[Gex]

Hey, JSX Users.

Ive had one since Febuary (the head), and Im running it though a stock Marshall 1960B (JCM 800 series - aka "Old 80's Metal Cab'' ) with the stock G12T-75 Celestion speakers.

I dont like the speakers. Great for Thrash, Black, Punk, or any Scooped-mid music, but not if your looking for a fat midrangey tone, which. . .I am.


Ive been researching and researching, and Ive got my options narrowed down to:

1.) getting some Vintage 30's for my 1960B.
2.) getting a 1960BC Classic (has Celestion Greenbacks) from local pawn shop.
3.) getting the Peavey XXX cabinet
4.) getting a Peavey 5150 Cabinet from the local pawn shop
5.) wait patiently for the JSX cabinet.

Now, getting new speakers for my Marshall cab would be the cheapest option, but I have about $600 to work with, and my cab is rather old, and has no castors (which are $20 apiece from Marshall .. .YIKES!! thats $80 for 4!)

Or, To compliment my beautiful JSX head, I could get a XXX cabinet for pretty cheap, or better yet, wait for the JSX cabinet coming out.


Basically, what I want to know is:

1. How do Vintage 30's sound compared to the Sheffield XXX speakers? Joe says he likes the XXX speakers, but then again, he is now endorsed by XXX and Im afraid he's just saying that.

2. Of the options previously mentioned above, which would you choose?

 

[sanchez]

G'day Gex

I recently had the oppertunity to test drive one of the JSX's Stach used on tour here in Australia. I really liked the amp espesially the Crunch channel. I had it plugged into a Rectifier cab. It had a huge bottom end and really tight tone through that cab. It has Vintage 30's in it.

I have no experience with any other cabs other than Marshall 1960 lead or the Mesa. Still I like what I hear with any amp plugged into the Mesa Cab. The only problem is the cost of a mesa cab here. $2299. A Marshall cab is around $1400.

I've heard some great things about the Framus Dragon Top Cab. It aslo has Vintage 30's in it and can be had here in Australia for around $1499.

I guess try the peavey Cabs and see how you like them. I personnaly think the JSX cab will be the same as the XXX cab only different decals.

Sanchez

 

[pinto79]

When I demo'd the head for customers when I was working in a store, the best cab for it was the Peavey Classic 412. Good mids and oh so smooth. Unfortunately the cab has been discontinued. BUT you can order the speakers from any Peavey dealer. They are the Shefield 1230, 8 ohm model.

That's my $0.02!

 

[Gex]

Actually, my local store has an old Peavey Classic 412 cabinet, Ill go check it out.

pinto, what are all the different cabinets that you tried it with in the store?

Thanks pinto, sanchez.

 

[red5]

I put 4 new Classic Leads in my JCM 800 1960A cabinet (have a B too but I only use the angled one). Bought them and a new Monster speaker and input cables for $600. V30s are a little bit cheaper and I know they will sound great with a JSX.

 

[bonehead189]

3.) Get the Peavey XXX cabinet. Joe uses that cab on his world tours!

 

[franc666]

3.) Get the Peavey XXX cabinet. Joe uses that cab on his world tours!

Was gonna say that, don't know much about cabinets, but I knew Joe uses XXX.

 

[Gex]

I got the XXX cabinet.

I heard the JSX cabinet was identical to the XXX, but with a little "JSX" emblem on it, so I was just like "oh what the hell, I could care less about the emblem" Plus, I had a nice deal on a used XXX cab, with only one tolex stain (not rip) and its on the top, where the head sits, so you dont see it. It looks killer, especially since the previous owner removed (and lost) the mudflap chick emblem. Whats sweet, is you cant tell that the mudflap chick was ever there.

Im quite happy with it, Its much tighter than my old cabinet, and the high end isnt so harsh.

 

[sanchez]

Gex, If I may resurrect this thread.

Yesterday I was talking to a drummer about different amps and how they perform in band situations.

We started talking about the Mesa Duel Rec, JCM800 and JSX. He said that one of his guitar players was trialling the JSX and the drummer kept telling him to pu tit louder as he was being drowned out by the drums,the other guitar player and bass. Once he plugged his JCM800 back in he was heard.

Have you found any problems like that while you are playing??

Sanchez

 

[Gex]

Nope.

Just dial in your midrange, and you'll get heard.

Make sure the effects loops send and return knobs are adjusted right, or it will make your amp quieter.

I think the JCM was percieved louder, just because of the lack of master volume. As soon as you hit the post gain on a JCM past 3, its pretty much at full volume, and just gets a bit louder from 3-10

The JSX has pre and post gains for each channel, plus, a Master Volume. The volume knobs have a more gradual rise in volume than the JCM, which kicks in with alot more volume rather quickly, which makes volume adjustment difficult, and "bedroom " volumes just about impossible.


In other words, a JCM will be louder with the volume around "3" than the JSX, just because of the way the amp is designed. You just have to turn the JSX to a higher level than you would the JCM.

I think he's probably used to the JCM, just flipping it on 4-5 and going at it. But if you flip the JSX on 4, its probably not gonna be as loud as the JCM at that particular setting. This creates the illusion that the JCM is several times louder -or- cuts better with the band, just because the volume knob is so reactive on the front end, and lacks a smooth gradual increase in volume.

When amps are turned up loud, its really hard for the human ear to hear any difference from, say 5 to 10 on a JCM (I couldn't, everything after 3-4 I labeled "LOUD"). Its not that the amp necessarily "cuts" better with a live band, its just that when the JCM is turned up to something like 5, its gonna be extremely loud, and the JSX is going to have to be turned up higher to compensate for the gradual volume increase, which is going to seem foreign to most people, ESPECIALLY Marshall users, because Marshalls have 2 volumes: "barely audible whisper, and EXTREMELY LOUD". There is just about no hiatus between the two. JSX's dont have that insane volume jump, they have a very smooth gradual increase in volume.

Dont be afraid to crank the JSX to compensate. It will seem odd to the Marshall user, who will expect more boom for the twist.

Hope that makes sense.
Those are my thoughts, at least. To each his own, Im quite happy with my JSX. Im quite fond of JCM 800s as well, I used to own one

 

[sanchez]

Talking about beadroom levels, I noticed with all the Mesa Rectifiers, when the amps are at Beadroom levels there is a terrible sizzle that can't be dialed out until you crank the amp. They sound great when driven.

Do you find the same thing with the JSX or is it capable of a good bedroom level tone then even better tone when driven hard?

I'm very seriously thinking of getting the JSX but havn't had a really good opportunity to play it for a long period of time because they just aren't available here.

Sanchez

 

[Gex]

The JSX's normal bedroom volumes sound very nice, alot better than most amps, volume levels are very very controllable on the JSX.

The Cranked sound is similar to the bedroom sound, just has that harder high-midrange crunch due to the EL34's overdriving, it will get quite marshally, expecially on the Crunch channel with the pre gain low and the post gain high. Its a lot of fun

 

[sanchez]

Do you think it is capable of getting John Petrucci type tones?

Can you tell me what your settings are on the crunch and ultra channels?

Sanchez

 

[steeda]

Get a Mesa Recto 4x12. v30's, deep closed back cab

 

[Gex]

John Petrucci? I dont really listen to dream theater at all, so Im not sure. If your looking for a clean and clear singing overdrive (without having to overcrank the gain) I think you can get one, yes.

Settings? well, for the EQ for both lead and crunch channels I usually go with treble near 4+, Mids at 5+ and Bass at 6+, Overall presence quite low at 3-4, and Resonance quite high at 6-7, and the noise reduction at 7-8. Its hard to dial a bad sound out of it with good speakers.

 

[sanchez]

Well, I must say I tried every mesa boogie available and I just don't like them. Especailly the sizzle of the rectifiers. They give me a dame headache.

Sanchez

 

[Gex]

I've never found a Boogie I liked either, and the JSX is a distant cry from a mesa.

I find the tone to be quite marshally, its got a sort of plexi kind of tone, but with 38498739784x the gain and a great clean channel, and its much smoother. Its cool, and quite unique.

 

[ScottB]

^^^^^^^^^^^^
What he said!

 

[red5]

^^^^ What they said!

 

[Drew]

Do you think it is capable of getting John Petrucci type tones?

Can you tell me what your settings are on the crunch and ultra channels?

Sanchez

I'm a Mesa user (Nomad-45 2x12 is my current poison of choice), and while I'll agree with the general consensus that the JSX is much different from a Mesa, I'll also point out that John Petrucci is about the classic example of a "Mesa" sound. He's used most of their stuff over the course of his career, but his earlier stuff is mostly Mark-IIC+, as I understand, and lately he's been using a Road King almost exclusively.

The Nomad makes a great compromise between the two...

But, if you want a JP sound, a JSX is the wrong amp for you - it's a totally different tonal spectrum.