Shnate McDuanus Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I've recently heard some amazing things about the Roland Jazz Chorus 120 amplifier. It's solid-state, 120W, and about the same price of a decent tube amp. Made by Roland, with a built-in chorus, reverb, vibrato (if I'm not mistaken,) and distortion. I've been checking out some videos of it on Youtube. Clean tones sound very good--it seems very versatile, like it could do about anything with the right EQ settings. Distortion settings don't have me convinced. The chorus effect sounded a little cheap and tacky to me, and the other built-in modulation effects sounded nice, but not spectacular. Seemed to take pedals well, though, and has all the clean headroom one could possibly ask for. What do you guys think of it? It's about $1,000 list, if I'm not mistaken, and for less than that one could get a nice new PCB-wired tube amp at about half the wattage--the Fender Hot Rod DeVille comes to mind, as does that new 100W Marshall Combo, which GC lists at about $100 less than the Roland JC-120. I'm not planning on buying a $1,000 amplifier right now, though. I'm just feeling out for opinions, because I've heard that the JC-120 is something really special--and it seems really special, for what it is and what it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I've considered one, for the "clean" tone, alone...for my Ric-12-string. And, I've seen clean used ones, for about 400 bucks, or thereabouts. But, as of yet, I don't use the Ric enough, per night, to justifty it's own seperate amp...regarless of how good it might sound. So...??? Maybe "someday?" CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 That's the Jazz Standard. A roommate of mine had one a while back. The cleans are where it's at for that amp, doesn't really overdrive so well. Like CB, I want one for one of my Guitars, my Epi Joe Pass would sound Great through one, but as often as I play it I just couldn't justify it. Metallica used it on a a few of their albums for Clean Tones. There's a 2 10" version of it that I've given a lot of thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mick Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 best clean amp ever built Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 The original JC-120 has been the jazz standard amp for 30+ years. As was stated above, used originals, last time I checked, were about $400-$500. Many jazz players still stipulate a JC-120 be furnished on their contract "technical rider". It is famous as a clean machine, and for that reason and others you stated above, has never really been known as a Rock & Roll amp. I will say that in person the chorus effect is about as good as ANY I've ever heard, and is true stereo on the twin speaker models such as the JC-120. The original amp line also had two or three other models, an JC-90 2x10, and a JC-60 (or 55 or something similar) 1x10 model, if not others. The original JC-120 was built like a tank, and weighed about the same also. Something for the young to tote around. Much of the Roland solid state amp technology that went into the original JC series has continued to be used (and improved) for Roland guitar amps today, such as the "Cube" series. The higher end Cube amps also have Amp Modelling, built in tuner, channel switching, chorus/flange/phase/tremolo, reverb/delay and other stuff. The Cubes start around $200-$250. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I always thought Polytone amps were the standard in Jazz ;-) Does the JC-120 work well with pedals for the distortion? That would perhapy be an alternative... I had the opportunity to listen to a Roland Cube 30x (with a 335 from "Burny") at a jazz gig, which sounded really nice... Could be an alternative for small gigs at least, but there is also the Cube 80x... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 As small "solid state" amps go, I think the Roland "Cubes" are Great! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 It is one of the best amps ever made, and yes, it is solid state. It's probably the best solid state ever made. As the name says it's designed to play mostly jazz... so yes the distortion sucks (really bad) but hey, complaining about this great amps distortion is like complaining 'cause your metal zone pedal won't give you jazzy tones (happens a lot on GC and MF reviews, and also at harmony central). Anyway, the great thing with this amp is it goes along great with 99% of the pedals in the market right now. It is loud as hell. Cleans are superb. It has a stereo fx loop. It has a true stereo chorus that sounds heavenly. It has vibrato but I don't really like it that much... Anyway, a great amp, with kick-*** looks that could withstand a nuclear blast at ground 0. I've had mine for a couple of years and gigged with it, loaned it, rented it (mainly rented it, it's amazing how many people here want to play live or record with this amp). It still looks like new and everything is still functional. There's this thing tho... 90% of the JC120s produced in the last 10 years have an issue, there's a really loww hum that bothers you specially when you want to record. It's there at all volumes but 9-10 and you never take the amp to 9-10. The noise doesn't increase when you increase the volume, it just goes away when you go above 9. I experienced this with 4 different JCs before buying mine, which has the noise but a little less noticeable. The guy at the store told me about that issue and I actually found it in some forums, most people just learn to live with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Arcadius Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 My guitar teacher uses one for his lessons, but a very rare edition with 4x12'' speakers. As TG, most probably the best solid state amp ever built, the only ''classic'' SS amp, I would say. Artists that use them till nowadays: Joe Perry - Aerosmith Billy Duffy - The Cult (and if I'm not mistaken...) Neil Schon all of them for it's clean sound only. And it doesn't take all pedals with ease... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIANTRobOT420 Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I saw one on craigslist a few weeks ago with one working channel for $200. I should've jumped on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 As I said... for Jazz and as a solid state amps I would place Polytone amps even higher than the JC-120... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdown Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 WAIT ON A MINUTE! Is this one of those "quote - SOILED STATE" amps? No,no,no! This will not do! Tubes only thankyou. [lol] One door opens as another closes...:- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 i owned a jc-77 (1 X10") back in my new wave 80's days. great clean amp but horrible distortion though the guitarist for REM, peter buck, uses one often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdown Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 i owned a jc-77 (1 X10") back in my new wave 80's days. great clean amp but horrible distortion though the guitarist for REM' date=' peter buck, uses one often. [/quote'] You want the best chorus modulation that has yet to be repro'd? Get a JC. Simple . End of story. For all you "soiled state" experts out there - you know who you are - as I said before when you were off on your meaningless tirades,you obviously were not aware of this amp. No need to give a run down of what songs this has been/is used on or musos use this. Not unlike claiming an amp is "flat" or a mic pre amp is warm...never underestimate something that you have no prior or in-depth working knowledge of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowdown Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Nothing wrong with some SS Amps; if your eyes were closed you would have a very hard time telling the difference between my Tech21's against a combo tube amp. And with the tech it is today many SS amps have come a long way; and more importantly. Tubes amps are no longer just tube amps like they used to be; more solid state stuff in them today than ever. Look at Marshall' date=' Laney, Vox, and even a Mesa. [/quote'] Today especially. While the kiddies with more money than sense spend up big time on pre amps for eg. with tubes in them because they quote"sound warmer"(there's that word again)what they don't realise is that the only reason the old pre's had tubes was because that's all the technology catered for then! Fast froward to your Neve and Avalon's and everything is - guess what..."soiled state"! AND..."warmer" still. So yeah,usually I just ignore the solid state is crap posts but hopefully someone will get out there and actually TRY some out for themselves before passing judgement ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 It depends on what you are trying to do. Once upon a time I tried em out, but they didn't have the headroom I needed so I went with the Fender Twin (AMAZING cleans, Fender reverb, useful dirty channel that always cuts through the mix, loud as fukc for when you need it and you can switch down from 100 to 25 watts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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