Henriksen 110ER vs Roland JC120?

[skilsaw]

I have a new archtop guitar and Roland JC120 sitting in their boxes, ready for Christmas for my son.

 

But yesterday, I dropped in to an independent music store and saw the Henriksen 110ER on their salesfloor.

 

From a non-musical point of view, the 110ER is less than half the size and weight of the JC120.

 

As a musician, which amp do you think has the clearer tone?

For all round utility (sound quality, size and weight)which amp would you prefer?

[capmaster]

Just researched a bit on Hendriksen amplifiers. They obviously are made by a small manufacturer and available at very few retailers only.

 

There is just a single exclusive dealer in Germany about 400 kilometers away from here. The owner is an electrical engineer selling his own versions redesigned by himself. A company located near the dealer is modding and rewiring them for minimized hum, improved tone and increased reliability by use of a toroidal transformer.

 

On theory, they should be nice jazz amplifiers for clean tone only, featuring five-band equalizers and reverb. Some cabinets come with built-in tweeters to add some acoustic amp qualities. Anyway, I could only guess how they possibly sound.

 

Sorry, I don't know anything more about them and, due to missing opportunity, I guess I never will.

[AlanC]

I have a new archtop guitar and Roland JC120 sitting in their boxes, ready for Christmas for my son.

 

But yesterday, I dropped in to an independent music store and saw the Henriksen 110ER on their salesfloor.

 

From a non-musical point of view, the 110ER is less than half the size and weight of the JC120.

 

As a musician, which amp do you think has the clearer tone?

For all round utility (sound quality, size and weight)which amp would you prefer?

 

I'm probably going to be very unpopular but in my view there is no comparison. I've been gigging with Henriksen amps for about 5 years. Just recently I bought their bigger amp. i own a 110ER and I think a 120ER. Both are great. I also own a Polytone, Quilter and a Fender Deluxe Reverb, but the best amp for me is the Henriksen. I'm playing an archtop thru it. Mostly use my Tal Farlow or an L5 CES. Personally I'm no fan of the Rolands.

[capmaster]

I'm probably going to be very unpopular but in my view there is no comparison. I've been gigging with Henriksen amps for about 5 years. Just recently I bought their bigger amp. i own a 110ER and I think a 120ER. Both are great. I also own a Polytone, Quilter and a Fender Deluxe Reverb, but the best amp for me is the Henriksen. I'm playing an archtop thru it. Mostly use my Tal Farlow or an L5 CES. Personally I'm no fan of the Rolands.

ER says they have a switchable tweeter, right? Did you try the tweeters with piezo signals? I'm a hybrid guitar addict which makes me curious about that.

[AlanC]

ER says they have a switchable tweeter, right? Did you try the tweeters with piezo signals? I'm a hybrid guitar addict which makes me curious about that.

 

Yeah they have piezo tweeters which can be used for acoustics but I turn em off for the archtops. The tweeters are switchable - off/on. But tbh I never turn them on cos I play archtops thru my henriksens 100% of the time.

[AlanC]

ER says they have a switchable tweeter, right? Did you try the tweeters with piezo signals? I'm a hybrid guitar addict which makes me curious about that.

 

The henriksens are great and really worth a try.

[Danny W.]

Over the years I have played jazz on a rather wide variety of amps and think the JC-series is about the worst--just not my cup of tea at all. I think they are heavy, noisy and dull-sounding. For the last 12 years I've done all my gigs with Acoustic Image amps, either with Raezer's Edge cabinets or in AI combos, and I have never been so happy with my amplification in so many different venues. The Corus+ amp I most often use weighs twenty pounds and is loud enough to play unassisted with my big band in most circumstances. It sounds great, too. I even do an occasional rock gig through it with the help of a modeler.

 

I'm not trying to sell you on this particular brand, but frankly, I would take any of the "jazz brands" of amps (AI, Henrikson, Jazzcat, Mambo, probably a few others) any day over a JC-120.

 

Danny W.

[skilsaw]

Food for thought. Thanks. I'll have to go back to this independent music store.

Come to think of it, they had no familiar name brand merchandise. That means they are not a dealer for fender, gibson, taylor, or martin guitars.

 

They only had about 4 amps on the sales room floor and two of them were Henriksens. A Jazz 110ER (10" woofer & tweeter) and a Jazz 112 (12"woofer only)

 

Thanks for sharing your insight and experience.

[AlanC]

Food for thought. Thanks. I'll have to go back to this independent music store.

Come to think of it, they had no familiar name brand merchandise. That means they are not a dealer for fender, gibson, taylor, or martin guitars.

 

They only had about 4 amps on the sales room floor and two of them were Henriksens. A Jazz 110ER (10" woofer & tweeter) and a Jazz 112 (12"woofer only)

 

Thanks for sharing your insight and experience.

 

I couldn't remember my second henriksen. Its not a 120 but a 112ER. I have a 110ER and a 112ER. I now gig with the 12. The 10 I rehearse with. Worth a listen.