Roland JC-50 Jazz Chorus 112 Combo

Single channel with high and low inputs.
Bright switch.
Volume.
Treble.
Bass.
Distortion on/off/level knob.
Reverb.
Vibrato speed.
Vibrato depth.
Three position vibrato/off/chorus selector switch.
Power lamp.
Power switch.

(Rear panel)
1/4" headphone jack.
Three 1/4" footswich jacks for chorus/vib, distortion and reverb.
1/4" chorus/vib out jack.

Mine is, like all others, from this amp's all too brief production run in the early eighties. I've owned mine since the mid eighties. It is rock-solid reliable. It would be nice if it had a pot for the mids on the EQ, but I've never been unable to dial in a tone that pleases me. An important thing to remember about the JC-50 is that it sounds more like the JC-120 than you might realize. The JC-120 actually has two 60 Watt channels, so the JC-50 is only 10 Watts less in power. It has a few less controls and the chorus effect isn't in stereo, but it has virtually the same tone and is far more portable. I give it a "8" for features because it isn't really an all singing, all dancing sort of amp with lots of built-in toys. It is fairly simple and straight-forward, but those fairly simple features are superbly executed.

This amp sounds beautiful. It has the best clean tones I've ever heard. The cleans are not sterile and featureless though; they are full, round and bell-like and it has a TON of clean headroom. In mine I have installed a Weber Blue Dog AlNiCo 12" 50 Watt/8 Ohm speaker. The sound is fantastic! It's like this amp was made for an AlNiCo speaker. The most surprising thing is that with the Weber speaker I've noticed a huge improvement in the distortion effect. It is much clearer and smoother. It still has a raunchy quality that I like, especially with P-90s, but the often mentioned muddyness is gone. The spring reverb sounds very good. Roland JC amps are famous for their chorus and this feature is as nice as you would expect, although not in stereo like the JC-120. The difference is only slight though. In fact, I rarely use the chorus as I just don't care for that "wet" tone. I more frequently use the very versatile vibrato.

Obviously this amp doesn't produce tube overdrive sounds on its own. However it is an excellent platform for effects. I run through a 3rd generation Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal to get that sweetened overdrive tone. The combination of Roland/Weber/Fulltone is magic. I've had other guitarists tell me that they thought I was playing into a really nice tube amp until they actually saw the Roland. I play into this amp with PAFs, P-90s and single coils. They all sound great. I've found this amp to be perfectly suited to the sorts of jazz/blues/classic rock styles that I play. It is also pretty good for country tones. The clean settings are so pure that you can run just about any effects into it and sound good (provided, of course, that the effects are not crappy). I've never tried it myself, but I've heard of metal players running something like a Boss Metal Zone into a JC and getting satisfying results.

I've never had a problem.

I've never had to contact Roland.

I've been playing about 25 years. My favorite guitar right now is a Michael Kelly Patriot Glory with upgraded electronics and titanium saddles. I also have a Patriot Custom with upgraged electronics, GFS Mean 90s and titanium saddles and a Xaviere XV-850 with GFS Premium IIs and upgraded electronics. I use a Fulltone OCD and Fulltone cables. I also have a trusty little Pignose 7/100.

If my JC-50 was ever lost or stolen I would definitly replace it, assuming I could find one.

I love that this amp gives me really inspiring tones in such a portable package. There isn't a single thing I don't like about it.

I got this amp used when I was about 16 years old because it was available and the price was right. I liked it from the start, but had not even the slightest suspicion that I would still be loving it more than two decades later. I've talked to guys who've said that they'd owned great amps years ago that they wish they had held on to. I'm hanging on to this one.

As I said, a mid control would be nice, but I've never suffered for the lack of one. If it could dispense fresh sandwiches and beers I'd be set.

Eighties manufactured amp with both the classic sounds and some more modern sounds (with pedals). Very rare and a steal to find one of these which is worth it's weight in gold to the right person.One channel, two inputs (high and low). Plenty of power for the average gig unless you're a metal head.If that's the case, you'd better look elswhere.

Sounds like "butta"! No one beats Roland at the chorus game! I play classic rock, jazz, blues and new age and it performs all quite nicely in a package that is small enough to carry without getting a hernia (unlike it's big brother the JC 120). I've owned the JC120 and much prefer this model over the larger more expensive model.More user friendly!This is my 5th Roland amp (and my favorite) and I have to admit, like some others have pointed out, that there is some white noise to these amps on occasion. But, nothing that cant be overlooked.Just live with it!As far as the distortion channel goes:It serves a purpose for boosting the clean channel but that's about it. I always use a Tubescreamer anyway.

20 plus years old and never done a thing to it.Try that with some of today's amps!

Dont know and dont care!

Been playing for 35 years and this amp is a must have in my arsenal...and it's very easy to carry.Great cleans. Did I say that it has great clean tone? Squeaky clean like Mr. Clean. But, don't fool yourself, with the right pedals, this amp can rock out. Good luck at finding one!

Bought this amp used. I think this amp dates back to the early 80's. It was definitely made before Roland started moving they're manufacturing to countries which cost less to make goods in, due to the fact it's made in Japan. The amp only has one channel, which is a quite exceptional at clean tones. It has Vibrato and Chorus which you only have the option of one or the other being on at once. Pretty decent sounding reverb. Also a rather ridiculous distortion, that makes a rather pathetic attempt at being overdrive. This amp is solid state, built like a tank. Has more than enough power for most situations, unless you were playing an arena or something that's not likely to happen. The only other solid state amps I've heard that are close to Roland's early model JC's are Pearce amps and they surpass the Rolands in most regards. However both have some rather different interesting features.

This amp is exceptional at clean sounds. If you like the tones of the Police or 80's King Crimson it sounds a lot like those, probably because these are the types of amps they used. The clean sound of this amp stays clean at loud volumes. The distortion as said earlier and in most other reviews is nothing to write home about. It does muddy up the tone a bit though and makes things louder, don't all distortions? If you want some distortion with this amp, invest in a decent distortion pedal. For guitars I play a tradition that looks like a PRS semi hollow body, a Hamer Archtop with a Duncan JB and 59 pickup in it, and a Fernandes Raven Elite with a Dimarzio Metal Zone and Sustainer. All guitars sound great through this amp. This amp suits my playing style fine, stays clean, gets loud enough, and handles effects pretty well. The Vibrato and Chorus have their uses as well and it's nice you can have footswitches for all the effects on this amp. It's a fairly quiet amp. Gets an 8 because it's not as good as a Pearce, it sounds like the 80's which is good and bad, and the distortion is rather pointless.

Well you can depend on this thing about as much as you can depend on a guitar amp. I don't see much of anything breaking down on this. It's quite well built. It's lasted since the 80's, probably hasn't had any work done on it and still sound nice.

Not sure. Never contacted Roland. Owned a few effects pedals, they're all pretty decent. This amp seems to be much better than what I've seen Roland cranking out for the JC 120's recently. So on that note, like everything else that's a main stream amp it's getting made to lower standards currently. So shame on Roland for ruining their name like everyone else.

I've been playing about 13 years. I own a nice late 80's Hiwatt that's rather similiar to a vintage fender bassman, especially if you take a look at the insides. I also own a Pearce G1, it's probably one of the best solid states ever made and one ups the Roland due to being extremely tweakable, being capable of more tones, and actually having good distortion and many more features. However the Roland is excellent at cleans, is easy to carry around, sounds rather neutral, and keeps ticking. Guess that's what I like about it. Plus it fuels whatever guilty pleasure I get out of having guitar tones that remind me of excellent bands in the 80's. If you look at old footage everyone was using these Roland JC amps back then. I wish it had an actual usable distortion is about the only thing I can think of, that makes it not so great. Definitely not the most versatile thing you'll come across and if you like the sound of tubes, it won't compare. Other than that great reliable amp. As far as solid states go it's about as good as it gets, with the rare exception of Pearce which as far as I can tell blows all solid state amps away. The speaker surprisingly isn't half bad on this thing either. Not the best not the worst.

This amp was bought new back in 1984. What it does, it does reasonably well, and that's clean chorusy tones. Over the years I have played pop, rock, country (a little bit!), blues and hard rock and the amp is a bit lacking by itself for all this. It's got a headphone jack and is single channel with high and low inputs. I couldn't afford the JC-120 at the time and while the chorus sounds of the JC-50 are good, they do not come close to the stereo chorus of the JC-120. This amp does have an output that you can plug the chorus effect signal into another amp to get the stereo sound. With the second amp connected the stereo chorus is brilliant. 50watts is not enough for what I have used it for, although mike it up for the larger venues and it's fine.

Great for clean chorus sounds. Don't use the distortion, it's terrible, get a distortion stompbox instead. Reverb sounds good, although can be a bit muddy when the reverbs set high. I've mostly used it with humbuckers, although I've just started using it with the Texas Specials in the strat which sound good.

I've now purchased a VOX AC-30 as my main amp, however I still use this amp as both a backup and as a second amp for stereo effects. In this role I'm actually starting to like it more than I ever did. I use the fx send from the VOX to get the overdrive and then through a stereo chorus to both the VOX and JC-50. In this role it sounds great!

The output transisters blew up once, my fault as a teenager for hooking up an extra speaker and turning the volume to 10 to try and match the other guitarist with his valve amp!!! Fixed that problem easily and it was my main giging amp for 10 years without a problem. It got a lot of use inside and out and I'd say it was very reliable.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for 25 years. As mentioned above, I've bought a VOX AC-30 as my main amp now. If the JC-50 were stolen I'd be sad to see it go, but I would not buy another one, only for that fact that the amp does not suit my current playing style. For a good little clean sounding gigging amp for smaller venues the JC-50 is great.

I bought this amp used, pretty recently, and assume it was made in the early 80's. It has 2 inputs - high and low gain, a headphone jack, a chorus/vibrato output, a "bright" switch, treble and bass control, chorus - the best in the industry, reverb and spring vibrato. Regarding the built-in distortion: If you plan on playing distorted guitar, and want to use built-in distortion, do NOT buy this amp. This is NOT an insult to the amp in the least. It is a caveat to you as the buyer. This is not an amp in which distorted guitar playing is recommended. It's a CLEAN guitar playing amp. As far as clean sound is concerned, to this player - with 27 years playing experience - nothing, nothing, nothing comes close. My friend's Fender Twin cowers with its tail between its legs. As does my other friend's Mesa Boogie. It's as warm as any tube amp I've ever heard. There are two, minor, features I wish it had: One is an effects send and return. The other is a direct out. It has a direct out, but once plugged in, the chorus feature, internal to the amp itself, is disabled. The output sound still has chorus/vibrato. It would be better if the amp itself and the external amp BOTH had chorus. For my part, both are minor complaints.

I have run the gamut of thick drippy jazz and blues to all out surf twang. I have gone from jangle folk to Gypsy Jazz acoustic. Its versatility, in the area of clean playing, is unmatched. I use this amp at home, at jams and in large performances. It can easily, easily compete with large ensembles with full drums, percussion, horns and any other amplified instrument. I've never needed to turn it up past 5. It's very clean at a very loud level. Again, as far as clean playing is concerned, look no further.

I bought it used. Some of the pots were a bit dirty. I sprayed some contact cleaner on them and it's sold as a rock. Very sturdy and able to withstand a long ride in the back of a crowded station wagon and come out totally unscathed. It has never broken down since I, or its previous owner, have owned it. 100% dependable. I've never had a backup at any gig when I've used this.

I approached Roland for the schematics and they couldn't help me. That's not really a complaint about customer support, just a comment.

I've been playing 27 years. I play my G&L ASAT Deluxe Semi-Hollow, my Seagull S6 acoustic and my Gitane Petite Bouche Gypsy Jazz acoustic through this. If it were stolen I would cry a lot and buy another one right away. I compared it to a Fender Twin a, Mesa Boogie and a Genz (both of whose models I forget) and this amp won out. I put casters on it. It helped me a great deal.

My mom bought me this amp brand new in 1982 as a graduation present, so it was probably made in '81 or '82. It has chorus and vibrato effects, and two jacks (hi and lo). I used it with an acoustic guitar for years using a soundhole pickup like Dean Markley or Fishman. My guitars were pretty much crap, and this amp made them sound great! It has done everything I ever asked it to do. I have accompanied choirs and done wedding gigs.

My hubby just bought me a Taylor 814-ce, which has a Fishman pre-amp, and my Roland just sings with it! I have a Yamaha 12 string that sounds great with it. I also use a Yamaha semi-hollow body electric with it in a teacher band (think Rock-Bottom Remainders and you'll about nail it.) We do blues, country, rock and roll, folk, and standards, plus whatever people yell out at us. On acoustic, I finger pick and play rhythm, with some accompaniment work where I combine the two. On the electric, I play rhythm. In terms of power, I have used it against rotten next door neighbors who insisted on blasting hip-hop into my apartment at 3 am. Run a jack from it to the stereo and play Holst's The Planets through it volume knob at 7, and people will never screw with you again. I have used this litttle amp in pep assemblies filled with screaming teens, and my kids told me that mine was the only guitar they could hear. It has a clear, full, round sound no matter what the volume level and is very quiet. I have experienced no distortion. I really love the chorus and the brightness when fingerpicking.

This amp has been a workhorse. I have not had to spend one dime on it, and I have used it outside and in, in all kinds of conditions. It is incredibly sturdy. It's also small enough to lug around without too much trouble. The only thing that has ever happened was that a screw came loose in the housing. Once.

I have never had to contact the company.

I love this amp. I have had several musicians who play much more than I do try to buy this baby from me, but no dice. I would not part from it, ever. If I fire broke out in my house, first would go the kids and the dogs-- but one of the kids would drag this amp out of the house while I held my Taylor in the other. If you are a melody driven guitarist-- especially acoustic-- who appreciates an open, beautiful sound, and you get a chance to get one, do it. I look forward to using it for the NEXT 20 years.

It had chorus and vibrato, beautiful reverb, crappy distortion. All pretty good in a portable little amp.

Playing a strat through this with the clean sound and chorus and reverb is one of the best sounds I have ever made. The distortion is probably the worst sounding distortion I have ever heard. For Jazz or surf, this was pretty good, but when I played rock I just plugged in my Rat, and it sounded great. Had a lot of headroom, it never broke up in clean channel even at VERY loud volume.

This is the only thing I did not like. I bought it used, so can't complain too much. I only had it about 4 months and the vibrato/chorus switch broke. after that point it would not go to chorus unless you held the switch in (even with footswitch). I finally just dumped it a pawn shop because of this.

too old to bother with hte company.

I really liked this amp, but was disapointed in how quickly it broke. I would get another (of any of the jazz chorus amps) as long as they were just in home or studio. I would not trust one on the road.

This amp is kinda old, 80 or early 90ish, this amp is really versatile considering what time period it was made in. it has built in chorus (legendary & beautiful), tremolo, reverb, and a quite worthless distortion. I just use this amp for a practice amp in my room, and to take to ppl's houses to jam, and it suits those needs just fine.

I play Metal/nu metal, and with the right distortion pedal, this amp can kick some serious ass. I say "the right" pedal, 'cause I went through 3 before I found one that sounds good. Other than that, the chorus is incredible, the tremolo's good, but i'd never use it. Reverb's good, distortion's not even worth trying. So, for the sounds that I bought this amp for (chorus & clean) it gets a 10

This thing looks as though it's built rugged as hell. I havent tested it yet (hauling it w/ me to cali @ the end of the month) so we'll see. but, as it is still untested, i give it an 8.

i'd never call roland for this old of an amp.

I've been playing for about 6 years, and this amp, w/ the combination of a good distortion pedal, this is the best sounding setup i've had.

I have no clue what year this amp was made but my guess is late 80's early 90's. it has built in reverb and chorus/trem as well as distortion that is basicly useless. 2 channel not switchable so realy only one an effects loop would be nice for this amp as it is large and loud enough for gigging. it does however have a "choros/vibrato out" that can be jacked to a p/a

i use an old ibanaz silver cadet with jackson pickups as well as a stock generic SG and, a custon 73 aria bass with duncan p and humbucker pickups, as well as a epiphone T-Bird bass stock, no name acoustic electric.i use a danelectro fab tone for distortion I play many types from blues to 80's metal, this amp is one thing CLEAN! but with an external distortion source you can get some realy nice fuz to crunch distortion from it

donty realy know only had it a while but it is older and seems to be holding up well

never had to deal with it

i have been playing 15 years and have had MANY crappy amps, i recived this as a gift, used, from a friend and was realy impressed,it is clean even when LOUD and with a little help you can get fabolous sounds from it. if it was stolen i would buy another to replace it, i love this amp. it works well with all my instraments including my acoustic guitar

It's got enough features for the size and price of it. High/Low inputs, Bright On/Off switch, Volume, Treble, Bass, Distortion, Reverb. Then Speed and Depth, and Vibrato/Off/Chorus switch, then an On/Off/On switch (don't ask me why it needs two ON positions).

Enough features to get a straight clean sound, or a clean sound with lush chorus or vibrato sound. What it lacks is the MAIN IN jack like a JC-120 for plugging direct to the power amp - something I'd like as a Boss GT-6 owner.

I've used this with my main electric guitar, an '01 Gibson SG Standard with stock hardware, and my backup an Epi G-310 SG copy. Obviously the Gibson sounds superb. The Epi is alright, don't except much as it's cheap.

The clean sound is great for a transistor amplifier, couldn't believe what I heard when I tried it out. Stays clean well into the 3 o'clock position on the volume knob. Quiet as a whistle, chorus/vib circuit is a little noisy but not too severe. Bright switch is useful for practicing at home, I always turn it off at practice and gig levels or it'd tear your ears off.

Chorus and vibrato are superb too. Reverb a pleasent suprise, actually gives a nice surfy tone even though it muddies up the sound a little on 10. As I expected, the distortion is useless. It sort of takes the clean sound and layers this bad distortion on top, producing a muddy, nasty tone. For drive, I'd stick to analogue pedals.

I use it mostly with a Boss GT-6, the modulations, delays and reverbs are great but the drive sounds muddy and indistinct. This is more a fault of the GT-6.

It's a little worn in, looks like the previous owner was a heavy smoker too as the cloth on the front is very dull looking, but it's quite robust. I'm more happy pulling this around than a Fender Twin or a big stack if I'm doing a rehearsal or small gig.

I've been playing for 5 years now and I know what I like when it comes to tones, even though my ideal set up is several grand out of my budget :-). I've mostly used solid state amps and Boss pedals or FX units and this is the best solid state amp I've used and owned, I'd like to get my hands on a JC-120 after owning this.

I traded a re-issue Sessionette:75 for this and don't regret it as the 75 was a piece of trash compared to this. For clean sounds it's top notch.

The drive on every amp I've ever tried - not including cranked valve amps that overdrive naturally, not because they have an onboard circuit - are crap, it's best to have an analogue pedal or two that has a drive sound you like instead of relying on the amps in my opinion. The JC-50 is no different, I'd rather use a ProCo Rat and an MXR Distortion+ for drive tones as I prefer the sound of those boxes.

If it were stolen (I don't lose gear), I would be a little disappointed and would probably seek out the JC-120 or a vintage Vox AC-30 instead. I wouldn't replace it unless between now and it being stolen I feel the need to hold on to it.

I love the clean, chorus and vibrato sounds, the fact that the EQ controls are responsive and work well for humbuckers AND single coils (I hate those amps that are designed for just one guitar type) and it's portability. I dislike the fact there isn't a MAIN IN or EFFECTS LOOP on this. Very good amplifier, more so for a solid state one.