Roland JC120 and Boss GT8

[jgcable]

I have this stigma on using the Vetta live. My ears and bandmates will decide tonight. I am going to be testing it live through a PA against a Marshall DSL100 half stack. If it cuts through and sounds great through the PA I will most likely use it. If not.. it will be my REALLY FUN amp at home.
Have you ever heard how loud a JC-120 is? Incredible. I could play a 500 person club using that amp with no PA and I would probably be told to turn down.

[rjohnstone]

I told you!
The JC-120/GT-8 combo is simply incredible.
And I agree... it's one of the loudest combos I've ever heard. And it doesn't break up at high volumes either.

[BenoA]

So jgcable? What are the results of comparing all those rigs? I'm curious

[jgcable]

So jgcable? What are the results of comparing all those rigs? I'm curious

Here are the results of the amp challenge...
HIGH GAIN TONES....

Vetta II HD through a Marshall 1960A cab run in stereo. Sounds the best out of any of the amps we tried when it is playing by itself. As soon as the drummer kicks in or any other tube amp it literally vanishes into the mix. VERY dissapointing.

Vetta II Combo. Same thing. By itself.. amazing. Add another tube guitar amp into the mix.. its a GONNER.

Roland JC120 with Boss GT8. Can hold its own against any of the tube amp combo's or half stacks we tried. It doesn't sound digital and it cuts through like a knife. it would work live. Sounds like a really good clean amp with a really good distortion pedal and effects added to it.

Marshall DSL100H through a Soldano 4 x 12. Fantastic tone. None of the modeling amps could hang with it. When both this amp and the Vetta were on together you couldn't hear the Vetta unless you turned it up insanely loud. You could hear the JC120 no problem but the issue was the Marshall just plain out sounded better. Especially when it was turned up.

Marshall DSL100H through a Soldano 4 x 12 cab with a Peavey 5150 through a Marshall 4 x 12 cab.
This was the winning combination. Clear, articulate and plenty of punch.

I will say that I wanted the Vetta to work out better live but it doesn't unless its the only guitar amp on stage.

[BenoA]

Thanks jgcable for the report! I also own a DSL50, 6505 and GT-8 (great minds think alike ). The DSL and Peavey make some serious twins when mixed on stage together.

Do you use your Marshall straight or do you boost with an OD? It's been a while since I used mine live but I used to plug the GT8 with the 4 cables method, using the GT8 for wah/OD/FX only. Would keep the red channel low on gain but using the tube screamer OD to boost it.

These days for easy lugging around, I've been using a Mini Rectifier... I will need to re-try the DSL very soon.

[Bert]

You're making me really miss my JC-120... and yes the amp is loud as hell.

Are you going to give your JC-120 rig a try live?

[jgcable]

You're making me really miss my JC-120... and yes the amp is loud as hell.

Are you going to give your JC-120 rig a try live?

Yes, I am. I really gave it a run thru yesterday.... running it side by side with a 1/2 stack Marshall DSL100H, a 5150 and a Vetta II 2 x 12 combo.

The 4 x 12 tube amps win the challenge but only at loud volumes that I would NEVER be at playing live. The GT-8/JC-120 sounds absolutely fantastic at low to moderately loud volumes.

ALSO.... I figured out how to make it sound even better. I am not using amp modeling. I am using the GT-8 basically in manual mode using only the effects, the stomp boxes and the EQ's. I plugged it into the low input on the second channel of the JC-120. I dialed up the Rat pedal and it really sounds fantastic.
Basically.. I am using stomp boxes in front of the JC-120. Old school.

[jgcable]

I have a question for any other JC120 owners.... my amp sounds amazing with the chorus or the vibrato on but when I turn them off it sounds totally thin and lifeless. Its basically has an unusable tone unless I am using one of the other. To get around this using distortion stomp boxes in front I have it set to vibrato with the vibrato controls turned all the way down. I can't leave it on chorus because even with the controls off you can still hear the chorus effect.
I have a feeling something may be wrong because the amp really sounds thin and lifeless with the effects switch in the middle (off) position. Is this normal?

[jgcable]

NOW... you guys may find this hard to believe but..... the JC120 along with the GT-8 sounds EXACTLY like this video. Every sound on this video is dead nutz accurate with NO TWEAKING. This is all the onboard stomp boxes and effects from the GT-8 plugged into the high guitar input on the JC-120.

Its really crazy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGFwNZiWY34

[Bert]

Weird about the vibrato/chorus having to be on. I recall that on mine, the chorus/vibrato actually sucked out a lot of the bass, so I generally didn't use it. Sounds like something might be wrong.

[jgcable]

Weird about the vibrato/chorus having to be on. I recall that on mine, the chorus/vibrato actually sucked out a lot of the bass, so I generally didn't use it. Sounds like something might be wrong.

I found out what the problem was. One of the speakers had the wires reversed on it causing it to go out of phase. I found an online schematic and corrected the issue and the amp sounds fantastic on all 3 settings... vibrato, off and chorus.

[Catharpin]

NOW... you guys may find this hard to believe but..... the JC120 along with the GT-8 sounds EXACTLY like this video. Every sound on this video is dead nutz accurate with NO TWEAKING. This is all the onboard stomp boxes and effects from the GT-8 plugged into the high guitar input on the JC-120.

Its really crazy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGFwNZiWY34

It says @ 2:35 that they are using the stereo effects return with the GT-8. The GT-8 has 2 preamps and it looks like they are bypassing the JC-120 preamp. I would imagine that the preamps in the GT-8 are somewhat similar to the JC-120 since the GT-8 was designed to directly utilize the JC-120.
I love my GT-8/JC-120 combo because it is so easy to pick up and play at any time. Just flip it on and go, no tubes to warm up. Many days I leave it on all day in my studio and play 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there as my day allows.
I also found the behringer footswitches that you can pick up for $15 make a great addition adding 2 more assignable foot switches rather than the boss ones that require batteries/power.

[jgcable]

It says @ 2:35 that they are using the stereo effects return with the GT-8. The GT-8 has 2 preamps and it looks like they are bypassing the JC-120 preamp. I would imagine that the preamps in the GT-8 are somewhat similar to the JC-120 since the GT-8 was designed to directly utilize the JC-120.
I love my GT-8/JC-120 combo because it is so easy to pick up and play at any time. Just flip it on and go, no tubes to warm up. Many days I leave it on all day in my studio and play 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there as my day allows.
I also found the behringer footswitches that you can pick up for $15 make a great addition adding 2 more assignable foot switches rather than the boss ones that require batteries/power.

I tried running my GT-8 into the 2 Main Ins which basically split the JC-120 into a true stereo 2 x 60w combo. It sounds amazing but only when using the amp and cabinet modeling on the GT-8.

Running the mono out of the GT-8 into the Guitar input on the JC-120 and NOT using the amp and cabinet modeling sounds a lot better to my ears.
I set my GT-8 in manual mode. On the GT-8 I have it set up as...
Switch 1. Does nothing. Its the on/off for the amp and cabinet modeling.
Switch 2. This is my distortion stomp box switch. I have it set up as a Rat Pedal. I think it sounds the best for hard rock.
Switch 3. Delay.
Switch 4. Chorus.
CTL Switch. Reverb.
FX-1 Feedbacker.
FX-2 Pitch Shifter (fantastic for a 12 string simulation)
Sub Control pedal 1 ( I have a Boss F-5U) Tuner on and off
Wah is set up as FAT and is turned on in the toe position just like a standard switched wah
Volume pedal is set up 75% min... 100% max. Fantastic for solo boost or volume swells for fills.
Noise gate is on
Global bass set on 6
Output set at JC120

[jgcable]

Let me follow up on this saying that all three ways sound fantastic. I tried it in 4 cable mode, in stereo mode using the 2 main ins and directly out in front.
I prefer using the GT-8 as basically a stomp box/effects processor and not a modeling processor. The reason for this is there isn't a TRACE of digital in the sound. It sounds exactly like throwing stomp boxes in front of a clean guitar amp. I am sure similar results could be had with a Fender Twin. I think that the JC-120 is so clean it really enhances what you could do with a GT-8. I wouldn't be surprised if Boss didn't use the JC-120 as the main amplifier when designing the GT-6, 8, 10 and 100.

[jgcable]

It says @ 2:35 that they are using the stereo effects return with the GT-8. The GT-8 has 2 preamps and it looks like they are bypassing the JC-120 preamp. I would imagine that the preamps in the GT-8 are somewhat similar to the JC-120 since the GT-8 was designed to directly utilize the JC-120.
I love my GT-8/JC-120 combo because it is so easy to pick up and play at any time. Just flip it on and go, no tubes to warm up. Many days I leave it on all day in my studio and play 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there as my day allows.
I also found the behringer footswitches that you can pick up for $15 make a great addition adding 2 more assignable foot switches rather than the boss ones that require batteries/power.

The boss switches do not need batteries or power. I use the F-5U and it just plugs in.