I prefer smaller amps...
"this is one of my favourites" haha!! what's the review for then?
John McConnor the clean tones
Seriously wtf were they even thinking doing this video.. The JC120 is literally the best SS combo amp ever made and the whole time this guy is dissing on it.. I dont understand
Parametric, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Absolutely. It's a three-band EQ.
The chorus is cheesy ask Johnny marr and Robert smith and Andy summer about that
The chorus is fixed there makes no difference to the speed and depth
....And John McGeoch and Will Sergeant and Nile Rogers (when he uses an amp at all).
Didn’t Wendy play Purple Rain on an 80s JC-120?
Bobby O'Dell I’m sure I remember hearing that she used a boss dc 2 but I can’t remember
thiS AmP iS ChEeSSy I cAn’t plAy metAl
For rock and metal channel 1 low is the best options. It sound sooo powerful. Channel 2 is unbeatablenon clean and it’s built in fx. The onboard distortion sux but i used a pod hd500 and a metal zone and its so much fun! I have a jc120 (1982) best amp ever. Its the only amp that i like the metal zone in 😂
That telecaster is soooooo nice
Cheesy 🧀 or not I found a remarkable dumblesque application for the JC-120 with sound quality that exceeds all but 1 of the copies of Robin Fords dumble #102 THAT I have ever heard. For pennies. After saving for a particular Bludotone, I see I won't need to indulge in that after finding this pennysaver mod. But, after reading the negative comments 🙄, I won't waste suggesting it to this crowd.
And I'm talking pure amp tone not fxs like chorus or vibrato.
And it works using channel 1.
@@whimpypatrol5503 I won't beg you for it, but I'm curious to hear how you did it.
Johnny Marr played one. He must have used one on
The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now. The chorus sounds just like it.
Seems appropriate.
There is nothing cheesy about this amp... the choice you pro guitarists the world over
Cheezy review. Exactly what I was looking for.
this is one of the best gearwire demos i've seen... sound quality aint great. but one of the best players for the piece... better than shredders demoing fenders!
The chorus effect is very mild right? Mines also doesnt get too wubby but the vibrato does when pushing the knobs all the way
i love chorus
Chessy? Ha! my ass! This amp is a legend.
Don't you want an amp for this genre to sound cheesy? Might it sound cheesy like a Hammond Organ.
Armand Avart You're correct. Roland JC120 amps rock. Professional musicians use this classic 1975 amp. You can't remake this amp.
It was my understanding that the rate and depth knobs only affected the vibrato. The chorus is just one setting.
Great review!
Great playing!
Great hat! You are a very stylish gentleman.
Those shorts are truly boss.
In fact, I'm giving some serious thought to tossing that salad, and perhaps slappin dem chimps, if you know what I means. Either clean, or maybe with the fruit salad side-car, if you swing that way. How about the Dutch folded chicken spleen tower roundabout?
best amp ever!
great video quality .....for 1976
how does this video get so many dislikes??? The clean tone alone almost makes me want to start playing jazz
Excellent review. Not the typical moronic "solid state is JUST AS GOOD as tube" review simply intended to sell amps.
You may not realize it because you aren't familiar with this amp, but this guy has no idea what he is talking about. He doesn't even know what the knobs do even though they are clearly labeled. It's a shame. The JC-120 is one of the all-time greats.
Saw the Scorpions in the 80's at the Cap Center in Landover MD. Worked my way to front / right stage ( Mathias Jabs side ). Stage right and pointing to Rudolf Schenker was a Roland JC-120. Schenker used this amp for all clean parts, especially on the song "No One Like You". The sound differences between the Marshall stacks and this combo amp were "weird" at the least.....
The distortion setting is kind of shit. I use a JC120 in an alt band and if you get a nice distortion box that can function like a preamp it rips. Also the chorus setting is soooooo sick, esp when you double mic it. I don't think it sounds cheesy at all, when you can properly hear the stereo effect coming out of both speakers it sounds so glassy and cool The ruggedized construction and the fact that the knobs do not extend beyond the cabinet make it great for touring, I have used JC's for all of my tours and they don't mind being in the equipment trailer or getting knocked around. Just get some caster wheels for it and you are chilling. Also, the JC40 is really good for smaller gigs if you want something small, loud and don't mind losing some of the bassy low end warmth of the 120
Would probably do well with a synth.
I also dig the distortion on these.
very honest review. i like it. :)
Nothing beats Fender cleans.
Bro. You are not using the distortion right with this amp.
I heard things about my guitar that I never knew where there, like the need to go out and buy a good tube amp. Oh wait, I did know that before.
you don't appreciate what this amp does... The distortion control =/= a distortion pedal. That isn't what it is there for. The distortion control (set at 0) is designed to move you from a very mellow compressed jazz tone to a more dynamic tube sort of tone.
But is it clean?
Great job bro
I would call that reverb "large room"
what would one cost pre owned?
Recorded in the 90’s? How? Why!
How can a 3 band parametric EQ only have 3 knobs? To be parametric it's got at least give you some frequency control over the bands...
Outside of the amp itself, the only other thing good about this demo is the Telecaster he's using. Anyone know what model of Tele he's playing? Just curious.
This review is the perfect stoner comedy!
I'm certain this video is trolling
Hey do you still own the Roland jc-160? And would you be willing to sell it to me?
"And here we have distortion"
If you think every feature is cheesy why even bother with the amp?
I have a one kinda like it it's the peavey version two 12 chorus :) I love it! Its mega loud and has a great tone for a ss amp.
How can it be one of your favorite amps and have so many "cheesy" features at the same time. Personally I think you made the amp sound like shit. I don't think it was the amps fault.
That intro pissed me off so much, it sounded horrible and I have looked for one of RZK's guitars for ages and this guy is dicking around on one !!
Sick hat
i bought a used one at guitar center and the background hiss is really loud
i think your hat is a little cheesy dude
Your post is even worse.
Jay Suschrist how will i cope
connor get a fedora.
Roland JC 120 amps are one of your hottest
I think this guy totally missed the point of this thing. Great for keyboards, great for bass (Jaco approved, actually) the fact that its stereo is huge. Eddie Van Halen ran his guitar stereo with one channel dry (no fx) and one wet (all the fx) and made some of the best sounds anyone has pulled from an electric guitar. With a fretless bass, the tremelo setting and the distortion on, you can get a rather convincing saw tooth sine wave bass sound. And if you have one of these but dont think you have a good rig for just listening to music, guess what!
Skip to 5:07. You can thank me later.
You may wish to understand how this amp before you review it. You do not appear to understand the knobs and what they are for. I have been playing this amp since 1975 and it never fails to deliver. Nothing cheesy about the amp at all. A legend!
Calling the ce-1 circuit corny 😪
go on a limb here and say the tapping at the beginning was meant as a joke
Interesting that this amp has distortion at all.
Fixed chorus there buddy!
Can anyone tell me the chords from 03:11?
What a pro, the chorus mode is fixed, you can't manipulate it and he is dabbling the the depth and rate and says it's better but it's actually the same haha
That is NOT how you mic up a JC120.
How would you?
You dont hear the stereo chorus..which is the best in the world
@Thebluesandme I'm guessing it was his felonious use of the adjective "cheesy" to describe the chorus of a JC120. Not merely once but twice as if he had to drive that home. Somewhat akin to saying Fender has cheesy clean tones. Just my guess.
I'm thinking about purchasing this amp. I have among others a Fender Frontman 212R which is also a solid state 100w 2x12" speaker amp. It is 2 channels one clean and the other with switchable distortion and then more distortion, almost like a 3 channel amp. It has reverb as well. It's also big and heavy and can do clean and loud. It has a line out to control a second amp a feature that I realy like. I am not saying the build quality is the same, considering the price difference. Is there anything you can say to make up my mind about this new purchase?
PeterDad60 I can sound exactly like Wes Montgomery, (on his later albums) in terms of tone with a Roland Acoustic Chorus 100. And that's with using a solid body with Seth Lovers. I imagine the same would be true on the jazz chorus.Of course, the Acoustic Chorus is designed for Acoustic guitars, and there it shines brightly. But it has different inputs for Low/piezo, High/Active, Mic, and filtering for HPF, and Shape. No hiss.
+PeterDad60 Not sure if you made your purchase - but I'd say the JC-120 will tower over your Fender 212R on for rich cleans with depth at all volume levels if that is your goal. You would be very happy with the JC and probably forget about the 212R. I don't own the 212R, but a similar low end Chinese clean/od amp and I find the cleans get really compressed and nasty at high volumes - not bad when playing in the bedroom, but forget about live. Not so with the JC. Good luck.
I'm still looking at the JC120. But now I also am looking at the Fender Mustang IV 150 watts and 2 x 12 spkrs. In the interim period I have purchased the Fender Hot Rod DeLuxe III a 60 watt tube amp with 4 10" spkrs. It has a great clean channel. My beef with tube amps and I have 4 of them is that it bothers me to leave them on all day long , every day. I don't have those qualms using a S.S. amp like the JC120 all day long, every day.
Man chill out peeps. What's the big deal he ain't really said anything that negative.
Well he couldn’t sell me one if his life depended on it. He didn’t do that iconic amp any favours.
Pretty sure you have to crank that od
is the jc40 loud enough for a small venue or should i get this one?
Well the bass and treble controls are shelving filters yes, but you can't have a shelving mid freq control lol, thats a fixed freq fixed q filter ;) Still not a parametric eq no.
Thanks. Good review and good playing.
NOT parametric EQ.....