Roland JC-120

Clean and Chorus and Vibrato. This is a new model. Number one the body is made of pressed wood so it's heavy, but not really impact resistant. Roland I would prefer playwood. I'd also like to have a footswitch with it come standard so you could switch the chorus back and forth. Other than these details it's a very reliable amp.

I play straight-ahead jazz with a 13.5 pound Wenge jazzmaster hardtail outfitted with a Charlie Christian pup in the neck....in other words a real single coil with a fat sound. Number one this amp is loud and clean. It's also very noisy and not suitable for recording if you play clean like myself. I don't really understand why the previous reviewer's are talking about the clean sound if everyone is playing threw an effects pedal. Have we forgotton what the word clean actually means. My definition. Guitar- Low Capicitance cable- Amp and that's it. You can't review a clean tone if you've got a distortion pedal or delay in front of the amp. This amp will show when you're playing great and when your fingers are sloppy so buyer beware. Basically it's the mother of all solidstate amps and if you put garbage in you'll get garbage out. Unfortionatly I think all the 10's that this has recieved is from the honeymooner's that haven't really played this amp. Personally my Polytone Mini-Brute IV sounds better than this amp and it only weights 32 pounds.

Very relieable considering it isn't played much outside of the house. I think that Roland could stand to visit their vintage construction methods again as the older JC120's seemed a vast improvement over the new cost cutting models.

Mine has rattled on occasion and I haven't any idea what was causing it so I won't speculate. It goes through periods of problems like all amps.......except the polytone.

Don't know and don't care. These are disposable amps so I could care less.

If it were lost or stolen I'd buy another Polytone.

Basically this is a loud solid state amp that is good for medium sized clubs and where the player has some very nice chops. Like I said the channel switch for the chorus would have been nice in a footpedal. Plywood body would be an improvement. And roland should get rid of the hiss as they have all the money and engineers in the world. You wouldn't think this would be a problem as their old amps didn't have these problems.

Best Chorus ever. 2 Channels. Both are clean, you need to put something in front of it to distort it, tube screamer or boss od pedal. The onboard distortion is more light fuzz, funk. Vibrato is unique and fun. Reverb does the job. Very expressive eq.

The best clean amp period. Nothing will top this. I use it to get everything from U2 to Queen. Maybe that isn't the biggest jump, but I can replicate any sound. (Of course I used almost 2 grand in effects!) I love this thing, I will always have it around. It actually has 2- 60 watt amps with one going to each speaker, can be set up with stereo loops for a ping pong delay or other stereo effect. (Good luck finding a place to play with a stereo PA)Loudest clean amp on earth.

Never any problems. I did do a boneheaded thing once. The gain is tied into the eq so if they are all down, you can turn the volume to 10 and its not really very loud. I couldn't figure that out, cost us first place in a battle of the bands, I had only had it for a week. Also, this amp picks up every hum in the world so make sure to use a good power condition, not a strip, a power conditioner, spend $50 bucks you cheapskate.

Never needed them, have had it over a year.

I love it. I would kill the person who stole it and sue their relatives for emotional trauma, than buy another one. The amp has some "white noise" that will show up at high volumes through the direct outs, just mike this sucker with a sm58 and be blown away, actually, don't mike it unless your playing a stadium or at a place that needs low stage volume, this can be loud enough for anywhere. Use with the new boss dd-20 twin pedal delay ( a roland company) and you will be lost in a field of Joshua Trees singing Sunday, Bloody Sunday.

I have a newer (read 2000 or newer) model. All switches are knobs except the power switch, which is push button. About every feature has been covered in earlier posts. The thing this one DOES have is an effects loop (mono out, mono/stereo in). Not a real versitile amp... it's just made to cleanly amplify whatever it is you've got running through it, and it does. I notice that it adds a TEENY amount of bass (hardly even noticeable), but it's just enough to make a really thin guitar preamp warm up and have some space. Not good for rock/metal unless you have some gear you want to put in front of it.

I'm currently running: Epiphone Les Paul w/EMG 81 -> Ernie Ball Volume -> ADA MP-1 -> Roland JC-120 (ADA outs into Roland effects loop, using ADA level knob for volume).

This is the most perfect clean amp I have ever heard. The chorus is AMAZING. It is easily the most lush, rich, deep chorus sound I've ever heard. Standing in front of it, you can almost see the sound swirl around you. You WILL NOT be let down if you're looking for a good clean (or clean/chorus) sound.

The distortion sucks. It flat out sucks. Don't use it. Buy a good pedal or use a preamp instead. The reverb... I don't know. I can't even tell the difference when it's on or off.

Remember... all this really is is a power amp combo with a built-in chorus. All it does is amplify what's coming into it. If what comes in sounds like crap, it's gonna sound like crap coming out.

Do you want an example of the sound? Listen to the clean tone on Metallica's ...And Justice for All.

I've used it for almost a year now, and I know the owner that had it before me. It has never broken down, and has yet to even give a hint of not being up to snuff. I would definately gig without a backup for it, as I have been since March when I started gigging. Nothing beats it for accurate reproduction.

Haven't had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 10 years. My gear is listed in the "sound" section.

The only thing I don't like about it is the complete lack of control/flexibility. There's no channel switching ability, and the idea of the amp coming with all the footswitches for the effects apparently made Roland balk. It pretty annoying. Also, the aneimic distortion could be better. Just because it's made for jazzheads doesn't mean us metalheads won't want one.

I would definately replace it if lost/stolen/destroyed by hecklers. The only place this will be relegated to is on top of my 4x12 cab when I get my rig finished out. I love the JC-120.

I actually have two of these now I love them so much, I have one that stays at my resident gig and the other stays in the boot of my car for all the other gigs.
I've been a pro musician for 27 years now and in that time I've owned pretty much everything that's out there, Marshall, Boogie, Fender, Hiwatt, all that '80s Rack Mount shit.
Over the years, I'd plugged into the odd JC120 at rehearsal rooms etc. and always really liked the clean sound but never really spent time trying to get a good distorted sound out of one.

The whole deal with a Jazz Chorus amp is finding the right distortion \ overdrive pedal to use with it, most of the pedals I had, Marshall, Boss, Electro Harmonix sounded shit with this amp, really buzzy and thin.
You have to realise that it's a brutally honest sounding amp and as such will just amplify the circuitry of your distortion pedal as opposed to a tube amp which will add its own coloration and smooth compression.
The pedal which I found matches this amp really well is the Line 6 Distortion Modeler, it has several different distortion types with pretty good EQ options and you can just tweak away 'till you find your sweet spot then save it in memory.
I hate chorus so I never switch that on (kind of ironic, I just use the Jazz part of the amp).
The built in distortion has been commented on by all you other guys so I'll just say,leave it switched off, THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL!!
The reverb on one of mine has crapped out so I just bought a used Lexicon Alex which sounds better than the springs anyway.

Well, this is why I bought two.
In my humble opinion, with the right pedals, this is all you'll ever need for stage use and it has a clean sound to die for, the best I ever had.
Like with most amps, I have to tame the top end a bit, with my Strats and Teles. I set the Bass and Mids on 9 and the Treble on 2 with the bright switch turned off. It also sounds great with my electro accoustic and electro nylon string, really pure and sparkly.
Sure, you'll probably still need a small tube amp for the studio or blues club gigs to get a real authentic straight into the amp sound but I can still get a real good grainy valve overdrive with the Line 6.
I just sold my Fender Deville 2x12 and now I'm selling my 70s Hiwatt stack which used to be my 2 main gigging amps, just don't need 'em anymore.
The first time I gigged with my JC 120, I was smiling all over my stupid face thinking "These things have been around forever, how come I didn't buy one years ago". I use the Line 6 Distortion and Delay Modelers, a modified Crybaby with True Bypass Modification (Very Important) and an old Boss CS2 compressor for clean solos and my tone is just there everytime.

No problems so far, I plug these amps in, they always work and always sounds the same.
The main reason I bought them is that I was so pissed off with tube amps, they'd sound great for a while and then one day the tone just dies so you retube and it's never the same again.
Apart from that, there's the maintainence costs and inconvenience, tubes, biasing etc. which are now history for me. I always found buying good tubes a real hit and miss affair anyway.

JCs are pretty robust, you'll see loads of real old ones still sounding great and still gigging regularly.
The knobs get a bit bent if you're not careful 'cos they stick out a bit and if you lose any of the rivets in the case edgings, just buy a pack of upholstery nails from any hardware store, they're the same thing even down to the colour.

Dunno, who needs 'em??

I can't imagine needing another gigging amp now and I've never said that before.An amp for life???

I'm not sure what year this amp was built in, but it has a toggle on/off switch, rather than a push button, so I'm guessing late 80's or so. For those not clear on the specifications, here they are:

120w solid state (2 x 60w)
2 x 12" silver cone speakers
High and low Inputs for each channel

2 channels:
Channel 1 - Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass
Channel 2 - Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass, Distortion, Reverb, Chorus/Vibrato Toggle Switch, Ch./Vib. Speed, Ch./Vib. Depth

Rear panel:
Footswitch jacks for Chorus/Vibrato, Reverb, and Distortion
2 x 8 ohm Extension Speaker jacks
1 Line Out

This amp doesn't have much versatility, and without some effects pedals (particularly distortion/overdrive), this amp wouldn't be enough for most people. I play funk-rock/alternative most of the time, and the distortion included is simply not up to the task. This amp doesn't have channel switching, but it isn't really needed.
As for power, this volume this amp provides is way sufficient for any place I'm likely to use it. Definitely loud enough to fill any small to medium club/pub. Mostly I don't even put it above three, even when competing with the rest of my band. There is no effects loop, which might have been useful, but not absolutely necessary. No headphone jack either, but it's not exactly a "bedroom" amp.

I play a Gibson ES-135 with 2 x P-100 pickups, and a few effects. It suits my style of funk-rock/alternative music fairly well, though you absolutely, positively MUST have a different distortion. The included distortion is weak to say the least, in fact it's more like a 2dB volume boost.
The amp as a whole stays very quiet. I haven't noticed any significant hum at high volumes.
For all the bitching I've done about the distortion, I take it for granted that it isn't worth squat, and realise that this amp isn't that type of amp. It is basically just a clean, cheap, solid-state amp that sounds like it should cost twice as much as it does. It's a cleaner, purer sound, so if you want a raging, grunty, nu-metal or rock a'la AC/DC sound, then don't expect so much from this amp.
If, however, you want a sparkling clean, airy sound, buy yourself a JC-120. After all, it was made for Jazz guitarists, who aren't well known for their for their feedback drenched, driving, distorted guitar climaxes.

This amp is very reliable and I wouldn't be hesitant to play a gig without a backup amp.
I've never had the amp crap out on me altogether, that being said, lately I've noticed that if I turn the reverb knob past 5, the amp emits a high pitched shrill squeal. Don't let that scare you off, though, because I'm sure that's only a minor thing, and I plan to take it to be serviced directly.
Also being a solid-state amp, it doesn't need a lot of pampering. Just plug it in and it works. As simple as that.

Let me just say that if you are looking for a straight rock amp, go for a Fender or a Marshall. This is not that kind of amp. That being said, I love this amp. The combination of reverb, vibrato/chorus, and distortion provide just enough color for your sound without cluttering up the amp with unnecessary effects. It leaves plenty of room for you to add your own effects.

Like I said, this is not a rock amp. It has distortion, but the distortion acts as more of an accent to the tone. But the tone the amp does have is, for lack of a better word, perfect. Seriously, the only other amp I have found that can provide anything close to the warmth this amp has is the Fender Twin Reverb. This is the closest to a tube sound you will get with a solid state, but it still manages to have its own distinct sound. If you're going for that warm, heavy reverb, kind of vintage tone, this is the amp. I have guys with gear twice as nice as mine tell me how jealous they are of the sound I get from this amp.

The model I have is not new, but it has stood up to lots of moving, playing loud, and other kinds of abuse. Never had a single problem. I have used it live plenty of times, and it always works consistently and dependably.

I can't think of anything to improve on this amp. If I lost it or it was stolen, I wouldn't think twice about going right out and buying another one. The only other amp this one could even compare to are some of the Fender tube amps, and that's saying a lot.

This is one of the later models with the push button on/off switch. This amp really isn't versatile at all....but it excels as a clean amp. If you are totally into providing a good pre-amp then this amp ROCKS because it won't color the tone (even at loud volumes). I has two TOTALLY seperate non switchable channels with their own input. One channel has chorus, reverb, and a cheesy distortion circuit, the other is bare bones with just a a volume control and three band EQ. At first I HATED that setup, but then I started to realize it was actually pretty cool because I could plug into the bare bones channel when I had my "big" pedal board setup, or the channel with chorus and reverb when I had my small setup. This amp has plenty of power. I rarely turn it up above three. The chorus is stereo and also has a vibrato setting as well.

Clean sounds are great. Just goofing around one day I put a Tech 21 Tri-OD in front of this thing. WOOHOOOO!! I couldn't beleive my ears!! I haven't played any of my other amps since I've tried that combination (and I have a Mesa and a Marshall). My unit is one of the newer ones, and I do not have the noise problem that others are complainig of. One of the earlier reviewers had a theory that the newer models had the noise, but I don't think that is the case. This amp has a nice singing quality and plenty of harmonic overtones with the TRI-OD in front of it. The built in distortion is the LAMEST thing I ever heard. If Roland thought they were catering to the blues crowd with it, they were dead wrong. The distortion just plain sucks.......and Roland should be ashamed of themselves for producing such a crappy OD circuit. You will absolutely need to supply an OD pedal here. Like I said earlier, this baby was made for external OD devices, because it doesn't color your tone. Seven.....only because of the lame built in OD.

I own this and an older JC-77. Honestly the JC-77 and older JC-120's seem like they're better built. I haven't had any problem with this, or the 77.....but the older ones have heavier duty switches, jacks and a better (plywood) cabinet. This is a heavy sucka, casters are required.....if you have a bad back get the 77 or the 55. I feel like I'm going to blow a disk every time I load this into the back of my truck. It's big for a 2X12 as well (bigger than a Fender Twin).

I tried to find an older one before I bought this, but I couldn't find one in good enough condition. If I had a choice between an old model in excellent condition, and a new model in excellent condition, I'd take the old model HANDS DOWN. They're just built better and seem much beefier compared to the newer ones. As an example, the on/off switch on the older models is a chromed metal toggle switch, versus a very flimsy feeling plastic push button on the new model. Still.....no problems, no tubes....10.

I needed a new reverb tank for my JC-77. Got through to a live person at Roland on the phone in under two minutes and had a new one order with my credit card in under 4. I've heard others had bad experiences with Boss/Roland support. No problems here for me.

Been playing about 20 years. Owned them all....Mesa, Fender, Marshall, you name it. Still have a few tube amps lying around....but I guess I'm getting more practical in my old age. Once you've had a boat load of tube amps and have had to deal with tube problems the higher end solid state amps start looking good to you. Plus, the majority of tube amps just don't sound good unless they are really cranked. I haven't played a club yet that I could REALLY crank a tube amp in....so they just seem impractical to me lately. Geez...I'm really sounding like an old coot!!! This stacks up with the best of my tube amps (with a good OD pedal), and sounds much better at lower volumes. I highly recommend the Tech 21 SansAmp line (SansAmp, Tri-OD, TRI-AC) with this amp. My Rockman sustainor sounds pretty good through it too. It's the best sound solid state amp I've tried....although I haven't yet tried the Tech 21 Trademark 120 and 300.

This one was probably manufactured in the 80's. I am the second owner, and I don't know why the first owner sold it. It is a great amp. I play mainly rock 'n roll (a general term, but it covers everything I play.) The clean is awesome, and so is the distortion. However, I rarely get real heavy. I'm playing a few guitars through a boss DS-1 cranked about 3/4 the way up on tone and dis. I also add a bit of the amp distortion, but I wouldn't use the amp's alone. The chorus is great! I often set it low and use it through an entire song even with distortion. I began doing this because I don't have the footswitch, and it has worked for me. No digital, and I like that for my amp. However, I'd like to hear a tube warmth with it.

My main guitar is a 2002 les paul standard with the burstbuckers. The guitar has an amazing sustain that the amp only improves on. I also sometimes play with a nice ibanez which gives me a bit more twang and some rippin' distorted flexibility. They both are only helped with the amp. Unless you want to get real heavy, this amp is great. I even play some heavier drop D and it sounds great!

The only prob. I've had so far is that every once in a while when playing clean and loud it would crackle a bit and almost sound distorted. I took it in and had it cleaned especially at the wire connections and that seemed to do it for a couple years, but now it's coming back a bit. The amp is over a decade old though. Also, not a big deal, but one caster wheel doesn't stay in, so every time I lift it the wheel falls out. Otherwise, good.

N/A

I took a long time to find the sound I wanted, and this amp really got me where I want to be. I plan to buy another real soon because I keep spilling beer on it and I know at some point that will affect it. I will buy this same amp again. I only wish it had tubes, but that may change it too much. For the money, this is one of the best amps you can buy (unless you play very heavy music) I love it when I see a superstar using my amp, and it happens often!

1993 JC-120 2 channels. Chorus and Vibrato. People have complained before that this amp is heavy. Try lugging around a Fender Vibro-King.

Running a '76 Les Paul gold top through a Boss DD-3, MXR phase 100, Boss TU-2 tuner, Earnie Ball volume pedal to an A/B box. Channel A goes straight to the Roland. Channel B runs through a Boss super chorus and then to a Fender Twin powering a Laney 4X12. The lushness of the two seperate choruses has to be heard to be believed (a very big and round clean sound). Right now I use the overdrive channel of the the Twin for high Gain, but am planning on getting a Tech 21 O.D. to run with both amps. The "Vibrato" is basically another adjustable chorus sound, not a true vibrato, but it does give you the option of a different setting.

Only had this amp for a short time. Does precisley what I need it to: provide a true clean sound. So far no hiss on this model either!!

Been playing since 1986. The best solid state clean sound I've encountered yet. I'm still a tone buff, but this amp comes in handy for dynamic writing. The stereo chorus sounds are very vibrant and spacey. Reverb is nothing to write home about however. Over-all a great addition to ANY guitar set-up IMHO.

Just a quickie, here, about using this amp for your Rickenbacker 12-- IT IS THE BEST! I got that advice from Roger McGuinn's website.

If it had built-in compression--like a Gison L5---it would be better. I use a Boss Compressor-Sustaine CS-3. It is lound, full, bright and clean.
I had a Peavey Studio Chorus 210, and copuld not compete with my band's other guitarist--with his Fender Tweed. Now--watch out!

I got it used, and it just keeps ticking away.

Roland has always been great to me. Knowing my old bas player is head of tech support helps! Thanks, Marty.

Playing since 1964. I might get the smaller version of this---70 watts. It would fit better in the car.
This is a clean amp with guts and tone, and very fine speakers.